Roy Cathey Of The Fifth: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview

Feature Photo Credit Joe Schaeffer

Roy Cathey of The Fifth

Interview by Andrew Daly

With the spirit of rock coursing through him, Roy Cathey is guiding Fayetteville’s finest, The Fifth, to horizons unknown.

Sure, The Fifth has run through a ton of members over the years, but don’t let that put you off. The band’s current lineup, which features Roy Cathey (vox), Justin Womble (guitars), Jake Tripp (bass), and Gary “Zeus” Smith (drums), is as strong as ever, as evidenced by their latest EP, The Fifth (2021).

In an age where hard rock is said to be “dead,” Cathey and his cohorts are proving otherwise. Indeed, the band’s blistering sound and shockwave persona are just two of the things that make The Fifth a worthy and welcomed throwback.

But old tropes aside, it’s Cathey and his enduring spirit that has not only held The Fifth together since 2001 but will continue to rudder the ship forward and beyond. And so, while there’s no new music afoot just yet, now is the perfect time to dig on the band’s back catalog, catch them live, and, oh yeah—catch the vibe.

During a break from the action, Roy Cathey dialed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to dig into the formation and lifecycle of the band that bears his blood, sweat, and tears, The Fifth.

Tell me about The Fifth’s most recent EP, The Fifth. How did this one come together?

This one came about very organically. We made a conscious decision to lean more on our roots, and therefore the songwriting process was very natural. Guitarist Justin Womble brought some great riffs to the table, and it was easy to put the songs together from there.

This is the band’s first release in a long while, right? Why the long gap between recordings?

Quite simply, life. One divorce, a couple of broken promises from record labels, a few member changes, and a worldwide pandemic definitely put a damper on things. The band has been active this entire time, but getting the correct chemistry together to write these songs was crucial. This lineup is stellar.

The Fifth recently signed on with Ron Keel’s RFK Media. Why RFK?

I’ve known Ron [Keel] for many years and have long respected him as an artist. We, of course, have a mutual guitarist in Mark Ferrari, so we have been friends through the years. When we reconnected on the 2020 Monsters of Rock Cruise, he and his team put me and The Fifth on their radar. They obviously liked what they saw and heard and felt like we were the perfect fit for the label. We were very honored and feel very privileged to be the first band signed to RFK Media.

Feature Photo:Credit Steve Jackle

Going back now, as a burgeoning musician, what first geared you toward rock music?

I would say just the pure raw emotion that rock music brings out in myself and the fans. Rock music is like time capsules. They can take you back to very special times in your life. They can take you back to some happy times, or they can take you back to very sad times, and that is part of its journey.

What were some of your early gigs where you first cut your teeth?

As a kid, I played the usual backyard parties but quickly moved into the club scene in my area. Some of the first club gigs that I played were when I was only 15 years old. The first real club that we ever played at was called the Blue Marble Lounge. It was in a really shady part of town and only had about four or five drunks at the bar, but we brought in our friends and had a blast.

How did The Fifth form? What do you recall regarding the band’s first gig?

The initial formation of the band came when I moved back to North Carolina after living in Atlanta for many years. When I moved back to my hometown, there were absolutely no rock bands or rock shows being put on. I was working at a local nightclub and convinced the owner to let us do our first show in the dance club on a Wednesday night. Our first show drew 450 people, and the rest is history.

Over the years, there have been a great many lineup changes for The Fifth. What makes the current lineup the best the band has ever had, and what do you feel will keep things locked in place for the foreseeable future?

With all bands, it’s all about the chemistry, and unfortunately, after some time, not everyone is able to stay on the same page. With this current lineup, there is so much mutual respect and desire to write great melodic hard rock songs that it is easy to keep this ship sailing in the right direction. The Egos and the Partiers have been left behind, and we now have just great musicians and people.

What other passions do you have? How do those passions affect your music, if at all?

My number one passion, hands-down, is my two children, Tara, and Dylan. I have enjoyed playing a very large role in their life and watching them develop into creative and amazing young adults. They both are involved with music and are the coolest people I know.

With the new EP slated for release, what next for yourself and The Fifth in all lanes?

Right now, I am completely focused on writing new material for the new record for The Fifth. We are planning on working with a lot of different producers and co-writers on this upcoming release, so that makes the upcoming project very exciting.

Photo Courtesy of Roy Cathey

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