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This story starts in a rustic old cafe' in downtown Seattle. The rain is coming down in sheets as usual. The personality to which i am to interview has just called to say he will be a might late. As i sit here watching the earth slide, I am reminded of an article in last month's Drummer's Monthly, in which Steve Rorebeck (of the Flying Marsupials) stated "I'm flying where next week!".

As I sit here lamenting over my double espresso latte, hold the cream, I am brought back to reality by the sudden appearance of this week's guest. He is slightly wet and already ordering a refreshment before i can recommend a choice. Today it shall be a triple Mountain Dew, hold the cream. Here is a brief summary of our interview....


CR:So how was the flight?
SR:Long, wet, and smelled of feet.

CR:How many cities have you played in?
SR:I would guess between 600-700 in my career (which spans the last 28 years).

CR:What show stands out most in your mind:
SR:Epsisode 3, Rocky & BullWinkle. Oh, you mean playing? My favorite show would have to be opening up for ZZ TOP and Lynryd Skynryd at Hilton Collesium, Ames, Iowa.

CR:I hear your from Iowa?
SR:Yep, born and bread. Don't know where I was buttered. (Gradguated 1983, from Ankeny High School).

CR:What got you started playing the drums?
SR:Mom played snare drum in high school, and always had a pair of drum sticks around the house. So I made my first drum set out of broomsticks and various sizes of Folger's Coffee can's which I had cut all the bottoms off of.( Boy was Mom pissed, didn't see that one coming ).

CR:Who would you say is your biggest influence?
SR:Peter Criss (KISS), Doug Clifford (Creedence Clearwater Revival ).

CR:What would you say was the worst show you've had?
SR:Holdridge, Nebraska, 1983. There was this annual backyard bar-b-que extravaganza ( with Jeff Brandt and Galaxy ). We were late (due to the disagreement of which gear should go in the back, the WOK or the monitors) and one of the guest's dumped a can of beer all over our Piano, and then questioned why we were putting on the boxing gloves. Lloyd (the host) decided to chase us off his property with his 1979 Chevy Cheyenne pick-up truck complete with bullhorns on the hood and "Lloyd" plastered on the bug deflector. Did I mention the gun? Then i hit a dear back on the highway and got bit in the ass by a goat the next morning at Jeff's Grandparents house in Columbus, Nebraska.

CR:That sounds horrible. And I thought I had bad days. (laughter breaks out).

CR:How do you top that?
SR: That had to be the worse gig i've ever played.

CR:Tell me about your most memorable moments.
SR:Johhny Van Zant (from Lynryd Skynryd) hitting on my wife at the Hilton show. Having a girl wanting my and Jeff Carlise (from .38 Special) autograph and all she had was coffee filters. This one lady wanted me to sign her baby. Oh, and I have to mention Lance (from the Flying Marsupials) taking a leak back stage at the Loverboy concert and not realizing that there was no skirting around the stage, so everyone in front was watching!!!

CR:I've counted 2 bands so far, how many have you been in?
SR:Over 50, but here's my fav's: the Salmon Dave Band (there's a whole nother interview there ), Colt 45, Jeff Brandt and Galaxy.

CR:Currently your with the Flying Marsupials. Where did you guys come up with that name?
SR:It had a lot to do with alcohol! In 1989, with our first gig approaching, (after practice one night and a few cases of beer) we were brainstorming (so we thought) on band names. A Better MouseTrap, The Chrome LunchBuckets, The Jetsons, The Waltons, RaceBannon, were some of the names thrown around. But the one that we settled on was Fritz & the Salivating Marsupials. The next day (and this day will live on in Infamy...echo...echo) a few of my friends asked me if we had come up with a name for the band. In my hungover state, I replied ummm, errrr, yeah! It's... it's.... the Flying Marsupials or something! And so we decided to keep it and the rest is history.

And on that note I will bring the first part of this interview to a close, as Steve (wired due to his triple Mountain Dew hold the cream )has a plane to catch. Look for the continuance of this interview when I catch up with Steve at his home when I come to visit my sister (who's married to Steve). Did I mention that before?


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