Concert Preview:
DERRINGER 30^th Anniversary Reunion Tour
Featuring: RICK DERRINGER
VINNY APPICE (see Interview)
DANNY JOHNSON
KENNY AARONSON
BEARS’S DEN* SENECA NIAGARA CASINO
Tuesday April 22^nd  & Wednesday April 23rd

    TAKING AIM…..Even for those not prone to placing a bet the BEAR’S DEN SHOWROOM located inside the SENECA NIAGARA CASINO has a tip on a sure thing this Tuesday and Wednesday night as they proudly present the DERRINGER “Alive and Well” Reunion Tour.
    DERRINGER will kick off their first tour in thirty years right here at the BEAR’S DEN SHOWROOM; its been over three decades since their self-titled debut and they are back to spread some “Sweet Evil” once again to the music masses.
    The influential guitar duo of RICK “Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo” DERRINGER and DANNY JOHNSON joined by the renowned rhythm section of bassist KENNY AARONSON and Herculean drummer VINNY APPICE would release two studio albums in the mid-seventies followed up by the quintessential “DERRINGER LIVE” in 1977.  Their live performances are that of legend as they shared the stage with mammoth acts the likes of LED ZEPPELIN, AEROSMITH and BOSTON in their heyday.
     There is even rumblings throughout the music industry should the LED ZEPPELIN tour ever get off the ground that JIMMY PAGE has personally picked DERRINGER to be the support act.
    As a group their success would be short but sweet; as individuals each member would move on to leave a monumental mark amongst their peers and critics alike.  The resume of each member is behemoth and it would behoove you to take the time to check out their impressive Rock ‘n’ Roll credentials at www.myspace.com/derringerrock.
    The Rock Rapport had the privilege to speak with pulverizing percussionist VINNY APPICE about his second trip to the Western New York area within the past few weeks.
    Ross CAT-Hey VINNY Thanks so much for taking time out of what has to be the busiest Rock ‘n’ Roll schedule on the planet.
    VA-Not a problem at all it’s my pleasure.  I really had a great time when we played CLUB PARADISE a few weeks back with my buds in BIG NOIZE. 
    We are really looking forward to kicking off the DERRINGER reunion tour in NIAGARA FALLS.
     Ross CAT-People are still buzzing about the BIG NOIZE show which featured you, JOE LYNN TURNER, CARLOS CAVAZO and PHIL SOUSSAN.
    After the successful East Coast jaunt last month does that fuel the fire to expand on BIG NOIZE, maybe some new material?
    VA-It’s been somewhat difficult to coordinate everyone’s hectic schedule so it was really great to finally have the chance to take BIG NOIZE out on the road and kick some ASS.
    The cool thing about this particular line-up is that we get to jam out to our own songs.  While every song on the setlist is a well known hit we can spin it any way we want on any given night.  The shows we did a few weeks back were constantly evolving, that’s the great thing about playing with consummate professionals like JLT, CARLOS, PHIL and TEDDY.
     BIG NOIZE was actually in the works before the HEAVEN & HELL tour came along, the guys were gracious enough to allow me to focus on the tour with H & H last summer.
     With all the talent in the band it would be a natural progression to spawn some new songs in the future.
    Ross CAT-Tell us about being part of the legendary dynamic drumming duo known as the BROTHERS APPICE; what was it like growing up watching Big Brother CARMINE, witnessing his rise to superstardom with VANILLA FUDGE; and what influence did he have in your playing style?
     VA-CARMINE is about eleven years older then me; I was 8 or 9 years old when I saw my big brother touring with VANILLA FUDGE and performing on the ED SULLIVAN show that really inspired me.
    I thought to myself WOW I want to do that some day this is really incredible; seeing CARMINE’S success really got my blood flowing.  I knew at a young age that’s what I wanted, I took it upon myself to dedicate and concentrate on becoming the best drummer I could possibly be.
     As far as CARMINE’S influence on my drumming it’s unique in the sense that although he was my brother I rarely saw him, he was constantly on the road when I was young.   He didn’t really have to say or do anything I was already into it; he would come home and MOM would say VINNY’S been playing and he’d come out to see me play and give me a few pointers; he was more of an influence then a teacher.
    Ross CAT-It didn’t take long for your talents to be recognized as you shared some studio time with JOHN LENNON as a teenager, tell us about that experience?
    VA-Yeah it was back in ’75 at the Record Plant, I was in a kind of funk Rock band when producer JIMMY IOVINE heard us.  He set us up to cut a few demos and gave us rehearsal space right upstairs from were JOHN was recording. One day we were rehearsing and JIMMY came in and said they needed some handclaps for a song that JOHN LENNON and ELTON JOHN were recording; nine of us went down into the studio and did the handclaps for “Whatever Gets You Through the Night”.
    A couple days later JOHN and YOKO came up to watch us jam and asked us to do a gig with him at the NEW YORK HILTON, we ended up doing some recording with him and shot some videos, he was really a genuine human being.
    It was insane, I was only sixteen at the time, I’d be in school by day and playing with a BEATLE that same night, pretty amazing stuff.
    Ross CAT-Let’s talk about this historical DERRINGER reunion which kicks off right here in NIAGARA FALLS, USA, how did that come about?
    VA-The past couple of years the folks who put together the SWEDEN ROCK FESTIVAL have been asking us to play, I couldn’t do it last year with DERRINGER but I did play the festival with HEAVEN & HELL and it was tremendous.
    We were all kind of surprised by the offers for DERRINGER but obviously the interest was there so we decided why not; that music is part of our roots and it will probably be the last chance to take these songs out again as an original line-up, we decided to make it kind of a reunion/farewell type of tour.
    Dates have been piling up since we decided to go for it, we have shows in the States this spring and a bunch of shows in Europe this summer, we’ll probably do a few more in the fall.
    Ross CAT-How have the DERRINGER rehearsals been going, what was it like dusting off the old LP’s after some thirty odd years and jamming songs from “Derringer” “Sweet Evil”?
    VA- After the BIG NOIZE shows I headed to RICK’S in Florida for rehearsals it was a blast.  The four of us hadn’t played together like you said in over three decades, and I have to say within five minutes it was tight.  I was really amazed at how quickly we reconnected after so much time apart, we had fifteen or sixteen songs ready to go the first day.
    If you respect the people you’re playing with and you like the songs you’re playing the music almost allows time to stand still; it’s really cool to share this again with RICK, DANNY and KENNY. DERRINGER is the foundation to all the success we’ve enjoyed as individuals, to be able to revisit this time in our lives and share it with the metal maniacs is really something special.
    Ross CAT-The past few years your career has come full circle with this DERRINGER reunion and last year’s exceedingly successful HEAVEN & HELL tour.  Sounds like things are heating up in the H & H camp once again, what’s in store for 2008?
    VA- It’s really been a trip to go back and revisit that era of my life, especially rekindling friendships, being able to bring our music back to life in a live setting has been amazing. The positive response to H & H has really been overwhelming; this thing has really blown since we hit the road last summer.
    It was kind of the same concept with RONNIE, TONY and GEEZER we got together to play and locked into a zone almost immediately.
    Ross CAT-What can you tell us about the new HEAVEN & HELL album and tour? Since your last visit with BIG NOIZE the mammoth "Masters of Metal" tour has been confirmed featuring HEAVEN & HELL, JUDAS PRIEST, MOTORHEAD and TESTAMENT; it will include a stop at the Erie County Fairgrounds on April 12th without JUDAS PRIEST
    VA-Yeah I just got a couple of e-mails confirming the "Masters of Metal" tour, sounds like it's going to get awfully loud out there this summer with that line-up. Another visit to BUFFALO I might have to look into a time share I've been there so much the past few months, that's awesome.
    As far as the new H & H album we just started putting it together in L.A. the past few weeks and it really sounds amazing. We are looking to start recording in September following the tour with a release date before the end of the year.
    Ross CAT-Lastly VINNY has the writing and recording process changed with HEAVEN & HELL since you last collaborated on the BLACK SABBATH “Dehumanizer” album?
    VA-We’ve all been doing this so long that you really don’t go into it with any preconceived notions.  When RONNIE sings it sounds like DIO, when I play drums it sounds like VINNY, and when TONY and GEEZER play its BLACK SABBATH.  They could play “Happy Birthday” and it would sound like the most evil rendition you’ve ever heard.
    The Rock Rapport would like to THANK VINNY APPICE for his invaluable time check out his busy concert calendar @ www.vinnyappice.com.  Special thanks go out to Dean Swett of the Paramour Group for hooking us up.
    Tickets for the historical DERRINGER shows are available at www.ticketmaster.com.  Check out the SENECA NIAGARA CASINO website for more great events www.senecaniagaracasino.com.

