Waht happened to Alex Skolnick? Any other collaborations with him?

Alex is currently living in New York where he is studying jazz and playing with an East Coast version of the Skol Patrol, among other things. I still live in California, so we don't see each other as often as we used to. However, we will be recording another Attention Deficit this fall, which I believe takes us to your next question.

Is the 'Attention Deficit Project' buried or what?

Attention Deficit is very much alive! We're all pretty busy with other projects, but we're quite excited about the possibilities for the group and we have a lot of ideas for this new recording. We are hoping we can do some live playing, too. We've had several offers, so with a little luck you'll be hearing more from us in the future.

The problem with most musicians is that they have great technique but lacking "heart"...you don't seem to have this problem. Do you agree?

Thanks! I do feel it's a problem in some music. Music is an enormously complex art form. To master it takes a lot of dedication and there can be a tendency to focus on the technical aspects without acknowledging music's expressive and spiritual nature. Actually, I feel that there is a lot of very good music out there that is mostly technically oriented and I often enjoy listening to it, but what moves and inspires me the most is when an artist has developed his or her technical ability as a tool for better expressing something beautiful or meaningful about the world we live in. In my view, technique can either be liberating or confining, either wings or a prison. Of course, some artists try to avoid technique entirely and sometimes come up with some amazing results, but I feel that can be a trap, too. I try to focus on developing technique as a way of freeing myself from the confines of cliché, limitation, convention, triviality and insignificance.

And Jaco Pastorius?

Wow, that's a big one. Jaco was my biggest hero when I was growing up and I consider myself quite fortunate to have had the chance to study with him briefly in New York in the early 80's. It was a powerful experience for me, but more personally than musically. I had already learned a lot about his music from spending so much time listening, transcribing and studying it, so what I got from the lessons was more about who he was and how that related to the music he made. He was a complex person, both heroic and tragic, of course. Meeting him was enthralling, disturbing, frightening, enlightening, confusing and exhilarating all at the same time. It helped me to begin to face my own musical personality and to think about what direction I wanted to go.These days actually, I don't listen to Jaco that much. He was a great artist and I know his inspiration will always be part of who I am. But for me, that 's more about the past and these days I'm more interested in the present and the future. There's so much more I want to do with this instrument!

It started out naturally. I embraced a musical life from a very young age, before I even had a chance to know that it would be such a big part of my being. I always felt a need to be surrounded by music. I always felt more comfortable communicating through my music than words. Over the years I have spent a lot of time sharpening my skills , and developing my understanding of music.  Therefore, I would also say my approach is 'studied'.  Discovering, and understanding through hard work is a great thing. it keeps you inspired, and evolving as a player.

I think your style is something unique. When you are in the composing process, do you give more priority to rhythm or melody?

As a drummer, I tend to hear many interesting rhythms, which can be given a life through composition. But I always try to be consciuos of melodic, and harmonic structure as well. A composition contains all of these elements. There's no need to deny any of these. Having had traing as a pianist has also given me the harmonic and melodic perspective.

What do you remember about your early experience with Claudio Villa? Was he an influence your life?

Well, I was only three years old at the time. I was actually playing in my fathers band at the time and we opened the show for Claudio. I can't say I remember agreat deal about him.

How important is power and intensity in your style?

It's the way I like to express myself through my instrument. Of course, I do play music that requires more subtle energies, and that can also be a great experience. But having a fiery constitution, I feel like i have a lot to give out to my audiences.

How does it feel to be the Greatest drummer in the world?

I'll let you know....if I ever get there.

How do you go about composing your music?

What are your most recent completed projects and what are you currently working on?

Are you influenced by guitarists?

How did you choose your bandmates in Planet X?

Is this going to be your 'real' band for the future?

Tell me something concerning Metropolis 2...was it composed by you and Dream Theater?

And about Brad Gillis and his "shredding ranch"...

Which kind of music do you like more right now: neoclassical, prog/fusion or jazz?

What do you think about the future of the Guitar Shred music?

And now? Another Bobby Rock solo album...

Why no more collaborations with Garsed/Helmerich?

Tell me about Neil Zaza ...

Next projects in mind?

Bobby, do you think the future of Music Business will be on the Internet?

I just recently finished working on a few at around the same time. one is my second solo release entitled "einstein too", another was for a female singer recently signed to lava/atlantic named amy fairchild, two others were done at the same time at dizzyland studios in new hampshire for "hank decken" and "sonic joyride", also i've been working on composing for a film called "kamikaze" being shot here in new york later this summer. there are so many things i'm involved with at the moment due to now being available through my web site. not only do i have my regular producers and contacts calling me, but i also have artists from around the world now able to get in touch me directly, unlike before. since i've got my own studio here in the city, if they can't afford to fly me across the world, they can just send me their tapes, leave it to me to put the drums down and send them right back. it saves them money and it's great for me because i never would have been available like that in the past. next up for me is some recording with legendary bassist tm stevens, with possible tour dates later this year.

It's true that you're involved in Rama's, Toshi Iseda Project?

Yes, that is correct. toshi and andy (west) contacted me last year about laying a few drum tracks down for the rama project. it was an interesting process as i explained previously. they sent me the scratch tracks on da88, i then dumped them to 2" at my studio, laid down the 3 tracks during a dinner break while working on another session, then dumped the tracks back to da88 and sent them off. i've yet to hear the finished mixes, but am looking forward to the end results.

You are famous for great performances (on studio and on stage) with the master, Joe Satriani. Your memories on this part of your life?

