Rock And Blues International - May 2024

May 2024

Hello Rock And Blues International readers. I hope everybody had a great April.

Rock And Blues is happy to announce that we have now entered the era of Podcasts. We would really like you to check out our new Podcast Channel - Rock And Blues International - The Podcast. If you like the interviews we feature in our publication, then you will love our Podcast Channel as we feature those interviews in their entirety there. On our Podcast Channel you can actually hear those interviews as they were originally done. This month our newest podcast features JJ Gray. Our special guests so far are the Sue Foley, JJ Grey,Tinsley Ellis, Biff Byford, Chris O’Leary, Paul Reed Smith, Honey Island Swamp Band, Paul Reed Smith, Bob Margolin, Don Dokken, Foghat (Scott Holt), Puddle Of Mudd (Wes Scantlin), The Blackburn Brothers, Coco Montoya, Barry Kerch from Shinedown, Jerry Shirley from Humble Pie, Jim Stapley from Humble Pie Legacy, Kissing Judas, Nick Moss, Devon Allman, Stevie D. from Buckcherry, Chris Henderson from 3 Doors Down, Garnet Grimm from Savoy Brown, Phil Lewis from L.A. Guns, Graham Russell from Air Supply, Robert Jon from Robert Jon and The Wreck, Selwyn Burchwood, J.W. Jones, Chris Henderson from 3 Doors Down, and Warren Haynes from Gov’t Mule. You can check it out on all the major podcast channels as well as at our website at http// www.rockandbluesinternational.com. We hope you enjoy them.

And now on to the May issue of Rock And Blues International. On the cover of this issue you can see Rick Estrin And The Night Cats. Rick and the guys have a new album titled “The Hits Keep Coming”. In this issue Rick tells us all about The Band’s new album. I can hardly wait for you to hear the podcast later this month. It was a fantastic interview He really gives us a lot of great insight into this new gem of an album. We’ve also got a great story by Edoardo Fassio about the Anno Domini Gospel Choir and their celebration and re-release of their seminal album, “I Believe In You”. Be sure to check that one out too, it’s very interesting. We also have a fantastic interview with the legendary Mitch Ryder. Mitch reveals all about his new album, “The Roof Is On Fire.” There are also stories on Janiva Magness, Cedric Burnside, Vampire Weekend, Dave Matthews Band, Billie Eilish, Black Country Communion, Collective Soul, Drowning Pool, and more! As you can see, there are a lot of varied genres of music here for you to check out, or as we like to say, there’s a little of something for everyone here. We have even included the current installment of the novella, “The Biker”. Read it and than email us back with your thoughts on this. So far our readers seem to really like this Blues loving Biker.

I sincerely hope that everybody reading this publication finds something here that they like and I would like to encourage you to let your friends and colleagues know about us. Just look for us every month at http://www.rockandbluesinternational.com. I would also like to encourage you to email us for a free subscription to Rock And Blues International as well. Just email us at rockandbluesinternational@gmail.com and in the subject line simply put “Sign Me Up” and we’ll email you a link to the magazine each month when it is published.

Kevin Wildman

Kevin Wildman Editor and Publisher

Rock And Blues International Rock And Blues International

Kevin Wildman Editor and Publisher

Web Address Http://www.rockandbluesinternational.com

Mailing Address Box 1162, League City, TX 77573

Phone 281-650-1953 For Advertising email us at rockandbluesinternational@gmail.com or call 281-650-1953

A Free

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Rick Estrin And The Night Cats

Rick Estrin Talks About Their New Album “The Hits Keep Coming”

Page 18

Anno Domini Gospel Choir

Edoardo Fassio talks about the Anno Domini Gospel Choir and their thirty-year anniversary album I Believe in You. The thirty-year anniversary album - I Believe in You - draws its title from the first composition by founder and conductor Aurelio.Pitino.

Page 22

Mitch Ryder

Mitch Ryder Talks About His New “Live” Album The Roof Is On Fire

Page 38

Cedric Burnside

Cedric Burnside Releases “Hill Country Love,” a Testament to His Roots and Growth as an Artist

- THE BIKER

Photo Credit: Maryanne Bilham

Rick Estrin And The Night Cats

Rick Estrin Talks About Their New Album “The Hits Keep Coming”

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By Kevin Wildman

Rick Estrin & The Nightcats, the award-winning modern blues band, are set to release their highly anticipated new album, “The Hits Keep Coming,” on Friday, May 10, 2024, through Alligator Records. The album, which is the band’s sixth release, showcases their phenomenal musicianship and Rick Estrin’s witty, streetwise lyrics.

Produced by multi-instrumentalist and musical mastermind Christoffer “Kid” Andersen at his renowned Greaseland USA studio in San Jose, California, “The Hits Keep Coming” captures the band’s undeniable chemistry and energy. The album features twelve groove-heavy, hardhitting songs, including ten originals written or co-written by Estrin and two surprising covers (one obscurity from Muddy Waters and one from Leonard Cohen that Estrin would have liked to have written).

Frontman Rick Estrin, a harmonica virtuoso and songwriter, is joined by the incredibly talented Nightcats: Andersen on guitar, Lorenzo Farrell on keyboards and bass, and Derrick “D’Mar” Martin on drums. Together, they have created an album that Estrin calls “the best music we’ve ever made together.”

The Nightcats have been impressing audiences since Estrin joined forces with Kid Andersen in 2008, following the retirement of previous guitarist Little Charlie Baty. Since then, they have released five critically acclaimed albums on Alligator Records, each one showcasing their evolving sound and fearless approach to the blues.

