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8. Interviews/Rob Rock

"Garden of Chaos" Interview with Rob Rock - DarkSide (November 15, 2007)



"Garden of Chaos" Interview with Rob Rock

Russian DARKSIDE Webzine



Rob Rock - Singing

"Garden of Chaos" is your 4th album on AFM Records. Are you satisfied with the way, AFM work with you? Is it better or worse than Massacre Records? Why?


Yes, I think AFM has done a great job with “Holy Hell” and I look forward to good results with the new album “Garden of Chaos”. I think with the Aces High Tour we did in 2005 with Masterplan, Circle to Circle, and Pure Inc, AFM proved that they were interested in promoting my album and band. I think a label does better for the band when it is interested in reaching more people and expanding the fan base.


When I’ve listened to your new CD it seemed to me that it became harder and more melodic at the same time. Did you do it on purpose? How did you manage to achieve such a result?


Well, I wanted to realize a great album that continues the path of Holy Hell but also expands into new territory with a wide variety of songs and vocal ranges. The group of songs that I ended up with for the album were focused to be high energy and fast-paced so the result is a heavier, faster impression. The songs I chose for the album allowed me to write more melodic vocal lines and of course I love the harder edge of the guitars.


What are the majority songs of the new album are about? The titles of some of the sound really frightening (for example “Satan’s Playground”).


There are many different subjects on the album. Satan’s Playground is about Islamic terrorists, the title track is about how no one really wins in war, Metal Breed is about the history and evolution of rock and metal music as a popular music, Millennial Reign, Only a Matter of Time, and Ride the Wind are Biblical themes, and the other songs deal with different human relationships.


Among 11 songs of the album there are two ballads. What is more interesting for you – to write fast and hard songs or touching ballads? Do you think it’s necessary to have at least ballad on every album?


I need to have both on the album. I want to show that my song writing and my voice can do many styles and degrees and vocal ranges and emotions. Most singers do not have this versatility or ability. I think a ballad on an album is a good thing, especially when you have a band that can perform more than one style of music.


For the new CD you wrote 7 songs with Roy Z, and 4 songs – with Gus G. How did you get acquainted with Gus and why did you chose him as your co-writer? It wasn’t so long ago that Gus said he wanted concentrate on Firewind and wouldn’t take part in any projects…


Let me correct you, I wrote one song with Gus, the title track. The other songs were written with Bob Rossi, CJ Grimmark and Liza Rock. I wanted a bigger variety of songs this time so I wrote with many close friends. With Gus, I asked him if he had any tracks that would fit a Rob Rock album and he sent several. Then I chose to finish writing the vocal melody and lyrics for the Garden of Chaos song.


Gus’s guitar can also be heard on one of the tracks – does it mean that you might sing on one of the new songs by Firewind?


Gus plays the guitar solo on “Ride the Wind”. Very cool! I will definitely return the favor whenever Gus asks or needs me to do so. We have become good friends over the years so I’m sure we will stay in touch and hopefully work together again.


For the Japanese edition you didn’t only recorded some additional bonus tracks, but you also made a different cover artwork. Why?


The original artwork that was created by my wife Liza and I is the one that is released in Japan. I personally like that one best but AFM Records needed one that was more “marketable for the heavy metal audience”. So, I started working with Felipe Machado and we came up with the alternative cover that is released in Europe and the USA. I wanted Japan to have something special too, seeing that they were not getting a different bonus track this time.


And in general, in what country is your music most popular? Where do you have the most devoted fans?


I’d say Germany is the biggest market numbers sales wise. Germany, South America, USA and Japan all have some very loyal and devoted fans there.


Do you have plans to shoot a video clip for one of the songs from your new album? I think that “Savior's Call“ is a perfect fit for it...


I am currently looking for a good situation to shoot a live concert DVD, from there we would probably shoot a video for a single. I hope that will happen in 2008.


You are releasing the 4th Cd and I hope that you are not going to stop. And what about a live DVD release? It’s very popular nowadays…


Yes, we are planning to do a DVD shoot in 2008 but no definite plans are booked yet. I plan on continuing my career as a recording artist for a long time to come.


