Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp featuring Sir Roger Daltrey – David Fishof

By: Lori Smerilson Carson  |  Photo: Fabrice Demessence

Life experiences that occur through hard work can lead to extraordinary outcomes. This appears to be the path that Founder/CEO David Fishof has been traveling, and his Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camps are proof of amazing results. Since their start in 1996, these camps have continued to grow stronger and have been inclusive of genders and genres. Fishof, however, does not take all the credit for the camps’ growth and success. He credits other musicians, especially Sir Roger Daltrey.

Now, Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp is thirty years old and Miami will be hosting this celebration April 23^rd through the 26th at the DoubleTree by Hilton that features Roger Daltrey, along with Simon Townshend, Steve Morse, Simon Kirke, as well as many other world-renowned musicians.

Catching up with Fishof in between his many camps, he revealed some details about this special camp that was originally slated for January, a bit about Sir Roger Daltrey, some past insight for campers to know, and what people can look forward to.

SFL Music Magazine: The January camp is now the April camp.

David Fishof: It’s interesting, really never had that before. Roger had a procedure, but he’s doing great! He’s fine. We’re all getting to an age (he laughed).

SFL Music Magazine: I saw that Steve Morse was added. Is there anything else that has changed?

Fishof: Yeah, we added Steve Morse because he ends on tour. He was trying to get back. He was showing me different flights, he was trying. He was so far away, but Steve is a guitar player and he’s amazing! Plus, you get the extra, the Dixie Dregs songs. Then on top of it, I added Simon Kirke because he recently went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, from Bad Company, so he’ll be at camp doing all the Bad Company songs. And Free.

SFL Music Magazine: A lot of the same counselors will be there?

Fishof: Yeah, same counselors.

SFL Music Magazine: Is there going to be anything different?

Fishof: Yeah. I’ve got surprises happening. It’s the thirtieth anniversary and I’ve got to do some special stuff. I think it’s going to be incredible! I’m excited about it. I really am. I’m excited because, to see all these people coming together after thirty years to celebrate and to have Roger there. I wouldn’t be doing these camps if it wasn’t for Roger Daltrey. He’s encouraged me for many years to do them. He said, “I’ll do it. I’ll help you.” And he did. It’s because of him I’m alive, so I’m excited to have him.

SFL Music Magazine: The last time we spoke you said he has done about seven camps, correct?

Fishof: Yeah.

SFL Music Magazine: We also spoke of your movie THE BRIDGE. You said you were doing this to show how much Israeli’s contribute to not just music, but things like WhatsApp and Waze.

Fishof: Yeah, I want to tell people the truth of what happened and I also want people to realize that the Israeli’s are just normal. They love rock and roll like everybody else. When Guns N’ Roses performs in Israel they do sixty thousand people. Aerosmith does sixty thousand people. It’s a huge, huge market and the economy is flourishing there, and they love rock and roll, and I don’t think people realize. Unless you live in Miami or New York or L.A. or Chicago you’ve never met Israeli before. So, that’s why I’m excited about the movie coming out.

SFL Music Magazine: The last time we spoke about your experience in the music industry for years and having worked with many world-renowned people. What would you recommend to an up-and-coming entrepreneur, or someone who is looking to promote or work in the industry like you have?

Fishof: Well, first I want to tell your readers what’s been exciting about camp. For the young people to come to camp and for everyone who’s come to camp, I’ve never promoted in thirty years, never promoted opportunities that you’ll make in the music business. But we’ve had campers, the current drummer of Eagles of Death Metal, that’s a Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp alumni. There’s so many bands out there who came to camp when they were young, and now they’re traveling and touring bands. Years ago, my parents would not have ever encouraged my brother to be a musician. It’s a different world today. Parents are flocking and spending millions of dollars to send their kids, thousands, to all these music colleges, from Berklee (College of Music) to Full Sail (University) that you have. It’s a different attitude with parents. They’re realizing kids have to do what their happiness is. You’re finding more and more musicians there, they’re super talented. We’re finding an increase of women. That’s been the biggest thing I’ve seen over thirty years how many more women are joining Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp. They love coming because well, first of all, we do women’s only camps. So, we’ve had those kinds of camps, but you’re seeing an increase since COVID. Many women have picked up the guitar. Many of them are joining bands. That’s where I see the biggest change. As far as the music industry, it’s a different world today. It’s a great world because it used to be that they only promoted these bands. They would sign these bands, and they would stick with them. Today with the outlet of Spotify and social media, you can make a living in rock and roll. You can tour your band; you can find your own following. There’s just so many more opportunities. So, the music business, there’s a lot of places to take your talents. L. A. is a great place to start because you want to be in the music business, you want to be an actress or actor, you got to go to L.A.

SFL Music Magazine: So, is that still the hot spot in the industry?

Fishof: I think so.

