A Roseville Rocker, Rik Schwinden Stepping Back on to The Music Stage

Roseville retailer Rik Schwinden will take his love of rock n' roll and step back onto the music stage tonight (Friday) as part of a headliner group for the first time in more than 20 years. 
Schwinden, owner of Mr. Zero's  music/pop culture store, will be performing with a band called  MrZERo (closely named after his shop) at the Red Sea Lounge, 320 Cedar Ave. S. in Minneapolis' West Bank district.  
The group will play a number of songs from such groups as KISS, Cheap Trick, Night Ranger and Twisted Sister. 
Schwinden's group is scheduled to perform at midnight to close out a show that includes the Twin Cities band Jesus Chrysler, which recently released their fourth CD. 
"It's a comeback," admitted Schwinden,  who sings and plays bass guitar. "I stopped playing (after 1993) because it is very hard to find two, three or four other guys who want to do what you do and without their egos getting in the way."

Schwinden played and toured in in several rock bands in the 1980s and early 1990s and toured with the band High Fever in 1982-83 in the Midwest. But he gave up rock work about 20 years agi, saying "It's hard to get along with musicians."
 
But over the last couple of years, Schwinden was slowly brought back into the rock fold.  The three other members of his new group- drummer Dave Columbus, keyboardist Mitch Anderson and guitar player Zach Plese_ met Schwinden at his shop.
Once they knew that Schwinden had been a rock musician, Columbus and the others began encouraging him to play again.
 
Schwinden said he reluctantly to jam but was surprised at what happened when he did.  "I found three other guys that I liked and respected  and got along with."
he said. "The more I put into it (the music), the more I was getting out of it,"

Originally from Sioux City, Schwnden was asked how he feels about returning to the stage?  "I am more nervous than excited," he said.
 
A native of Sioux City, Iowa, Schwinden has had his shop for about four years. It is located at 1744 Lexington Ave., selling eclectic pop culture merchandise, including vintage LPs and 45 single records, video games, posters and board games. 

I

T3. At 1st I was the Lead Vocalist and Guitar Player, but when we realized Mitch & Zach were levels ahead of me, I agreed to go back to playing Bass which I played in 2 or 3 different bands in the mid to late 80s. 

We're currently performing covers: KISS, Black Sabbath, RATT, Twisted  Sister, Van Halen, Cheap Trick, Night Ranger, David Bowie & Three Doors Down.