Ross The Boss

Ross The Boss is the stage name of Ross Friedman, a heavy metal guitarist from The Bronx, United States. Born in 1954, he is also known as Ross Funicello. He is best known as a founding member of the punk band The Dictators and the heavy metal band Manowar, and he remains active as a musician in heavy metal, metal and power metal.

Early work

Friedman joins The Dictators in 1973 as guitarist and records three albums with the band. He later spends a year in France working with Fabienne Shine’s band Shakin’ Street. While Shakin’ Street supports Black Sabbath on the Heaven and Hell tour in 1980, he meets bassist Joey DeMaio.

Manowar and later projects

Later in 1980, Friedman and DeMaio form Manowar. He records six albums with the band and leaves after Kings of Metal in 1988. His time in Manowar is widely regarded by fans as the group’s classic era, and he co-writes several of the genre’s best-known songs. He returns to perform with Manowar at the Earthshaker Festival in 2005, playing “Metal Daze” and “Dark Avenger,” and at the end of the show he joins past and present members for “Battle Hymn.”

Other bands and collaborations

After leaving Manowar, he plays with Manitoba’s Wild Kingdom, which later evolves back into The Dictators. He also works in a blues rock band called Heyday in 1994, forms The Spinatras in 1999, and joins Albert Bouchard’s Brain Surgeons in 2004. He records an instrumental album with Dictators drummer JP Thunderbolt Patterson. He appears on Fabienne Shine’s 2007 LP Epos, playing grand piano on one track, and also guests on Atlantean Kodex’s 2007 EP.

The RTB Band and live work

In 2006, after a one-night early Manowar set with Men Of War at Keep It True IV in Germany, the group becomes his own band, The RTB Band. The lineup includes members of Ivory Night and Divinus, and the band later plays festivals in Germany, Italy and Greece before starting work on original material. The RTB Band signs to AFM Records. In 2007, he tours Spain with JP Patterson and The Thunderbolts, and he also performs early Manowar material at a series of New York-area shows with local guest musicians.

Recent releases and appearances

In 2008, he makes guest appearances with Manitoba’s Wild Kingdom at the Joey Ramone Birthday Bash, with Shakin’ Street at the Sweden Rock Festival, and with The Dictators on a short run of Spanish dates. That year he releases New Metal Leader under the name Ross The Boss with his German metal band; the album reaches number 99 in the German album chart.