Rock Cruise - with Special Guest Brent Rose

This is a must listen episode if you ever thought about going on a rock and roll cruise. 

Sam and his rock geek friend, Brent Rose, discuss Sam's recent cruises on the KISS Cruise and last two Monster of Rock cruises. 

Sam talks about being invited to breakfast with George Lynch, and the conversation they had about Randy Rhoads. 

Artists and bands mentioned or discussed include: Kiss, Paul Stanley, Tracii Guns, George Lynch, Brent Woods, Tyson Leslie, Banshee, Vixen, Heart, Howard Leese, LA Guns, Dokken, Lynch Mob, Nuno Bettencourt, Extreme, Michael Schenker, Warrant, Green Jelly, Kix, Steve Whitman, Reb Beach, Dangerous Toys, Scott Dalhover, Joel Hoeksta, Kelle Rhoads, Randy Rhoads, Eddie Van Halen, Iron Maiden, Don Dokken, Jon Levin, Gene Simmons, Stephen Pearcy, Eddie Trunk, Ritchie Kotzen, Tommy Skeoch, Brian Wheat,  Faster Pussycat, Slaughter, Great White, Tesla, Alice Cooper, Joe Satriani, 

Transcript

Rock and Roll Cruise with Brent Rose
Mon, Nov 06, 2023 3:22PM • 53:12
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
band, cruise, talked, george, people, play, ship, guitar player, george lynch, stage, heather, player, lynch mob, frickin, breakfast, songs, boat, tracy, surreal, absolutely
SPEAKERS
Intro, Sam Fischer

Intro  00:00
Welcome to cowboys, not a gets home of the brief, not home of the fearful. The world needs more cowboys and fewer eggheads. We're everywhere podcasts are found. So tell your fellow cowboys, and let's keep the conversation alive on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Remember to subscribe, rate, review, and share. And now cowboys, not a gets with Sam Fisher

Sam Fischer  00:32
rock crews rock crews. So today we're gonna do kind of a role reversal thing, just like I've done in the past with Jerry kratovil and season one. But I asked my, my rock geek friend, Brent rose, longtime friend to come in and interview me about a couple of rock cruises that I went on. And as I told Brent, I don't expect anybody to really push and say that, but I don't really expect anyone to listen to this. But if you do enjoy it, because it's kind of fun if you're into this thing, but you know, Brian, I looked at my demographics earlier today. And it's basically males between 45 and 59. And that's kind of who goes on these rockers. It sounds

01:10
like that's a prime age for a rock cruise. If you're here. Sounds good.

Sam Fischer  01:14
Yeah. So British airways are yours. And he's going to interview me today. All right.

01:19
Well, very good. Well, hey, so Sam, let's just start the beginning. I think you've been on what three cruises now? How many cruises

Sam Fischer  01:26
in the last year and a half boy. Yeah, but last eight about the last 16 or 18 months? Three rockers? Yes.

01:36
All right. So I know one of those was a kiss cruise. And what were the other two? The other two

Sam Fischer  01:40
were the annual Monsters of Rock cruise, which is still going it's it's basically all these bands that you and I listened to in high school on a ship.

01:52
All right. So do you know when rock when when did that start? Do you know? I think I

Sam Fischer  01:57
think is 2010 2011 12. At the same time, we think Rocklahoma started, okay, all these things started to pop up that there seems to be this niche of guys have our age that guys and gals that kind of fit into that mold, and they're starting to have some some disposable income? And by golly, people go, they sell them out. All

02:20
right. So you've been on three cruises? Did you have a favorite one?

Sam Fischer  02:25
Um, that's a good question. I would, I would say that the they're all fun. They're all fun. I would say that probably the first one was my favorite just because I hadn't been to it and didn't know what to expect. It's a lot of fun in the sense that, again, it's just people our age walking around the ship. And but not only that, it's the band members. And so you are, you know, you're in the ice cream line with Paul Stanley, or you're, you know, getting at the omelet stage with, with, you know, Tracii Guns and George Lynch. I mean, it's just it's very surreal. Yeah, so yeah, I mean, the first one was, it was is it was, I think, just because, because it was so surprising. It was just kind of a fun surprise. And even Heather, my wife set on the second day, she said to me, she goes, You know what I'll come to. I'll do this again next year. Well,

03:25
hey, that's why you ended up doing another

Sam Fischer  03:28
great, right? For the record, she doesn't wanna go on the third one.

03:32
Actually. Had you been on our just a normal cruise before have

Sam Fischer  03:38
I only once Yes, just kind of a Caribbean thing. But nothing like this. This is basically where you've got, you know, a whole bunch of bands on a ship. And they are basically every hour, there's something to see. And every band plays twice throughout the cruise. And you've got a headliner band that plays like the big theater, and or two shows there. And so, you're, it's it's really remarkable. I mean, I know you being the geek that you are, and I know you don't mind it when I call you a geek because we're both geeks, but I can just see you I mean, a lot of people have like spreadsheets and stuff and like wherever they're going what they're going to do and I don't get quite that elaborate but I definitely have a game plan going into it you know, and so you might you might because they all play like an hour you're forced to see or you kind of know that they're gonna play their best songs are the songs you might not that you recognize, you know, they're going to be like the last three songs so you kind of like oh well I'm going to catch that and then I'll go to this next one or whatever so it's, it's half the fun is kind of the challenge of like, I want to see everything that I can possibly see but it is impossible to see every band is flat impossible.

04:52
So how many how many stages or how many venues within the boat do they have where you can actually see them?

