I've known Bobby since I was in 8th grade. Totally awesome dude. He was playing in a band that played the whole side of Rush hemispheres and we open for him at this Scarborough HS talent show in Houston Texas. He never ever forgot me. I can still get backstage to one of his shows these days. I was involved in the making of his drum instructional video Metalmorphosis when I had an investor for my band and we had no songs so I contacted him in California and let him take that money because we had no songs at that time even! A great human being that deserved that money and he made it all back and now owns the whole thing himself.
@@bobbyfikesmusicfun yeh I had read that Blas was from TX....Gonzales is what I had read. I assume the family moved to Houston at some point. I'm a TX native as well.
@@michellelane6501 we all were friends beginning around 8th grade. Bobby was a few years older than us. They went to Scarborough HS in Houston. I went to Eisenhower HS down the street.
It wouldn't have been for long. The time changed too much. Look at all the other bands who fell off when Nirvana came around (and I could never stand Nirvana). VVI was a product of its time. KISS had longevity.
vinnie was a great player but terrible when he took the helms of his own band. Vinnie needs to be controlled and if so he shines. The invasion project sounds like a puke on guitar. Its uncomprehensible from a layman point of view. If your thing is a million notes a minute than this is a guitar player for you. He is brilliant yet playing is not all about shredding is also about knowing when not to play and let a song breathe. thats why I always prefer the British players to Americans, The Brits are very disciplined, controlled, clean, the really take you for a ride. The American players jump off a cliff and wave you bye bye as they are falling down.
Cool im not a drummer but went to see Bobby Rock at a drum clinic and walked away thinking what a great guy . A guy you could have a beer with and watch a game hang out super cool..
Vinnie's first solo record with Rob Fleishman was a masterpiece. I saw them on tour. Vinnie and the guys were super friendly. Signed stuff. Great guys. Second record for Vinnie without Rob was flat.
The photo @18:36 Fleishman looks like he was grabbed off the street and paid to stand in for a band member who couldn't make the photo shoot(laughing). It reminds me of the old Sesame Street game called, "Which one's not like the others". Was he in Tears for Fears?
@Craig oh wow, interesting story. Mark said from the stage something about losing their equipment and having to get sone new stuff and we were all like, where would they get pink Laney amps?😂🤙 Thanks for the insight on that, it was always a mystery to us.
I saw them open for Alice Cooper, and they were just ok. About a year later I saw them at a club in New Orleans called Tipitina's. Best live set I've even seen from a band in a club.
I seen Vinnie Vincent Invasion opening for iron maiden on somewhere in time tour. Worst live band i ever seen or heard. Sounded like a one speaker boom box turned up to ten. I'd rather watch justin bieber lip sync.
I forgot about the "no pedals or outboard gear, etc." claim on the album. What b.s. You can clearly hear chorus on his tone, whether added in the sub mix, or via a pedal, it's there. You can clearly hear synth on "No substitute". And the fact that they had Bobby play to a drum machine pretty much makes that statement a lie. The last time I checked, a drum machine would have been considered outboard gear. Still, I always enjoyed the VVI. It just reminds me of when I was new to guitar trying learn everything I could and listening to albums like this. The soundtrack to my preteen years.
Great channel. Love these "pull back the curtain" interviews. Reminds me of being a kid and waiting anxiously for metal to come onto the radio at like 1:00AM in the morning and being glued to the radio waiting for music and interviews from bands I was into. Keep up the great work.
No way kiss would let Vinnie play like his solo stuff. I heard he was really good live with kids but they'd never let his play shredding solos. That would take away too much attention from Paul and Gene.
Invasion was a joke, terrible terrible vinny look at me show. Made an ass of himself, sadly he always does, at this point in 2023 no one can argue that. If he wasnt all about me me me, and his psychological issues he could have been awesome but vinny screwed vinny
From what I've seen and heard many times,Dana Strum was the one who brought Randy Rhoads and Ozzy together! That alone makes him a legend IMO. Super talented,multi-faceted musician and studio guy.
Look at the thumbnail of these gears. The perfect band name would have been the XX Chromosomes. Thanks a lot 1980's hair bands. You didn't completely ruin rock and roll but the suckage you started in the 80's was only capped by grunge in the 90's.
Yep. He’s the only one Vinnie actually liked. He (Vinnie) was really shitty towards Goran Edman too…. tricking the Swedish vocalist (who was 19 at the time) into coming to the states with hopes of seeing the sights of L.A. Only to keep him locked in the studio.
