Des Rocs to play ABQ

Preparation is key for rock musician Danny Rocco — even if it means spending months in the planning stages.

Rocco, better known as Des Rocs, planned his latest headlining tour for four months before hitting the road.

“It’s been a bit since our last headline set,” he says. “I was starting to go stir crazy at home. What’s great is that I create something new with each tour. With that said, there’s always going to be a lot of soul and passion.”

Des Rocs will headline a show at Backstage at Revel at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 28.

Rocco is a fourth-generation New Yorker and pizza maker. Yet there was always something more, rock ’n’ roll.

Influenced by the likes of Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Roy Orbison and Queen, he knew his calling was to be on stage.

Over the years, he’s toured with Muse, Bring Me The Horizon, The Rolling Stones, The Cult and The Struts. Last year, Rocco had another breakthrough in music as he collaborated with Zayn Malik to write and produce Malik’s single “Break Free.”

During all of the milestones, Rocco never forgets the importance of writing and how it transports him to another world.

“Music has been a part of my life since I was young,” he says. “Writing helps me express what I’m feeling. There’s no exact process for me. It seems like my process in music is me trying to find my process. I wish I could write from nine-to-five. I rely on voice notes to capture my thoughts or even some music notes. Then I will sleep on it and as the sun rises again, I hear it with a different lens. Once in a while, I will get one that is so good.”

Des Rocs recently released the EP, “The Riders of Red Hook (Legends Never Die),” on March 6. “When the Love is Gone,” “The Juice,” “This Land” and the title track make up the four songs on the EP.

Rocco says with the EP out he has time to prepare for the release of the next album, which is completed.

In the meantime, he’s ready to perform in Albuquerque for the first time.

“There aren’t too many markets where I can say it’s my first time,” he says. “I’ve played a lot of cities already and am always excited to get into a new area. When I step on stage, it’s where I’m most comfortable and want to give a show that is explosive and pure rock ’n’ roll.”

Rocco says the biggest obstacle for him in music is marketing his live show in a matter of 30 seconds for videos online. He’s working hard at making sure rock music remains at the forefront of music.

“I’m on stage for 90 minutes each night and I give everything I got,” he says. “How does one short video capture the live moments in music? It doesn’t. I want to feed off the energy of the crowds. That’s important. It’s a two-way street during performances. By the end of the performance, I want to be able to be proud of the moment we all created.”