Roger Fisher moves on from Heart-break with new band 10 Bulls and hopes for a record deal

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 20, 1985

By Steve Newton

Former Heart guitarist Roger Fisher, and his new band 10 Bulls, had their Vancouver debut at Club Soda this summer. The most surprising thing about their performance was the fact that nearly all their songs–with the exception of maybe five–were covers! I mean, the co-writer of “Barracuda” doing Billy Idol songs? What gives?

“We just want to keep a low profile while getting this band polished up,” explains Fisher, who called the Straight from his home in Seattle last week. “In the meantime we just play cover stuff to bring in some bucks and stay in practice. And it’s not like we’ve been in a drudgery of playing in clubs, doing Top 40 stuff, for a real long time.”

Fisher formed the band in February of this year, along with singer Scott Rosburg, keyboardists Gregg Foxx and Larry Greene (Greene plays keyboard-bass), and drummer Michael Derosier (also ex-Heart). After their Vancouver dates (they’re at Outlaws till Saturday) 10 Bulls will record a demo at Roger’s 16-track home studio, with brother Mike Fisher–a former Heart producer–at the controls. Then it’s time to shop for a record label, something Roger has tried before.

“Over the years we’ve approached several different companies with different projects of mine, and they’ve always been interested, but they’ve always known that the combination wasn’t quite right. And in retrospect, I can see real clearly why they passed. But now, there’s no reason that I can see why they’ll be able to pass.”

Local music fans may recall Roger Fisher from his hosting the Seattle-based TV show REV. REV was a part music-video/part live-performance rock show; one of its highlights was “The Rocket Report”, which featured the hilarious low-key commentary of John Keister, writer for The Rocket, Seattle’s monthly music paper. Roger got the job of host after first being used as a local celebrity for potential hosts to interview when they tried out for the position. He felt he could do as good a job as those auditioning, so tried out for it himself. And got it.

Fisher’s experience with and knowledge of the Pacific Northwest music scene must have been helpful in his duties as the host of REV. And he uses them to make an interesting remark about the current state of the nightclub industry in his area.

“In the Northwest anyway, the club scene is really hurting–largely because of the DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) law. The percentage of alcohol that you are allowed to have in your system is getting so low that people just don’t want to go out and drink anymore. It’s so strict in Oregon–I think it’s down to point-zero-one now–that if you have two beers and then drive, you could end up in trouble So that’s keeping a lot of people out of the clubs.”

Through his playing on the first four Heart albums, Roger Fisher established himself as a versatile guitarist, capable of fiery leads (“Magic Man”) and mellow mandolin (“Sylvan Song”). Though he cites the “Big Three” (Clapton, Page, Beck) as his first real influences, his favourites nowadays are not nearly as well known to the common rock fan.

“I like Yngwie Malmsteen a lot, but my absolute favourite is Steve Morse. I saw a live show where he was playing with John McLaughlin, Paco de Lucia, and Al Di Meola, and to me he outshone the other three, without a doubt. Because his music was really inspired and he played it with a passion. I met him after the show, and he talked to me and my daughter for a long time, and he was just a great, great guy.”

Fisher’s interest in guitar goes all the way to the designing and building of the instrument. He makes his own and is now looking into ways of marketing them. Last February he got together with the president of Kramer guitars–one of today’s biggest manufacturers–and Eddie Van Halen, who endorses them. No marketing deals were struck, however.

“I think that because they’re such a big company, they just couldn’t get interested in what I had in mind. I want my Fisher guitar to be kind of a subsidiary company of some major company, and they weren’t into that. I think I need to deal with a small company who needs me more, you know.”

With his new band happening and prospects of having his own line of guitars, things seem to be going pretty well for Roger Fisher. But there have been tough times–like when he left heart (on less than rosy terms) during the recording of their fifth LP.

Does he ever hear from his old bandmates, Ann and Nancy Wilson?

“We run into each other every now and then, and the first and most abundant emotion that is shared between us is a deep friendship and a lot of love. But I still have resentments. In retrospect to that whole situation [his leaving the band], it’s understandable how young people can make mistakes and poor decisions in regards to great amounts of money. I understand why things happened as they did, and I can accept them now…peacefully.”

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