From the foot-stomping opener “Somewhere Else” to the stark reality of the title track (featuring backing vocals by The Sons Of The Soul Revivers) and the musically infectious, lyrically harrowing “The Circus Is Still In Town,” “The Hits Keep Coming” is a lyrical and musical tour-de-force that highlights the band’s incredible talent and versatility.

Known for their high-energy live performances, Rick Estrin & The Nightcats have a reputation for delivering memorable

shows featuring Estrin’s signature vocals and stage presence, Andersen’s jawdropping guitar work, Farrell’s masterful keyboard and bass playing, and D’Mar’s acrobatic drumming. They have performed at festivals and concert stages across the United States and have toured internationally in the United Kingdom, Norway, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Poland, Australia, Israel, Estonia, and Russia.

With a career spanning over five decades and multiple Blues Music Awards under their belt, including Band Of The Year (twice), Song Of The Year, Traditional Male Blues Artist, and Instrumentalist—Harmonica for Estrin, Rick Estrin & The Nightcats continue to prove why they are one of the most celebrated and innovative bands in the blues world today.

We had the opportunity to sit down with Rick Estrin for an in-depth interview, where he candidly discussed the band’s new album, “The Hits Keep Coming,” their creative process, and the evolution of their music over the years. Here is our exclusive interview with Rick Estrin.

Rock And Blues International: Hello.

Rick Estrin: Hello, Kevin. It’s Rick Estrin. I think I just picked it up too late.

Rock And Blues International: Okay, that’s all right. How you doing today?

Rick Estrin: I’m okay. Yeah, I’m fine.

Rock And Blues International: You sure?

Rick Estrin: Just had a kind of ass kicker of a little run here, four nights.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah.

Rick Estrin: Been drivin’ to different places. It’s different when you’re actually on the road, but when I’m in Northern California, I ended up having to drive myself everywhere. Yeah, When we’re out on the road all together. I don’t have to drive as much.

Rock And Blues International: Oh, all right. Well, I love the album. I’ve been listening to it. It sounds good. I’ll bet you were really ready for that thing to come out.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, it’s been done for quite a while, you gotta get in line. I guess they don’t release as many as they used to.

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Rock And Blues International: Yeah, it’s the anticipation that gets to you. You’ve got this thing recorded. It’s ready to go. You’ve been sitting on it for God knows how long and the label takes its time to get it out.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, well they know what they’re doing too. I mean, it’s just they got other artists that they’ve got to look out for too so I understand, but it will be out. That’ll hopefully keep us working for a little while longer.

Rock And Blues International: Right, right.

Rick Estrin: Then I’ll have to think of some more stuff.

Rock And Blues International: Well, a guy like you probably has about 50 songs ready to go.

Rick Estrin: No, I don’t.

Rock And Blues International: No.

Rick Estrin: No. When I need them, then I start racking my brain. I think I’m lazy. I think I got into this because I

thought it’d be a slick way to avoid labor, but it didn’t work out that way.

Rock And Blues International: Oh, I thought all the musicians got into it to pick up women. When I was a kid, that’s why we did it.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, it was that too. But yeah, but I did think that it would be a good reason not to have to have a job. And then turned out to be a way to where you had to have a girlfriend that had a job. As it turned out, I ended up able to make a living out of it. And you know, I had to do the work too.

Rock And Blues International: When I was a kid, all the all the guys in heavy metal bands had girlfriends that were strippers, because that’s the only way they could survive. They were making no money playing heavy metal.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, I think that genre of music, and a lot of rock and pop, kind of music. There’s a very few people at the very top that make all the money. And the people that play clubs and stuff make almost nothing.

Rock And Blues International: It’s still that same way. I know lots of musicians that play clubs and it’s terrible. Especially if you don’t have product to sell.

Rick Estrin: You know, in the more or less Blues or Roots kind of scene, it’s a little kind of a insular world where if you can, if you can draw, you can make a living playing clubs and festivals.

Rock And Blues International: Right.

Rick Estrin: So it’s really lucky because, I actually know a guy that was in the game, that was really popular for about six months. You know, they had a hit album and they were on top of the world. And that was it.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, six months, and then it was over.

Rick Estrin: Whereas in this genre I’ve been, I’ve been making a living doing this a long ass time now.

Rock And Blues International: Well, you’ve been doing this a long time. I mean, Little Charlie and the Night Cats and everything else you’re involved in. Yeah, you’re one of the veterans.

Rick Estrin: For sure. I’m enjoying it more than ever. So it’s, it’s a pretty good deal.

Rock And Blues International: Well, I’ll tell you, they say that if you like what you’re doing, you’ll never work a day in your life. Is that true?

Rick Estrin: Well, it depends, there’s different aspects of doing this. Dragging my ass all over the world can sometimes feel like work, you know. But also we try to make that as painless as we can too. We try to make that as pleasant as it can be. We stick with one airline program, and that gives us... we get status with the one airline, so we can go into lounges and do stuff like that, where so it’s not quite as brutal as it used to be.

Rock And Blues International: Right.

Rick Estrin: And get upgrades and stuff like that, a lot of times, so. But, no, it’s still it’s, it’s, it’s a lot of work. And especially like, what we did this last week, we’re playing a different place every night and I had to drive and move heavy objects and stuff like that.

Rock And Blues International: Are you still doing a lot of touring.

