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This summer Tesla has scored a headline gig on the Rock Never Stops tour, which kicks off June 7, and is slated to run through September.  Guitarist Tommy Scheoch tells us that he wasn’t really sure what to expect from the other bands, but after doing a few warm-up shows with Skid Row, Jackyl, and Vince Neil, he found that everyone’s really strong and he thinks it a great line up.

In the past Tommy has told us that he goes crazy if he tours too long, so the band is allowing for some breaks in between.  He says, “We’re doing like two weeks on and ten days off.  But I can’t get into too much trouble anyways.  I mean I’ve been really behaving myself, when I’m out, but my whole family’s coming out with me this time. So, I’ll be even extra good dealing with the kids and stuff.  I’ve been gone a lot though so it’s kind of cool.  I’ve been working on the new record.”

The record he speaks of is the long awaited new Tesla studio album (their first since 1994s Bust a Nut).  According to Scheoch the album was initially scheduled to be completed this summer, but when the tour came up, they pushed things back to early next year, most likely January or February.  With their double-live electric album Tesla Re-Plugged (Sanctuary) and Brian Wheat’s new Soulmotor album Revolution Wheel (Sanctuary) recently released Tesla fans have something to chew on in the meantime.

Since the band had never done a live electric album, Scheoch says that they had really done Re-plugged for their fans, just to get something new out there, and while the live album sales were hurt by its September 11, 2001 release, they’ve got a really sweet deal structure with their new label Sanctuary Records and for the most part they have been satisfied.  

“I thought it was pretty cool I thought it turned out alright.  I don’t know what it’s done but it’s done ok.  We’re getting like royalties and publishing checks from it already…Not that the money is what it’s all about, but when you talk about success, I guess that’s successful if you’re making a living at it.  I mean I really dig what I do and I make a living at it.  I just feel really lucky about the whole thing.

We don’t have to sell a lot to make some money, so to me it’s a pretty big success that way, but we didn’t really promote it that much.  It hasn’t been a big deal.  The studio record is the one that we’re really going to just push and put some money behind…If Sanctuary or someone was to drop the ball or something, we’re going to put our own money behind it to make the thing happen.”

Also in appreciation of their fans Tesla has started a great new fan club through their Web site, and with the help of local radio stations, they are also offering all their fans a chance to hang with the band for a day and see the preparation that goes into their shows.

“It’s like a live with a rock star for a day or how to party like a rock star contest…I guess through the radio or whatever, you can win a thing. If you’re brave enough I guess, you come back and have dinner with us and drink some beers and kinda hang out before the show.  And then I guess you can watch the show from the side stage if you like…

While on a tour like this it’s a little bit different because of security, Scheoch says that when they do their own shows at theaters they’re a very approachable band.  He says, “If there’s fans out there, ’We’re like ‘hey, what’s up’. There is not like a real big kind of stand-off scene. We’re like down with it, We’re not all rock starred out.”

Fans can also look forward to hearing a few songs from the upcoming studio album, as well, maybe two or three a night this summer.  “We’re just going to slam them out, and hope people kind of dig them and everything,” says Scheoch. 

“For us it’s good, it’s just new blood, and we’re tired of playing (these songs)--we’ve been playing these songs forever, and they’re great songs and everything, but we just want to throw some new stuff in there.  If people don’t’ get it, I don’t know.  Hopefully, they’re going to kind of trip on it and dig it.”

According to Scheoch, the new material is edgier like the later Tesla albums, “One song we’re playing is pretty cool, we tune down and its pretty cool and then the other songs are more like pop Tesla, they sound more like the original Tesla stuff.  But, we’ve been trying some new things in the studio and working on stuff.  We’re just going to kind of feel it out really.  I just think they’re good songs whether they’re edgy or not.

Scheoch says that they haven’t given up on the idea of pulling together some covers for an album either, but it’s not a big thing on the agenda right now.  He says that their producer Roger Sommers had talked about recording some of the jam sessions that materialize during their studio time.  So, they may kill two birds with one stone. 

For the latest news on Tesla visit www.teslatheband.com and check out www.rockneverstops.com for the latest tour news. Also, be sure to read our new interview with Phil Varone from Skid Row, who will also be performing on the Rock Never Stops tour.

Look for upcoming show reviews and an upcoming interview with Brian Wheat's Soulmotor bandmate Darin Wood later this month.