TOMMY’S ROCKTRIP, drummer Tommy Clufetos‘s (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK SABBATH) new hard rock outfit, where he offers his take on the rock ‘n roll influences that made him one of the most sought-after drummers in the current hard rock scene, will embark on a short solo tour at the end of March.
The following dates have been confirmed:
March 26 – Winchester Music Tavern – Lakewood, OH
March 27 – Sweetwater Music Co – Fort Wayne, IN
March 28 – Token Lounge – Westland, MI
March 29 – Blue Note – Harrison, OH
In May 2021, TOMMY’S ROCKTRIP released its debut album, “Beat Up By Rock ‘N’ Roll”, via Frontiers Music Srl. Eric Dover, known for singing and playing guitar with JELLYFISH, SLASH’S SNAKEPIT and Alice Cooper, handled lead vocals on the LP (though Tommy grabbed the mic for three tracks). Eliot Lorengo (bass),Hank Schneekluth (guitar) and Nao Nakashima (guitar) rounded out the supporting cast.
Clufetos worked with such rock icons as Ted Nugent, Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie before joining Ozzy Osbourne in 2010. That led to a spot as the drummer on BLACK SABBATH‘s last two world tours.
In a 2021 interview with Jason Saulnier, Clufetos was asked if he ever finds himself looking back on the fact that he played drums for BLACK SABBATH on the legendary heavy metal band’s final tour. “I always feel blessed that I was lucky, I was honored to play with those guys ’cause they’re a great musicians,” he said. “But I don’t look at it as — I was never a member. Once a gig’s over, a gig’s over. So I don’t really live in the past concerning that; I always have to plow forward — as does everybody. I can’t look back. I can appreciate it — that’s not saying I don’t appreciate it — but I’m also not gonna dwell on I played with BLACK SABBATH one time, because then you’re living in the past. I’ve got many more years to move forward to continue my career and pay my bills. It doesn’t mean that I don’t love what I do, but it is my job, and it’s my craft, and it’s an ongoing thing to me. So that was that gig, and that ended, and now it’s, what do you do next? It’s always that.”
He continued: “Every tour ends; every band ends eventually… To me, it’s work. To, that works to me. And I’m working to be better, and I’m working to get better. Hopefully I’m a better drummer than [I was] then. And it’s always been the process; I’m always chipping away at the stone. And my drums are right there. And after I get done with these interviews, I will go right there and play and see what else comes out of me going right there and playing. ‘Cause everything has come out of me sitting at the drums trying to be the best that I can be.”
Although original BLACK SABBATH drummer Bill Ward was initially announced as part of the reunion in late 2011, he dropped out within a couple of months, saying he was offered an “unsignable” contract.
The members of SABBATH were reportedly concerned that Ward‘s health would not hold up on the road and allegedly asked him to accept the use of a second drummer on tour, which he refused.
