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Bobbys second project after vvi. Eric singer was set to replace bobby but he joined kiss. Would have been three of the 4 members of Paul stanleys 80s touring band.

Never really heard much of Skull, but damn, it's pretty good. Some of it kinda has a House of Lords feel.

It's weird how much Bob and Bruce sound alike guitar-wise... all in the genes I guess. Bob's tone here is very similiar to Bruce's circa Crazy Nights. I love both their playing about equal... very tasty!

The record was supposed to be recorded in 87 or 88 but labels were reluctant due to bob's look. I think he did the wasp record straight after. You would think with bobby rocks connection to bob kulick he would have gotten the kiss gig .

Bobby would have been great in Kiss.

Kerrang were reporting back in the day that the kiss drum position was between Eric singer , bobby rock and dean Castronovo. In fact kerrang said dean was expected to get it. It also seems that Andre Labelle was in the running and Frank banali.

The question is can bobby sing black diamond. Singer and castronovo can. Bobby would have been perfect for kiss, such a good attitude and nice guy.

Dean was only 23 so that must have gone against him. Maybe because Eric was tried any tested on pauls tour got him the gig.

If I am not mistaken both Eric Carr and Eric singer said singing was part of the audition.

Kiss were all about the backing vocals too, and singing Black Diamond was a plus!!

Eric was a known quantity so a natural to get the gig despite the blond hair, which they let him keep.

Kind of like when Bruce became permanent as it was working well so no need to change it again and bring Mark back in.

I've been on the hunt to get the SKULL CD for years. It went out of print pretty quick and ebay was always more than I wanted to pay.

i bought it the day of release. i didn't really care for it too much. Bobby Rock sounds pretty with his Gretsch drum set on it though.

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With Bruce
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three songs from the album I can not find.

Jimmy Waldo was on this album as well.

Vinnie's engineer from ASG was the producer of this record too.

I tried to get it when it first came out as I was/am a big fan of Bobby Rock. Never understood how someone that talented wasn't able to hook up with a more successful band. He's an absolute monster.

I must've gone to 12 different places and none had it. I wasn't in the business of special ordering at the time. There was only one store in my area that did it and the owner always made a big deal about doing it.

Just listened to all the above songs. Solid, meat and potatoes hard rock. Nothing exceptional in any of them but also nothing particularly dreadful. As I've said, sometimes is worse to be mediocre than bad.

It can't decide if it wants to be Survivor, Journey or Dokken.

Yeah. All album fillers . No big tunes

It IS amazing how much more exceptional Vinnie's material was compared to ANYONE else who was involved with KISS (including KISS at the time). Even more amazing is how much more exceptional Vinnie's material was than most of the more popular bands out at the time.


Yet, he fucked it all away and seems content with it.

PinkWiz wrote:It IS amazing how much more exceptional Vinnie's material was compared to ANYONE else who was involved with KISS (including KISS at the time). Even more amazing is how much more exceptional Vinnie's material was than most of the more popular bands out at the time.


Yet, he fucked it all away and seems content with it.

THIS!!!!

Vinnie knew his sound . Not many acts know what they want from what they do. Vinnie did . Why does he piss it away and just fight with people ?

The voice in his head is his biggest enemy. Maybe he should fight with that voice not fans and ex band mates etc.

To be honest, he could fight with his fans all he wants if he was putting out new music and it was halfway decent. In THAT situation he would be a "tortured artist". But as it is now, he's just a mentally disturbed has-been.

Exactly. He once blamed us for why no new music came out. Nothing to do with him plus boxset / lies and boothng off his forum for asking harmless questions.

Also nothing to do with the fact he just doesn't get off his ass and do it!

Kiss are putting out new music as well as touring, Vinnie has no excuse. The four songs on Euphoria took eight years. He owes us about eight more songs now.

I would say gfh should have been released in 1990. Then he should have had new releases at least every 5 years. So I would say 40 songs plus gfh should have been released by now if vv could stop suing kiss and get off his ass.

doublev2 wrote:I would say gfh should have been released in 1990. Then he should have had new releases at least every 5 years. So I would say 40 songs plus gfh should have been released by now if vv could stop suing kiss and get off his ass.

If GFH were released in 1990 he would have gained much of the notoriety as a guitar icon that has alluded him. The material from a technical playing standpoint was groundbreaking. I realize that in regards to Vinnie that I talk out of both sides of my mouth as many do here but if things and circumstances could have been different for him and by him he could have been remembered as one of the greatest electric guitarists of all time and mentioned in the same breath as Page, Hendrix, Van Halen, Rhoads, Malmsteen and Vai.

Slayer wrote: If GFH were released in 1990 he would have gained much of the notoriety as a guitar icon that has alluded him. The material from a technical playing standpoint was groundbreaking. I realize that in regards to Vinnie that I talk out of both sides of my mouth as many do here but if things and circumstances could have been different for him and by him he could have been remembered as one of the greatest electric guitarists of all time and mentioned in the same breath as Page, Hendrix, Van Halen, Rhoads, Malmsteen and Vai.

