What have you been doing since the ATR tour?
Bobby: Tons of stuff, really. I guess the main thing has been all of my solo oriented pursuits. I've done three records as a solo artist and have logged many thousands of miles on the road doing either solo drum shows or dates with my own band. I've also done a lot of writing. I've completed a few new books since then and have a few more 'in progress'. Then there's the producing(records and videos) the sessions, the other tours (most recently with instrumental rock guitarist Gary Hoey) and so forth. So..lots of fun stuff..
What projects are you currently working on?
Bobby: I'm just about to start work on my fourth solo record here pretty soon. I've also got a new drum video in the works, and I'm trying to get a few more books out there...mainly this health/fitness/nutrition book which has been more-or-less ready to roll for a whole now. On the "Hypothetical Erotica" front (my latest book), there's talk of a theatrical production of it..sort of a multimedia, interactive theater thing. Stay tuned. In the meantime, I'm just promoting that book in and around these various tours that keep popping up.
At what age did you get into music?
Bobby: 10
Who was your biggest musical inspiration to become a drummer?
Bobby: Probably a combination of the local drummers of my neighborhood when I was a kid and, although he wasn't a drummer, Alice Cooper!
At what age were you certain that playing the drums & music was something that you wanted to do as a living of just for fun?
Bobby: 10..no kidding :)
How old were you when you got your first kit?
Bobby: Ready? 10. 10 was a pretty pivotal age I guess, huh?
What are your influences?
Bobby: It's hard to pinpoint nowadays. There are a lot of great drummers out there, but I tend to get my influence/inspiration elsewhere. Other kinds of musicians, great writers, great acting performances, etc?
What gig is the most memorable?
Bobby: Probably one of serveral big shows I've done in Houston through the years. It's always nice to be back in the hometown playing for friends and family in a cool venue...
What would be "The Dream Gig?"
Bobby: I a way, I'm already in it. Doing my own thing, making my own records, touring as a solo performer and being able to go totally ape shit on the drums every night...it's a tough one to beat. Now, if it were only a little more mainstream in its appeal...
Do you play any other instruments besides drums?
Bobby: Nope.
Name one experience as a drummer that happened to you..that was the best, the worst and the funniest.
Bobby: I've always favored live playing over studio work, so my best experience would probably involved any one of serveral stand-out live shows through the years. The worst would probably be doing some lame ass wedding or "cocktail" gig way back in the day where there was absolutely nothing stimulating about the music, the musicians or the audience and you're expected to play very light so as not to disturb "the patrons". (My definition of hell.) Fortunately, it's been a lot of years since I've had to do something like that. The funniest, I suppose, was when my drum throne snapped in two at a high school dance I was playing at. I went tumbling off the back of the drum riser. Of course, it wasn't very funny at the time!
Will you be continuing with the "Hypothetical Erotica" website and will there be any more books?
Bobby: Oh yeah. The next one will probably be an expanded second edition paperback version of the hardcover. As for more "hypotheticals", there are many others, and I'm sure they'll find their way there at some point, in some form or another.
What are your plans for the future?
Bobby: Just to keep doing what I'm doing. More tours, more CD's, more books, more, more, more. As the old cliche goes, it's about the journey, not the destination. I realized a long time ago that I will never really arrive. I'll never really be content to say, Okay, enough. I've said all I've had to as a musician, as a writer, as a producer, etc. It's kind of a bitch in a way because, as a result, there's little sense of finality in my life,..no light at the end of the proverbial tunner. But, better that than sittin' around waiting for the muse to show up, right?
Any message for the fans?
Bobby: Sure...thank you! I mean, I do what I do because I love doing it, but being able to express it to the fans is how it comes into total fruition. Without that, I would just be "playing with myself", so to speak.
The owner of this site would like to thank the following for making this possible. Brother Harmony for permission to reprint this interview and of course the one and only Bobby Rock for taking the time.