SFL Music Magazine: What makes L.A. stand out more than Nashville or New York?

Fishof: Oh, I apologize, Nashville. Yeah, Nashville has really turned into a rock and roll city.  Nashville is really a great place to start, so you don’t have to go too far. You got to be in it to win it. It’s hard to live in Chicago and Detroit. You’ve got to be in it to win it.  If you want to be in the entertainment business in a big way you go to Hollywood, you go to California, you go to Nashville. New York not as much. It’s just too expensive to live here. It’s not that big of a scene, and it got too expensive.

SFL Music Magazine: Why do you think the camp has become more appealing to women? Have they voiced anything at the camps?

Fishof: I think more women are picking up a guitar when they’re trying to find their way into bands. They’re picking up guitars like Nita Strauss. You have Sophie Lloyd who is with Machine Gun Kelly. I was talking with her manager this week. And Britt (Lightning). They’re advocating more women to join and they’re finding that they’re just as talented as the guys. It makes the bands fun. And the drummers. I saw a young lady, popped on my social media, twelve years old and she does Rush, and it was incredible! I give scholarships a lot to camp. I tracked her parents down and I said, “you guys got to come. I got one drum spot open. I got Stewart Copeland. Why not? Why not come to camp, have her be my guest?” And she’s coming to camp. She’s incredible! Then we had Valerie Franco. I don’t know if you saw her at that last camp. She was the drummer in Spinal Tap (II). Check her out. She’s amazing! She’s a counselor at this upcoming camp. I’m excited to see her.

SFL Music Magazine: She’s going to be a counselor at the April camp?

Fishof: Yeah.

SFL Music Magazine: Are you looking to recruit some different types of talent?

Fishof: Yeah, I’m always looking for new talent. For the counselors are the big names, you’ve got to give them the big names. This camp with Roger Daltrey will be epic. Thirty years. Probably will be his last performance. Although, if it was up to these artists, they would perform on that stage until the day they die because they need the stage as much as we need water. I’ll never forget, one artist said to me “I’m jealous of Joan Rivers.” I said, how come? He said, “because she got to do a show, and she died the next morning”. They need the stage, but for me this is exciting. Thirty years. As you know me, it’s not the job. This is fun. I feel much like musicians. You get paid to travel, but you would do the work for free. I think for me what’s exciting is just to see these people’s faces and how happy they are, and then to see that they’ve taken this experience and they’ve gone on to write songs, and they’ve gone on to join bands, and they’ve gone on to do charity work around music. If you can change someone’s life through music there’s nothing better.

SFL Music Magazine: Is there anything new or different that Britt, who runs the camps, is doing?

Fishof: No. You know, she loves putting the bands together. I think she does an amazing job! If you’re a beginner, there’s a band for you. If you’re experienced, there’s a band for you. She’s terrific! She makes it fun for me to do rock camp. When you wake up every morning and you call her up, we get on the Zoom I say, Britt. I had this idea last night. So, I’m a hard guy to work for because I come up with new ideas every minute. As a joke I said, I came up with this concept. Let’s do a Polish Poka Fantasy Camp? She goes, “yeah, really?” She’s great! She’s great to work for. I work for her really. She knows the music better than me.

SFL Music Magazine: Was there anything else you want to add about the upcoming camp?

Fishof: I want everyone to come. I have spots open because some people had to move their dates and they weren’t available for the date. I think this is the one you don’t want to miss. You don’t want to miss Roger Daltrey. This is once in a lifetime. Once in a lifetime! This is an experience to be with your artists that you love and want to play with. The key is Roger Daltrey, period!

SFL Music Magazine: I’ve heard and you have said that he’s a wonderful person.

Fishof: Hey, 911 happened. The first guy to call me out of New York City was Roger Daltrey, “how’s you family?”  Yeah, he’s a mensch. He’s really incredible! And you know what? His love is doing that teen cancer. That’s all he wants to do is his charity. Loves that charity.

SFL Music Magazine: I heard that as well (Teenage Cancer Trust in the U.K.). How did that come about?

Fishof: He fell in love with that charity because he realized that young babies were getting cancer treatments in wards and old people were getting their cancer treatments, but there was nowhere for teens to go that had cancer. So, he did a fundraiser for one in England where a kid could get up and go for treatments and could look up and watch MTV and see a poster because they’ve had a study that the environment to do the treatments will make them feel better. So, he came up with it. He joined his doctor. His whole life is about doing it and he’s opened about thirty places in America (Teen Cancer America). Rock Camp sponsored one of them. We opened one place at Yale (New Haven Children’s Hospital) for him. We raised the money but no, it’s unbelievable what he does for charity. It’s unbelievable. He visits cancer wards. He’s Sir Roger for a reason. He’s a mensch. It’s all about charity for him. He wears pairs of jeans. He doesn’t know about money, just what can I do about the world?