Hooking up with joe was one of those situations of being in the right place at the right time. i had just finished a few years of work with steve howe and steve hackett in a band called gtr. things were up in the air about what the band was going to do next, leaving me with thoughts of moving on and possibly moving back to the states from london. a trip to the hoshino factory to sign with tama introduced me to joe who was there to do the same with ibanez. we talked about playing, one gig led to another, the next thing i knew we were on the road and i was moving back to the states. it was very exciting and enjoyable time for us back at the beginning. we were just an instrumental fusion trio looking to tear up every gig and blow away as many in the audience as possible. things changed later on though when the gig got more popular and joe tried singing to capture an even larger audience. although i still enjoyed a lot of what we did at the time, that was a turning point for me. joe thought it was time to 'calm down' the chops and concentrate on trying to get a single on the radio and that's not really where i wanted to go in that playing situation. i play on top 40 and top 100 recordings all the time in my session work, so with joe i really wanted to remain a 'players band'. of course, it's his band, his music and his career, so it was his call.

Now, are you friends with Satch, or not?

Not really at the moment.

Any more collaborations with him?

Well, I never expected to work with joe for as long as i did. one of the reasons i did stay that long was that around my touring and recording with him, i was also free to do many other gigs. aretha franklin, alice cooper, frank gambale and others. for me, that was important because i have a tendency to get bored with playing the same music all of the time, unless i'm absolutely in love with the gig. so playing with others allowed me to constantly go back to joe somewhat fresh. but by the time we had finished the 'time machine' record and tour, i was kind of tired with it and really looking to do more sessions. i was missing a lot of work while being out and away with joe. by the time 95 rolled around, i was already well into the network of the new york session scene, as well as just about to finish up my first "einstein" cd when joe called and asked me to do another tour. i listened to his new cd and my first response was no, due to not really liking his new direction as well as all that was going on for me in the city. he was very persistent, so we eventually agreed that if other opportunities arose that i wanted/needed to pursue, i would give him my notice and leave the tour at an opportune moment. i guess he never thought that moment would come around, but it did and i gave my notice to leave after about 10 months of being out. he was pretty upset and i hope one day that it will be water under the bridge, but i would've been such a fool to continually pass on the gigs that were being offered. the first recording i did upon leaving joe was for "fuel" on sony. i don't know how popular they are in italy, but they're one of the biggest alternative bands here and have been certified gold and platinum in various countries. that recording has led to so much more, so no regrets here.

What about your experience with Rudy Roberts?

I met rudy while playing together at the cannes music passion festival back in 95 i believe. we were the headline 'rock' outfit that week, along with john maclaughlin (who i got to play with) and jean michel jarre. anyway, after meeting and playing with rudy, he asked me if i would be interested in recording with him on his next cd. i liked him and his music, so of course i said yes. i flew to france during a short break on satriani's tour and did the tracks. he then came to new york later on and mixed the cd at my studio. he was a lot of fun to work, play and hang with.

You have one solo-album out. Tell me about the music of this album and the artists who performed on it.

As I mentioned earlier, my solo project is entitled 'einstein'. it's basically a showcase for my compositions, as well as a bit of my playing, although it's definitely not a drummers solo record per se. meaning, it's not just all instrumental songs with over the top playing. there is a bit of that, but it's mostly a vocal record in the heavy progressive rock vein. lots of odd time and counter-melodies. where i think the band shines is a combination of the clever melodies, rhythms and polyrhythms played very smoothly. i like to take odd time, make it feel straight and do the opposite with straight time. the first einstein cd is a trio made up of myself and two friends, stan jankowski (ld vox & gtr) and jani mangini (keys). the new einstein entitled "einstein too" has stan featured again as the lead vocalist, but this time around i enlisted the help of a few friends as guest artists for the solos. trey gunn, al pitrelli, jens johannsen, derek sherinian, dc cooper and a few others all lent their talents. it's actually being pressed at the moment and should be available by early august. information on those cd's and a lot more can be found on my web site .

14 years old . I used to listen to Deep Purple , Billy Cobhan , return To Forever , UK (with Terry Bozzio) , Frank Zappa (with Terry Bozzio) and Rush.

Tell us about your love for jazz and fusion drumming?

My father was a jazz musician so i had always heard jazz at home . That might be why i liked Deep Purple so much . They have a blues jazz feel to many of their songs and in their way of playing . I guess i wanted to proceed as a drummer and the only way was to get into fusion and synphonic rock.

I think you were great with Shawn Lane and Jonas Hellborg at the Disma Music Rimini in Italy (3 years ago), because their music needed a rock groove and you delivered. Have you ever thought of recording something with them in studio?

Thanks! I also think they need more heavy drummer . I wanted to record/tour with them but they wanted to go in a more soft direction . I get the feeling the don't like the heavy fusion style . We (my brother Jens and I) did record an album with Jonas that came out pretty cool , I think , called Jonas Hellborg Group ...

The Yngwie years... Do you like to re-listen to those albums?

No... but it's because I have my albums in a place where it's hard to get to them. We used to have a lot of fun with Yngwie .

Currently, what are your projects?

Little here and there . I'm nowdays also a full member of Swedish Metal Band called HammerFall . we are going to record a third album and do a tour .

Did you compose all of the Benny Jansson's tracks together with him?

No, Benny composed everything himself. I got the tapes with guitar and I just added on the drums . I was alone by myself when i recorded my parts and that might be the reason why the drums play many fills all the time . Normally people tell me to not play so much , just keep time . Benny liked it though.

Are you going to be at the Disma in Italy this year? I hope so...

I wouldn't mind but Jonas wants more mellow/slow drums so i will unfortunately not come . I think Shawn Lane is cool with pretty much everything and would't mind me and my playing . He's easy to deal with . Jonas on the other hand has strange ideas always . He didn't really like my metal fusion style even though he is great with that style himself . he wants to find new challenges and new styles . In a way i think it's good for him to keep trying but it's also a pity since he handles the metal-funk-fusion best of all his styles !!!

Thanks so much...

...All the best, Anders .