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Des Rocs joins OurSpace with Matt Vettese to discuss his explosive new album To Hell and Back, recovering from a devastating spinal injury, opening for The Rolling Stones, the future of rock music, and why live rock shows still can’t be matched by any other genre.
In this conversation, he opens up about the physical and emotional challenges behind the making of To Hell and Back, his philosophy on modern rock music, recording the album live as a band, and why he rejects the idea of being part of a “rock revival.”
We also discuss what makes rock concerts special, the state of guitar-driven music, creative risk-taking, opening for legendary artists, Borderlands, Bruce Springsteen, AC/DC, and the bands Des Rocs thinks you should be listening to right now.
Timestamps
00:00 Why rock still has the best live shows
01:46 Introducing Des Rocs
03:26 New album To Hell and Back
03:46 The meaning behind the album title
04:49 The spinal injury that changed everything
07:02 Recording the album live as a band
08:43 Writing songs for the live show
09:16 Why rock concerts are different
10:48 Is rock music making a comeback?
11:27 Why Des Rocs rejects the “rock revival” label
14:42 The most vulnerable song on the album
15:40 What “dangerous” rock music means today
18:20 Opening for The Rolling Stones
20:30 Almost giving up on music
21:49 Advice for musicians ready to quit
23:18 Dream Des Rocs stage production
24:42 Playing a show on the moon
25:13 Borderlands collaboration
25:55 The bands that got Des Rocs into rock music
27:00 The DIY scene that inspired him
27:44 Why To Hell and Back stands apart from modern rock
29:15 Des Rocs’ underrated artist recommendations
30:06 Final thoughts
If you’re a fan of Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, The Gaslight Anthem, Foo Fighters, classic rock, modern rock, alternative rock, or guitar-driven music, this conversation is for you.