@@dragonqueen6589 Fleischman wasn't gonna put with Vinnie's shit either (he was in the industry before Vinnie) and Vinnie knew it so he kept his distance. Goran was super talented as well. I actually like his vocals more than Robert or Mark and I wish he got to sing on the follow up album instead of Slaughter.
Bobby seems like a great dude- I have been tracking with a pre recorded click and scratch guitar and it makes the whole process so much easier. thanks for the great video-
Really good stuff here man! I was a huge KISS fan from the mid 70's through, say Crazy Nights. My first KISS show was in 1983 on the Creatures tour with VV (Irvine, CA). After that I went to VVI shows on the second album tour w/ Mark singing. I thought they were awesome live. Mark's vocals were incredible live. I've always had a place in my heart for Vinnie. After he left KISS I wrote him a letter in 1985. I received back a 4 page handwritten letter from him talking about his upcoming album (VVI), along with an Autographed 8x10. The fact he took time to do that meant a lot to me. I still have the letter and pic and original envelope (which he hand addressed). Regardless of his later life issues, I appreciate a lot of his music and him as a person.
Beautiful story. Thanks for sharing it, Bruce. Such a cool thing for Vinnie to do. I would have loved to have seen the Creatures of the Night tour. I always dug that album.
Vin wasn't the best guitarist and was really amateur in his skill set.Wasnt an yngwie type where it was fast but precise and organized and articulate and mature not to mention. Vin was sloppy all over the place just horrible his only skill was that he was fast. But he wasn't the only fast guy out there even at the time. So for him to call anyone amateur is literally the pot calling the kettle black. Vin I hope you've grown up since then and idk about your heart but I hope it's fixed 🙏🤷
The funny thing is, the drums on VVI are so simplistic it's ridiculous, could have used a machine, it's 99% just plod, plod. plod, plod. The bass is also pretty much nothing, barely even audible. Vinnie clearly wanted the album to be all guitar and vocals, nobody else getting any attention at all. The vocals were actually more irritating than enjoyable. Fleischer's voice is like nails on a chalkboard, and that's not just hyperbole, it really does remind me of actual fingernails scraping on a chalkboard, makes me wince. How that album made money is a mystery, it really is painful to listen to.
Vinnie has a reputation for being extremely picky with his drummers, often favoring a machine over an actual drummer. I think he doesn't want any flashy, cool drumming to compete with his playing. Its really sad.
Austin Tx. Vinnie Dana, Bobby, and Mark, show up at the Backroom' Austins' hardrock /metal Club sorry I just ballooned the year late 80 's. Mark S.walks in the backstage area where we had been sitting up interviews for along time for a local access cable show called Rockline TV. Mark followed by Dana Bobby and no Vinnie...introducing g me and host of Rockline My buddy Carlos.a smooth for in kinda guy says "hey where's Vinnie" Mark says something along the lines of telling us off the record that Vinnie is hard to work with...as we are all standing shooting the shit...Bobby more jn the back kinda warming up no hair out of place one of them says ...like (f )that guy he wairs a wig...and started to proceed about how they would have something else going.those guys really made it clear how they didn t like either him or playing with him..so here he comes we all sit down and Vinnie sitting down start looking in the circle remember when Vknnie shows up and lights go on.the TV talk starts and I wondered does he know we all thought he was not liked by his band... wondered how why he acted the way he did even infront of us.we didn t have a issue with him .he and the guys went out and I ll never forget hearing M. Slaughter sing blew me away giutar was hot great show
Bobby Rock is(and as long as I can remember had been) the consummate professional. Also, I'm fairly certain he's always been straight and clean. And also, he's obviously a great guy. I bet he's greats to fans that approach be him. Nice job man! Any chance on Martin Birch (wait. Did he pass away?) Or Nicko McBrain?
Vinnie forget about it Top of the Chops The Cream of the Crop Metal Jazz with a Zeppelin Feel Love his EddieVh RRhoadsJams in his live solo"s Epic Shread Great Vocals Dana amazing Sweet Shreads From Heaven Bobby Rockit incoming Boom unreal Hope
Awesome! Search here for (Rockcandy Live In Toronto 1988). Great drum solo and Phil Collen of Def Leppard joins the band for one song! Enjoy the show!!!!
@@fig1115 Bobby has always been known as one of the smarter musicians from the 80’s. He stayed jacked as fuck through his entire tenure with Nelson. Solid drummer and not a bone head partier like many of the guys from the 80’s.
