MATT DRISCOLL: ANTI PAY TO PLAY SHOW AT SOTA FEATURES EX END JOCK >>>
On Friday, Feb. 29 - the rarest of dates - the Tacoma School of the Arts' Club SOTA will host a free "get the word out" show for www.myspace.com/neverpaytoplay ">Stay Away from Pay to Play - an organization and cause championed by Bon Von Wheelie of Tacoma's www.myspace.com/girltrouble ">Girl Trouble. The show will feature Girl Trouble, www.myspace.com/freakouts ">the Freakouts, www.myspace.com/ttlf ">Trip the Light Fantastic, and www.myspace.com/gunsrossetti ">Guns & Rossetti - a band fronted by former 107.7 The End jock www.myspace.com/dickrossette ">Dick Rossetti (as you may have gathered from his band's name).
I spoke with Rossetti through the magic of the internet this week. Here's a taste of what the beloved personality had on his mind:
Weekly Volcano: Forgive my ignorance, but how’d we get to Guns & Rossetti? What’s the story behind you guys, and why did this all seem like a good idea? How long have you guys been at it?
Rossetti: Guns & Rossetti is basically the same line-up as the short lived Root Barrels, an experiment that broke up due to some of the Ten Commandments being broken...Gooch on guitar, Doll-Kwist on drums, Chopper Fisher on electric bass, and me...
WV: Describe the feeling you harbor for Tacoma’s famous Girl Trouble? It’s hard not to love GT passionately, but I know you’re a married man with cats. Does this present a dilemma?
Rossetti: To paraphrase the great Chicago Bear Gale Sayers "God is First, Girl Trouble 2nd and I am third." The kitties and old lady don't really give a shit where my allegiance lies as long the cat box gets cleaned!
WV: Why did you want to be involved with the show coming up at the Tacoma School of the Arts?
Rossetti: Great cause and Zack (Varnell) the fella that runs the show over there is ace!
WV: I understand you’ve been a guest speaker at Tacoma SOTA before. How rock and roll is that?
Rossetti: How much rock and roll could that be? There's probably not a 23 year old in the south end that is hipper than the 14 & 15 years olds that I spoke to, they know it all!! :), and their haircuts are brilliant!
WV: The show will support Bon and GT’s anti pay to play campaign. Why is it an important cause? Should some bands be forced to pay to play?
Rossetti: Bon is a very spirited and passionate woman about what she views as the ills of society. Pay to Play being one of them, we support her efforts, tenfold. Listen, musicians are some of the more fucked over clientele of life, to make you PAY to play your music is just another example of unfair, extreme bending over to kill ones creative spirit...
WV: For those who miss your radio antics, what’s the scoop with Dick Rossetti these days? What’s currently making you happy? What’s chapping your hide, so to speak?
Rossetti: I miss working with Harms and Jim Keller. Without sounding like sour grapes - I can't believe they're (Entercom) letting that 'clown' (Lazlo) sink the station. With that said, the statement may be a disservice to actual clowns, who are regarded as funny and somewhat entertaining...
WV: If you had to describe Tacoma in three words, what would they be?
Rossetti: Frisko Freeze, Honey!
WV: What can people expect from Guns and Rossetti in the future? Records? Tours? Orgies? Drug addictions? Farm Aid? IPod commercials? Car crashes and one armed drummers?
Rossetti: We’ve got a CD forthcoming called SPINS, the first single will be
'Douchebag Boyfriend' - produced by Conrad Uno and perhaps one single t-shirt... Some concert performances here and there.
WV: What does rock and roll need more of these days?
Rossetti: It needs less shitty everything and more UFO, Sonics, Upper Crust and Stud Cole! I'm serious...