Jimmy Kay from Canada’s The Metal Voice spoke with ex Manowar guitarist Ross the Boss as he embarked on his European tour with his ROSS THE BOSS band.

Watch the interview here:

When asked about the new single Blood of my Enemies (Manowar re-recorded song) that The Ross The Boss Band released for the tour on AFM
“Just wanted to make a statement and show the band off on what they sound like, just a little teaser on a classic track and the way we do it, it’s amazing. I have my new line up were out on tour with Kenny ‘Rino’ Earl on drums ex Manowar, Mike Lepond on Bass from Symphony X and a new singer Mark Lopes, absolutely great singer.”

When asked if there will be a new studio Ross the Boss album
“Well actually there is, we are in the process of it I mean, for me it’s like pulling teeth because I have done so many of them, it’s not the easiest thing to get a full CD together. I’m not complaining about it but I’ve done 30 records. It’s going to be before the end of this year. We are going to be a month together in Europe touring, we have a few tunes and we are going to continue to work on the songs during the sound checks. We want to make a great album and this band is going to make an amazing record, the tunes so far are really great,”

When asked how Manowar was put together
“Ronnie James Dio actually is responsible for creating Manowar, I was in a French band Shakin’ Street and we were the opening act for Black Sabbath. It’s Ronnie Dio’s first tour as singer of Black Sabbath on Heaven and Hell. I’m playing with my idols I can’t believe it. Dio says to me I have a guy on my crew he’s with the equipment guy and he is helping him but he plays bass, you should go over and meet him. So I went over to meet him.  So we jammed in Black Sabbaths dressing room for some reason it just clicked some sparks were going off between me and Joey.”

When asked why he parted ways with Manowar
“Here is the problem when you have a partner, it is almost like a marriage. I saw the band going in certain direction and Joey was taking the band in a certain direction and I didn’t like it. He was making all the decisions, everything had to go his way and I’m a street kid from the Bronx I have a different take on things. Put it this way I was asked to leave. I did not quit Manowar. I know it’s out there, he put out this lie out there but believe me I did not quit Manowar. I was asked to leave right before the bands biggest record came out. As far as I’m concerned it was the second biggest mistake in rock and roll history. The first big mistake was Mick Taylor quitting the Rolling Stones. The second one was Joey Demaio asking Ross the Boss his partner to leave the band. Back then I just had enough, I didn’t start playing music to be unhappy. Rather than fight with him and everybody… Goodbye. it’s Joey’s thing, it’s his mess now.”

When asked his thoughts on reuniting with Manowar
“I have always said, I always out out there in my life that I would always play with my friends. I consider Eric Adams my friend, I consider Donnie Hamzik my friend, I don’t know about Joey but it’s his decision. He knows my phone number, he knows where I am. In the meantime they can retire and I will continue to play cause you know Manowar are retiring. My band plays the songs in the correct key we don’t tune down a whole step, we play the songs the way they were created to be played. Once you drop tune on a song you take the energy completely out. If I reunited, it would have to be a little different. Poor Eric Adams he can’t sing the way he used to sing, that’s why they dropped the tuning down. We worship Eric Adams but now he can’t sing like that. When he was at his peak he was at his best. Whatever can happen, can happen, you never know. I never say never because bigger differences, bigger squabbles, fights have been parched up in rock and roll and in business so anything can happen and i will never say never.”

Friedman first played with THE DICTATORS, then with French band SHAKIN’ STREET. A founding member of MANOWAR, recorded six albums with the band, before leaving after 1988’s Now plays with  DEATH DEALER and ROSS THE BOSS BAND

Ross the Boss Band  released a cover version of the Manowar classic, “Blood Of My Enemies”.

TOUR DATES
March

5 – Vienna, Austria
6 – Mannheim, Germany
8 – Hamburg, Germany
9 – Stadskanaal, Netherlands
10 – Essen, Germany
11 – Andernach, Germany
12 – Helmond, Netherlands
13 – Utrecht, Netherlands
16 – Barcelona, Spain
17 – Zaragoza, Spain
18 – Erandio, Spain
19 – Madrid, Spain
20 – Cangas Do Morrazo, Spain
21 – Lisbon, Portugal
24 – Brescia, Italy
25 – Torino, Italy
26 – Prato, Italy
28 – Diest, Belgium

UK dates:

March
30 – London, England
31 – Evesham, England

April
1 – Swansea, Wales
2 – Dublin, Ireland
4 – Glasgow, Scotland
5 – Edinburgh, Scotland
6 – Milton Keynes, England