New York Rock N Roll Fantasy Camp – Serious Fun!

By: Rob Cavuoto

Photos by Rob Cavuoto

Have you ever dreamed of playing guitar with Kiss’s Bruce Kulick or singing “Smoking in the Boys Room” with Vince Neil of Motley? Well dreams can come true and actually did this past October for forty seven rockers who took advantage of Citi Card’s exclusive offer to attend the New York Rock N Roll Fantasy Camp.

Check out a video of Vince Neil and Bruce Kulick performing with attendees at the NY RnR Fantasy Camp!

How it works is pretty simple, campers from all walks of life and levels of experience are formed into groups then trained and schooled by their rock star counselors. It’s like being on vacation with your favorite rock star! You get to rehearse songs as a band, learn about different musical styles and techniques, and even get to jam with your heroes as you prepare for a battle of the bands on the last day of camp.

Vince Neil and Lita Ford with their campers

Vince Neil and Lita Ford with their campers

The best part of the camp is that you don’t have to be an expert to join in. The main goal is to leave a better player than when you arrived, and with the help and guidance from the likes of Bruce Kulick (Kiss), Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot), Teddy Zig Zag (Guns N Roses), Lita Ford and Vince Neil how could you not!

Vince Neil and Bruce Kulick

Vince Neil and Bruce Kulick

I was fortunate enough to be invited down to Gibson’s Studio in NYC to watch the event and speak to campers and counselors alike to see what drives their musical passion. I sat in on some master classes as well as interviewed of the counselors to find out the best piece of advice they could offer the campers. Teddy Zig Zag said, “To follow their hearts. They may or may not make a lot of money, but if they really love it, that’s the most important thing. If they really believe in it and have the time to spend with it, it could be very rewarding.”

Lita Ford added, “Whatever your dreams are, rock star or doctor, follow them and don’t stop until you get there.”

Many of the campers I spoke with mirrored the same enthusiasm. I spoke to dentists, marketers and students who all saved their pennies, in this case $1,000, to learn from the masters. Drummers Barry Aldridge and Randy Henderson, who were working in Rudy Sarzo’s group, told me that the most important thing they learned is how to listen to the band as a whole, its not just keeping time it’s all about the dynamics of the music. Barry also added that he is looking forward to his second camp soon!

Mark Hudson, Lita Ford and Teddy Zig Zag

Mark Hudson, Lita Ford and Teddy Zig Zag

While watching the campers in their rehearsal sessions, I couldn’t help but feel their excitement. They hung on every word and bit of advice offered. Many were star struck and nervous, while others relaxed and confident about their abilities.

I got to see Vince Neil meeting with all the groups to perform a song that they were rehearsing for the battle of ban and belted out “Smoking in the Boys Room” a few times, Alice Cooper’s “Schools Out” and even jammed with Lita Ford on Montrose’s song “Rock Candy” which turned out to be the name of Vince’s first band in High School.

Kasim Sulton, bassist for Meatloaf, told me, “You really have to have fun, because if you’re not having fun, there’s no point to be here. By the same token, you have to be serious too, so I guess make sure you having serious fun!”

Though I was only there for an afternoon, I realized that no one who attended the camp would be the same. They all walked away with a better musical knowledge and friendship with rock stars that they didn’t have coming in. Maybe someday one of the campers may end up being be a counselor to future generations… Well that’s a Rock ‘N’ Roll fantasy for another day.

A special thanks to David Fishof and Countey Clonch for the opportunity to attend the session.

Vince Neil and Mark Hudson

Vince Neil and Mark Hudson

3 Comments

  1. VINCE NEIL, BRUCE KULICK Perform At ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp’ In New York (Video) | Metal4All.com (12 years ago)

    […] Video footage of MÖTLEY CRÜE singer Vince Neil and former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick performing at the event can be seen below (courtesy of Guitar International). […]

  2. ROCK QUICK HITS 11/21/11 | Migration (9 years ago)

    […] Neil and former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick performing at the event can be seen below (courtesy of Guitar International).  Learn more about Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp, tour dates and pricing at […]

  3. Rock Quick Hits 11/21/11 | Migration WMMR (9 years ago)

    […] Neil and former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick performing at the event can be seen below (courtesy of Guitar International).  Learn more about Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp, tour dates and pricing at […]