Sam Fischer  04:55
They have usually have a or they they always have a to the pool stage, which is usually kind of the main attraction stage, either that or to the theater stage every every ship has a theater. So those are usually the two main stages so to speak, and then they'll have their the smaller on this particular ship ships, they had a smaller venue that I like a lot. It's my favorite one. I can remember what they call it, but it's basically I think it's the ice rink and they take the ice rink Island thing, and it's so it's a smaller venue, maybe, oh, I don't know, four or 500 people maybe tops, but it's you can sit down or you can be on the floor. But everybody's got a great seat. I mean, it's the there's no bad seats. So and then they have also they have like, they'll have like even the private lounges where you might only get maybe, maybe 100 It will be packed. They'll do those once a while so anywhere from four to five different venues usually

05:56
Alright, so are there any you just kind of mentioned the lounges? Are there any like spontaneous I mean, I'm sure a lot of these guys come in and end up wanting to you know, either play together or just you know, have a cocktail with their buddies that maybe they haven't seen in decades. Any spontaneous jams

Sam Fischer  06:12
Yeah, happened? Yes. I'm glad you asked that. I don't know if they're spontaneous. I think their pull. The Jam itself is spontaneous, or this jam is planned. But the whatever they play, it's spontaneous, if that makes sense. So on the kiss cruise they actually had, they just rotated in and out and Bretton Woods from formerly of the band Wildside. And he's Sebastian Bach's guitar player and he's in a bunch of different bands is a really good player. He usually organizes this with another guy by the name of Tyson lezlie. Now Tyson Leslie is keyboard player. He lives in Nashville but he's from Kansas City and he was in the band now I'm going to forget it now which drives me crazy. Banshee he was in a band called Banshee back in the day, which came to Omaha a lot. But anyway, he is an extraordinarily talented cat who can play every single instrument. I've seen him play every single instrument on stage so I'll just fill in wherever he needs to be. But he's usually kind of the guy that organizes these things along with Brent Woods anyway on the kiss cruise they did that and so this rotate musicians and now sometimes they do maybe spontaneously come on stage but usually I mean I've talked to Tyson about it's a lot of work for him to put all this together. I mean, just a ton of work and sometimes he's he's he's only on the cruise because of that he's the guy in charge of all that. But so you had like two guys from like heart come through like the original guys from Hart Hall of Famers their Hall of Famers? The I'm sorry, I don't remember their names Howard lease, I think is the guitar player and the drummer but they they came through and did a couple of songs and then they wouldn't be necessarily hard songs. It might have been like the like a Yes, sir. So I mean, who knows. But the the highlight of the show for me was the there was a mountain song and I don't know all Leslie West stuff. But it was a deep track for mountain. And I wish I wish I knew what the name of the song was. But it was awesome. And it was totally set up for guitar soloing. And so you had time you had Tracy guns from LA guns and George Lynch, who we all know is my favorite guitar player from Dokken and lynch mob. They were on the stage and they so they were both kind of training solos or whatever. But George was so over the top it I mean, he basically left no doubt about who was the best guitar player on that ship at that time. And Tracy guns at one point, he just he just stopped playing and he sat on a drum riser and watched GEORGE It was incredible moment. And I actually have a picture of that where Tracy guns is sitting on the drum riser just pointing at Lynch like he's, he's he's the guy. So just very cool stuff. Very cool stuff. Yeah, you know, playing mountainsides that I'd never recognize but still it was just a great moment.

09:14
Obviously the influence you know, Lesley Weston, you know, it's kind of fun because they you know, appreciate the ones that kind of came in before them and the foundation down for what allows them to do what they do for

Sam Fischer  09:25
sure. And I feel bad because on this last cruise. Nuno Bettencourt is kind of one of the current day recognize, like shred heroes or whatever he was, we did a photo op and so you have very few very few seconds to talk to these guys in these photo ops. You actually you know I saw a noodle later at the pizza shop I had more time to talk to him but anyway, I said you know I can't you know noon I can't decide who's the best guitar player on this on the ship. It's either you or George, and it was a cute little moment. And he just said, Why No, and I go, Well, it's good to have good, it's good to have some confidence and you know, but and then he said, you know, and then I walked away from photo. He's like, Hey, listen, George Lynch is a huge influence for me. But what I forgot at that time was the guest who else was on that ship at the time. Michael Schenker. Now there would be no Michael there wouldn't be no no Betancourt and there probably would be no George Lynch without a little bit of influence of a lot of influence from Michael Schenker. So, maybe, you know, apologies. Do you Michael Schenker got to meet him too? You know, he's 75 year old frickin master. I know. Yeah. So

10:36
you will find a lot lot a lot. A lot of bands out there for sure. And yeah, just in the seven classic player. Yeah, absolutely. So kind of you know, you brought up new know, how is the new music accepted? So obviously extreme has their new album out? And you know, he was kind of known for the guitar solo and rise. How was that accepted by the fans as a comparison? Oracle stuff. I

Sam Fischer  10:55
saw it I was there when he first played it live, and it just went all over the place on the internet. So how's it I'm sorry, what's the question?

11:03
How was it accepted by the fans? Oh, very much so very much everybody remembers the old stuff, but

Sam Fischer  11:08
how about right now the new stuff people love it, love it. I mean, just getting a huge kick out of it. And he is phenomenal. I mean, he he plays that stuff note for note. They I would say they are the extreme people. They they are they are loyal fans. But I would say that the non extreme people also just love that new stuff. Loved it. Very good. And we also heard himself playing basketball. Night, did some to his knee. It's pretty well known actually now But uh, yeah, he was so mad him. So and he's such a he's a consummate professional. And so that their last show that they did at the theater, he was he had to sit down and play seated. And he was so apologetic about it. Yes. And he was like, I'm never gonna do that against the stupid because, you know, my, my job is to be a guitar player, guitar player. Sorry, guys. I mean, like apologize or like, it's all good. Yeah.

12:02
So when you mentioned they play a couple of times, do they play the same sets knowing that people can't join there? Or do they change the outstanding

Sam Fischer  12:10
question? And I would say most of the time, it is indeed the same set.