I've known Bobby since I was in 8th grade. Totally awesome dude. He was playing in a band that played the whole side of Rush hemispheres and we open for him at this Scarborough HS talent show in Houston Texas. He never ever forgot me. I can still get backstage to one of his shows these days. I was involved in the making of his drum instructional video Metalmorphosis when I had an investor for my band and we had no songs so I contacted him in California and let him take that money because we had no songs at that time even! A great human being that deserved that money and he made it all back and now owns the whole thing himself.
I didn't realize he was from H town! Don't know how I missed that. Now I know.
@@michellelane6501 Blas Elias too. Same high school.
@@bobbyfikesmusicfun yeh I had read that Blas was from TX....Gonzales is what I had read. I assume the family moved to Houston at some point. I'm a TX native as well.
@@michellelane6501 we all were friends beginning around 8th grade. Bobby was a few years older than us. They went to Scarborough HS in Houston. I went to Eisenhower HS down the street.
Great story. Thank you for sharing it, Robert.
That first album is a metal masterpiece.
I do love the first album better than the second one due to it just being a total play as fast as you can solo album.
Fleischmann should have stayed Invasion, I think there is a great chemistry with him and Vinnie and Invasion would have exploded to rival KISS.
It wouldn't have been for long. The time changed too much. Look at all the other bands who fell off when Nirvana came around (and I could never stand Nirvana). VVI was a product of its time. KISS had longevity.
Vinnie Vincent had a bad case of guitarrhea. I saw them open for Iron Maiden and the guy overplayed the whole time.
i'm a big fan of Mark Slaughter as well as the band Slaughter VV Slamming MS isnt cool.
vinnie was a great player but terrible when he took the helms of his own band. Vinnie needs to be controlled and if so he shines. The invasion project sounds like a puke on guitar. Its uncomprehensible from a layman point of view. If your thing is a million notes a minute than this is a guitar player for you. He is brilliant yet playing is not all about shredding is also about knowing when not to play and let a song breathe. thats why I always prefer the British players to Americans, The Brits are very disciplined, controlled, clean, the really take you for a ride. The American players jump off a cliff and wave you bye bye as they are falling down.
"Uncomprehensible".🤔 hahahaha!!!! Mow-ron!
Cool im not a drummer but went to see Bobby Rock at a drum clinic and walked away thinking what a great guy . A guy you could have a beer with and watch a game hang out super cool..
Every member except Vinnie was & is a great guy.
I feel VV invasion would have been bigger if it would have happened a year or two earlier. That time of year is a great song.
If Vinnie was a team player they would've been more successful.
Killer back ups!!
It was NOT that good. He was NOT that good a guitarist. I saw it live. It was a jumbled mess
They would have been bigger if Vinnie wasn't the one making decisions.
@@alexmayhew8989 Maybe a good guitarist but his guitar style didn't compliment or wasn't meant for KISS.
Vinnie's first solo record with Rob Fleishman was a masterpiece. I saw them on tour. Vinnie and the guys were super friendly. Signed stuff. Great guys. Second record for Vinnie without Rob was flat.
On the 8th day God created Vinnie Vincent
@@miked9112vinnie sucks
Dana Strum, straight up team player and good guy! Bobby, thanks for the insight and much respect to you as well.
The photo @18:36 Fleishman looks like he was grabbed off the street and paid to stand in for a band member who couldn't make the photo shoot(laughing).
It reminds me of the old Sesame Street game called, "Which one's not like the others".
Was he in Tears for Fears?
I saw VV Invasion open for Alice Cooper, they were great
Me too,....Charleston s.c.!!!
I saw them too on the Alice tour, only 3 songs! Animal, Boyz and...forget third. Might have been a time issue.
@Craig oh wow, interesting story. Mark said from the stage something about losing their equipment and having to get sone new stuff and we were all like, where would they get pink Laney amps?😂🤙 Thanks for the insight on that, it was always a mystery to us.
@Craig A 35 year mystery. Yeah hes always screwing people.
I saw them open for Alice Cooper, and they were just ok. About a year later I saw them at a club in New Orleans called Tipitina's. Best live set I've even seen from a band in a club.
I seen Vinnie Vincent Invasion opening for iron maiden on somewhere in time tour. Worst live band i ever seen or heard. Sounded like a one speaker boom box turned up to ten. I'd rather watch justin bieber lip sync.
I forgot about the "no pedals or outboard gear, etc." claim on the album. What b.s. You can clearly hear chorus on his tone, whether added in the sub mix, or via a pedal, it's there. You can clearly hear synth on "No substitute". And the fact that they had Bobby play to a drum machine pretty much makes that statement a lie. The last time I checked, a drum machine would have been considered outboard gear.
