Riki Rachtman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Riki Rachtman
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Rachtman at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 2023
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| Born |
Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Television and radio personality |
| Known for | Host of Headbangers Ball |
David Andrew "Riki" Rachtman is an American television and radio host. He is famous for being a big part of the hard rock and heavy metal music scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He hosted the popular MTV show Headbangers Ball from 1990 until it ended in 1995. He also owned a famous nightclub in Hollywood called The Cathouse.
Contents
Career in Music and Television
Early Music Career
Riki Rachtman grew up in California and was interested in music from a young age. When he was 16, he tried out to be the singer for the band the Angry Samoans. Later, he was the lead singer for a metal band called Virgin and was also in a band named Battery Club, which toured with the famous band The Offspring.
Rachtman also appeared in Attack of Life: The Bang Tango Movie, a 2016 documentary about the 80s hard rock band Bang Tango.
Hosting Popular Shows
Rachtman started appearing on MTV's heavy metal show, Headbangers Ball, in 1989. His friend at the time, Axl Rose from the band Guns N' Roses, helped him get an audition. Even though Rachtman had no TV experience, he was hired and became the full-time host, known as a VJ (video jockey), from 1990 to 1995. He even made a small appearance as a wedding guest in the famous Guns N' Roses music video for "November Rain".
From 1993 to 1996, Rachtman co-hosted a radio advice show called Loveline with Dr. Drew Pinsky.
In 1999 and 2000, he worked for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as a backstage interviewer and a host for its main show, Nitro.
In 2003, he hosted a show on MTV2 called 22 Greatest Bands. He also began hosting a radio show called Racing Rocks, which combined rock music and NASCAR. The show was heard on more than 120 radio stations.
Starting in 2020, Rachtman became a personality for the American Flat Track motorcycle racing series, helping to get the crowd excited at live events.
Business Ventures
Rachtman owned The Cathouse, a nightclub that featured many of the heavy metal bands seen on Headbangers Ball. The club and Rachtman were shown in the documentary The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years.
He also owns a skateboard company called Pool School. In 2019, he opened a new business called Cathouse HQ in Mooresville, North Carolina, and in 2022, he launched his own brand of coffee called CATHOUSE COFFEE.
Working with VH1
Rachtman has hosted several reunion shows for the TV channel VH1. He hosted the reunion for Rock of Love, a show that starred his friend Bret Michaels, the singer of the band Poison. He also appeared on the show Rock of Love: Charm School and hosted reunions for other similar shows.
Personal Life
In 1994, Rachtman mentioned that he once lived in New Zealand for a year when he was 16. He later lived in Orange County, California, and in 2014, he moved to Charlotte, North Carolina.
Every year, Rachtman organizes a charity motorcycle ride called "Riki's Ride." He rides across North America to raise money for different causes. The rides have raised nearly $50,000 for charity. In 2020, he presented a check for over $22,000 to the Ryan Blaney Family Foundation.
On December 12, 2021, Rachtman married Lea Vendetta, who appeared on the TV show Ink Master. They live together in Mooresville, North Carolina.
See also
In Spanish: Riki Rachtman para niños