12:15
Okay. Yep. All right. And is there you know, you told me a story about kitchen George, you know, basically in an elevator on some steps around breakfast time, and one of the days kind of fill me in on that one?

Sam Fischer  12:27
Yeah, sure. Um, so those listeners who don't know Well, I've talked about George Lynch, a little bit on here. But I mean, he's sort of a big deal. I mean, he's the top. I think he's ranked 68th Of all the greatest players of all time I Guitar World magazine, and I believe that's by their peers, maybe it's the fans. But he's, you know, he's a top player, most people recognize him as top player from the 80s. And so it's kind of a big deal for me to have a quasi relationship with Him. Because He built a guitar for me, but so Heather and I were gonna go to breakfast one morning, and it just, it's just surreal. She was delayed as usual on these cruises, I'm like, because I have my spreadsheet or whatever. I'm like, everything's timed out, like, let's go, let's go. Let's go. We're gonna eat breakfast. Now, we gotta go see this, that you know, so if anything's delayed by 10 minutes, you know, the old typical male female thing. It's like, the end of the world. And she was late. And so I'm just like, Oh, my God, you know, and she's like, 10 minutes. We went to breakfast 10 minutes later, and I thought we would but because of that, we just happen to run into George and so it was just odd. I mean, we're in a elevator Bay taken, or in a lobby, basically, we need to take the elevator down to this to go get breakfast at this ballroom thing. And, and it's just Heather and I and Heather just like Oh, my You know, I'm just I see him. I mean, he there is I'm like, Hey, George, you know, Sam Fisher, how are you doing? He goes, Yeah, somebody told me you're gonna be honest. I mean, just like it's so. But he's like, Well, what are you guys doing? I'm like, Well, we're going to breakfast George we're gonna go down and he goes, where are you going? I go well, the palace ballroom George. He goes, Oh, well, you could do that or you could come with me to the artists lounge and I'm like, we'll do that George. And just it's It's nuts. Heather doesn't say anything the entire time because she's their mouth is to the floor. And it's just kind of a surreal experience. And he doesn't George doesn't do elevators. He just doesn't have elevators. And these these artists are very quirky. But he's always had claustrophobia and whatever. He doesn't like to fly either but so he says, Well, I don't do don't do elevators. So we're gonna do stairs staircase right there. And so we went down through Air Force flights, big deal. And so then we actually walked the length of the ship to the other side to the artists lounge. I had no idea where is that I was just following him. But it was just it was just surreal because we you know, people are just walking to breakfast with George Lynch. You know, it's just insane and all these people are going one buyer like Hey, George. Hey, George. Good morning. Good morning. I mean, just like what the hell. And so we get the artists lounge. And so we sit down and like, you know, there's the members of La guns at one table and the members of Warren another table. And it's kind of hilarious because half of these people been in lynch mob, man. And, yeah, we had an I had breakfast with him for an hour, and he couldn't have been nicer. And I actually asked him if he'd be on this particular podcast. And he, he said, Well, aren't we doing a podcast? Now? I go, well, sort of.

15:38
It's not recorded.

Sam Fischer  15:40
I've kind of put my phone I put my phone on the seat and said, Oh, yeah, we've been recording the whole time. It's kind of funny. But yeah, it's just unbelievable. Unbelievable opportunity. And Heather. Really? I don't think Heather said one word, the entirety. Hopefully

15:54
you told her thanks. Because if she's not late by 10 minutes, that doesn't happen. So

Sam Fischer  15:58
Did I did I recognize her now? I'm recognized her to the people in the 40 countries that listen to this podcast. All

16:05
right, very good. So you mentioned reaction. So you just mentioned obviously people you running into people in the hallway and know Hey, George, this that? You know, obviously, some fans can be over the top. Are there any experiences? Would you hear of anything with just that super fan? That was just Oh, much?

Sam Fischer  16:21
That's that's a good question. Great question. And that's, I think, why these artists love from I can tell they really love the obviously they because they basically you've got the obligation to to two things and they're off for two days as well. So I think they love it because, because there is not I didn't see anything. I mean, some I mean, sometimes because of personalities of people, some people are gonna be a little more pushy than me or whatever. But people are not they really kind of respect that space. I mean, I I was shocked to see Paul Stanley honestly, in up at the buffet line, just getting ice cream, like what in the I mean, I was really surprised see that like, Gene You wouldn't I didn't see gene entire time. That doesn't mean he wasn't walking around the ship, but I just didn't see him. But no, I mean, people really just leave him alone. For the most part. I mean, you know, if they're sitting down eating, they're not gonna they don't go over there and gush all over the guy. They just let him meet, you know. And

17:19
so on the kiss cruise, obviously, kiss plays, are there other bands that play on that as well? Yeah,

Sam Fischer  17:24
there were fewer bands on that one. But yes, there there. There were probably, gosh, I don't know 10 or 12 different bands on that. So dokkan and lynch mob are two of them. Sorry, kiss, but that's the only reason that I was on that ship. So I was able to see that and obviously, George are not obvious to everybody. But he the last several years. He's been basically doing the last three songs with Doc and he gets up and does the last three songs to dock and so I was able to see that and then you know, like, yeah, like war. It was on the ship and La guns and a band called green jelly which is they're just hilarious. So, but not more than that wasn't quite as busy as the Monsters of Rock cruise. The schedule wasn't as hectic, which was kind of nice on us.

18:10
Yeah. So did you see like you mentioned Paul in line, just get some food. Like, do they come out and watch the other bands?

