THE WINERY DOGS, featuring drummer Mike Portnoy (ADRENALINE MOB, FLYING COLORS, ex-DREAM THEATER), bassist Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG, TALAS) and guitarist Richie Kotzen (ex-POISON, ex-Mr. Big), are currently out pushing their self-titled debut. Sheehan is featured in a new interview with Highway 81 Revisited. An excerpt is available below:

Sheehan: "One of my goals on this record is to hope Richie Kotzen gets to be a superstar. I don’t care about me, I’m fine. But Richie is so talented and has such a unique take on how he plays guitar . . . , and his voice is just killing it. I think that’s why Eddie Trunk had suggested it too, because he’s the best-kept secret. There’s a groundswell of people on the Internet discovering him, so I’m really pleased with that, and I’m hoping he comes out of this a superstar because he deserves it. And Mike is already a superstar, so he’ll be more of one, and I’ll be tucked in there somewhere."

Click here for the complete interview.

The Winery Dogs are sending a huge thank you to their loyal fans in North America for giving their self-titled debut album a strong debut on the Billboard charts. Not only did it explode onto the Top Rock Chart at #5, it also opens on the Top 200 Albums chart at #27.

Success hasn’t been limited to US shores. The Winery Dogs recently kicked off their first-ever tour in Japan and South America to sold-out crowds wherever they played. After one more stop in Buenos Aires on August 1st, they’ll head home for their first US shows, starting August 3rd in New York City at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill. While they’re in town, The Winery Dogs will appear on The Artie Lange Show, which will air Monday, August 5th at 10pm ET on DirectTV and is streamed live on the show’s website.

On Tuesday, August 6th at 7pm, the band will take part in an in-store signing session at Vintage Vinyl in Fords, NJ. For more information, visit vvinyl.com. Once the first leg of their US trek concludes on August 8th, Portnoy, Sheehan and Kotzen will take a much-deserved break before heading back overseas for their first shows in Europe throughout most of September, which will include stops in England, Germany, Spain, Italy and Portugal. The US tour will start up again on October 3rd in Agoura Hills, CA at The Canyon Club.

Meanwhile, The Winery Dogs will guest on the nationally syndicated radio show, Rockline, with host Bob Coburn on Wednesday, August 14th at 8:30pm PT/11:30pm ET. Fans are encouraged to speak with the band that night by calling 1-800-344-ROCK (7625). The show will be streamed on Rocklineradio.com for two weeks beginning the afternoon after the live broadcast.

Check out The Winery Dogs in concert at any of the following US tour stops:

August

3 - New York, NY - B.B. King Blues Club and Grill
4 - Lancaster, PA - Chameleon
7 - Newton, NJ - Newton Theater
8 - Chicago, IL - Reggie's

October

3 - Agoura Hills CA - The Canyon
4 - Las Vegas, NV - Vamp'd
5 - San Diego, CA - Ramona Mainstage
6 - San Juan Capistrano, CA - The Coach House
8 - Sacramento, CA - Harlow’s
9 - San Francisco, CA - Yoshi’s