2009.08.04 - Talking Metal Podcast - Interview with Frank

Full podcast episode:

https://art19.com/shows/talking-metal/episodes/f9de5650-1a46-4692-a571-cb12307f5c79

Transcript:

Interviewer: Stay tuned for Ace Freely coming on Talking Metal. Today we have Frank Ferrer. Just a little five-ten minute interview, I think like five minute interview John did  with Frank after they were done hanging out with 
Ace. Kind of just caught up with Frank. So, uh, this I think was probably two three weeks ago at this point. Here is John Ostronomy and Frank Ferrer.

John Ostronomy: It's John Ostronomy with Talking Metal here with Frank Ferrer, drummer extraordinaire from Guns N' Roses and Psychedelic Furs and a bunch of great bands. How you doing, Frank?

Frank: What's up, John? It's good to be here.

Ostronomy: Cool, now Frank, you were part of the first ever Talking Metal jam and we did a couple of tunes - thank you for doing that, man!

Frank: That was awesome. I love that um seeing that on Youtube and on the show, it's super awesome, wicked.

Ostronomy: Absolutely and Rob Halford loved it, he watched it, he dvr'd that and he said he is going to bring Running Wild back into the Judas Priest set because he saw us do that.

Frank: Nice! That's super awesome, very cool. He must have liked my bald head.

Ostronomy: I told him you were influenced by him and that's how that happened.

[laughs]
 
Frank: Nice.

Ostronomy: So Frank, we just hung out with Ace Frehley, in fact he, I think, stole your telephone.

Frank: Yes um, so mommy if you're gonna call and some guy picks up , it's Ace... but she doesn't speak English anyways.

[laughs]

Ostronomy: Well maybe Ace speaks Spanish so. Now here's the deal, when I first met you was backstage at Madison Square Garden and I asked you to do a Talking Metal id and you told me about the time that your dad brought you to see KISS at the Garden.

Frank: Well that night that Guns played a Garden was a big, big deal for myself and my family. Yeah, my dad, Cuban immigrant, didn't speak, doesn't speak any English or didn't speak in his past, and I was bugging him to go see KISS and KISS was playing Madison Square Garden. He went out and got me tickets. And it was my dad, my sister, and I in 1977, December, was our Christmas present and we saw Alive II at the Garden and it changed my life. The reason I'm sitting here now with John and with everyone here is because I saw KISS that night and I knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. And then 30 some odd years years later I got to play Madison Square Garden so it was awesome.  

Ostonomy: Very cool, Frank. Now you being a drummer I'm sure you like Peter Criss but what are your feelings on Ace Frehley?

Frank: Well Ace was definitely my favorite member of the band for sure, he was always seen the coolest and the most rock stars of the of the four. Peter was totally an influence obviously but, you know, I was a closet lead guitar player. I wish the drums were always up in front, not in the back.

Ostronomy: Hey, that's what a drummer's got to deal with unfortunately. That's why they make us go on a riser so we're a little bit higher than anybody else.

Frank: Thank you, thank God for the riser. Mr. Jim Riser, thank you so much for inventing it.  

Ostronomy: Absolutely. Now Frank, tell me what's going on now with you. You've been playing with a bunch of different bands and what's happening?

Frank: Well Guns got back together again earlier this year. We hooked up with Dj Ashba, he's playing in the band. Rehearsals were going great. Decided to take a little break so we could take care of our own family stuff because we were in L.A. for a long time. So and hopefully, God willing, will be up again running soon. And I'm pretty much, I'm back here back on the East Coast doing, you know... I always play with local bands, I'm you know, I'm connected to 
the local scene so playing with The Compulsions, playing with A Kill Code and, you know, just always playing. I'm always playing. Never stop playing, I'm a lifer.

Ostronomy: And you're actually playing in a band called Pisser with the bass player from Ace's band, Anthony Esposito?

Frank: Yeah, Pisser is a a band that rose from the ashes of Honky Toast. Again straight ahead rock and roll, my 
favorite stuff to play. Yeah Anthony Esposito that... I've known as Esposito for maybe like 1986-87, I've known him for a very long time. I've worked with him in different bands. He's a good friend of mine. I consider him a friend first. Yeah, he plays with Ace Frehley. Actually Ace put this band together at Schoolhouse right?  

Ostronomy: Right, absolutely.

Frank: At Anthony's studio. So yes, so Anthony I've known for a long time. Eric J. Toast and we also have Rob Bailey on guitar. Again, it's a straight ahead rock and roll band. There's a MySpace page, you guys go check it out, it's super awesome.

Ostronomy: Let me tell you guys, Pisser is amazing and here's how we're all tied together. Rob Bailey was my first roommate in New York City down in the East Village and I knew him. He was the what I thought was the coolest dude at Berkeley College of music, so he was like the rock star to me. And then I wound up being his roommate.

Frank: Nice! That's super awesome! Rob's awesome, awesome.

Ostronomy: Very cool. Well Frank, thanks for taking the time to hang out here on Talking Metal.

Frank: Anytime. Mark and and you John have always been tremendously supportive of me and what I do and and I love you guys and I'll do anything for you guys anytime.

Ostronomy: Thank you and we will be there for you anytime at day, anytime at night, you need us just give us a call.  

Frank: Can you get my phone back?

Ostronomy: I'll try that, I'll try that.