Glen’s Rockmaggedon: Interview with Ross Friedman (Dictators, Manowar, Ross The Boss)

“So that’s how Manowar started, in Black Sabbath’s backstage !!”

Why did you feel the need to pick up a fucking guitar?

I actually started playin’ piano when I was around seven, and I was doing really well. My theory teacher always said that my musical aptitude was off the charts, but in Junior High School I got more interested in playing with the orchestra. But I didn’t know how to play anything. Somebody said that they were in need of a violin player, but I had never played the violin. So I picked up a violin, started learning and then of course I was the last violin in the orchestra, because I had just started, but after two or three weeks I was first violin (laughs)

But then I noticed other interesting things. I saw the Stones on TV, I was 7 years old, this was around 1961. Women were fucking flaying themselves on these guys, it was like: WOW! Here I am playing this violin, a dweeby jewish kid from the Bronx- not very cool. So then I got into blues and rock’n’roll… I said: „Grandma, can you go buy me a guitar?,“ and got my first acoustic guitar when I was around 14, and my family wanted me to take lessons.

Did you take many lessons or did you teach yourself?

After about 3 weeks I got better than my teacher and there I was on my own (laughs). It was around 1967, I’m like 13 years old and discovering Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Cream, Fleetwood Mac, Peter Green and I’m discovering blues. You know, Freddy King, BB King, Muddy Waters, James Cotton and all that stuff… Blues really just enveloped me as a guitar player in the early days.

I read somewhere recently that that was one of the reasons why the whole Manowar thing ended, ’cause Joey said “Ross only wants to play the Blues, “. Is that true?

No, that’s a fucking bull-faced lie, like all the rest of his shit.

But did he say that?

He probably did say that. He said a lot things. If I wanted to play the blues, I wouldn’t have come back with Manitoba’s Wild Kingdom.

It’s the bluesiest band ever (laughs). How did you come about your first real guitar and do you still have it?

My first real guitar that I bought with my own money was my white Gibson SG Custom, my parents made me take out a loan so I could buy it from my friend and yes, I still have it. I played it on all the Manowar and Dictators albums.

Do you still play it?

Sure. Sometimes I take it to shows just to watch guys drool over it (laughs)

How did the Dictators come about, how did you guys meet?

My high-school band from the Bronx was upstate in New Paltz State College. I wasn’t going to college, but hanging around, getting laid, fucking, playing parties… my band was called Total Crud, We had some original songs, did some covers like the MC5, Spirit and some rock’n’roll classics.

You just mentioned Spirit what do you think about Stairway to Heaven and Spirit?

That whole incident?

Do you think Jimmy stole it or was it ‘accidentally’ stolen?

Eeeeeeeehhhhh- well, you know they had played with each other a lot. He might have stolen it without even knowing he stole it.

I think he heard the song and thought “I could do something with that“

Yeah. I mean, we all steal stuff, so…

Of course we do, man. Have you ever heard Turbonegro? Every Turbonegro riff is a fucking Dictators riff.

Yeah, I know. I know (laughs)

So how did The Dictators meet?

So we were up in New Paltz and Andy Shernoff was going to school in New Paltz University. He would come to our parties, we had a house that we called “The Out-of-It House “ where we did these wild fucking parties, we would play in our living room, everyone’s like tripping. It was just insane, people walking around on the roof and shit. New Paltz was completely mad, the second wildest partying college after Berkeley. It was out of control.

I was hanging around and playing guitar and pretty soon I had fans hanging around me because I was standing out as a guitar player, and then Andy comes up and says „You know dude, they (Total Crud) are ok, but let’s form a band, let’s do something good, let’s do something original.“ And I said, „OK.“ Total Crud wasn’t going anywhere and I knew that.

Andy was doing some rock writing and he had his own Fanzine called Teenage Wasteland Gazette, and he had a lot of connections. One of his best friends was Richard Meltzer, who, at the time, was writing lyrics for Blue Öyster Cult. His friend Sandy Pearlman was Blue Öyster Cult’s manager, and he knew some people at CBS and pulled a lot of weight there.

So Andy got Sandy to come up and see us and you could see that he was physically blown away. He really liked it and invited us down to New York City where we started cutting some demos and lo-and-behold we got signed to CBS.

And this was before Handsome Dick was in the band?

Well yeah, Andy was singing back then but Dick was a friend of ours, he was like a breakfast chef, he would nick us shit, he was just a degenerate, a party kid.

So how did he end up singing in the band?

He was Scott’s good friend, so he would come up every weekend, make us breakfast, help us out. He was like a roadie, a truck-driver.

