ROCKREVOLT: How are you holding up through the pandemic?
SAMMY BOLLER: I’ve been alright. I’ve been hiding out. Missing playing live especially over the last month it’s been really starting to get to me. Taking it one day at a time and looking forward to everything getting back to normal. We are hoping to starting playing again by the end of the year. How have you been doing, doing alright?
Doing pretty well thank you. I’m in South Carolina and things are pretty good here everything is mostly open. My first winter here as I just moved from New Hampshire, I’m enjoying no snow. You’re up in Michigan, correct? How’s the weather up your way?
I’m in Detroit. Things are getting a little less locked down. And the winter has been pretty rough here so that hasn’t helped. It’s been alright though, it’s starting to warm up, no complaints.
Are you keeping busy working on some new music?
Yeah, I’ve been working on a second instrumental album which we were just working on the demos at my drummer’s house. We’ll probably start cutting it in April or May. I started a new band recently as well called Pharaohs. This producer friend of mine, Al Sutton, introduced me to this singer from Kentucky, Cam Clark who is just awesome. We’ve working on a record together as well. Working on two albums right now. Other than that trying to stay busy, playing on friends records as well. Everyday is a little different.
At least it’s not monotonous, that’s a good thing. I’d like to dip back into your history a bit. Looks like you got your big break when you won Joe Satriani’s competition. What can you tell us about that experience and what that has meant to your career?
That was awesome. I was really young at the time. It was through Guitar Center. What happened was he picked a few winners and we got to fly to LA and have a master class with him. I never even been to California at the time which was really cool. Just to see him play up close was pretty amazing. It was really, really cool I’m a huge Satriani fan. Anytime you get to meet your heroes it’s always a good thing.
Would you consider that something that maybe launched your career?
I don’t know, I haven’t really thought about it. It was definitely a cool thing at the time. I remember it being in the paper at the time when I was in high school and people texting me “I saw you in the paper.” I never really thought of it like that but definitely a cool thing for sure.
Then you went on to play with Citizen Zero and achieved some success with them. Was that a one off deal or are you still in communication with them?
The band broke up a couple years ago. We’re still tight. It was just one of those things that ran it’s course. We put one album out and were kind of working on a second but it didn’t go anywhere. Sometimes things just run out of juice. Everybody wanted to work on other stuff. That was the middle of 2018 I believe and that’s when I started working on the instrumental stuff and getting enthused about that.
That brings us to 2020 and the release of your debut instrumental album Kingdom of the Sun. One of our writers reviewed your album and stated the album should land you on the upper side of Rolling Stone’s top 100 guitar players at some point. Take us through the process of recording an instrumental album as opposed to an album with a vocalist.
Thanks man. It’s definitely a different thing. When I first started working on it I was doing it more to see if it would even work. I had never really considered or thought about making an instrumental record before. The way I was treating it, a lot of the songs were based on a two hand tapping arrangements and melodies. My goal was to see if I could make a record with just as kind of the voice instead of having a singer. It started turning out cool after we got a few songs. My buddy Steve who produced the album said I should do a whole record. I’m really proud of it. It’s one of those things I wasn’t sure we could get it done. I feel like I just scratched the surface with it. I decided to do another record.
Now lets circle back to the band, Pharaohs, what can we expect from that?
We first met in August, we’ve only known each other for a few months. We played a New Year’s Day set for fun just to kind of announce we started a band. It went really well, it was well received. And it was really fun. We immediately went into the studio and started writing some more. We are hoping to start recording that in April. We have more than enough for an album but sometimes you’ll finish up a record and you’ll sit on it. I’m hoping it comes out this year. It’s cool and Cam, he’s been in a couple bands, is just an amazing front man. We also have John Dudley on drums who also played in Citizen Zero and Steve Lehane who produced my instrumental record is the bass player.
Can you give us an idea of the sound. Maybe a comparable band style wise?
Yeah I’d say it’s like heavy alternative rock. When you start a band all your influences kind of come together. Everybody’s likes and styles kind of meld together. Even though I’m into more heavy stuff, Cam is into soul music. It’s a cool blend of styles. I’d say it’s like Indie Rock.
Would you consider having a vocalist with your solo music or do you think it would take away from it?
No I would definitely try it. I feel really lucky to work with an amazing singer. You never know if I end up with an instrumental track and think it would be cool to have vocals. Ask Cam hey check this out would you put some vocals to it, I’m sure he would do that. I feel really blessed, I’ve worked with some great singers of the past few years. I would definitely consider that. Like when Slash was doing records with a different singer on every song. That might be really cool to do someday. I know after David Lee Roth left Van Halen Eddie was thinking of doing a record like that. He never got around to doing that. I’ve always been intrigued with that idea as well.