During your career you worked with different bands. Which of them is closer to you, which music do you like best? And which album turned out to be the less successful?


Well…MARS is my first so it’s special! I spent the most time with Impellitteri, and I like my solo works the best. I have no idea which album is the least – they’ve all done pretty well.


Let’s now come back to your first CD “Rage Of Creation". One of the central songs on it is the cover for ABBA’s “Eagle”, which turned out (in my opinion) almost better than the original. Why did you choose this song and who came up with such an arrangement for the song? 


A friend of Roy Z and myself came up with the idea. Roy came up with the arrangement. I chose to do this song because I could hear myself performing it as a metal song.


On your third CD you once again covered a song by ABBA. Do you like ABBA so greatly? Are you going to make other cover versions by this band? 


This song was a Roy idea. “Move On” is a great ballad and we knew it would do well in the Latin countries where that song was a hit for ABBA. I have no plans to record any more ABBA songs. 


In 2001 you recorded some stuff with the band Warrior, but the collaboration resulted only in one album. Was it planned a one-album-project from the very beginning or did it happened quite by chance? Were there any reasons why you didn’t continue to record with Warrior?


Warrior was planned as one album and tour and see how it goes. But, the tour never happened and then I was busy recording my next solo album when they did the next Warrior album. I like “Code of Life” and I am glad I did it.


In 2000 the last CD with Chris Impelliteri was released. Did he invite you to take part in the recordings in his band and how real is your reunion with Impelliteri? Or do you think that your band has a greater success?


We have discussed the possibilities of working together in the future someday but it all depends on timing. Impellitteri does better in Japan but Rob Rock does better in Europe. So…it would be a cool thing to do if it all works out.


It seems that in the USA the interest to the European metal-scene has recently increased. Is it true? If it is true, why did it happen only now, what has changed in the USA in your opinion? 


Yes, I think it’s true at an underground level. Mainstream media still avoids it but Satellite radio loves it. I think people are tired of the poor quality music that is coming out on major labels these days in the USA.


Now that you released 4 albums I think you can to sum everything up. Which of these 4 albums is the best for you? And why?


I have to have some distance of time to be able to know which is best. Every album has it’s distinct positives and even the fans can’t decide which one they like best. Holy Hell got great attention and I hope Garden of Chaos does even better. I try to write a different album every time so it’s hard to compare albums when they are all slightly different in the vision and the songwriting.


Do you watch the appearance of the new metal bands? If yes, who appealed you most of all, don’t you think that too many bands appear now? Some bands even can’t play the instruments the instruments properly, but nevertheless release albums…


Yes, I hear things here and there but I do not follow the new bands much. Nightwish is the last one I really liked a lot.


In your previous interview to our web-zine (it was 4 years аgo), when we asked you who releases your CDs in the USA, you answered that you were looking for a label. As far as I understand AFM records are also responsible for the USA release, and what is about tours? How much is your music popular in the USA?


Candlelight Records USA releases all of my albums now. They are very happy with me. They have offered some touring dates in the past but I need to make wise business decisions in order to be successful on the road here. My music is very popular on Satellite radio and it’s growing all the time. I hope to be able to do some more US dates in 2008.


And finally, I think the last questions - about Russia. Will you visit our country as part of your European tour?


I really hope so. My wife’s family is from Russia so it would be very interesting for me and the whole family.


Have you colleagues told you anything about this country? What’s their impression?


 I hear it’s very regal, classy, and historic. They say the fans there are really great and hungry for metal.


Could you say a few words to Russian fans… 


I really hope to see you soon. I hope that I can perform for you in Russia in 2008 if possible. Lord willing I will get over there soon and rock your world! Thank you all for your support and for buying the CD’s whenever you can. See you at my websites; www.robrock.com and www.myspace.com/robrock1. God bless you all!



Interview by Ksenia "Wolfin" Khorina

Questions also composed by Blindman

November 15, 2007


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