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Rick Estrin: We still tour, we don’t tour as much like post pandemic, it’s kind of a different business model, because... I used to be able to just, like drive out to somewhere and start and connect the dots and play clubs four or five nights a week and then play a festival or two on the weekend. And now, after the pandemic, a lot of clubs closed, and a lot of clubs, maybe changed their business model a little bit or whatever. And so it’s not really feasible to do that so much anymore. So now it’s a little easier, although it’s spotty, or an actually, we make about the same money doing it this way. So it’s kind of cool. I didn’t think that would be the case. But we’ll just, for example we’re flying out to the East Coast. We play in the northeast, we have a friend out there that where we keep some alternate equipment, and we’ll rent a vehicle. And then we can play some better clothes. We’ll play like the Iridium in New York City and The Bull Run in Massachusetts and some are some pretty cool clubs. And then from there, we’re flying to Switzerland. So that’s the shorter flight than it would be from the West Coast. We have a couple of festivals in Switzerland, and then we’ll fly home, so it’s not as much of an ass kicker as it used to be.

Rock And Blues International: Right, right. Well, when you play in Europe, you take your harps, Kid takes his his guitars and everything else is backline. Right?

Rick Estrin: Yeah, D’ Mar, He doesn’t even take symbols. You know, he just takes his sticks and stuff like that.

Rock And Blues International: And his favorite snare?

Rick Estrin: I don’t think he even take the snare anymore. And yeah, so it’s cool. Lorenzo takes... He has a special keyboard that he likes for the bass and it’s not that big, but it fits in the overhead.

Rock And Blues International: Okay, Fender used to make a bass keyboard.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, I’m not sure what this one is, but he can really get a good bass sound out of it.

Rock And Blues International: Well,

I’ve got to ask you something about your harps before we get started on the album.

Rick Estrin: Okay.

Rock And Blues International: I’m looking through the notes on here and it says diatonic harmonica’s customized by Joe Folisko. I’m familiar with people customizing their guitars, how do you customize a harmonica?

Rick Estrin: Well, there’s different ways to do it. I mean, for me, all he does is make them more reliable. He optimizes the gapping, like the clearance for the reed through the slot. And the distance the reed is from the reed plate, stuff like real minute little things, but it can make a difference because a harmonica reed can stick pretty easily. And so he does that. And then he’ll also tune them or replace a reed. So what happened was, long time ago, when I first started playing harmonicas, most of them were pretty good. They were were all mostly pretty good. It was rare that you ever had a problem one. Then in the 80s and 90s. I don’t know if the tooling got worn out or something and they didn’t maintain it right, and they got pretty shitty man. So people started figuring out how to work and tweek those so they’ve worked better and Joe Filisko was really the first guy I know of and still the best guy at doing that. You know, he’s pretty legendary and really he was so good at doing it and so kind of revered among harmonica players and stuff that it made made the harmonica companies take note and have to improve their tooling and stuff. It took a while so now the companies really makes pretty good instruments. They make pretty excellent instruments again, but I got so spoiled. I still use them just straight out of the box but like I said they had to make them a lot better.

Rock And Blues International: Right Well, let’s talk about the new album. I’ll tell you, you don’t waste any time. The first song comes on and you’re hitting the ground 90 miles an hour with that song there.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, I just thought that the way it starts, that was actually the first thing I thought of for that song.

Rock And Blues International: Well, like I said, you don’t waste any time, that thing’s just moving.

Rick Estrin: Yeah.

Rock And Blues International: Well tell me about it. What is “Somewhere Else”? Okay. Tell me about what the meaning of that song.

Rick Estrin: “Somewhere Else”.

Rock And Blues International: “Somewhere Else”, yeah.

Rick Estrin: It’s a guy just telling this lady, I guess she wants to move on and he’s just telling her ‘Hey, you know, I wish you all the best. And I hope everything works out great for you “Somewhere Else”.

Rock And Blues International: All right. And the next one “The Hits Keep Coming”. Well, surely that’s about your music. I mean, they sound like surefire hits.

Rick Estrin: It’s not, it’s actually not. That’s kind of a.... it’s just about the state of society which are you. Generally man, I don’t even attempt to write any songs like that because it’s such a big subject and it’s so easy to be corny or preachy, but I think I

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did a good job. Look at the lyrics on this one because I kept it kind of nebulous. I mean, it’s about being alarmed and being dissatisfied and being afraid. But it’s doesn’t get specific.

Rock And Blues International: So the hits are really about knocks in life.

Rick Estrin: Exactly. So that’s when I wrote... that was the first time I started up for this record, because I started during the pandemic. And then says, “The hits keep coming. And there’s just one more messed up year. And I keep hoping for the future. But it don’t look too doggone good from here.”

Rock And Blues International: I’ll tell you that pandemic.... It created a lot of music out there. It had a lot of inspiration. Good and bad.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, well, inspiration ain’t bad.

Rock And Blues International: It was the subjects.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, it was not... I mean, I got used to it. And I got used to staying home. And that’s the only song I really wrote during the whole time, and I didn’t even finish it during that. Because I was thinking, Oh, shit, I’ll probably never make a record again. We’ll probably never go on tour again. Can’t do a gig with a

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, yeah, I know, it affected me quite a bit. I’ve been... I have spent my life in clubs ever since I was, well, ever since I was like 18. And then all of a sudden, I wasn’t. You know, you spend almost 60 years going to clubs, and this becomes a bit of a bad thing.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, well, it was different. You know, I got used to it. And also, during the pandemic, Kid Anderson just was able to figure out how to do these streaming shows and he was so good at it and so much better than anyone else I saw during that time. People started doing that, just trying to do PayPal or Venmo or something and do concerts from their house and stuff and Kid was able to do it where the whole band could be in different places and he could sync it up and he had visual enhancements and all kinds of stuff man, so that was it. We had time on edge. I mean, we were between those online performances and a couple other things. I got some pretty good mailbox money for some reason during that time and it just wasn’t that bad. Once I accepted it, you know.

Rock And Blues International: I don’t think I accepted it. No, it really got to me really bad.

