One day after his phenomenal concert at the Bang Your Head!!! Festival I had the chance to once again talk to Rob about all the stuff going on in his camp, so here you go:



Rob, EVERYBODY I have spoken with since yesterday has been satisfied with your gig - so I hope this does reflect the fans here in Germany. So what are your personal impressions, do the reactions here maybe compensate for the album not being out yet?
Yeah, it made me feel REALLY good, because live we got a great response, we did three new songs, that no one has heard but they responded really well. I am very happy that we got a chance to play.
And even though I am singing (laughs) at 11 in the morning, that was unfamiliar to me, yes I think that was my earliest gig ever, but my voice was good.

Ok - we can not change it now, but does it make you angry the record is not being released when it was originally to be released in May and then in mid-June … (The release date was once again delayed from June 23 to June 30 and Rob didn't even know it!)
When you first told me about it, I was angry and disappointed but then I just think timing is very important, so it comes out on Monday we gotta be optimistic, hopefully a good thing. People have a strong impression now maybe a good buzz from the show to help in sales. I just try to look for the good aspects and I figured that's my choice, I can either be sad or happy and I choose happy!

Well, once again congratulations to the new disc: great song-writing and outstanding musicians. But isn't "Field Of Fire" an old DRIVER song?!?
Yes, its an old song me and Roy wrote in ... 88 or 89! You still have that song on an old demo I sent you way back then?!? Wow! Nobody noticed that yet. The only difference ... when we recorded those demos they are two and a half steps down and the album is A 440 tuning so it's a little bit higher.

Sorry I didn't get that ...
Like on the guitar if you tune to A 440 which is normal standard pitch tuning, when it's half a step down, like low E on a guitar will be a half step down.

On the credits there are two people mentioned singing: John and Dorothy Rock - are these your parents or your brothers and sisters? Those are my parents! (has to laugh!) Those are my parents, man! I had come from my rehearsal and I had my DATs in my truck and I went to visit them, and I had this idea that they should sing on this song that one part. So I brought in the E-Tracks and recorded like 16 tracks of them singing that part, first my father, than my mother. So great, I finally got them on record - forever.

Every name that you have as guitar player guests is known except one: Jeff Kollman, who is that?
Jeff Kollman is a guitar player, he plays with Glenn Hughes, he just produced Glenn Hughes' new album, he's from L.A. He's a good friend of Chris Leibundgut, Roy Z. and myself.

(The funny thing is, a few days after this interview I found a review in a BRIGHT EYES Magazine for a record called "Sign of 4", including Phil Mogg where he also played, as well as on the MOGG/WAY album - gl)

Talking about Roy, big compliment here also for producing especially "The Hour Of Dawn" making it sound like it was actually recorded in a studio, as in contrast it was put together by bits and pieces. How many hours or better days did you spent on that song? (For people not knowing the song: It features 12 solos from guitar players all over the world!)
Ha, ha, yeah that was an expensive song, 'cos I had to fed ex a lot of money for shipping! We had send the music to my guitar player friends and they recorded their solos over it and then we had back 10 or 12 CDs full of solos so we had to put it all in the same format in order to mix it. Yeah, it was a long test!

Ok, Rob now two little bit critical questions, I think for people knowing each other for such a long time, I can ask you. First if I had to rate the record it would still be 9.5 out of 10 (when your first would be 10 out of 10 Points) so in my opinion it's still one of the Top 3 records this year. But what were you doing with "Conqueror's Hymn" there, what made you chose those weird (alternative?) sounds?
The weird sounds, ah ... that. Ok you mean the pre-chorus, that was just … I was experimental ... kind of alternative ... I was playing with more modern sounds for that, something different and twisted. Ok that's good, everyone's entitled to their opinion.



You have different people that play on your record and for your touring band, were there any hard feelings or maybe disappointments from the Tour group when they want to play more on the record?
No, actually Bob and Ricky played a little bit on the record, Ricky did like three songs, so he's very happy with that, but the band knows from the beginning that the nucleus of my solo-career was myself and Roy Z and the songs that we have written together in the past and our friendship and stuff. But together with Roy Z in the future I wanna include the band, because we did touring for like 2 years. That's why I'm starting to call the band RAGE OF CREATION, you know.