Sam Fischer  18:16
They do. I saw Paul watch Dokken and lynch mob and I saw Tracy guns who Heather just really likes. He was basically watching everybody. And at one point I'm watching the lynch mob show and I turn around and Tracy guns right behind me. He just rocking her. I mean, it was it was awesome. So yeah, absolutely, absolutely. And, you know, shout out Tracy guns, because he is like the friendliest little guy ever seen. It's just he just happy on life, man. And Heather, just like we were like a small lounge watching green jelly. I mean, again, it's one of those lounges is maybe 50 to 100 people. And you're just like, you're, you're forced to stand by these guys. And just watching him interact with everybody or watched him watch other bands is really cool. He's just a normal person, like the rest of us. And couldn't be couldn't be more gracious, talking to people or whatever. And, and Heather said that, he reminded her of like Sammy Hagar, that kind of a personality just totally just totally cool.

19:14
Well, that's great to see. Because, you know, obviously a lot of fans are gonna be there. And in some cases, that could be their hero. So the fact that he's able to say hello to them and interact with and that's gonna, it's gonna be a big thing.

Sam Fischer  19:21
It almost gets embarrassed or not embarrassing, but you know, I mean, it's like, okay, you talk to him for 10 minutes or, you know, you got your fill, and then like, you see him the next day like, Hey, how's it going? Oh, good, you know? Yeah, it's kind of Seinfeld kind of thing. I'm supposed to talk to him again. Are they going to talk to me again, or I mean, it's very intimate. I mean, it's really cool. Besides

19:42
that Dokken or lynch mob, you know, if you kind of combine all three cruises? Is there a band that really stood out to you that you kind of said maybe you'd heard him once before maybe not but like that you really said Man, those guys brought it?

Sam Fischer  19:56
Kicks, kicks, who ironically I I think this weekend or next are playing their last show kicks. Absolutely. Kicks KX are banned from Maryland been around for since the late 70s. They are very fun to watch very entertaining. Their total pros they sound great. And they they're kind of like Rush they're hanging up for the right reasons. I mean, they're you had a drummer who had a heart attack and, and actually a good guitar player this summer, I guess had a stroke. Brian's Forsythe, he's also, what's the other band? I can't remember. Yes. mild stroke. And anyway. And Steve. I'm sorry, Steve, what's your last name? Whitman with Steve. Oh, I'm embarrassed. Sorry, Steve, who we talked to. He's a tall great guy. But he's just he's he said, Listen, I can't. I can't hit the songs like I used to. If anybody knows. The band kicks knows that they've got some stuff there. Pretty high res. Yeah. And he just like I can't, I can't authentically do that anymore. And I'm just done. But they were great. I absolutely. Kix, a lot of fun to watch. All

21:07
right. Very good. You know, obviously, you had the experience. You talked about Tracy and George. Any other players out there or band members that you just kind of had that happenstance, you know, conversation with or meeting him? In the restaurant? Yeah,

Sam Fischer  21:21
yes. Yes. And my typical thing is to try and get in a conversation about George Lynch because I'm curious to know what these other players say about George lane so. So I've talked to Rob Beech about George Lynch. I've

21:34
read not only read but he was in Dhaka then right? He was

Sam Fischer  21:38
he was in That's right. So he's pointing That's right. And I knew back in the day that he really was influenced by him. So I've talked to him about him. I talked to you again, I Oh, the other is I got the guitar player from dangerous toys and I would say dangerous toys is that other band. It's just a lot of fun to watch their guitar player. It's just like, dude, looks like he wants to be there. Talk to him. He looks he's got Bill long red beard. And it looks like he's from Scott. Gosh, dang, I can't remember his last name Scott. Anyway, so I talked to him quite a bit about lunch as well. Who else trying to think I mean that Tyson Leslie he's not I mean, he's kind of behind the scenes and vixen. They don't even recognize him when they introduced but he's like all the keys and stuff. It's talked to him several times just a super nice guy super. I mean, it's matter of fact, he has a Nashville he he's known for going around these bars and doing those kind of improv gigs or whatever. And I said Listen, man, is there a place that I can like you know, check you out like a Facebook page or anything he just pulls out his business card with a cell phone or your list my this my cell phone number just call me when you're in town. I'm like, okay, okay.

22:49
It works. Thanks. So I'm trying to do that but like is he a session player down there being an agent is

Sam Fischer  22:54
I'm sure he has the capability of being a session player but I think you know, I don't think that's his main thrust. I think his main thrust is is is just kind of filling in for bands when they need it. I think he was this could be speaking on school but I think he's one of those like you know, during COVID and certainly somebody I think you know, filled in for guys or was the second string or whatever. But he's Oh, he's so talented. I mean, like my gosh, it's it's played like every instrument on the stage drums, frickin bass keys, guitar, you name it.

23:26
Well, it's great. They have somewhere to organize a lot of those in order to be able to pull that up right and

Sam Fischer  23:32
he's the go to guy very good.

23:33
So like when did they start and I'm trying to get into the logistics a little bit you talked about and kind of mapping out and having a spreadsheet like what time do the day to these shows start

Sam Fischer  23:41
it the shows usually start at usually noon although on the first Sunday they have what they call it the hangover. I call it the hangover. How to blame bloody Bloody Mary Hangover Part jam or whatever withdrawal Hoekstra another good player. Yeah, very good. Very good. So that was the one that was like before noon I can remember is like a 10. Because I didn't drink on that particular cruise or no, that's not true. I hadn't drink the night before. Anyway, that's right. I wasn't hungover. But it was it was very enjoyable. But usually noon if we if we're out at if we're out at sea, it's going to be noon. And it's basically from noon to one o'clock in the morning after that. If you're if you're on dock they might have theirs there are people to stay on the ship. So you might have like a one or a noon ish band and then but there isn't anything to like 430 or five and then again, it just runs the entire night. Alright,

24:45
so it kind of goes back to your your our conversation and your breakfast with George is there anything you're very familiar with him and his body of work? Anything that he said or anything that you learned that surprised you?

