DES ROCS Interview
Daniel Rocco, also known as “Des Rocs” is an American rock artist from New York. Des Rocs is a solo project produced and led by Daniel Rocco.
He has toured with rock bands such as Muse, The Rolling Stones, and The Struts.[4][5][6] Influences for Rocco include Muse, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Roy Orbison, Kanye West, Grandson and Queen, though Rocco’s focus is individuality and sounding unlike other rock artists.
His new Album “Dream Machine” was released last 25th August via Sumerian Records. Produced by Alain Johannes (Queens of the Stone Age, Them Crooked Vultures, PJ Harvey), Matt Wallace (Faith No More, Maroon 5) and DES ROCS mastermind Danny Rocco, Dream Machine plays like a bolt of energy coursing through the glory days of rock, metal, and grunge, united within his signature “bedroom arena rock” sound.
DES today his time to talk with us about his career, new album, tour and more.
SUNRAY: “Hi Des! Aryzona with Sunray Magazine, how are you? How have your shows been going so far? Let’s talk!”
DES ROCS: “I’m doing great! Tour has been amazing, we’ve done something like 50 shows this year which is crazy to think about. But everything’s great! It’s good to be home a little bit.
SUNRAY: That’s great, I’m so glad to hear that! So you just released your new single “I Am The Lightning” also featured on your unreleased album “Dream Machine”. What were your intentions when writing this song? What was the message and/or movement?
DES ROCS: Well lyrically, you know, there’s a lot of different things in play. I try not to give too much away, it’s always important to me to have listeners have their own interpretations of lyrics.
SUNRAY: You had a headlining tour of five dates towards the end of June, I believe?
What were those shows like for you? Do you feel like the crowd really brought the energy all five nights?
DES ROCS: Yeah! They were amazing! Really amazing. We’ve been opening a lot earlier this year, so to go back and headline and have more time to develop a 90 minute experience for everybody is always really special to me. The shows were nuts, the crowds were crazy. He proceeds.
SUNRAY: Awesome!
So coming back to your album that has not yet been released, what can you say you look/looked forward to the most whether it was the creation of the album, the anticipation leading up to the release, or just a little bit of a variety of emotions?
DES ROCS: Yeah it’s a little bit of everything! There’s definitely not a lot of value in the anticipation with it coming out, you know, but I do find a lot of inspiration in just constantly releasing singles.
SUNRAY: I find that part the most exciting, because you haven’t given everything away yet, but you get to show everybody what’s going on and where you’re headed creatively.
So I won’t spoil anything or too much, but I have gotten a chance to hear “Dream Machine” before its release and I have to say, “Up To You” is probably my favorite.
It definitely has a different feel than the other songs on this album, did this one in particular have a special, or any sort of a different meaning to you then the others emotionally?
DES ROCS: Every song really has a special meaning to me, without a doubt. Rocs says.
This one in particular, I think the lyrics kind of speak for themselves. “Up To You” is beautiful”
SUNRAY: It is a wonderful album.
DES ROCS: “Thank you so much,”
SUNRAY: Jumping around here a bit channeling away from just the album, so you did some work with Alain Johannes, incredible artist and a super nice guy. What was that like for the two of you working together on projects?
DES ROCS: It was fantastic! You know, there are a lot of amazing collaborators on this and Alain in particular was just an incredible, musical spirit in the room.
He really brought out the best in me as an artist, and it is just so important to have people like that around you when working on something that’s better than anything you’ve ever done so far.
SUNRAY: I have heard great things about the two of you, and wanted to include a question representing your collaborations.
So kind of the same idea here, so when you’re making music, touring with it and working with people, do you have an ideal artist that you in particular enjoy working with or is it more of every artist you work with is its own, unique opportunity?
DES ROCS: I’d say every artist that I work with is very different. In the touring capacity it’s so different, in the recording capacity it is also very different. This industry and lifestyle is filled with an incredibly diverse range of experience.
SUNRAY: So I just have one more for you today before we wrap things up, and that is what’s next for you in the future?
Do you have some more shows coming up that you’re excited about, I know you have a new album about to be released, any more projects in the works for you?
DES ROCS:There’s an absolute ton, yeah we have a whole new album coming out August 25th called dream machine, and a bunch of touring that we are going to have to start announcing soon
SUNRAY: That’s awesome! I wish you so much luck on all your future endeavors.
You were so sweet to talk to, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us. Talk soon!
DES ROCS: “Thanks, take care.”
