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Bobby Rock (born July 13, 1963 in Livermore, California) is a Los Angeles based Rock drummer and clinician. He is a graduate of the Berklee School of Music in Boston, MA and and has worked with several music groups.

He first came into national awareness with the band Rare Earth before joining Vinnie Vincent Invasion. Following his two album/tour stint with Vinnie Vincent he recorded with Nitro before joining the band Nelson. He would then go on to work with the bands Brunette and Hardline before reuniting with former VVI bandmates Mark Slaughter and Dana Strum when he toured with Slaughter, filling in for drummer Blas Elias who had prior commitments to performing with the Blue Man Group in Las Vegas. Recently he has also played with guitar great Gary Hoey and the metal band Carnival of Souls and continues to travel the country doing drum exhibitions.

SOLO ARTIST

Bobby has also released material as a solo artist on his record label Paranormal Records. The first release, 1994's Groovin' in Tongues is an EP featuring some original groove based songs along with some favorites such as "Climbing up the Ladder" and "Frankenstein". This CD is a tribute to his time spent playing with some hardcore funk bands at Lyons Ave., better known as Houston's Fifth Ward following his studies at the Berklee. It also features a demonstration of Bobby's chops and soloing capabilities as he offers a Rock/Latin drum solo in the middle of "Frankenstein". It also features a reworking of a drum solo titled "Pedal to the Metal" off of his Metalmorphosis video as this version also featues a full band playing along to what was previously only a drum solo.

His second release, 1996's Out of Body, is a progressive rock album featuring guitarist Brett Garsed, whom Bobby played with in the band Nelson and bassist Carl "The Fox" Carter, who was a classmate of Bobby's at Berklee. The album features some impressive instrumental cuts with complex changes and rhythmic patterns along with strong melodies and powerful grooves. It also features covers of Yes' "Roundabout" and Aerosmith's "Walk This Way" along with two short drum solos.

Following the release of Out of Body, Bobby released Snap, Crackle and Pop: Live, which features selections from an extended tour he did with guitarist Neil Zaza and bassist Bill "The Buddha" Dickens. The tour was postposed for a bit due to a massive car accident but eventually got back on track within a few months. Bobby and the band recorded many dates with many of the performances featured on this double live disc. The release features many tracks from both Bobby and Neil's CD catalogs, covers including Stevie Wonder's "I Wish" and Kool and the Gang's "Jungle Boogie," along with an 18+ minute drum solo titled "Quadzilla," which featues many ideas that would be featured on Bobby's The Zen of Drumming DVD and an intense guitar and bass duel along with separate solos by Zaza and Dickens.

Videos

Bobby has released two videos to date, 1989's Metalmorphosis and 2001's The Zen of Drumming. Much of the drumming he featues on the videos are very creative and well played as each idea are types of drumming that he performed frequently prior to videotaping.

Metalmorphosis is a great video due to its wealth of information and Bobby's ability to break ideas down clearly. It features his melting pot approach to drumming as Latin, Jazz and linear ideas are incorporated into Bobby's Rock style. The video also features Bobby's independence abilities as he plays many impressive Samba grooves and solos including Sambas with an 8th note toe/heel splash along with his clinic pleasing groove called "The Monster," which featues an exchange of his right hand going back and forth between the snare and cowbell with his feet playing an established bass drum pattern along with a toe/heel splash and some improvisation with his left hand on some nearby timbales.

The Zen of Drumming is Bobby's masterpiece. This 3-hour video features 5 extended drum solos including solos over the Latin Son Clave with both feet playing them against each other, some polyrhythmic ideas over feet ostinatos, impressive 12/8 grooves with an African/Latin feel and Bobby's typical soloing style that is reminiscent of one of his major influences Billy Cobham.

On The Zen of Drumming Bobby also spends some time demonstrating ideas on the practice pad and showing how the sticking patterns assist him in creating grooves over his now massive kit. He also plays along to 3 tracks from his Out of Body CD and then breaks then down from different points of view in order to enforce his vision of approaching drumming from a physical, emotional and spiritual approach. He also takes some time as he did in his Metalmorphosis video to discuss his nutritious lifestyle and how it in fact benefits a drummer due to the physical nature the instrument.

RENAISSANCE MAN

Bobby is a certified personal trainer, nutritionist and is a devoted vegan. His lifestyle tends to surprise many due to the impressive physique that he has. He is also a strong supporter of animal rights and has many links on his website to promote his particular ideas regarding such matters.

He is also a writer that with several of his poems listed on his website along with the publication of several books on drumming, health and lifestyle situations. He is also strongly interested in mediatation along with many philosophical ideas that are Eastern in nature.

Finally, Bobby is the founder and CEO of his own record label, Paranormal Records. His company has released not only his CD's but the works of guitarist Michael Angelo (whom Bobby worked with in Nitro), Neil Zaza and many other instrumental Rock bands.

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