Sam Fischer  24:59
Oh, I'm not really I'm trying to think I wish I would have written down all the stuff I asked him or talk to him about. The one thing that is interesting about Georgia is he does not like, and I didn't. I think that's why we get along is because I don't ever gush adoration on him or anything like that. I'm like, Dude, you're the bastard, you know, you just don't even like it. But I did it towards the end of breakfast. I was telling him a story about meeting Kel Rhodes who's Randy Rhoads, brother at the musoni PA in California, where we're that's Brandi Rhodes, his mother had a school and Cal Rhodes is brandies brother and and George, when when Ozzy or Georgia is up for the Ozzie Gigandet, he was actually three times with the first time when Randy got it. George went to take Randy spot at me Sonia, as a teacher, and one of his first teeth, one of his first students, so he inherited all Randy students and one of his students was Brett woods, believe it or not. And so he I mean, I knew that Kel Rhodes then would have a pretty good knowledge of what Randy thought of George or whatever. So I asked him, Who did Randy think at the time was the top player in Los Angeles that we're talking about? You know, 75 677 789 So there's lots of players back then, obviously, Edward Eddie Van Halen was top of the mountain and but he Randy without, according to Cal Rhodes, and I have this imprint, and I have it from him talking to me, he said, he thought that George Lynch was the best player at that time. So I was sharing that story. With George, I go, and I just said, you know, Randy thought a lot of you. And George was extremely uncomfortable with that. And he basically was at the end of our conversation that was kind of like that was the end of breakfast. Oh, wow. So it was it was very interesting how he doesn't he just he's so humble. He doesn't. He I think he appreciates respect and all that. But I don't, he just doesn't he doesn't like to be compared to Eddie Van. I have to ask him Eddie Van Halen, too. And he just laughs at you. Like, you know, and I've seen him in interviews where he'll just say, Yeah, I taught any of these areas. Everything he knows before, I had a song called explosion, and he called it eruption. You know, he's only joking, you know. So that was that was interesting. I mean, I basically so to answer your question, I learned thing. Yeah. Don't. George knows what he is. But don't don't talk to him about it.

27:42
Just enjoy him talking about other other subjects. Yeah, so. Exactly. Exactly. And so you've been on three times is this. Would you do it again? Oh, in a heartbeat. You

Sam Fischer  27:52
want to go go to hell? Yeah. I don't even sleep with another man in the same bed for this thing. won't be doing. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Do it again. Not this next year. Because Heather says she's not up for it. But yeah. Yeah, it's, it's, it's a lot. That's the thing. A lot of people. They they go every year. And so they run into the same people every year. And I've you know, it's funny because I've actually met friends. Or not friends, but I mean, people I talked to on social media or whatever. And you just see him every year. You know, it's just so it's funny. Dan, paint, you know who you are. So yes, it's just a lot of fun. It's It's like going back to it's like, summer camp for adults. But you go every year. I mean, so, you know, it's like, we are like high school reunion every year.

28:52
So kind of going back to your first year. That was probably the first year post COVID. I would assume or did they go before?

Sam Fischer  29:00
It was because we were delayed? I was supposed to go on 20. And it wasn't until 21 that the cruise happened. That's correct.

29:06
So how I'm just kind of curious when you started abrasca How was the energy on that one? Because the energy the energy because everybody had been everyone hold up for a couple years. That's

Sam Fischer  29:16
only partially No, it was. Well, it was my first one so I thought it was pretty good. Pretty clearly people were glad to get out. And it's you didn't ask this question, but I'll answer it anyway. We're supposed to wear masks in the hallways and that's that's how they were going to do it. And everybody had a mask on get on the boat. But I'm telling you right now the second people got on that boat. Nobody had masks on and I don't want to say even I must say people didn't wear my even this last cruise people wear masks. That's true. But very few very few. You know, again, you have to realize that these people are mean or that are rock and rollers and they're, you know, bikers or whatever. People like their freedom. So it was pretty interesting. Pretty interesting. But you know, some artists said man elstone That's cool, whatever. Alright,

30:01
so actually speaking of that, I'm going to completely change the subject on you here. Not being Cruz but you happen to run into particular gal I think at the local grocery store wearing a shirt. You guys actually kind of talked about COVID a little bit so it wasn't

Sam Fischer  30:16
it wasn't her shirt I don't I don't I don't know for whatever I let her go is a Gala was an older lady and she told me she was 85 I thought she was wearing a shirt. No, no, I was gonna have a conversation about whatever and she's we're just in the grocery and we were not talking about a period of more than five or six minutes but sometimes you just cut to the ship don't you get older but she she told me how she was a huge Iron Maiden fan. I'm like What in the world and she pulls out her she pulls out her she pulls out her Iron Maiden like never card, you know, all the glossy, laminated members card, you know, official Iron Maiden members are but she, you know, she's telling me in depth things about you know, Nico and and she knows one of the murders. I do. And you know, got Nico, and you got Bruce and you got now I'm going Blake, Adrian Smith, and I can't remember the other one. But she knows all the band members inside out and she goes, Oh, they sent me a Christmas card every year. And she was telling me how excited she was to go the next Iron Maiden concert, the first one after COVID. I'm like, All right, at five years old. And I said and so I just kind of got the gumption to ask her I go. I just looked around. I said, I go, Are you frightened to COVID? And she frickin laughed in my face. It was awesome. It was awesome.

31:40
That's like meeting an 85 year old gal that is wired.

Sam Fischer  31:46
Or COVID. Dude, no, that's awesome.

31:48
Well, who knows? Maybe she'll be on the cruise next time. Next time you go on. We'll

Sam Fischer  31:52
never know. Yeah.

31:55
Any like, anything. And it same. I'm gonna say I don't know how long this is supposed to go from? Uh, you know? There's no, there's no time limit. All right, me anything.

Sam Fischer  32:04
I'm not regulated by anybody that was not regulated. All right, very good.

