Q&A - "Magic Man Tuning"

I hope I'm not bothering you. I talked to you once before. I was a big fan of the old Heart. It's so easy to hear how the music lost it's power and edge after you left and you put on a great live show. I've seen you in Knoxville I guess only once-the Dog and Butterfly tour, I've seen Heart several more times. It wasn't the same. Anyway, I was reading that you and Mike have a CD coming out. I was wondering what type of music is it? Is it the good heavy rock or is it something different? Also if you don't mind on Magic Man didn't I read along time ago that you used a different tuning on the E and B string? just curious-It's that lick you do when one note is going flat and the other going sharp. Thanks.

-Jack F.

RF: The new album is a new genre: World Rock. Gotta hear it to know what it is.

Thanks for the kind words, Jack. E tunes up to G; B tunes up to D.

Q&A - "Founding Heart Future Music?"

I would like to know if you, Ann and Nancy and the other founding members have considered putting out a cd? Not touring but just getting together and doing an album. Sales would be tremendous. No one has your style on stage, your gift with your guitar is like watching jimmy page perform. Awesome.

-Dyan H.

RF: Thanks so much for your question, Dyan….very pertinent.

We haven’t discussed putting out a CD, or any form of record, but I think it would be a wonderful thing. I’m all for it.

Imagine the merging of our styles again, and the expertise we’ve evolved over the years! And imagine all the money we could generate for charity!

I’M IN.

Q&A - "Relationship With Nancy Wilson"

Rog, I have a question for you concerning your relationship with Nancy Wilson while in the group heart did you ever feel, as Nancy has said that she just caved in to you or do you think she actually loved you, I know that you felt you loved her. Was it more of a convenience relationship? -Thresa B.

RF: Thanks for your question, Thresa.

There are many possibilities as to why she would make a statement like the one you referred to in your question.

I choose to believe that she loved me in a way, and continues to, but because of our inability to harmonize personally at the time, she knew we couldn’t be together. And I still hold very strong feelings for her that can never be diminished, no matter what. There are some things that are irreversible and permanent. I also have a special fondness for all the members of the original band. We went through an amazing evolution together and conquered a coveted prize, won by the collective consciousness of fantasy, belief, and determination.

The love we feel in previous relationships should be invulnerable to time and circumstance, otherwise, was it ever truly love?

Q&A - "Self Promotion Via Social Media"

Hi Roger, love what I've heard so far of your new project and I will be purchasing it as it is released! I was wondering how you felt about this new way of promoting yourself and your own music through social media. Do you like being able to do your own promoting on FB and Twitter...etc? Is it more exciting and inspiring for you to be hands-on with your fans? I am so glad I caught up with you on FB! you are so awesome!) 

-Jill M.

RF: Hi Jill, thanks for your excellent question.

Musicians already don’t have enough time to wear all the hats necessary in today’s music industry, let alone self-market through social media. That said, I do enjoy finding new followers on Twitter and establishing more ties on Facebook and Linked In. It amazes me to see so many EXTREMELY ENTHUSED people who are thrilled to be talking to me, however distant and infrequently, and seeing every single person’s image portrayal as I add them to the family.

A typical musician these days does the following:

1. Photographer/videographer
2. Image editor
3. Graphic designer
4. Audio/video engineer
5. Audio/video producer
6. Promoter
7. Publicist
8. Teacher
9. Instrumentalist
10. Songwriter
11. Singer

These are the things that keep me busy, and I see my musicianship suffer for it. That doesn’t worry me because I’m mainly a songwriter. Creating something unlike anything else out there, on a level of excellence that is the highest we can achieve, is truly satisfying work. The other day I thought, “I don’t have any ambition or desire greater than simply working daily with my brother. No amount of success could equal the simple daily success of doing what you love with someone you love."

Q&A - "Thoughts On Direction Of Heart's Music"

This is my second question. It just came to me today. I can tell you are a positive and upbeat person and doubt you would down anyone else. I am curious, though, as to how you liked the direction Heart's music went into after you and your brother left the band. Do you think there would have been songs like Alone, These Dreams, and What About Love, etc. had the two of you remained involved with Heart?
Thanks, 

Tracey H.

RF: Another excellent question Tracey, thank you.

I was baffled. I couldn’t believe they could take such a great riff that I had contributed to the song Bebe Le Strange, and lose its intensity and energy the way they did. Then they went on to abandon their own songwriting in favor of songwriting that was, in my opinion, below them. It was obvious why they made those decisions, and understandable - but not forgivable, from my artistic sense. They lost a lot of followers at that point, and had to scramble to dig up a “winning hand” again. To me, it was sad, but I always supported them publicly, encouraging people to buy their latest albums.

Any major fork in the road like what was taken when Mike and I left Heart would yield completely different outcomes. It’s not up to me to speculate whether those songs would have happened or not. I do believe that Heart’s popularity wouldn’t have plummeted, but only increased had we not left, but that makes me sound arrogant.

I think the specific chemistry of Ann and Nance and my composing, catalyzed by Mike Fisher’s insight, vision, and high standard of quality, would have yielded amazing music. I believe we would have broken new ground in music. I believe we could have been hugely successful - way beyond anything Heart ever achieved. I know… easy for me to say :-)

The proof of that statement could be in the response to Mike’s and my new album. We’ll have to watch and see how it’s received, because it IS groundbreaking.