Rick Estrin: A lot of people it did

you know, and at first it was freaky and scary. But after a while. I started just going for really long walks every day and doing some exercise and sitting at home just to try to keep myself in shape or so I’d feel better and also, just in case we ever went back to work.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, It looks like something that was going to be almost permanent for a while.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, we didn’t know did we.

Rock And Blues International: No, not at all and listening to the government just made it even more depressing.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, yeah. But they didn’t know. They didn’t know what and different factions of the government were in on different, you know, had different takes on it and different priorities and yeah, shit’s a mess. That’s what the song’s about you know.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, I really felt like the the lyrics were... I was kind of proud of myself, that I was able to write something that regardless of who you are, you could probably identify with it. It was still powerful.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah.

Rick Estrin: I think, you tell me.

Rock And Blues International: I think it’s good.

Rick Estrin: It says “the hits keep coming. And it’s just one more messed up year. And I keep hoping for the future. But it doesn’t look too doggone good from here. It just seems like this mean old world keeps getting meaner. I feel the end is drawing near. Seems like the whole round world is crying mercy. Looks like mercy just don’t care.”

Rock And Blues International: That’s pretty deep.

Rick Estrin: It says “I’m trying to sleep with one eye open. I’m living in my running shoes. I feel the enemy just trying to creep on me and he looks just like me and you. And the hits keep coming.” And then it says, “if you never see me no more, you never hear my voice again. Just know the sad old world was heavy on my heart when I said my last amen. And the hits keep coming.”

Rock And Blues International: Yes,

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mask on.

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that’s some pretty heavy lyrics right there.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, I thought so, because I’m known for more lighthearted or humorous lyrics and stuff. So I thought I did a pretty good job.

Rock And Blues International: You did really good on the lyrics on this album. There’s a lot of great moments here. I like the next one too “The monkeys off my back, but the circus is still in town.

Rick Estrin: And that’s another one there . I just like the way it sounds. It’s a cool groove and it’s kind of happy sounding, but if you think about, but if you pay attention to what it’s saying. It’s about drug addiction.

Rock And Blues International: Well, yeah, the monkey, that was heroin addiction years ago.

Rick Estrin: Yep.

Rock And Blues International: Did you have a person that was going through that? What exactly inspired that one?

Rick Estrin: You mean, at the time of writing it?

Rock And Blues International: Yeah.

Rick Estrin: No, it was a co-write with a friend of mine and we both went through that decades ago, you know. So that was a cool thing. It’s a good message.

Rock And Blues International: Right.

Rick Estrin: Somebody you know, but yeah, we both... both of us were pretty fun loving guys back in the day.

Rock And Blues International: Back when you were a lot younger, when we were all younger. We were... we were invincible.

Rick Estrin: Yeah. Yeah, I still kind of think I’m immortal but I don’t act like it anymore.

Rock And Blues International: You probably are. You probably will never know if you weren’t.

Rick Estrin: That’d be great. That’s ideal man. I just keep thinking you’re immortal and just all of a sudden, bang. You never know what hit you.

Rock And Blues International: Well, when it happens you’ll never know.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, yeah.

Rock And Blues International: And another song I like is “Everybody Knows”. You did Leonard Cohen on here. “Everybody knows that the dice are loaded. Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed. Everybody knows the war’s over. Everybody knows that good guys lost”. I mean, this is a really, how can I put it, a pessimistic kind of song.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, but if it ain’t any more pessimistic than “The Hits Keep Coming”. What happened was, okay, this will be a little glimpse into how shallow I really am. So some guy came to see us a couple of years ago or maybe longer, maybe four years ago or something and he told me that he heard this particular song was an old song of mine called, “Don’t Do It”. And he said he heard that on XM Radio on a show called ‘Tom Petty’s Buried Treasures’. And so I thought well, I have XM in my car. Maybe I’ll check Tom Petty out, because obviously he must be pretty cool if he digs me. So I started listening to him and I was like, man, no wonder this guy’s a big rock star. He really is a great writer man. And so I was listening to his station in the car, and he usually just plays songs by him. But then he has this other show, which was where the guy had heard me, was on “Petty’s Buried Treasures’. It’s like an hour long show and they do it once a week or something. But that song came on by Leonard Cohen. And prior to that, I can remember Leonard Cohen, because I

listened to more. I listened to more blues, I listened to a lot of different kinds of music, but not so much pop music. So the only thing I knew by Leonard Cohen was a song that he had a hit of decades ago. “Suzanne takes you down to a place by the river” and stuff like that one. Yeah, so I thought Man, what a corny pile of shit that is, you know. So It’s sold millions of records. So, like, way more than that, but this is just, like I said, I’m telling on myself, you know. This is the kind of stuff I think. But that song “Everybody Knows” came on Tom Petty’s Buried Treasures. And I was listening to the lyrics and I thought, Man, I wish I’d thought of that. That’s, I just thought, wow, that is great. And then, of course I was able to.... which I’m not adverse to doing this, hey, f@#k me I’m full of shit. I didn’t, you know, I made a judgment about this guy. And it was completely off base. But, you know, I was digging the lyrics on that so much and I was on my way to Greaseland too, which is Kid’s studio. So I was on my way to Greaseland. We were recording this album and I told him I had heard this Leonard Cohen song and, well he knew it because he’s more up on radio from the last 25 years or something. And he knew the song and he was saying, you got to cut it. Well, because the way the record by Leonard Cohen was I couldn’t... I just couldn’t see me doing it. But he could envision it. He just had a way to arrange it and so that was a whole different approach to it. And anyway, he taught me how to do it. It took him a couple days to talk me into doing it but I thought it was nothing that I ever imagined I’d be doing but I think it sounds pretty cool.

