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 If you"re looking for a new generation of powerhouse rock that meshes
with your favorite rock bands from the 70s and 80s, look no further
than Cinder Road.
This five-man band from Baltimore, Maryland fuses
together the classic arena rock sound of bands like Aerosmith and Bon
Jovi, with a wicked metal twist, resulting in an explosion of sound that
you could pump through your speakers all day long.
Cinder Road’s Mike Ruocco (vocals, guitar) tells ACED all about the band’s road to success—twelve years in the making. It began in 1995 with a band name that just fit their location as a band. Can you guess that name?
The band’s name was Plunge (We fooled you, didn’t we?) After performing under this name for many years, the band hit a roadblock that has become somewhat typical in the music business. “We started Plunge back in 1995, when I was 12, and at the time, I didn’t know bands should trademark their name. So, we did not own the rights to Plunge and another band did. They did not want us to use the name and they were not interested in selling the rights, so we changed our name to Cinder Road.”
 For the band formerly known as Plunge, the name Cinder Road had a very special significance for their music careers from the band’s first days.
“Cinder Road is the street where Chris (guitar) and I grew up. It’s also where the band would rehearse and where some of us still live today,” Ruocco explains.
In a new fashion, unique to the latest generation of musicians, the band was discovered by Union Entertainment Group through the powers of the internet. “We had a write up done about the band on an industry site called King Of A&R and John Greenberg (UEG) noticed the band and contacted me. The rest is history.” Shortly after, the band began writing and recording with producer Marti Frederiksen, the man behind Aerosmith and Ozzy Osbourne.
“Marti is a very talented writer, producer and musician so when you are working with someone of that caliber it pushes you to be your absolute best,” Ruocco says of Frederiksen’s influence. In fact, Ruocco co-wrote all 11 tracks on the band's latest album, Superhuman, with Frederiksen. “My intention was not to co-write the whole album, but when Marti and I wrote, great songs came out, so we went with it!”
After the album’s release, the band morphed into a bonafide touring machine. They’ve toured with Daughtry, Candlebox and Hurt. The band is completely amazed by their opportunities on the road.
“Touring with Daughtry was an incredible experience,” says Ruocco. “We got to do our first national tour with one of the hottest artists out right now, in front of sold-out crowds every single night. It was awesome!”
By the end of November, the band will also have toured with Puddle of Mudd, Sick Puppies, Sounds Under Radio and Deepfield.
You may begin to wonder what’s kept the band touring for such a long stretch of time. “We all love to be on the road, it is what we were born to do. Of course, at times you miss home and your friends and family, but this is where we are the happiest.”
Cinder Road is in demand and the guys are more than happy to supply their devoted fan base with some live music to feast upon. “Our ST (street team) is amazing. We have a large group of fans that are totally dedicated to this band. They love our music and they love to help us out,” Ruocco says. “It is a great tool for promotion and marketing.”
Cinder Road’s on-stage antics are getting much more colorful than the average rock band. Ruocco remembers the big arena rock shows—the days of pyro, big light shows, huge stages, ramps, swings, and all that crazy stuff—and he wants to bring it back.
Though the arena rock has failed other modern rock bands like The Darkness, Ruocco is confident that the men of Cinder Road have something different to bring to the musical performance table. “We are not as theatrical. I loved The Darkness, but we are a bit more 'Aerosmith' influenced where they, I think, were a bit more 'Queen' influenced.”
Does Cinder Road think the old fashion bravado and style of popular bands from the 70s and 80s still reaches audiences today? “Absolutely,” he says. “Go to any bar or party, and when Bon Jovi or Journey or AC/DC comes on the jukebox, watch the place explode! That’s because that is the effect Rock & Roll has on people.”
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