Nightwatcher's House Of Rock recently conducted an interview with Keyboardist Derek Sherinian (BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, ex-DREAM THEATER, KISS, ALICE COOPER). In the interview Sherinian discusses the debut album by Black Country Communion, his time spent with Dream Theater and Yngwie Malmsteen, his influences and much more. A short excerpt from the interview is below:

Nightwatcher's House Of Rock: I'd like to talk just a bit about the new album Black Country Communion, featuring yourself, Glenn Hughes, Joe Bonamassa and Jason Bonham, which has come out via J&R; Adventures. Now that it's out, what are your feelings regarding the record? Out of all the songs on the album, what are your favorites?

Derek Sherinian: “I think the whole record is good. My favourites on the album are ‘Down Again’ and ‘The Revolution In Me’.”

Nightwatcher's House Of Rock: The album in its first week of release reached #13 on the UK Top 40 Charts, #1 on the UK Rock Album Charts, and in the US #53 on Billboard Album Charts and #6 on the Indie Album Charts. Is the band satisfied with the way the album has charted?

Derek Sherinian: “I can’t speak for my bandmates, but I am very satisfied. It shows that this band really needs to tour and bring this music to the people live.”

Nightwatcher's House Of Rock: There are some who would have liked your keyboards to be louder in the mix, ala Jon Lord in DEEP PURPLE. While you are definitely audible, was there a deliberate decision to not have the keyboards more prominent?

Derek Sherinian: “I think the keys should have been mixed louder. Now that BCC is a "band" and not a studio experiment, I will be more aggressive in the writing department, and will push for more and louder keyboards ala Jon Lord and John Paul Jones.”

Nightwatcher's House Of Rock: What do you feel that your role in the band is?

Derek Sherinian: “I just want to compliment the sound and fill the holes with killer classic keyboard textures, and occasionally come out front with some driving riffs and solos.”

Nightwatcher's House Of Rock : Having been a part of his band, both on tour and on record, and had him also guest on your albums, do you think that Yngwie Malmsteen gets a bad rap as a guitarist these days?

Derek Sherinian: “I think that he's an easy target. But I'll tell you now, after playing with him live and in the studio, that he's the real deal. He's insane. It's amazing how good the guy is. He's not the most versatile guy, I mean you're not going to hear him playing over jazz changes, but the style that he's created, and what he's known for...there's no one who does it better. He's really influenced a multitude of guitar players and bands in that neo classical sound. There were bands doing it before him, such as Deep Purple and Uli Roth in THE SCORPIONS was doing it a little bit before Yngwie, but he just took it to another level. The same way that EDDIE VAN HALEN took it further after Jimmy Page. So Yngwie really needs to get his credit as an innovator as being one of the great metal players of our time."

Read the entire interview here.

As previously reported, Greece's Rockpages has issued an exclusive TV interview with Sherinian, in which he discusses various topics including the new Black Communion Country album, life on the road, Alice Cooper, etc.

Check out the video interview below, and find a full transcription at this location.