Former Vinnie Vincent and one time Journey singer Robert Fleischman is back with a new solo album - only his second in 20 years!


Congratulations on the album - it's nice to hear you back behind the mike again. Why so long between drinks for you?
Thank you. Music is so different here in the U.S. They want you to start out in the womb to be the next Bob Dylan or Madonna. I think in Europe people like Artists; whereas, the U.S. is into “fast-food” music of the day. So I took other musical roads.

What has Robert Fleischman been doing to keep busy the last few years?
I have been doing music for TV, Film, and Commercials. I'm heavily into Electronic Music, Painting, my family, and I write almost every day. I have recorded several albums all different from the others; hopefully to be released in the future—possibly on my website.

World In Your Eyes contains some fine melodic songs - what time frame where these songs written in?
Within the last year.

Several are co-written with guitarist Josh Ramos - how did you two come to work together?
Frontier Records introduced us. I just had coffee with him this morning!

He does a fine job as always - could you work with him again in the future?
Absolutely. He is a great guitar player and we work well together.

The rest of the band is also impressive - Marvin, Edward, Richie and Kelly....how was the band put together for this project?
By the Record Company. Except for Rusty—we go back a long time.

How long did the recording process take for the album?
It took about a year, writing from scratch.

How did the Bryan Adams song come to your attention? Great song!
An old manager came up with it and had asked me to record it. So when Frontiers asked me if I had songs, I submitted it with all of the other material. They liked it and asked me to re-record it.

For those that might not be familiar with your previous albums - what have you sung on over the years?
The Vinnie Vincent Album and Channel. I'm also on the Journey "Time 3" Box set, some TV commercials, and Film.

Obviously Vinnie Vincent was a big gig - what are your memories of recording and did you tour with him?
We never toured, but one day he was so mad at his guitar that he broke it because it wouldn't keep in tune. Then he pissed on it. When the video of “Boyz are Gonna Rock” came out on MTV, Mark Slaughter was lip syncing to my voice. That was something.

That was a great line-up on that album - do you still keep in contact with any of the guys?
I see and talk to Bobby Rock and am still good friends with Vinnie, I hope he is okay.

Is there any chance of a CD issue of your debut solo album?
Maybe if this CD takes off and Arista hears about it—they may choose to do so. Possibly with the Channel album also

I hope there won't be as big a gap between albums this time around?
Thanks. I would like to do another one if I could be a little more adventurous musically.

You were a part of Journey for a while in the early days of the band. Some may not know this - can you tell us about your involvement with the band?
When I first met Journey, they were a rock fusion band with long jamming instrumental songs and had a few albums already out before I became involved. I came from a pop-rock song structured background. When I joined the band, I pretty much rearranged all the furniture in their house. It was hard for them to accept at first, but the management and the Record Company understood the transition. I was the first lead singer for the band Journey and wrote their first hits “Wheel in the Sky”, “Anytime”, “Winds of March”, “All for You” and others. We toured the U.S., Canada, and Hawaii.

What led to your departure and do you regret any of those circumstances in hindsight?
I left the band after management problems. I was never “fired”.
I would like to make that clear after many years of hearing everyone else's interpretation of what happened. I had my own manager Berry Fey, and Journey had their manager Herbie Herbert. Herbie requested that I leave my manager—this I could not do because I had a contract with Berry to fulfill. Berry had a percentage of me and Herbie also wanted a percentage. This arrangement would have made me a broke slave. The managers could not work out an agreement, and that's where it all fell apart. I don't regret the past and feel that Steve did a fine job with the songs I wrote.

You have been in the business for a long time - any advice to those just starting out?
Be ready to reinvent yourself over and over. Grow musically and don't stick with just one style. Keep your roots, but taste everything around you. Don't make it wimpy.

What artists have influenced you over the years?
Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Peter Townsend, Mick Jagger, Jim Morrison, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, U2, Peter Gabriel, Eno, Pink Floyd, Hendrix, Fripp, and Neil Finn.

And what are you listening to lately?
Radiohead, Audioslave, The Vines, LTJ Buken, William Orbit, The Strokes, Linkin Park, Ministry, Crystal Method, King Crimson, and Pearl Jam.

What's next on your list of things to do?
I am putting out an Electronic Music Album and doing music for an HBO Movie. My web-site will be up soon and I will be having an art show with my Paintings. I guess I will do another solo album. I would like to do a promotional tour doing one or two songs on talk shows throughout Europe and Australia; possibly to come back for a full on tour.

Anything you would like to add or say to the fans Robert?
This is a great time to be an Artist or anyone with an idea. It is so much easier to communicate globally via the Internet; it has created another avenue for Artists to sell their work and ideas. So go for it. If you love something, just keep reinventing yourself in what you love doing. Get the CD. Play it loud. I hope to come to Australia.

Thanks very much for your time answering these questions…
G'Day!