    SHEDDING THEIR SKIN…..Iconic arena rockers WHITESNAKE are set to release their first new studio album in over a decade this Tuesday titled “Good To Be Bad”.
    DAVID COVERDALE once again is at the head of the “Snake” and it sounds like these are truly the “Best Years” for the longtime road warrior as WHITESNAKE celebrates its 30^th Anniversary.  COVERDALE expands; “For me, it has all the elements, all the ingredients that I enjoy about this band, its very solid, muscular, a melodic rock record with a couple of fine ballads, there’s a little tenderness when the moment calls for it, and of course there is a fine balance to bolster the chest beaters!”
    Joining him in the pit for the eleven shiny new tracks are some on Rock’s premiere players: Guitarists DOUG ALDRICH and REB BEACH and bassist URIAH DUFFY, chiming in on the “Snake Skins” is drummer CHRIS FRAZIER and on keys is TIMOTHY DRURY.
    While a few of the names have changed the formula remains the same for COVERDALE and is Rock ‘n’ Roll wranglers as they lay it down Heavy, Hard and Hot.  COVERDALE’S vintage voice rails from his rafter ripping wails to the raspy raw emotion of “All I Want, All I Need” and “Summer Rain”.
    WHITESNAKE slither out on the summer tour circuit in the U.K. with a handful of shows with DEF LEPPARD throughout June and July.  Check out the bands website @ www.whitesnake.com.

***********PEACE and HARMONIES********