In a new interview with Heavy New York, drummer Tommy Clufetos (BLACK SABBATH, OZZY OSBOURNE, ROB ZOMBIE, TED NUGENT, ALICE COOPER) was asked if there are any bands that are part of the so-called “retro rock revival” that exploded in the past decade or so that he particularly enjoys listening to. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I’ve heard some of these bands, [and] I hear a retro thing, but it doesn’t have the same feel as that old music to me. I think bands rocked harder back in the day. It’s missing the sweat factor to me. I mean, nothing beats those early guys. When you watch Little Richard, and he’s pounding; there’s just a different passion that those guys had. And I think in the ’70s, guys carried that energy and there was this competition and this fight between bands and competition that went on. Now everything is a little nice. Maybe that’s what it is — everything is so nice and friendly. I like a little danger. There’s not too much danger in these new bands. I think that’s what I’m missing — it’s not dangerous. Good rock and roll is supposed to be a dangerous thing.
“When I go up there, I wanna kick everybody’s ass,” he continued. “I’m not out to be friends with them… When I came up and played in clubs, and there was another band, I was gonna kick their ass. When I got on a stage with other drummers, even if I was in the opening band and there was a headlining act, I wanted to kick that drummer’s ass. Which is not a bad thing. That’s not lack of respect. It’s, ‘Look out. Here I come.’ And I play that way. And I’ve played with younger guys; they don’t play that way. Old guys play that way.”
Clufetos‘s new band TOMMY’S ROCKTRIP, where he offers his take on the rock ‘n roll influences that made him one of the most sought-after drummers in the current hard rock scene, will release its debut album, “Beat Up By Rock ‘N’ Roll”, on May 7 via Frontiers Music Srl. Eric Dover, known for singing and playing guitar with JELLYFISH, SLASH’S SNAKEPIT and Alice Cooper, handles lead vocals on the LP (though Tommy grabs the mic for three tracks). Eliot Lorengo (bass), Hank Schneekluth (guitar) and Nao Nakashima (guitar) round out the supporting cast.
Clufetos worked with such rock icons as Nugent, Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie before joining Ozzy Osbourne in 2010. That led to a spot as the drummer on BLACK SABBATH‘s last two world tours.