Yeah that was the original plan, but now its out under your name.
Yeah; that's what I asked the record company about! But they said "Rob Rock", they thought it would confuse the fans they still wanted it to be my name. Because me and Roy wrote all the songs together again, they thought it was more of a solo album.
I don't wanna confuse people with that but I want them to know: This is the band that I'm on the road with and this is the band I wanna include in the future recordings, too.
But, see the thing with the touring band doesn't have enough studio experience, like you know I've done a lot of albums, I've got a lot of studio experience as well as Roy obviously. And because of the small budget I have for the record I need to make the recordings quickly and accurately. We don't have time there to fix stuff etc, so in that respect that was like the main reasons because I'm working between Roy Z's schedule. It's ok for me to fly to L.A., but when I have to fly 4 or 5 guys to be in a certain studio in L.A. or in Phoenix it gets really too expensive.
They are glad to be a part of it I think. And you know the other thing in my past ... this may sound strange but ... when you're in a band situation sometimes there is always one guy or two guys in a band that's always changing, ever notice that? In every band there's one position that's always seems to be changing.

In your band it's the second guitar player.
That's right! NOW I think I have the right guy! Personality-wise too. Now I am more comfortable moving ahead in a band direction. I didn't wanna do that in the first year or in the second year because of that!

There was actually an offer from this festival here for IMPELLITTERI I think in 2000 or 1999, can't remember which year, but Chris didn't wanna do it ... were you aware of that?!
I didn't know about that to be honest, but I think it was before that, I think it was for "Answer To The Master"? Personally I did know, that Impellitteri wasn't involved in the business side, though.

But when you come back you can tell him how good it was!
Oh I will - I tell him how great it is!!



Speaking of Chris, I hear the vocal position is free in his band, so if he calls you next week, would you do it?
(laughs), ha, ha, I talk to Chris a lot anyway, so I know he's looking for a singer, he asked me if I know singers and he asked me also what am I doing. I told him I'm persuing my solo career. He said, "Well I'm gonna move ahead and record my album and keep looking for a singer. Maybe we can work together in the future" and I said "Yeah, maybe, but we have to wait and see", because ... to be honest it seems to be a little competition going on because you know when I did my solo-album at first he was ok, he knew about it, and then he didn't think it wasn't such a Heavy Metal record! He thought it would be more like a ballad album.
But now I think he changes his mind, also about playing festivals, he realises that Europe is a very strong Metal scene. Before we only had Japan for many years, Japan has been great for us, but I wanted to get back to Europe cos so many people love the MARS/Project DRIVER.

So what is you current status in the US, is the record actually released over there and where?
Yeah, it will be released, I have a ... it's not really a label but I have distribution companies that distribute it. And a lot of it is Internet, and a lot of it is "Mom & Pop" stores, smaller stores, where people can order it. I don't have it in the chains like "Best Buy" or "Circuit City" which are big electronic stores. But it seems to be better that way because I think all the HM-Fans are on the Internet and kinda in the underground. We did like on our "Rage of Creation"-Tour we did the New Jersey festival, we did a festival down in Florida with EDGUY, plus we do a lot of Orlando gigs. But the scene is crazy, most of the Metal fans are in little pockets of groups of people around. The main contact is Internet.

Thank you very much for another interview Rob!
Thank you, Georg, always a pleasure talking to you!

Rob is a "Gentleman" within the metal community ... Yes, the vast majority of musicians is friendly, but he listens, he is dedicated to answer your questions. He accepts opinions and he is not insulted when you tell him you didn't like a song (unlike FIREHOUSE, WASP or LONDON!). He would even ask me for my opinion or impression on certain things. So the guy deserves much more success with another outstanding record. So be prepared - this fall or in 2004 RAGE OF CREATION will be back for another tour!! And since Rob was in Germany now for the fifth time, he must catch up some words here, so the next interview will be conducted in GERMAN language, ok, Rob?!?

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