GRAVEYARD RODEO Reunion In The Works

Legendary Lousiana hardcore/metal pioneers GRAVEYARD RODEO, who once featured in their ranks current CORROSION OF CONFORMITY guitarist/vocalist Pepper Keenan, will reunite to perform at the at the Raise The Dead II festival (set to take place October 19, 2007 at The Howling Wolf in New Orleans) and the Glenn Rambo festival (slated for December 2007 in New Orleans).

In a brand new interview with NolaUnderground.com, guitarist Gary Gennaro spoke about the group's current plans. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

NolaUnderground.com: What led up to this?

Gary: A couple of years ago there were rumors started through the internet (on Blabbermouth.net and the NolaUndergrund.com) that GRAVEYARD RODEO was going to reform and play again. Then it just fizzled because of the conflict between a few band members that was never resolved. I just couldn't believe that they couldn't just, even for one night, put all of that shit behind them and just do one show. I didn't want to let it just die. So I asked myself "How do I keep this alive?" My first idea was to start a new version of the band up here (New Jersey) with no baggage and just start from scratch, then bring it back down to New Orleans. Under tha name G.Y.R. pick a set list and really give G.Y.R. the chance it deserved. And after playing out for a year put together a self entitled album G.Y.R. and take it where it left off. I vowed to myself, "This is the year!" I've waited too long for something to just happen, so I'm going to make it happen. I was in the band in the last part of its heyday and I know the formula for how to make it work. There is still a lot of interest in the band and I think that the music that we made over the years is timeless. It stands up against anything that is out there from the past or the present. It just didn't make since to just let something so good just die. But I wanted to talk with Tommy Scalan (bassist and founding member of GYR) first and get his blessings. I told him about reforming the band as G.Y.R. and leave the name GRAVEYARD RODEO in case we ever get a chance to be an origanal lineup he was happy for me and said go out there and jam. I told Tommy that I want him to be as much of a part of this as he can give well while looking for people up here for the reformed G.Y.R. it just wasn't working. People don't understand the band nor have what it takes to be called G.Y.R. I want just going to get anyone. So I figured I would reform it there in NOLA. He was excited about the idea and wanted to be a part of it as well. So then I started thinking that GRAVEYARD RODEO was a band that was based out of New Orleans, so that's where it needs to start up again. So after that call Tommy and I stayed very close. He told me that Perry (vocalist) was living with him and that they were practicing stuff from the 1985 demo and would be interested in being involved. Tommy will be involved with G.Y.R but not Perry. Remember that GRAVEYARD RODEO and G.Y.R. will be two different entities. I know both of them have full-time jobs and they may not be able to dedicate 100% of their time to it, but Tommy is a very gifted song writer and I want him to be involved with the recordings and if he can make cameo appearances locally at NOLA shows like Lee Fucich (guitarist) did when he was in med school that would be great.

NolaUnderground.com: Now the big question: What about Doobie?

Gary: Doobie abandoned the band in 1993, then when he would do interviews when he was involved in the other projects he was in after GRAVEYARD RODEO he said a lot of stuff about the band how we never wanted to practice, but it was Doobie that never showed up for practice and that's when the line up for the second album got together because we got tired of waiting to hear an answer from him. The second line up happened because when we came home from Europe and we were ready to leave on a tour across the states the day of the first show he quit. Brad had a kid to raise and at the time, me and Tommy were upset with Perry. So me and Tommy figured that we would just try to keep it going so we find who we could at the time and didn't really say that this is who or what GRAVEYARD RODEO is now, we found the first people that said yes basically. Doobie was a great drummer and use to beat the shit out of his drum kit. So whoever is going to drum for us has got to be able to hit as hard and as intense as Doobie did. I don't care what has happened what has been said in the past, I would like nothing more than to have him a part of this. We were a band at one time and all were happy to be jamming together. I hope he changes his mind one day and decides to really be the Doobie that made him a legend in his own right. Lately, me and Tommy were talking about how shit was when they were a 4 piece. Tommy was telling me about this 16-year-old kid (Doobie) that was the best drummer he ever saw and that he was the most intense person even at that age that he would run around and spray paint quotes out of the "Necronomicon" and come up with the coolest shit. I wish we could have that person again.

Read the entire interview at NolaUnderground.com.