One time we were in Brooklyn, playing in this place called “Popeye’s“, and in the audience that night were Eric Emerson, Chris Stein from Blondie, Teenage Lust, The Dolls were there, all these guys that would become famous, and this was before the wave hit. It was all before the insanity, CBGB’s wasn’t even there yet, Max’s Kansas City wasn’t there.

It was a rainy Tuesday night, all the degenerates were there and we asked Dick „Hey Manitoba, do you wanna sing a song?“ He said „I don’t know any songs“ I said „You have to know a song. Do you know ‘Wild Thing‘? (laughs) He says „Yeah I know Wild Thing“ and so we rip into Wild Thing and all of a sudden you see all the fucking degenerates there- their heads pop up and something happened.

It started immediately when he started singing?

He blew the place apart. The place actually blew apart when he did that song.

That’s an awesome story.

He didn’t know what the fuck he was doing. And we figured that we got like a super weapon here, so why not just grab hold of it, you know, and that was the birth of Handsome Dick Manitoba.

The first record. It’s an awesome record, in my opinion one of the best punk rock albums ever, with so many great riffs and melodies, and it’s funny and captures the soul of punk at the time, but it wasn’t really a success at that time, right?

Not a chance.

How did you feel about that, with bands like the Ramones breaking, and the Dolls were there too, but it didn’t kinda happen for you guys?

The Dolls were already there, there were only three bands that already had a record deal at that time and those were the Dolls, Dictators, and KISS.

I wouldn’t say it was a failure, it might not have sold many copies at the time, but it’s a record that will always be remembered. Nowadays everybody who has a clue about punk rock and rock’n’roll considers the first Dictators album as a classic…

Yeah, so in ’77 we got dropped by Epic and got signed to Elektra Asylum, we changed the line-up, we had Mendoza on bass and Andy switched to keyboards, we were trying to get serious. Then they put us out on the road with all these bands like Bob Seger, Uriah Heep, KISS, ZZ Top…

I guess those bands’ fans didn’t know what hit them when you guys got on stage?

No way. They didn’t know what the fuck hit them. And then the whole punk thing just exploded in England. Hugh Cornwell from the Stranglers saw us in L.A. at the Whisky a Go Go and asked us: „You wanna come over and support us in England?“ and so we did. We supported them for the whole tour and it was insane.

How did the English punks take you guys?

Well… some nights they loved us, some nights they didn’t love us. But that’s punk.

I’m asking because the English punk thing was completely different than the American punk scene. For me, punk originated in America, with bands like the MC5, Stooges, The Dolls and you guys.

Definitely. And we didn’t quite look like them (laughs)

Why did you guys break up?

We never really broke up. After Blood Brothers, we had a hiatus, you know, we had done two records on Elektra Asylum to great critical acclaim. The response was amazing, but it was not enough- the commercial success wasn’t there although we did amazing live. Sometimes you just do those things, bands just take a break. So, that’s what happened, but the band never broke up.

And then the next chapter started for you. Is it true that Ronnie James Dio introduced you to Joey DeMaio (Manowar)?

Yes, after the Dictators I was like „What the fuck is happening?“ I was out of work and looking for a job. Then all of a sudden my manager, Sandy Pearlman, gives me a call and he goes „They want you.“ I’m like „Well, who’s THEY?“ So Sandy goes, „I found this band in Paris, Shakin’ Street. They are on CBS France and they need a guitar player and – you’re it.“ Okay. So, the next day I’m at JFK and on the fucking plane. I fly to Paris, get picked up, go to the rehearsal. I played them something for about ten seconds and they said „Fuck. Jesus Christ. You’re in the band. You want to do it?“ I go, „Yep. I’m in“. So, I joined this French band and a new chapter in my life started.

We did the record in San Francisco we did like 50 shows in France, then the Black & Blue Tour of America and the next thing I remember is that we find ourselves in the UK, opening up for Black Sabbath, Ronnie James Dio. Black Sabbath, Heaven and Hell– I’m like „Oh, shit. Look what I’m doing. Wow!“ This guy, fucking Tony Iommi, he’s like, I mean, let’s face it. He is one of my top idols on guitar, you know, the best, and he was so nice to us. And Sandy was managing all three, BOC and Shakin’ Street, and Black Sabbath. So, we’re opening up. And then after our soundcheck in Newcastle, Ronnie comes up to me and says „I really liked the way you play your guitar. I love the Dictators and the New York rock scene and CBGBs I know all about it.“ Obviously he was a student of rock and roll. He goes „I got a guy on my crew, his name’s Joey and he plays bass and I think you two would fucking hit it off. He’s around just go get him.“ I go „Yes, sir.“ (laughs) So, I seek Joey out, and we started talking and started shooting the shit, and when Sabbath were playing we would jam in their dressing room!

