Ross CAT - Now that the Chickenfoot tour is in full flight did you find the "Road Test" club rehearsal shows beneficial to both the band and the new songs? Sammy - I'm glad you asked that because it was one of the smartest things I've ever done as an artist in my career. If we would have just jumped into a bigger venue it really could have been difficult. The production of this show needed to be built from the ground up, from sound & lights to the performance of the songs. These smaller gigs afforded everyone involved the opportunity to see what this band is all about and were we wanted to take the songs in a live setting. We started playing just the album and a few encores which was about 75 minutes of material in the first few "Road Test" shows; at the end of those club dates we were clocking in at just under 2 hours with the same amount of material. Those shows really gave us the chance to get our feet under us allowing us to focus on jamming & stretching out the songs in the right places.

Ross CAT - You've obviously survived some tenacious times through your Van Halen years, tell us how this group of accomplished musicians manage the ego friendly environment that is apparent on stage. Sammy - I'm just hoping that's somewhere I never have to go again. When I joined Van Halen the ego thing wasn't an issue, they had just finished with that s*** with the previous singer. When I joined the band everyone was happy, it was the polar opposite of what they'd been dealing with. It really was a fantastic time in my life & career. For some reason after a decade of success and what I thought was a lifelong friendship someone's ego got in the way and it wasn't mine. You know Ross, things happen within a band just like any other relationship because your dealing with more then one personality. I really don't see that happening with Chickenfoot, the older you get you realize that you have to check your ego at the door if you want to be involved in a band of this caliber. For me to be able to play with MIKE again at this level and to be welcomed with open arms as a singer/songwriter by guys like Joe Satriani & Chad Smith is truly something I treasure at this stage of my career. - Read the full interview here (with photos)

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