Tim ‘Rosso’ Ross on Mix 106.5 breakfasts, seedy Aussie pubs and comedy band Black Rose

It’s been a big year already for Tim ‘Rosso’ Ross. Back on the breakfast radio airwaves on Mix 106.5 with Claire Hooper and now pub hopping for Carlton Draught in his spare time. And did you know he has a comedy band that’s “internationally funnier” than 30 Odd Foot of Grunt? Rosso explains to EFTM…

You’re doing breakfast radio again on Mix 106.5 in Sydney. What the hell are you doing visiting 30 pubs up and down the east coast of Australia as well for Carlton Draught? You mustn’t be getting much sleep!

I’m insane! No, I love talking to people and this is a great way of doing it. I also get to play a bunch of songs with my best mate Kit which is a real bonus. Sleep, well, I’ll manage.

You’ll be taking over pubs for Carlton Draught. What do you intend to do while the keys to these pubs are yours?

Give the locals a Carlton Draught poured with my very human hands, go mad with packs of chips, rig the pool comp and get everyone fired up for a good time.

What’s the seediest pub you’ve been to in your life?

There’s not too many of them these days but before they did it up The Courthouse in North Melbourne was pretty rotten. There was always tatts, blue singlets and fights and that was just the chicks.

So far in your Publican tour, which has been the best pub?

So hard to judge. The Espy was fantastic but I also really liked the Unity in Balmain for its fantastic history.

If you owned a pub, what would you have to have in it?

I used to own a bar and I can safely say that I will never own a pub. I respect those who run them but it’s not for me.

You had to get an RSA to do the Publican tour. Is it hard?

No, not hard but I enjoyed the process. I think it’s a fantastic initiative and one that will pay dividends well into the future.

You front a comedy band, Black Rose, which will be part of the tour. Are you better than 30 Odd Foot of Grunt?

Well we are intentionally funnier and we have a better rock pedigree. I do believe we are less popular in America though.

As we mentioned, you’re back on breakfast radio. Surely it wasn’t the 4am wakeup call that got you back? What made you come back to wake up Sydney?

I was really excited about working with Claire Hooper, we have a great team and I decided that if I was going to return it had to be in a different way and I think we are starting to get there with the feel of the show.

How are you enjoying it so far with a new partner and station?

Love it. Both are brilliant.

Once you’ve wrapped up the Carlton Draught Publican tour, what else can we expect from Tim “Rosso” Ross outside of breakfast radio?

I think I’m going to write another book.

You can catch Rosso with Claire on Mix 106.5 breakfast. Check out where Rosso will be heading next on the Publican tour on the Carlton Draught Facebook page. You would want to be over 18 of course.