Still, I always enjoyed the VVI. It just reminds me of when I was new to guitar trying learn everything I could and listening to albums like this. The soundtrack to my preteen years.
Playing in sync to a drum machine may have been there way of making sure the timing didn't get off. This was before click tracks were commonly used
Great channel. Love these "pull back the curtain" interviews. Reminds me of being a kid and waiting anxiously for metal to come onto the radio at like 1:00AM in the morning and being glued to the radio waiting for music and interviews from bands I was into. Keep up the great work.
Think of this, that album could have been the next KISS album if Vinnie had stayed in the band! Mindblowing hey
No way kiss would let Vinnie play like his solo stuff. I heard he was really good live with kids but they'd never let his play shredding solos. That would take away too much attention from Paul and Gene.
Invasion was a joke, terrible terrible vinny look at me show. Made an ass of himself, sadly he always does, at this point in 2023 no one can argue that. If he wasnt all about me me me, and his psychological issues he could have been awesome but vinny screwed vinny
Dana Strum made a name for himself by producing the late 70's/early 80's syndicated interview show Rockline
From what I've seen and heard many times,Dana Strum was the one who brought Randy Rhoads and Ozzy together! That alone makes him a legend IMO. Super talented,multi-faceted musician and studio guy.
I love the two VVI albums, as crazy/ott as they are. I don't think I can listen to them sober though!
Oh look, @ 14:47, Bobby Rock can be seen hanging out with one of his groupies!
I saw VV at a small club in 1988 a few weeks before they broke up, full set, great gig
Did they seem to get along? Was there any friction between them?
Me too, Houston -- The Rock Zone
Look at the thumbnail of these gears. The perfect band name would have been the XX Chromosomes. Thanks a lot 1980's hair bands. You didn't completely ruin rock and roll but the suckage you started in the 80's was only capped by grunge in the 90's.
Another great interview. Reinforces the importance of always recording drums 1st!
Fleischman did an incredible job on that album.
Agreed amazing
I feel much better than Mark Slaughter.
No Substitute pun intended, lol. My favorite on that album.
Yep. He’s the only one Vinnie actually liked. He (Vinnie) was really shitty towards Goran Edman too…. tricking the Swedish vocalist (who was 19 at the time) into coming to the states with hopes of seeing the sights of L.A. Only to keep him locked in the studio.
@@dragonqueen6589 Fleischman wasn't gonna put with Vinnie's shit either (he was in the industry before Vinnie) and Vinnie knew it so he kept his distance. Goran was super talented as well. I actually like his vocals more than Robert or Mark and I wish he got to sing on the follow up album instead of Slaughter.
Bobby seems like a great dude- I have been tracking with a pre recorded click and scratch guitar and it makes the whole process so much easier. thanks for the great video-
He has some good drum instructional videos.
Bobby Rock is a right on guy who talks the talk and walks the walk 🚶♂️
For the times, you'd figure cosmetic applications would've been a priority on the audition!😂 kidding.
Fantastic drummer. Grind like blast beats on a glam metal album (Machine Gunn Eddie off of O.FR. By Nitro)
Really good stuff here man!
I was a huge KISS fan from the mid 70's through, say Crazy Nights. My first KISS show was in 1983 on the Creatures tour with VV (Irvine, CA). After that I went to VVI shows on the second album tour w/ Mark singing. I thought they were awesome live. Mark's vocals were incredible live. I've always had a place in my heart for Vinnie. After he left KISS I wrote him a letter in 1985. I received back a 4 page handwritten letter from him talking about his upcoming album (VVI), along with an Autographed 8x10. The fact he took time to do that meant a lot to me. I still have the letter and pic and original envelope (which he hand addressed). Regardless of his later life issues, I appreciate a lot of his music and him as a person.
Beautiful story. Thanks for sharing it, Bruce. Such a cool thing for Vinnie to do. I would have loved to have seen the Creatures of the Night tour. I always dug that album.
@@fullinbloom Great Album for sure!
Vinnie should have done Warrior after Kiss and sang lead. PERIOD>
He had guitar diarrhea. Look how fast I can play through every second of every song.
And sloppy.
Fuk yeah !!
Dana Strum also produced the criminally underrated Billy the Kid album (MCA 1985).