32:07
What did you have, obviously, the breakfast with George had to be big. But there was Was there another moment that you kind of just looked at and maybe looked at Heather just kind of looked at here, even within yourself to go like, Okay, this is a really cool experience. And I'm so glad that I'm here.

Sam Fischer  32:24
You know, one of those experiences was we're not going to get into but Brett knows my love hate relationship with Don Dokken. And I'd never met Don. And honestly, I didn't know if I wanted to meet Don just because of the whole hitch a whole history of George and Don being against each other. And you know, either take one side or the other and whatever. And so John Levin Don's guitar player have 20 years 20 plus years now who is a fantastic guitar player. And Georgia mid Liam says he plays my stuff better. And I do because he just he's just never plays the same thing twice in a night. That's why I love him. But he I saw him on the ship's deck above the pool. And I said, Hey, man, I go great. You know, it's really not truly meant it was a great show last night does that now there? So he goes, Oh, what's your name? And I, you know, that's really cool. These guys actually asked you what your name is. That's when it's, you know, like, and I actually, by the way, now make a point of telling them my name, Mike. Hey, my name is Sam. I'm from Omaha, you know, you know, that's how you normally do things anyway. Right? But, um, so I talked to him and I, I, you know, it's telling how many how much doc and meant to me and this, that and the other and just, it was a very cool conversation. He's like, Well, hey, do you want to meet Don? And I'm like, Ah, because I really didn't know how to answer them. Like, I go Honestly, I'd be too nervous to me because No, dude, you gotta meet Don, you gotta meet Don, I'm like, No. And so he like drags me over to where Don's at. And like, almost erupts another person like, you know really, really like giving me the VIP treatment. Right and downtown you gotta meet you gotta and so that was I was nervous. I'll be honest with you. I was nervous me, Doc. And I really was. I actually told George that. And it was it was it was one of those moments because, listen, this guy. I actually posted this on Facebook on his 70th birthday. This is a guy that has had a lot of trials and tribulations in his life. He was he was adopted or he was adopted. He has no idea who his parents were. And then I think, actually, I don't know if he was he wasn't adopted as an orphan. He was an orphan. And he was raised in foster homes and went lived in multiple foster homes and has been through a lot of depression, his life, etc, etc, etc. But because of all All his life experiences, he's written a lot of songs that, frankly, have gotten an hour burned to the gig zone grant, that, frankly, have got me through a lot of tough situations. And so you have got to respect that. And so yes, that was a moment that I thought, wow, how lucky am I to be actually able to talk to this guy who wrote all these lyrics that got me through a lot of crap in life. And he couldn't have been couldn't have been nicer. He was cool as hell. Just cool as hell. And yeah, I tell you a story of I don't want my wife over here, but I whisper something in his ear about an ex girlfriend of mine. And he just he just laughed at me. He goes, Oh, we've all had that. You know, that experience. It was cool. It was really cool. All

35:52
right. All right. That's good. And so you know, after that experience, did your opinion might not be the right word, but the emotions that maybe that you had held, had that changed after that interaction for Don? Oh,

Sam Fischer  36:09
yes, of course. Yes. Yes. I finally saw the light. So yeah, you gotta respect I mean, he, you know, it's complicated is a real thing. But yeah, I mean, absolutely. Absolutely. And Don's got a new album now. They just released a song and it's frickin awesome. So he's still cranking man. Yep. Well, it's good to better respect that. Yep. Yeah, absolutely. Same vs shit, but we all need to anyway.

36:31
Yeah, through there.

Sam Fischer  36:34
But you know what? He's also not Vince Neil. He's also not playing the tracks. So you also have to respect that. I mean, you know, it. What you're here is what he's singing. So you gotta respect that. Yeah. All

36:45
right. So that actually brings up something so you're on a boat. You know, these guys. They're they're going from stage to stage, band after band after band. Is it all live? Are there any tracks that you're aware of? What what is what is from a production standpoint? What's that? Like?

Sam Fischer  37:01
I can't answer that question. Well, kiss was yes. Kiss. So absolutely. It was tracks and other people. Well, no, he's singing well, yes, he's singing but he's singing with a track. You're seeing him open his mouth and maybe you're gonna hear some of it but he's not. I mean, he's, it's not completely live. He's singing to a track so kiss was yes, they were singing to a track and everybody's fine with that. There's no but I will say this, I will say this. I have such a deeper appreciation for kiss in their fans after being on that cruise. As you learn a lot of history. It's like, you know, you're a rush geek and a lot of rush by the way, a lot of rush a lot of Rush shirts on that boat. But it just it was very interesting to learn all of the just to kind of dig in a little bit more on the history and stuff and, and Jean and Paul don't they don't necessarily they're not best pals, but they are business partners. And they have created something that is bigger than anything has been ever created and rock and roll and you can't you can't take that away. I mean, people's pay 10s I mean, we had dinner one night with a couple that they were going to after let's see, I don't know which cruise that was it doesn't really matter but they were going to Vegas next because Jean had this you know you pay 10 grand and you've you gotta have Yeah, basically spent an hour or two with Jean and they're like bidding on his art now or whatever, I guess ball stars. They're bidding on all this rare stuff from his vault and this that and other and I mean, these people are just like that's they are into it, man. Kind of like you I mean they in the sense of that they they they really value a lot. I mean, I'm not a big collector but these folks were

38:57
Yep. Yeah, Monica I showed her a collection of needle snares but there was a hard no on that one this morning. Not gonna not gonna happen

Sam Fischer  39:09
if we don't eat for like a month and a half I can buy these there. Yeah,

39:13
might be even better. Yeah, if I could go without food. Six months,

Sam Fischer  39:16
six months? Groceries. That's

39:20
what so what these cruises and again, I'm gonna call you back. Are these a week long are these four days?

