Former New Lenox resident drums for band with a presence in the Smithsonian

NEW LENOX – Former New Lenox resident Eddie Cruise is grateful he made good choices in his younger years.

“I took care of myself, health-wise,” said Cruise, of Florida. “I never really drank a lot and stayed away from the heavier partying. I am still maintaining my youthful look.”

Cruise graduated from Lincoln-Way High School in 1977, but his desire for looking good is about more than just ego.

It’s about rock and roll.

Cruise is the drummer of Nova Rex, which is celebrating its 30th year of rocking out to ’80s hair band metal. And next week, Cruise will be drumming twice in the Joliet area.

Now, they are touring again. They played Saturday at The Tree of Joliet (formerly Mojoes) and are scheduled to play at Bada Brew in Crest Hill on Thursday

Cruise said many of his old friends will be coming out to Bada Brew for the show and that playing rock and roll in his 50s is more fun than when he was younger and concerts got a little crazy.

“Nowadays it’s more about the music,” Cruise said.

The Nova Rex history

Cruise joined Nova Rex a couple years ago when Ken Wilkerson, founding member and bass player, called. Before Cruise joined the band, Wilkerson created a documentary: “Nova Rex: Ain’t Easy Being Cheesy.”

Soon afterward, Wilkerson was contacted by the Smithsonian.

“They were looking for ’80s rock memorabilia to put in their display,” Cruise said. “He wound up giving them some of the clothes and a Budweiser guitar.”

Wilkerson, also of Florida, said it was an interesting adventure to get into the Smithsonian, starting with the formation of Nova Rex in 1985 with original members Wilkerson and guitarist JP Cervoni.

Nova Rex had a regular touring career in the 1980s and 1990s. They played in Florida and other states, and then Indiana for a number of years when the grunge movement was shutting down most big-hair ’80s bands.

“We kept the flag flying,” Wilkerson said. “We didn’t give up.”

Around 2000, Cerboni moved to California and Wilkerson – originally from Indiana – moved to Florida. It appeared Nova Rex was done.

Years later, Wilkerson shot “Nova Rex: It Ain’t Easy Being Cheesy,” which contained footage from their touring days. They shot the rest in one weekend. The documentary was released in 2011.

But that wasn’t the end of it. In 2012, the Documentary channel picked it up. In 2014, Netflix started streaming it. A new interest in Nova Rex was born despite the fact the band didn’t take itself too seriously in the documentary.

“We make fun of ourselves, the hair, the make-up and stuff,” Wilkerson said, “which is funny because we still do it now.”

Enter Cruise

Part of this new touring era is Cruise, who grew up in New Lenox and began playing drums when he was in grade school.

“When I was in the fourth grade, they gave us this aptitude test,” Cruise said. “They handed me like a bugle or something. I was like, ‘I want to play the drums.’ They were like, ‘Nah, you play this.’ ”

However, Cruise had an older brother who also played music. The brother had started with guitar – which he quit. Eventually a drum set wound up in the Cruise household.

“I kinda knew that’s what I wanted to do,” Cruise said. “Since then, I have been addicted to playing music.”

Cruise toured with the band On the Rocks in the 1990s. He really likes the semblance of time travel that happens when he plays as the drummer of Nova Rex.

“When you come see our show, it’s just like popping back into the ’80s,” Cruise said. “I am blown away at how well it goes over.”

The band members also don the complete ’80s big-hair band uniform, but not the originals items. Those are on display.

After Wilkerson finished his documentary, he sent copies to museums. He was also eager to share parts of their uniform – chaps, leather pants, chains – so Wilkerson wasn’t surprised when the local Indiana museum – The Johnson County Museum of History – wanted items.

But wait. There’s more.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame catalogued the documentary, Wilkerson said. Then the Hard Rock Cafe corporate office in Florida, took some items, he added. But the last one – the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History – well, that was a real surprise.

It’s been nearly a year since Nova Rex started playing again. Four weeks ago, the band released a new single. As a drummer, Cruise said when he plays, he gives it all he’s got.

“I keep playing like it’s the last day of my life,” Cruise said. “I play like hell because I don’t want anyone to say I sucked on the last day of my life.”

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IF YOU GO

WHAT: Nova Rex

WHEN: 8 p.m. July 16

WHERE: Bada Brew, 802-804 Theodore St., Crest Hill

VISIT: www.facebook.com/BadaBrew and www.facebook.com/NovaRexRocks

CALL: 815-726-3401