Rock And Blues International: It does. It does. You know I’m listening to

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this all the way through and I’m starting to hear a theme through here on the album. “The Hits Keep Coming”, “The Circus Is Still In Town”, “Everybody Knows”, “I Finally Hit The Bottom”.

Rick Estrin: That’s a positive song. That was positive man, because as I say right now, “I’m on my way back up”. But yeah, um, negativity comes a lot more naturally to me than cheerful stuff.

Rock And Blues International: Has it always been like that or just the last several years?

Rick Estrin: I think it’s always pretty much always been like that.

Rock And Blues International: Really?

Rick Estrin: Yeah, I’m not good at writing... I’ve got a few good positive songs, you know, but most of them there might feel good, but I think I’m naturally negative. I don’t think my disposition is naturally negative or not. You know, it hasn’t been for a long time.

Rock And Blues International: Well, that’s one thing that people have in common, negativity. I mean, you get a

group of people together and really, they like to sit there and talk about the things that bother them.

Rick Estrin: Yeah.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah. They don’t go on and on as much about things they really like. It’s more like God, did you hear what just happened? Or you know what happened to me? Or you hear what happened to Bob?

Rick Estrin: Yeah. And it’s funny too that when that you say that, I hadn’t thought of that, really. But, yeah, I don’t even like... I don’t want to hear that type of stuff. I don’t like being around people talking like that. But for some reason, that’s a lot of stuff I write is like that.

Rock And Blues International: Well you “Finally Hit The Bottom”, tell me a little bit more. Did you really hit the bottom?

Rick Estrin: Well, I have in my life, but that was just a song.

Rock And Blues International: No,it’s just a song. I know.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, that was just a

song. It wasn’t someplace I was, but when I’m writing, if I’m writing about something like that, I can put myself back in that situation, or kind of access the mood that comes from that, that maybe was where I was in the past and I can access that mood, put myself there in order to... and sometimes it’s not that pleasant but I want to you know, but I need to do it in order to try to elicit some genuine ideas on that, that are on that subject. So I’ll do that. I’ll do anything man to get songs when I need them.

Rock And Blues International: But like I said, I’m hearing a theme and this album here. It’s just carrying through the whole thing. You know, then you get to Muddy Waters. “She got to take sick and die one of these days. She got to take” I mean, “when she’s dead I’m gonna bury her very deep, I’m going to bury rubies and diamonds round her feet.”

Rick Estrin: Yep.

Rock And Blues International: Why did you pick that? I’m serious? I mean, you’re going from song to song and now we got someone that’s dead.

Rick Estrin: I just always liked the song. And it’s not one... it’s not a common... you know, if you’re going to cover Muddy Waters you don’t want to do “I Got My Mojo Working”.

Rock And Blues International: Well, that’s better than death already.

Rick Estrin: Yeah.

Rock And Blues International: People are not familiar with “Diamonds At Your Feet”. That’s a rather obscure song to cover.

Rick Estrin: Yeah. But it’s also I like it because it’s, and maybe that’s why I like blues. it’s true. You know, “if it was me and all the power was in my hands. She wouldn’t have to go down to the promised land”. I just like what he’s saying.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, I don’t know. It sounds almost like he’s in a big hurry for her to die. I mean, he keeps going, “Oh, she got to take sick and die one of these days”.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, no, I didn’t. I never got that out of that song. I always thought he was just acknowledging the truth.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, I can see that too.

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Rick Estrin: He’s saying he wished she wouldn’t die.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah.

Rick Estrin: You know, if it was me and all the power that was in my hands, she wouldn’t have to go.

Rock And Blues International: Right.

Rick Estrin: So, but you also got to think of, it’s got a little different chord changes than a regular blues. And it’s kind of a little bit jazzy the way we approached it. And it was a, I did a different approach on a chromatic harmonica, which was a little, you know, was just a little different the way Kid solos on it, Lorenzo solos on it. So it was partially just a vehicle for soloing over those chord changes, because it’s not regular blues chord changes,

Rock And Blues International: Right.

Rick Estrin: That was partially that too. But, but if I didn’t like the Lyric, I couldn’t have done it.

Rock And Blues International: Well, you got to sing it. If you don’t like the lyrics in, it’s not going to come out for you.

Rick Estrin: Yeah. Because I’m a storyteller. If I had a beautiful voice, it might not matter what I’m saying? But, like Ella Fitzgerald, a tisket, a tasket, you know, Golf Hound Classic, but she’s Ella Fitzgerald.

Rock And Blues International: You don’t think you have a beautiful voice?

Rick Estrin: No.

Rock And Blues International: Oh, come on. Some of these jazz songs just sound really, really, really good. Really smooth.

Rick Estrin: I have a distinctive voice. And I think I can communicate. When I was younger, I had more of a what is normally thought of as a pretty good voice, but I think I think in a certain way, I’m an effective singer.

Rock And Blues International: Right. Yeah. All right. Well, next up “911.”

Rick Estrin: Yeah, that was just a fun one.

Rock And Blues International: It sounded like you were having fun with that.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, that was just a fun one, too. I used to have a girlfriend that used to say that she’s not 911. But she would, you know, jokingly, she would say, Oh, shit, call the police. You know? So, so yeah, I just thought I just liked the way she used to say that. And so yeah, I just tried to envision a scenario that I could put that with. “Call 911, that woman is trying to kill me with all that good lovin’ she got it, I guess I’m too damn old. That woman’s too hot.”

Rock And Blues International: Old is just a state of mind.

Rick Estrin: Partially but Oh, no. And then “I’d also like to call an ambulance. Call an ambulance. Last chance, too late, you’d better call a priest.”

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, that’s good. Well, then we get to, “I ain’t worried about nothing. And ain’t nobody worried about me”. Yeah, I mean, You’ve got a theme going through here.

