By Martin Popoff
Switching to more positive terrain, Bernie outlines the tour plans for the Company. "We were out in England for three weeks. We did some German dates just before Christmas, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and we're planning to go off to South America and South Africa in the early part of the summer. We'd like to come over to you guys, but it's such a long way. There is stuff in America that has been offered, but frankly, with my experience of America and your great open spaces, it has to be cost-effective. Obviously, if it was Whitesnake, we'd be talking very different figures. But bringing a band over to North America is relatively expensive. And promoters can only pay a certain amount of money. I would love to come over because I had a great time to North America, but you kind of get older and less, shall we say, keen to jump on airplanes. And I've got a young family, so rather than trek around America like I did in the old days, I would rather be at home with my kids. So we tend to tour Europe because it's obviously close and very easy. And it's quite lucrative."
Do you have any guest slots showing up on anybody else's albums? "Well, I've just been playing with Ringo Starr, which is not what you would call metal, but he's pretty heavy in regards to being a star, isn't he?"
Are you saying you would be in his next version of All Starrs? "Ah, it's possible. He's asked me... we did a show in Monte Carlo about six weeks ago and he's asked me if I'm available for some shows later in the years, so yes I am. And he's a great guy to play with. Anybody from my generation who gets to play with one of the Beatles... the reason I'm talking with you today is because of the Beatles. People say, 'Oh you want to play that Yellow Submarine stuff?' And I always say, believe me, you can play Yellow Submarine a thousand times with other people, but you play it one time with Ringo Starr in front of you, it's like, payback time, you know?"