Vin wasn't the best guitarist and was really amateur in his skill set.Wasnt an yngwie type where it was fast but precise and organized and articulate and mature not to mention. Vin was sloppy all over the place just horrible his only skill was that he was fast. But he wasn't the only fast guy out there even at the time. So for him to call anyone amateur is literally the pot calling the kettle black. Vin I hope you've grown up since then and idk about your heart but I hope it's fixed 🙏🤷
I always thought Bobby was one of the best additions to the Nelson band. It's cool to hear about some of the other things he's done.
Rock also played drums on Helmerich/Garsend which is an epic jazz fusion band of that era
But the real question is ... did he tap it?
The funny thing is, the drums on VVI are so simplistic it's ridiculous, could have used a machine, it's 99% just plod, plod. plod, plod. The bass is also pretty much nothing, barely even audible. Vinnie clearly wanted the album to be all guitar and vocals, nobody else getting any attention at all. The vocals were actually more irritating than enjoyable. Fleischer's voice is like nails on a chalkboard, and that's not just hyperbole, it really does remind me of actual fingernails scraping on a chalkboard, makes me wince. How that album made money is a mystery, it really is painful to listen to.
Baby Oh Why from the Warrior album is better than anything on the first Invasion record.
Vinnie has a reputation for being extremely picky with his drummers, often favoring a machine over an actual drummer. I think he doesn't want any flashy, cool drumming to compete with his playing. Its really sad.
Loving all the stuff that leaks years later. The geyser is still active, technically.
Just a heads up. Mikey Davis lives in San Paolo Brazil.
Do you know how to reach him?
Austin Tx. Vinnie Dana, Bobby, and Mark, show up at the Backroom' Austins' hardrock /metal
Club sorry I just ballooned the year late 80 's.
Mark S.walks in the backstage area where we had been sitting up interviews for along time for a local access cable show called Rockline TV. Mark followed by Dana Bobby and no Vinnie...introducing g me and host of Rockline
My buddy Carlos.a smooth for in kinda guy says "hey where's Vinnie" Mark says something along the lines of telling us off the record that Vinnie is hard to work with...as we are all standing shooting the shit...Bobby more jn the back kinda warming up no hair out of place one of them says ...like (f )that guy he wairs a wig...and started to proceed about how they would have something else going.those guys really made it clear how they didn t like either him or playing with him..so here he comes we all sit down and Vinnie sitting down start looking in the circle remember when Vknnie shows up and lights go on.the TV talk starts and I wondered does he know we all thought he was not liked by his band... wondered how why he acted the way he did even infront of us.we didn t have a issue with him .he and the guys went out and I ll never forget hearing M. Slaughter sing blew me away giutar was hot great show
Bobby Rock is(and as long as I can remember had been) the consummate professional. Also, I'm fairly certain he's always been straight and clean. And also, he's obviously a great guy. I bet he's greats to fans that approach be him. Nice job man! Any chance on Martin Birch (wait. Did he pass away?) Or Nicko McBrain?
Power is BlooM..knock it out the park everytime..thank you
VV Invasion was basically the band Slaughter...right?
Slaughter was formed by Mark Slaughter and Dana Strum after they left VVI.
How are you supposed to listen the full interview? Can't find them here or the website??
Hi Donnie. There's a link to Part I in the description of this video. Part III is not out yet.
I still have an Arbor....lol
Awesome storyteller. 🤟👍
Fun times !
Is Bobby still playing with Lita Ford?
Yes. We talk some Lita in PART I th-cam.com/video/VVxfUy_XXIM/w-d-xo.html
Damn!!! I can only imagine how amazing Vinnie sounded recording on volume 10!!!
I think it was 11
Vinnie forget about it Top of the Chops The Cream of the Crop Metal Jazz with a Zeppelin Feel Love his EddieVh RRhoadsJams in his live solo"s Epic Shread Great Vocals Dana amazing Sweet Shreads From Heaven Bobby Rockit incoming Boom unreal Hope
Awesome! Search here for (Rockcandy Live In Toronto 1988). Great drum solo and Phil Collen of Def Leppard joins the band for one song! Enjoy the show!!!!
surprisingly intelligent and articulate .i know im being an asshole but given his appearance and the fact hes a drummer i just didnt expect it lol
You're not being an asshole, just being dumb, haha!
@@alexhicks5889 lol like you i can be both at the same time .
@@fig1115 Bobby has always been known as one of the smarter musicians from the 80’s. He stayed jacked as fuck through his entire tenure with Nelson. Solid drummer and not a bone head partier like many of the guys from the 80’s.
Why does anyone talk about Vinnie Vincent Invasion at all????
I don't even think they had one song that ever charted under 50.