Rick Estrin:Yeah, well, I always like those kinds of songs where it’s like the guy’s frontin’ and like he’s keeping a stiff upper lip and he’s not. “Just don’t bother me but you really know it does. You know? Like Willie Nelson was great at that shit, like “Funny How Time Slips Away” and stuff like that. You know, it’s like the false bravado kind of songs. I like that.

Rock And Blues International: There’s a lot of good good stuff in this song. I liked the part, “You can blow your

horn at four in the morning because the wife and kids are long gone.”

Rick Estrin: I like “Nobody mind if I never shaved. I eat like a king straight out the microwave.”

Rock And Blues International: Now we’re at “Learn To Lose.”

Rick Estrin: That one. I guess maybe that could be taken as negative too. But to me it wasn’t negative. It’s something that a lot of people need to learn.

Rock And Blues International: “You just gotta get used to life in life, you win and you lose.”

Rick Estrin: Yes, sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. And you know, so, it’s just actually, it’s just tell somebody who’s a baby ass to grow up.

Rock And Blues International: There you go. What about “Sack O’ Kools”. Tell me about that one.

Rick Estrin: Oh, that was just something I had an idea for....

Rock And Blues International: Everybody in the band worked on this one.

Rick Estrin: Right, well, it’s an instrumental. So I had the idea for the head for the the first verse the way it goes in, and then everybody just played on, you know, it was just a cool, kind of a groove, kind of like, when the twist was popular and Organ Combo Jazz was a thing too. And guys would try to combine those, you know, some like Willis Jackson or all those kinds of soul jazz kind of groups. A lot. Most of them did something like with that kind of groove at around that time. You

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Rick Estrin And The Night Cats

know, so it’s kind of like a jazzy feel, but a sort of a twist. Where everybody in the band shines on this one. Yeah, everybody’s got a turn and everybody in the band is killer, man. I mean, I’m so feel so lucky to have those guys, man.

Rock And Blues International: Hell you got kid Anderson in the band? Do you know how many bands out there wish they had him? I mean, they wish they had him so bad that they hire him to play on all their albums.

Rick Estrin: Oh, yeah.

Rock And Blues International: This guy’s on more albums than you could shake a stick at.

Rick Estrin: Well also, Because it’s his studio that most probably almost everything that you see that he’s playing on was recorded and his studio.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, they all make the pilgrimage out there. I mean, it’s like a religious trek.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, and he can also play multiple instruments too. So you know whatever was required on the song if you might go in there with your band but then you need some other little touches on there. He can play almost anything here, not wind instruments, but anything that has strings. He can play piano, he can play drums.

Rock And Blues International: Well, I don’t know how many bands I’ve interviewed in the last couple of years and they’ve all got something from him on there. He must be making some good bucks.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, you know, kind of. I think he doesn’t charge enough because he’s a big hearted guy, man. He’s not the most shrewd businessman for the quality of work he does and the value that he gives you. Whereas like I said he can add whatever instruments and if you if you need something that he can’t add, he knows somebody that can be there right now and do it and he’s much quicker also in the studio than any engineer I’ve ever worked with. So you’re saving a lot of time and at the same time it’s a very relaxed atmosphere, but you end up getting stuff done a lot quicker than most places.

Rock And Blues International: Right. Well the guy can definitely play everything. I mean, he does guitar and bass on the album, Tubular Bells, even does

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something on the ARP, the keyboard.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, yeah. He can play electric bass. He can play upright bass. Yeah, he’s a extraordinarily talented person and really, everybody in the band. I’m the most. I’m just unusual. That’s my talent.

Rock And Blues International: Well, that’ll work.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, I’m just naturally a little peculiar. That’s my talent.

Rock And Blues International: Well, everything on this album was just spectacular. The organ... I mean, on some of the songs the organ just dominates.

Rick Estrin: Yeah.

Rock And Blues International: And Derek’s drums.

Rick Estrin: Oh man.

Rock And Blues International: Can he keep a beat or what.

Rick Estrin: He can keep a beat, absolutely. And he can do so much more. I mean, if you see us live, it’s all I can do to just continue facing the audience. I just want to turn around and watch him. But yeah, he was a little Richard’s drummer for a long time.

Rock And Blues International: I think like 15 years.

Rick Estrin: 17 years.

Rock And Blues International: 17, Okay.

Rick Estrin: And he gained a lot of professionalism and showmanship and stuff from from that experience.

Rock And Blues International: Right. Well, how about “Time For Me To Go”.

Rick Estrin: That was Kid’s idea even though he doesn’t have his name on it but he asked me and you know what else too, partially because I’ve got all this negative stuff on this. Kid likes when I come up with stuff like that. He encourages that so it’s partly his fault because that one he just likes me to bring in more good shit man.

Rock And Blues International: More good shit. Ha ha ha.

Rick Estrin: So that’s one like that. We had one pretty morbid one on the last record called “The Main Event”. That one was pretty but this “Time For Me To Go”, well that was like an assignment from Kid. He asked me if I had any other fragments of lyrics and I showed him something and he latched on to something and he goes “yeah, you should write write something around this. And it will just be like spoken word”. He asked me to expound on that and then we came in with that and it came out pretty good.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah it did. I tell you what I really like it’s the last song “Whatever Happened to Dobie Strange”. Now that that is a lot of fun. You did a song about your old drummer.

Rick Estrin: That might be my favorite one on here.

Rock And Blues International: What made you suddenly do something about Dobie?