I believe he lost the "guitar god" title in 1988 with the breakup of the Invasion. He was lucky enough to be able to continue his success with KISS into the first VVI album and that got his name back out there. But All Systems Go was the point that Vinnie should've went into guitar icon territory. ASG had the ability to appeal to the masses and Vinnie could've released the more technical guitar stuff as solo albums on the side. 1988 was the make or break year with Vinnie and he decided to break (granted ASG may have ended up failing even without Vinnie sending it to an early grave but we will never know...)

Who knows, by 1990 he may have been able to at least salvage his carreer (KISS did come knocking a year later) but he decided to continue down the same self destructive path so we will never know that either.

PinkWiz wrote:I believe he lost the "guitar god" title in 1988 with the breakup of the Invasion. He was lucky enough to be able to continue his success with KISS into the first VVI album and that got his name back out there. But All Systems Go was the point that Vinnie should've went into guitar icon territory. ASG had the ability to appeal to the masses and Vinnie could've released the more technical guitar stuff as solo albums on the side. 1988 was the make or break year with Vinnie and he decided to break (granted ASG may have ended up failing even without Vinnie sending it to an early grave but we will never know...)

Who knows, by 1990 he may have been able to at least salvage his carreer (KISS did come knocking a year later) but he decided to continue down the same self destructive path so we will never know that either.

I totally agree. ASG at the time of its release had all the songs to be big enough and the line-up to sell them to the world. I think Vinnie's self-destructive streak is the biggest reason the album never took off.

I also think if it had been a hit, it might've diluted his status as a "guitar god" because it was so pop. Then, by the time a third VVI album came out they would've floundered along with all the other glam metal bands releasing raw/heavy albums to compete with a growingly disenfranchised audience spurred by the success of GNR and the impending grunge movement.

yes Erg, I forgot to mention the rapidly changing music scene but at least Vinnie could've still had some kinda carreer instead of just completely shitting it down the tubes... look at Steve Vai for example.

Absolutely. There's a market for guys like this (Vai, Malmstein, Anfelo) that established themselves. They're not getting wealthy, but they are making very comfortable livings plying the trade they love. However...and unfortunately...for Vinnie, he didn't release enough crazy guitar albums to build that particular following.

erg2 wrote:Absolutely. There's a market for guys like this (Vai, Malmstein, Anfelo) that established themselves. They're not getting wealthy, but they are making very comfortable livings plying the trade they love. However...and unfortunately...for Vinnie, he didn't release enough crazy guitar albums to build that particular following.

This post really taps into the point that I was trying to make. I was never talking about commercial music success and I agree with both of your posts about 1988 and ASG but GFH was an over the top shredders album that I believe may have established Vinnie as a "Guitar Players Guitar Player" which he never achieved in a very wide appeal even though he had the chops for these accolades. He sadly has become an underground infamous legend who likely doesn't even play guitar anymore. I agree that his opportunities have likely passed him by and he's washed up but Vinnie if you think this statement is bullshit then please by all means prove me wrong!

Vinnie could easily have been making a living playing guitar but his holy attitude towards himself ensures that won't happen. He torpedoes himself in business dealings so has been unable to record, tour or do clinics like other musicians can.

The worlds his enemy. Vinnie just chill out. Drop your extreme views and make friends

@Slater- I see what you're saying. I even agree...with a few caveats.
1) it would've needed MUCH better production, including losing the drum machine
2) I think he would've had to have it out by 1990

But as a guitar album, from the bootleg versions I've heard, it certainly had the mix of technical difficulty mixed with melodic sensibility to rank Vinnie with guys like Malmstein and Angelo.

erg2 wrote:@Slayer- I see what you're saying. I even agree...with a few caveats.
1) it would've needed MUCH better production, including losing the drum machine
2) I think he would've had to have it out by 1990

But as a guitar album, from the bootleg versions I've heard, it certainly had the mix of technical difficulty mixed with melodic sensibility to rank Vinnie with guys like Malmstein and Angelo.

Agreed!
You and I are on the same page!

And today Malmstein and Michael Angelo (Batio) are both still active. Malmstein still has a record deal and Angelo still releases independent material and does a lot of appearances. Neither are touring like they used to in the 80s/90s or selling anything significant, but they are getting out in front of their fans and selling new material...bringing in revenue.

Vinnie could've been doing that. Heck, he probably still could be if he knocked off his shit and made some amends.

One thing we always say is, no matter what, it's never to late to start making things right. With his fans and the world.

The first step is probably seeing a Dr of some kind.

Bob did the guitar on this too
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The Crimson Idol is a great record, totally love it and Bob's playing was top notch.