I never heard that about Eddie Van Halen. That would have been very cool if he had done something like that.
Could you imagine. That would have been awesome. But it worked out the way it was supposed to.
Speaking of David Lee Roth, would you welcome the opportunity to play with someone like that, a high profile artist? Ozzy Osbourne has brought along many great guitarist along the way. Obviously Steve Vai with David Lee Roth. Would you consider something like that?
Absolutely. My dream growing up was to play with Ozzy. I would consider it, it would have to be somebody I really love. I love playing original music so much, that’s my main thing. But if it was a great opportunity, of course. That would be a dream come true to play with Ozzy or David Lee or someone like that.
Who tops your list? If you could pick any frontman or band to play with who would it be?
It would be Ozzy. The other one I’d love is Wolfgang, that would be really cool. But I’d say Ozzy, that’s been my dream since I was a little kid.
Speaking of Wolfgang, I use to take drum lessons from his drummer Garrett Whitlock, he’s amazing. He’s was great in Mark Tremonti’s solo band.
He’s a beast, he’s a really good drummer. I remember my old band opened for Tremonti in Flint at the Machine Shop year’s ago and I remember he was warming up for hours. He’s such a great drummer. I was watching them (Wolfgang Van Halen’s solo band) on I believe it was Kimmel last week and he just slayed on that. He’s a really great musician. All the guys in Wolf’s band are great.
Opening for Tremonti that must have been pretty special.
I’m a big fan of his and everything he’s done. I think it was his first tour or second. I’m a big fan of Mark he’s an amazing song writer and amazing player obviously.
Do you have a most gratifying moment in your career thus far?
I don’t know, nobody has asked me that. I never really thought about it. I think with me, my dream with playing is to serve others through music. Anytime I get a message on Instagram or something like that or I see some kid playing one of my riffs that’s probably the coolest thing. That knocks me out every time I see something like that. If I can be an inspiration for a young guitar player that has always been a dream of mine. Anytime something like that happens I just feel so lucky and blessed.
That has to be special someone playing back something you created.
That blows my mind. I can’t believe that. When I was a kid and first discovered Van Halen and Randy Rhoads, my favorite guitar players that changed the course of my life. Thinking of that recently now that Eddie’s gone, when he passed away it’s like losing a close friend which is really weird. You get to know someone through their music, they become such a big part of your life. Music is such an incredible thing.
I’ve always had a huge passion for music. I remember when I was eight years old and my cousin just purchased AC/DC’s Back in Black when it first came out. The first time I heard that, the impact it had on me it still sticks in my mind today as a major influence on me. As well as all the people I’ve met through music. I can only imagine in your position the connection you get through that music must be pretty amazing.
It’s a blessing to be a musician. But even like you said just being a fan of music, especially in the rock and metal world everyone is friends and gets along pretty well. You end up meeting a lot of wonderful people.
What are the top five records everyone should own?
That’s a good question. I have Van Halen I on my wall so that’s probably number one. For guitarist that’s as good as it gets. The tribute album from Ozzy for Randy Rhoads that was amazing. You have to have a Zeppelin album, my favorite Zeppelin album is House of the Holy we can put that on there. Are You Experienced by Hendrix. I’m trying to think of another live album, I’m a big fan of live albums. Ah shit maybe it doesn’t have to be a live album, Appetite For Destruction by Guns N Roses.
How old are you?
I just turned 28.
You’re into the old school, nice. Typically your age group doesn’t get that deep into the old school rock.
I grew up on all the classics. I love a lot of new stuff too. But if you could only have five records you’ve got to go with the classics.
Where did the influence come from, who got you into the older music?
My parents are both musicians and into rock. When I was a kid rock was still really popular. When I was a kid Green Day and stuff like that was back. There was a lot of good indie music at the time like Death Cab for Cutie and stuff like that I really liked. There is still a lot of really great rock bands now. I think it’s a really good time for rock. Especially once there are shows again. I think everyone is going to come out swinging (laughs).
Appreciate your time today. Any tentative plans for a tour?
Yeah we are booking stuff right now and hoping to get out in September/October time frame. We have one date in Detroit at the Crofoot. It was supposed to be a record release party when the record came out, we had to push it back to October 15th. There will be tour dates around that.
I’ll be paying attention would love to see you live. Your solo album is fantastic.
Thank you very much. I love SC and hope to make it down there.
Congratulations with the solo record, very impressive. I’m sure you’re going to be a star. Thank you.
Thank you so much Brett.
