Only a few short months ago we had the great pleasure of talking to Ryan Roxie about his work with Casablanca, Roxie 77 and, of course, as Alice Cooper’s guitar player. Now he is about to release a box set of retrospective work and Rock-Zone UK were really pleased to get the opportunity to speak with Ryan again.
Hi Ryan it’s great to talk to you again. I know that since you last spoke with Rock-Zone you’ve been a very boy – can you let our readers in on what you’ve been up to?
I’ve had a very blessed year getting the opportunity to go back out and tour with the best ‘boss’ I ever had, Alice Cooper. It’s been great to be back performing on stage with him again…feels like the ‘good ‘ol days’ again.
The Roxie Box is due out very soon. What can your fans expect from it?
I’m very proud of this box set because it contains not only the collaborative bands that I have released in the past including DPM & both Roxie 77 full length albums, it also contains a special ‘bonus’ CD of unreleased material that I have recorded dating back from the 80’s to the present.
Will you be doing any touring in support of the release? What do we need to do to get you over to the UK?
I just need a plane ticket and a enough of you guys out there to fill the room, and I’ll be there 😉 Obviously touring with the Alice Cooper Band is a big priority in my world, but I will do my very best to get out there and play some ‘Roxie’ shows as soon as time opens up. I’m just so grateful to be able to play music as a means of life, and the good people of the UK have been supporting me with that for a great number of years…thanks!
You seem to be a creature of perpetual motion with numerous music projects, radio and TV work, etc. How do you manage to fit it all in to a standard 7 day week?
Sometimes I don’t to be honest….The mother of my two amazing kids has been very understanding this past year with all the Alice Cooper & Roxie77 touring, so I really have to give credit where credit is due. I do my very best to find that ‘balance’ of touring life and real life..and I gotta say this….it wouldn’t work unless I had the support of the kids and their mother to work out the ‘real life’ schedules.
Why do you like to keep so busy?
If it’s something you really LOVE doing, then it doesn’t seem like it’s so busy….besides, the more you play gigs, the less you have to pay for your own drinks…ha!
I’ve read that you have cited Keith Partridge (David Cassidy’s character in the 1970s TV show “The Partridge Family”) as one of your first influences. Is that true, or were you playing with the journalist in question?
Nope….100% true….as a kid growing up in the ’70’s , I couldn’t think of anything cooler then riding around in a multi-colored converted school bus / tour bus with your family playing rock show after rock show…..seemed like the ideal life. Come to think of it, my 10 year old son plays piano quite well these days, and my daughter loves to sing (and sings on key! 😉 ….maybe I should be on the hunt for a used school bus somewhere ??? 😉
I was really pleased to see the Casablanca record nominated for the Classic Rock awards. How did you and the band feel about that?
Very very very surprised and humbled. I really believe in the record we made and feel the band has a ‘timeless’ quality to it…but that’s me. It was amazing that other rock fans (especially in the UK) felt that way about the band as well. We were all excited to hear that news.
Did you make it to the ceremony?
Unfortunately not…but fortunately I was on tour with the Coop spreading the R77 & Casablanca gospel if you will .
How has the tour with Alice been? Where have your journeys taken you and what’s next for that part of your work?
The tour with Iron Maiden this past year surpassed ANY dreams I had ever had about touring with a ‘stadium band’ like that. The Maiden band and crew were just top notch and nothing but respect for those guys….no wonder they play HUGE places where ever they go.
You have your own radio show in Sweden. Do you broadcast “The Big Rock Show” in English? What are the shows like and how can UK listeners get to listen?
Absolutely, the Big Rock Show was the first Swedish produced rock program based in English…we are quite proud of that fact…you can catch the episodes at http://bigrockshow.se/
Finally, you have worked with The Art of Elysium charity. Please will you tell us about the charity – what it does and the work you have done with them?
The Art of Elysium is a great program designed to get musicians, artists , and actors to visit hospitals and spend time, inspire, and perform for kids that are there long-term. It’s been very successful, and it’s inspired me to put together my own sort of program that will involve the same sort of idea- using whatever talents you have to help others….it will be called Project Enjoy The Ride….look for our first events sometime in 2013!
Once again, Ryan, many thanks for taking the time to talk to Rock-Zone UK
Thanks for carrying the Torch of Rock….and feel free to drop on by anytime you’d like….www.ryanroxie.com is the place to be 😉
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