Rick Estrin: Because actually, that’s a good question. That’s a recurring question. Somebody will always come up to me and go ‘whatever happened to Dobie Strange.’ Mainly people remember it is a cool sounding name, so people remember it. And that’s a common, fairly common question. A more common question than anybody really asks about other people in the band. It’s not like he was a big personality or anything. He just had a name people remember. He was in the band long time too. Actually writing that song is also Kid’s suggestion, because people will ask me, and the other thing too, the way the refrain goes, “Hey, Charlie, how come you changed your name? You know what I really want to know, Whatever Happened to Dobie Strange. That’s another thing that people will always mention for decades. People just thought I was Charlie because I was the frontman for the band, so I must be Charlie. And I would introduce him on the bandstand. All right. So right after the solo, here’s Jay, give it up. Little Charlie on the guitar here. Nobody would pay any attention to that, they had to get up and start dancing. So I combined the two and then I combined that with other questions and things that some people say, odd things that people say and maybe exaggerate them a little bit, but I thought it was fun, man, that was it. It was fun recording it.

Rock And Blues International: It was the happiest song on the album.

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Rick Estrin And The Night Cats

Rick Estrin: Yeah, for sure. As to when we got D’mar’,s... Derek is doing the Bootsy Collins voice. It just cracks me up every time we do it.

Rock And Blues International: Well, I’ll tell you, it sounded like a completely different band. The arrangement on there’s just something else.

Rick Estrin: Oh, that’s, that’s cool. Yeah. Because I actually, I just made that up, you know, the baseline stuff. Yeah, the chord changes is made up. It’s kind of like a kind of like, Johnny “Guitar” Watson kind of thing.

Rock And Blues International: Well, I’ll tell you, congratulations on this album. It is, it’s just really spectacular.

Rick Estrin: Oh, wow I’m glad you like it. I just hope that what we’re seeing and we’re able to just keep working, because that’s what we love, getting out and performing, playing together. And I mean, there’s really not a lot of bands.... Maybe you’ve observed this it’s like when a band is actually a team, and they’re actually friends, and they actually enjoy being around each other on and off the bandstand. That stuff translates into performance. You know, because plenty of bands on almost any every band you go, it’s always somebody’s turn in the barrel, you know, and people who will be professional and get up there and do an excellent job and all that. But there’s no substitute for really having a genuine team spirit. That match is really what we have.

Rock And Blues International: Well, it definitely comes across like that.

Rick Estrin: And it really coming across that way in the live performances and stuff.

Rock And Blues International: What else do we need to talk about on the album? Have we covered most of it or is there some stuff here that I haven’t asked that I should of?

Rick Estrin. Well, we talked about the songs. I mean, you know, the thing I can say is the band is... it’s a spectacular band. I mean, everybody. I wrote most of the songs, but what you hear on the record is really a collaborative effort. I bring the songs into Kid. Kid will maybe make some suggestions. Kid polishes it up and maybe makes some suggestions. And then in general, we get the other two guys in there. Everybody can make suggestions or add their little touch too or whatever. So, it’s

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like I said, it’s a team and the band is still good right now just makes me want it to last forever.

Rock And Blues International: Well, it’s definitely a good ensemble here. Everybody carries their weight on this thing.

Rick Estrin: And then we had our friends on. Well, we had Jerry Jemmott come in and play bass on a few cuts.

Rock And Blues International: You’ve got the Sons of the Soul Revivers on there.

Rick Estrin: The Sons of The Soul Revivers are friends, a gospel group from from the Bay Area.

Rock And Blues International: There was a song that they were on. I was hearing him singing, and they reminded me of The Sons Of The Pioneers.

Rick Estrin: Oh, okay. That might have been on “Everybody Knows”.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, could have been I mean, there was just something the vocals they were just seemed like that. And I thought, wow, that’s cool. That’s a throwback. And I like that.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, yeah. I would think it was gonna, if any of them reminded you of The Sons of the Pioneers, I would think it would be that one. But they’re great. They’re a great group. And to me having Jerry Jemmott on there. He was in Kim Curtis’s band. He created and played that bass on “The Thrill Is Gone” by BB King, that kind of brought him back, brought him into the mainstream in his first big break among white people. And yeah, he’s iconic. But we’ve got him on there. But he’s our friend. Kid had him come up from LA.

Rock And Blues International: Oh, Jerry played with everybody. He played with Aretha, Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett, Roberta Flack. I mean, I don’t know who he didn’t record with. He played with BB King, Freddie King, Chuck Berry. Yeah. I mean, if he’s on your album, you know, you’ve got a kick ass bass.

Rick Estrin: Yeah. I think that’s the second one we’ve had. We’ve had him on there. He’s our friend. You know, it’s just it’s crazy. He’s a great guy. And it’s just, you know... I mean, if I stop and think about it, I got to pinch myself.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, that’s good. You got an assortment of guests on that last song, too.

Rick Estrin: Oh yeah.

Rock And Blues International: Charlie Musselwhite’s on there, Marty Dodson’s on there.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, cuz everybody’s just doing the talking part.

Rock And Blues International: How’d you get Charlie on there?

Rick Estrin: He’s a friend of ours. You know, actually I think Kid was doing something and he was adding Charlie to something and we were on a road. I guess we were on a festival with him. I wish I could remember where it was. But we were somewhere and we just went in his hotel room and Kid recorded... I think he recorded Charlie just doing a solo guitar thing. And then we said, hey, man, just just do this little part on here and then just say this a few times. Yeah, but you know, he’s a good friend of ours. I mean, Kid does a lot of recording of him as well, his recordings and stuff. But he’s done his records and things.

Rock And Blues International: And I say see, you’re using microphones by Dennis (Gruenling). I love the work he does with the Nick Moss band.

Rick Estrin: He’s a great player. He’s a great player and a great guy. I’ve known him since he was a teenager.

Rock And Blues International: Really? Wow.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, I remember. Okay. You remember earlier in the interview when I was talking about some song of mine that Tom Petty played on the radio?