Sam Fischer  39:25
Five? I think Brian, I think they're five four nights and five days I don't want to say so they they've departed at different times of the week. The kiss crews I think departed Monday. We came back Friday and I think the monitors are usually depart on Saturday and you come back on like a Wednesday or Thursday.

39:45
Alright, so obviously you probably have some shortstops somewhere excursions or I don't know what you call it, but do that's my question. Do any of the bands play? Do they go off shore and play somewhere?

Sam Fischer  39:56
No, they do not. They do not play it's always on the boat. I think this logistic Really, that would be too much of a hassle ya know, the bands are off the ship they're doing like a we are and I and you'll see him I mean you saw you'll see him out there. The same The beaches are you are me. So it's kind of crazy.

40:14
All right, we're good. You know as you kind of come through and you kind of take a look at it, you know a lot, a lot of great experiences that you had a favorite? Is there one that you said I had the most fun. And you know whether from a visit from event just like watching a band, you kind of said, you know, you had the poolside or you had the ice rink, you had larger you had smaller were one that you just kind of said, Man, that was just a phenomenal show that you weren't expecting.

Sam Fischer  40:46
Ah, good question. None. Honestly, nothing sticks out. And I think mean, nothing really sticks out. To be honest. He's like the one that like stood above everybody else or anything like that. It's because I think you are like, you go for lunch? Oh, no, you're good to go. The next one. I mean, like, we're gonna run down and look at the next one. And so you don't really get to soak it in. I think maybe that's one of the reasons but you know, I will say that the the dock and reunion show when George came out, it's, I was in the very front row. I mean, there's actually a video of it. He came out and he always Georgia always wants his amp to be the loudest and my God Almighty, they turned his amp up so high and it almost blew a hole through my chest. It was pretty memorable. I actually told him that the next day I'm gonna despite all my tap 11 Dude, that was loud. He goes, Oh, was it you gotta because he's got earplugs, although I did too. But I mean, he's, he's up on the stage. He's not getting blown away by his frickin amp. Well, maybe it was but that was that was memorable. I mean, it just it was out on the pool perfect weather. You know, it's nighttime that that was I mean, whenever you're on the pool, I think those those stick out to me more just because either like the sail away show. You're like you know, you're you're doing out of Miami port or something or Orlando port or, and they're just just freaking full blast. I think those pools show stick out a little bit more just because of the atmosphere of it. It's, you know, they're all there's two decks and everybody's up and around the pool. You there's really not a bad view in the house. And it's, you really get the sense that you're on a cruise. And so any of those shows certainly you know, the mountain jam was on the pool deck. The dock and show that I just mentioned was on the pool deck so those those seem to stick out a little bit

42:52
more to the weather cooperate you just mentioned not always

Sam Fischer  42:55
they're not always the sailaway show on the second Monsters of Rock Cruise was supposed to be lynch mob and it was a frickin hurricane man. I mean, like I have videos that like these hurricane on the 30 mile an hour frickin winds like blowing chairs over and

43:11
was hurt was hurricane on the docket to play. I don't know if they still are out there. The old bail

Sam Fischer  43:16
or Hansen's the, was there old singer, foreigner and I think they are but no, he was not on they're not on the market would have been. Yeah, there was not always best. I mean, so that was really it. But that's the only day I can think of that was just, it was that sale away. And that was disappointing because the sailaway show is kind of a key key show in the sense that everybody you got everybody on the ships there and everybody gets the group picture and all that. So that was kind of sad, but you know,

43:44
so you mentioned meet and greets before, are you able Is that something that you have to purchase extra as a kind of included in the ticket?

Sam Fischer  43:52
Well, that's a very good question. The answer is it depends. Some bands do have their own private pay for meet and greets. And people get a little ticked about it. And oh, Stephen Pearson he I think did that. But there are meet and greets or just more photo ops and it's it's a total, the band's there to have a professional photographer and you're just you're kind of herded through like cattle. But you know, you do get the professional photo with the rest of the band. So but honestly, if you walk around the chances are you're gonna see or you have an opportunity to talk to these guys. All right, wizards on the ship like you, man. Yeah,

44:34
absolutely. Are you aware and there have been any collaborations maybe that have come out with some of these guys where maybe they hooked up, you know, on the boat and chat and like, dude, I'd love to play with you sometime.

Sam Fischer  44:46
No, that's a really good question. No, not that I'm aware of, but I'm sure something like that may have spawned. I mean, I don't know. I mean, but nothing that I'm aware of specifically, like Eddie trunks on the boat also, you know the kind of the voice of that whole scene. And he's doing his radio show live from the boat and he's he's been known to put together bands sort of like that. I mean like the not the dead daisies, but the Jeepers Creepers. What's the name of that band? It's got Billy Sheehan and Sons of Apollo sons of Apollo.

45:24
There we go. I just got Soto.

Sam Fischer  45:27
I think I think that bumblefoot

45:30
is it she hidden? I think

Sam Fischer  45:33
I think it may it's his son's Apollo or one of those bands anyway, he was put them together. I mean, no, but Ricci constants in this one, I'm talking about Scottson. And I'm just drawing a blank. That's okay. But he's, he basically put that band together. So, you know, who knows? I mean, he's the he's kind of the broker of those things. And he's certainly on the ship. So yeah, okay. So Is he is he I mean, I'm sorry to interrupt. But one of the things that was really cool another cool moment was Tommy scale from Tesla, who has been out of the band for many years, he got thrown out battle 15 years ago for a second round of drug problems. And he's clean now. But Brian wheat was on was a guest on Eddie trunk show and Eddie trunk arrangement, where the Tommy scale and Brian wheat were on the same show at the same time, and we saw it being broadcast, it was wild. They had talked to each other, and I got over a decade. Wow. So that was that was pretty neat.

46:38
So when he does when he does those, are those just little side interviews? Or is he doing it from the stage where others can kind of come and watch?