So that’s how Manowar started, in Black Sabbath’s backstage !!

Were you surprised by the success of the band?

Of Manowar? When it first started we did some touring with Ted Nugent, but we got asked to leave, we lasted one album with EMI and worked various labels and then finally we landed on Atlantic. But in all that time, as chaotic as it may seem, the band’s image and legend was growing with fans. This fucking band- you might hate the way they fucking look, you might think that’s cheesy but you know, I agree with it.

It was the eighties, man.

When we did our self financed outfits, we didn’t have a big budget. We looked cheesy. I mean, I admit it, there was a heavy cheese factor, but I think that’s good. We were young, we had the bodies, we had looks. I think we looked good in anything, you know. Joey and Eric wanted to get all oiled up, like fucking homos. I mean, they weren’t homos, believe me and the girls knew, but I thought it took balls to look like that. I think my outfits were more tasty, I just didn’t have the balls to look like those guys !
Then we switched to the black leather look, I thought that was bad ass when we switched to those outfits. Wow. We looked great.

You guys were having fun. You were taking the music seriously, but maybe not taking yourself so seriously?

Joey took it more seriously than we did, than I did. But coming from the Dictators, a bunch of snotty asses, a bunch of fucking smartass knuckleheads from the Bronx, everything was a fucking joke to us, you know? Compared to that Manowar was way too serious. I mean, if he couldn’t find the fucking humour in what he did and what we looked like I don’t know. But hey, it is what it is.

When it was coming towards the end of the Manowar time, were you still having fun? Were you surprised by the fact that you got fired?

At the end of Kings of Metal, Joey and I had started having some serious arguments about things, I had no plans on leaving the band. And the fact that I was his partner and I had equal saying – he couldn’t take that, his road or no other road you know, He saw me as an obstacle to things.

He wanted to hold the reigns completely for himself?

Yeah, and the money.
He kinda turned the band into a Members Only club.
But I gotta say the Manowar fans are so insane, loyal, fantastic- like nothing I’ve seen before.

The first time I saw the Dictators was in Cologne, in a club called the Underground, which unfortunately doesn’t exist anymore. I remember a lot of people were coming up to you with the old Manowar records and asking you to sign them. I guess that happens a lot when you play with the Dictators?

Absolutely. Cross pollinating ! People are just coming out to see me now in any band that I’m playing in, because people know that they’re going to get a hundred and fifty percent no matter where I’m playing.
People just like to see me play guitar now.

When you left Manowar, did you still follow them and listen to their new records?

No.

Would you like to say anything about Karl Logan or would you prefer not to say anything?

I would prefer not to say anything. I was shocked, deeply shocked. Deeply shocked and saddened and thats all I’d like to say

So, whats going on with Ross The Boss right now?

So, I mean our new record is smoking- the last one By Blood Sworn is great, but Born of Fire is even better. You better listen to that record, you have got to get it, man. Believe me, trust me. It crushes. It crushes By Blood Sworn !

Was there a reason you chose to cover “Hail and Kill“?

Well, it was the record company for By Blood Sworn. They wanted more Manowar content because they thought they could sell it better. So, you know, I did three songs that I wanted to redo anyway, cause I hated the mixes to begin with. So I got a chance to redo it my way.

How are you dealing with the train wreck that is 2020 ?

Well, it started good enough, you know, started fucking strong enough. We had a Ross the Boss US tour of North America, we did 25 really good shows in America. The last show was February 24th in Philly playing for Live Nation. And after that we went home and then the shit show hit.

I’m glad we got that tour in, man. I really am.

Then we had a whole Euro tour in April, 26 shows and then all the shows were gone, but we got them re-booked for November. And Wacken asked us to play next year which is awesome and an honour to do that, so we got that too,

I saw on Facebook that apart from many other things, you are currently recording some new Dictators stuff?

Yes, I’m going back to Albert’s house tomorrow to work more. Everything’s going great, I got Death Dealer, I got Dictators, and I got Ross the Boss so I don’t know how much more I can do.

Thank you very much for your time. It’s been an honor and a pleasure talking to you. I’ll hope to see you in November when you play in Bochum.

Okay, buddy.

Thanks again, and have a great weekend, have a happy 4th of July.

I got like Rib-Eyes, I got scallops, gigantic monsters. Oh my God. These steaks are like over two inches thick. You’re not some vegetarian, are you?

No, I eat everything.

Good. I call ’em VADGE. (laughs)

Interview by Glen Clarke- July 2020

www.ross-the-boss.com

“Born Of Fire” is available now