In a new interview with music writer Joel Gausten, legendary guitarist Ross the Boss (Manowar, The Dictators) discusses a variety of topics including the 30th anniversary of Manowar’s Fighting The World album and producing Anthrax’s "Soldiers of Metal" single in 1983. An excerpt from the chat appears below.
 
Gausten: It’s been 30 years since the release of  Manowar’s Fighting The World. I was first getting into music at the time, and it was glam metal and that Hollywood thing. Then you guys put out this record, which was way different than all that stuff. When you look back 30 years later, what are your feelings on that particular era of Manowar and ultimately the effect you had on the music scene at that point in time?
 
Ross The Boss: "We were definitely unlike anything that was out there. Like it or hate it, love us or hate us – and there were a lot of 'em who hated us – I think we set a trend; we invented a new kind of music called power metal. I think we were in the right place at the right time. They’ll never be a band like us again; we definitely had our influence on a lot of things."
 
Gausten: Going back to another part of your history, you produced the first Anthrax single way back when. Obviously, that’s a band that's still around and doing their thing. When you were working with those guys, did you get a sense that they might be a band that would end up being in the game 35 years later?
 
Ross The Boss: "Yes, I knew they would be in the game. Scott Ian was a very dedicated young fella. He was very motivated; he had a gift of talking to people and getting people to do certain things. He had a lot of charisma. I knew Anthrax would be good; I knew they would be successful. I produced (drummer) Charlie Benante’s first time in the studio. I knew it, even though they had a different singer, a different bass player and a different guitar player. I knew that band would eventually be really pretty good."
 
Gausten: Do you follow what they’re doing now musically?
 
Ross The Boss: "I follow them, because I have friends in the band still. Every time I see them, we always have a great time together. I’m proud for them."
 
The complete interview is available at this location.

With a resume including some of the most influential and hardest-hitting bands of all-time - the Dictators and Manowar - guitarist Ross The Boss’ stature in the history of hard rock and heavy metal has been well-solidified for decades by this point. And he continues to rock - as the leader of his own solo outfit, and such stellar releases as Hailstorm and New Metal Leader (as well as having just completed a major European tour, and has an all-new solo release coming soon, via AFM Records).

For the band’s upcoming three New Jersey/New York area shows (July 28th in Clifton, NJ, July 29th in Queens, NY, and July 30th in Long Branch, NJ) and an appearance at the massive Wacken Open Air Festival (August 3rd in Germany), drummer Kenny “Rhino” Earl will be stepping aside, and will be replaced by Ross’ nephew, Lance Barnewold.

“We - the Ross The Boss Band - are sad that Brother Rhino cannot be with us, and we wish him all the best,” says Ross. “Now we have my amazing nephew, Lance Barnewold, to pound the drums into oblivion!”

Ross The Boss was one of the pioneers of both punk rock and heavy metal. He's proud to know that the music he's made has influenced and inspired so many other artists. You can be sure that whatever band he's in or whatever style he's playing in, he's always happy to be writing new music and playing the guitar with his friends.

And soon, fans will be able experience Ross’ immense guitar legacy on a concert stage.

Tour dates:

July
29 - Queens, NY - Blackthorn 51         
30 - Long Branch, NJ - Brighton Bar        

August
3 - Schleswig-Holstein, Germany - Wacken Open Air