Sam Fischer  46:44
He usually does it? Uh, there's usually a sports bar. And so he'll usually do at a sports bar, and it's just a table, that's an eight foot table there, and they just come right in. And so you're just sitting at the sports bar? Well, it's, it's pretty, it's pretty compact. I mean, you can't you have to get there early, if you're going to watch it, get a table, which we've done a couple times

47:04
are those on the schedule as well. So you know, when that happens, they are on schedule, there's,

Sam Fischer  47:08
there's so many other things in the schedule, like you can, you know, like, you know, paint a picture with Paul Stanley or, I mean, he had a cooking show, you know, which was nuts and then never thought Jean and his wife, Shannon tweed, did this newlywed show with the other people on the boat, which is a ton of fun. It's hilarious. Because Jean knows nothing about Shannon is really funny. But it's a lot of fun. So they have they have tons of stuff besides just the the normal shows on the

47:39
concert sides. Yeah, that's awesome. So I guess with with the bands when they're kind of playing out there, you went to two Monsters of Rock, same bands the same are some similar, some different Are they really try to rotate that around?

Sam Fischer  47:55
Well, let's see. That's where Heather gets in. That's really what you saw them. There are some bands that go every metric trying to think of an example, like faster pussycat is going to be on every single one of these shows. They're just they're fantastic. Fun band watch. They're always on. So the answer is, it's a combo. It's a combo. I mean, I'm trying to think of the repeats like faster pussycat was a repeat. I don't know there's two or three others that were the same. But you get some variety. You get variety. You had a slaughter here or warrant there or a doc in here, a great white there, Tesla or Alice Cooper or whatever. So yeah, it's different every year. This next year, they have Joe Satriani, I don't think he's ever been on the boat. So

48:46
sax will be one of the waves. He's so particular the way he plays. I wonder if that boat rocks a little

Sam Fischer  48:52
crazy sometimes watching those guys. I mean, in particular, in the theater, you see these frickin big speakers or just swing and if it gets, we get a little in the swale, you're just like, hey, and how do they do that? They're just they're up on a stage kind of rolling around like they're drunk.

49:06
And that's kind of a, you know, crazy deal. What? So you started off by saying, hey, most people are probably mid 40s to 70 What's like, Yeah,

Sam Fischer  49:15
I saw I saw kids on a very few, but you see a few kids, people drag their kids on there, God bless them. But you don't see the 20 year olds or 30 They're mostly I'd say 40 On Up Now we did see I mean, people in their 80s there was I have a picture of, of a gal that was flirting. She was in her 80s and she was with her daughter. And they were flirting with another gentleman, or this older gal was with another gentleman who was clearly in his 80s I mean, so it's, yeah, it's quite the gamut of age. It's crazy.

49:51
Wow, that makes it makes makes it fun. Yeah, it was the male female ratio. I think in this case here, I

Sam Fischer  49:57
think we're even more thing Brett. Do you think I Yeah, I would say it was probably about the same as general population, honestly. I mean, I really wasn't lean one way or the other. I mean lots of there lots are rockin ladies out there, man. Wow.

50:09
That's great to hear well even supportive the spouses even if they said alright, I'll kind of go along with it probably enjoyed it once they did it. Yeah.

Sam Fischer  50:17
Yeah. Funny story, funny story where the the gosh, it was a dock and shorter lunch, but the lynch mob show. And it was prior to the show. And so it was on the pool deck. And so I wanted to get there early, of course. So we got there early. And we're we are, we're right up front. And I wanted to go the bathroom or something. And so I went to the bathroom and Heather started talking this gal that was our age right next to her. And she said, they started talking and I said, Well, you know, my husband's big George Lynch fan. Oh, yeah. And, you know, he had a guitar made for him. And she's like, Well, my husband did too. What? Where are you from? Omaha? Where are you from? Omaha. So it was just it's crazy small world out there. And yeah, so Jack Christian is actually in a band here in town. And he he does he plays that forget man or that guitar a lot. It's a beautiful guitar. So yeah, it was very surreal. I mean, that which brings me another memory that I have, I'd like share and that is where we're at Cabo Wabo we're Cabo Wabo. And in Cabo San Lucas, which you've been there. It's a middle afternoon, two o'clock the afternoon and they had great band there and I'm just sitting there and in one table are the members of Doc and the other table are the members of lynch mob and Jack is up there talking to George because at the time he was getting his guitar done, and they were never talking about it, but it's just it's very surreal. Just very like holy cow. Yeah,

51:52
and seeing here we are in Cabo Wabo, one of

Sam Fischer  51:55
the most famous Mexico with the with all these guys and guess what they're doing exactly what I'm doing drinking tequila.

52:01
Sammy did it right. And I'm still pissed. I didn't get birthday bash tickets this year. I tried, once again, been able to do that.

Sam Fischer  52:08
Either. I tried also.

52:11
So you know, I know you had kind of a list of questions. I know you've shared a few stories, any questions that we didn't get to that you

Sam Fischer  52:17
know, I just I had all these things I wanted to talk to you and because of your outstanding interview, I got to every single thing I just I just actually just marked off the last two so hey, I appreciate you. Appreciate you doing this and I for those in the demographic that ever wondered about going on a rockers and they have you know, Brent, they have to it's not just the stuff I listed but they have like blues cruises or Rolling Stones cruise or whatever. I if you're into cruises, or never been on a cruise, many you like rock and roll, man, you got to do it. It's just it's just it's a blast. It's a memory of a lifetime.

52:51
But that sounds good man. Some time. We'll have to get to one before a lot of our rock heroes have hung it up like you mentioned kicks to kind of start it so

Sam Fischer  53:00
they're dropping off. So that's good.

53:02
Gotta get her done. Hey, man, good. Hey, appreciate it.

Sam Fischer  53:04
Appreciate you for interviewing me. All right, man. We'll talk soon. Enjoy