J-All of the bands you have played with have a VERY different sound/style. Out
of each of these bands, which do you prefer as a musical style to play drums
with?
B-It's tough to say. My solo stuff suits me the best, no doubt, and I've really
been enjoying the Gary Hoey material, but it's all apples and oranges, really.
Each situation has had it's own special elements.
J-All the bands up to this point had some drastic images. How important was
the look back in the hair days?
B-It was definitely a big part of the package, there's no doubt. But in a lot
of ways, that's always been the case. When you think about it, even the grunge
thing had a contrived look. These bands were as predictable looking
as we were with their flannel shirts and greasy hair. They were so into NOT
making a visual statement that THAT became a look in and of itself. Same with a
lot of these "modern hard rock" acts, dressed in black with all of the
tattoos, piercings and those big-ass combat boots. It's all the same, really,
except that in the glam days, the image vibe was just considerably more overt.
J-And do you ever look back at the photos and think "what
the hell was I thinking?"
B-I knew what I was thinking! But yes, in retrospect, it does look a little
ridiculous.
J-What's the craziest thing a fan has ever done to meet
you?
B-She sent me a very "specialized" home video tape demonstrating some very
unique gifts!
J-What's the biggest crowd you have played for and where?
B-Probably one of a few outdoor festivals - 40,000 or 50,000 maybe? Can't
remember where...
J-What was your
favorite video you did...and any of the bands you were in?
B-I dug the "More Than Ever" video with Nelson because we were actually
recording the song live as we were shooting instead of the usual lip-sync vibe.
J-After the Nelson gig, you went out on a drum clinic
tour. How did that go? Do you enjoy doing these?
B-I've actually done quite a few since then. I love 'em. In that forum, I get
a chance to really stretch out and get into drumming as an art form. It's very
exhilarating to be able to tour in that capacity. And, as an extension of the
solo drum tours, I've also done a number of tours with my own band. We play in
both clinic and club settings, focusing on material from my solo CDs. It
remains one of my favorite things to do.
J-You also have a lot of health and fitness things going on. Tell us about
that?
B-I've been into health and fitness for years and, as time has permitted, I've
done a lot of consulting
and writing on the subject. My first book on superior health - "Muscles, Mangos
and Meditation"
is now transitioning into a second edition called "Rock-Solid Fitness," which
ties into my
umbrella company for all of my health-related pursuits. I've got a web site
underway for it (www.rocksolidfitness.net)
and I hope to have this edition of the book available in the next
several months.
J-...and about your Hypothetical Erotica book ?
B-That's been a lot of fun! It's basically a hardcover, conversation-evoking
party book that
presents these sexual-tinged dilemmas which are designed to stimulate
interesting discussion. This book has its own dedicated site, as well (www.hypos.com),
and you can go and check out some of the book's scenarios there in the Hypo of
the Week section.
We're also in the middle of putting together a cable TV pilot for this thing.
J-Also you have been gigging off and on with Gary Hoey.
How did that come about?
B-Gary and I have been friends for years and he's been one of the few really
successful instrumental rock artists. So, the timing worked out back in late
'99 where I was just getting back home from about six months of touring and he
was looking for a drummer for his "Money" tour. Perfect timing, I would say.
It's been a blast, and I'm looking forward to doing this new record with him in
the next month or so.