Bergen Rocks Meet the Musicians: Dave Neabore

Dog Eat Dog bassist Dave Neabore is one of the many ultra-talented musicians generously lending their talents to Bergen Rocks: Rock and Raise. Neabore, who has toured the world with Dog Eat Dog and played some of the biggest international hard rock and heavy metal festivals, will be laying down bass lines for blues rockers Russ T. Hammer.

The fundraiser also includes energetic rockers MotorMouth performing a great selection of well-known hard rock tunes with deeper cuts, and headliners Black Dog, the area's premiere purveyor of the music of Led Zeppelin .

Bergen Rocks will take place at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 28, at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood. The concert benefits the scholarship program at bergenPac’s Performing Arts School while shining the spotlight on the best local bands Tickets for Bergen Rocks are just $25 per person and going fast. Visit www.bergenpac.org to learn more and get your tickets before they sell out!

Last year Dog Eat Dog celebrated the 25th anniversary of its seminal album, "All Boro Kings.” Now, the band is working on its first full-length effort since 2006. Dog Eat Dog’s latest release, the excellent EP, "Brand New Breed," was released in 2017.

We recently spoke with Dave Neabore about Bergen Rocks and Dog Eat Dog.

How did you come to be playing with Russ T. Hammer at BergenRocks?

I’m friends with (Russ T. Hammer drummer) Andy Russ and he and I have worked together making some independent horror movies and hanging out at horror conventions. He called me asking if could do this show with them. We went over some songs and it looks like a fun time with friends. Liz (Wheelock Mott) is playing guitar and we were friends when we were teenagers and I actually go back longer with Liz so it will be fun to perform with her again.

What made Bergen Rocks an ideal event for you to participate in?

Supporting arts education for kids is extremely important. As somebody who was a kid playing music, and it turned out pretty good for me, and on a daily basis selling guitars and other musical instruments to young people, I always want to encourage young kids to play and enjoy it. Playing music gives kids something to strive for and get together and I'll always be down for helping out a cause.

What is Dog Eat Dog up to?

Dog Eat Dog starts up again April 1. We go to Europe and start playing shows and we’re recording our full length album (their first full-length since 2006). We’re going to be in the studio in Switzerland for a few weeks. We started recording last year and we’re in the second phase. We’ll be flying back and forth to Europe all summer doing some of the biggest festivals. We’re doing Hellfest (France), Grasspop (Belgium), we’re doing Copenhell (Denmark). These are with Iron Maiden, Kiss, Judas Priest, Korn, Faith No More; some of the biggest bands in the world. It’s a pretty incredible summer lined up.

What can you tell us about the upcoming new album?

It’s a lot of what you’d expect and a lot of what you’d not expect. It’s going to be some traditional Dog Eat Dog sounds and styles and some things that we’ve been into in the last 14 years that we want to incorporate, some different beats and electronics mixed in there. We’re keeping an open mind and having fun with it, which is what we’ve always done. It’ll be a real, true Dog Eat Dog record, even if sounds a bit different. You have to expect that from a band 14 years after its last record; it’s going to be a new experience. It will be out at the very earliest in the fall and hopefully we’ll be playing locally at that point.

You're also working on a solo album inspired by horror soundtracks. How would you describe the music and how is the album coming along?

The album is all instrumental and is influenced by soundtracks and movies from the late 70s and early 80s. Mostly synth based, it’s a mix of horror, sci-fi, and electronic rhythms. There’s some guitar and bass on there too, but it’s definitely not a traditional rock record. All 10 songs are recorded. I’m putting the final touches on them. It’s definitely going to be ready to hear in 2020. I have to shop it around. I’m not 100 percent sure how it’s going to be released yet. It will definitely be on Spotify.