Rock And Blues International: Yeah.

Rick Estrin: The first time I ever saw Dennis, we were playing the opening of the House of Blues in New Orleans. And I was doing that song which has a shitload of words in it. And I looked down on the dance floor and there’s this long haired kid by himself dancing by himself down there. And he, and he’s singing it right along with me all the words in that song. And I was like, I know a lot of words to memorize

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Rick Estrin And The Night Cats

and he knew all the words. That’s the first time I saw him.

Rock And Blues International: He’s still that long haired kid. Yeah, just a little older.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, yeah.

Rock And Blues International: Oh, right. Well, what else do we need to talk about?

Rick Estrin: Oh, I don’t know.

Rock And Blues International: Well, I love this album. I mean, you’ve got that theme. Same theme going through the whole the whole album here. Except for that last song, “Whatever Happened To Dobie Strange.” All of a sudden, you just did this thing that really lights up. I mean, you hear people talk and you have it. It’s something else!

Rick Estrin: Yeah, well, that’s what I thought too. You know, the record company kind of thought, well, nobody.... Nobody knows who that is. Let alone, at the end.

Rock And Blues International: How can they not know. Who didn’t know who Dobie Strange is?

Rick Estrin: I don’t know. It’s just a great sounding name. It doesn’t matter. But anyway, yeah, people. I’m anxious to see what happens when we put this out.

Rock And Blues International: When does it comes out?

Rick Estrin: Officially, it comes out May 10. But that’s a little over a month from now, but they’re already playing it on the radio.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, you got those advanced cuts to get out there. All right. All right. Well, it’s been wonderful talking with you. I really had a good time.

Rick Estrin: Kevin, I sure hope that we get back to Texas one of these days, man, because I love Texas.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, I’d like to see you down here. I’ve honestly never seen you all perform before.

Rick Estrin: Oh, man. It’s live. Like I said that the spirit of the band really comes across.

Rock And Blues International: I’ve

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seen a few things on the internet here. And there’s nothing but praise for the band.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, yeah. And I kind of feel sorry for anyone.

Rock And Blues International: You know, it’s pretty much if you like the band’s album, you’re gonna love them live! Yeah. Well, personally, I think that shows... the true test to a band is how they play live. Anybody can go in and almost anybody can go in and record something. But getting out there and making it work on stage. That’s that’s where a band really shows its mettle.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, well, we’re like that. And we’re tight enough. experienced enough with each other that we’re able to experiment on on the spot and make it work. Yeah.

Rock And Blues International: All right. Well, again, thank you for your time. I appreciate it that kept you on the phone probably longer than you were planning to be.

Rick Estrin: I’ve got nothing for the rest of the day.

Rock And Blues International: Okay, time to sit back and maybe watch some TV or something or put on a record. Okay, well, let me let me go. It was a pleasure. And we’ll talk again when the new album comes out.

Rick Estrin: Great.

Rock And Blues International: Thanks. Once again, I hope we’ll meet somewhere.

Rick Estrin: I hope. I’d love to get back to Houston sometime.

Rock And Blues International: I’m sure everybody that used to come and see you here would love to see you back.

Rick Estrin: Yeah, I hope so.

Rock And Blues International: All right. Well, we’ll talk later then. Thank you so much again.

Rick Estrin: Thank you. Okay. Bye bye.

“The Hits Keep Coming” is undoubtedly one of the best blues albums to be released this year. Rick Estrin & The Nightcats have outdone themselves with this incredible collection of songs that

showcase their immense talent and passion for the genre. From start to finish, the album is a celebration of the blues, with each track offering something unique and captivating.

The opening song, “Somewhere Else,” sets the tone for the entire album, drawing you in with its irresistible groove and Rick Estrin’s soulful vocals. As you progress through the record, you’ll find yourself discovering new nuances and appreciating the intricate details that make each song stand out. The album is an experience that demands repeated listens, as every playthrough reveals something you might have missed before.

Rick Estrin’s vocals and harmonica playing are as vibrant and powerful as ever, demonstrating his mastery of the craft. Kid Andersen’s guitar work is simply jawdropping, with blistering solos and tasteful accompaniment that perfectly complements the songs. Lorenzo Farrell’s organ is a dominant force throughout the album, adding depth and richness to the overall sound. Holding it all together is the rocksolid backbeat of Derrick “D’Mar” Martin, ensuring that the band remains tight and in the pocket from start to finish.

When “The Hits Keep Coming” drops on May 10th, it’s an absolute musthave for any blues enthusiast or music lover in general. This album is a testament to the enduring power of the blues and the incredible talent of Rick Estrin & The Nightcats.

I had the privilege of conducting an in-depth interview with Rick Estrin, where he provided fascinating insights into the making of the album and the stories behind the songs. His commentary was both introspective and enlightening, offering a glimpse into the creative process and the band’s musical journey. It was an absolute pleasure to speak with him and gain a deeper understanding of the passion and dedication that went into crafting this remarkable record.

I sincerely hope that readers will enjoy the interview as much as I did. Rick’s willingness to share his thoughts and experiences is a gift to fans and a testament to his commitment to the music. I’d like to express my gratitude to Rick Estrin for taking the time to speak with us and for creating an album that will undoubtedly stand the test of time. “The Hits Keep Coming” is a true gem, and I can’t wait for the world to experience its magic.

Anno Domini: The importance of believing

by Edoardo Fassio

Turin’s own Anno Domini Gospel Choir has celebrated thirty years as a major singing group on the Italian rich devotional scene. ADGC sang for three popes (St. John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis), was broadcasted worldwide during the exposition of the Holy Shroud, and supported numerous stars of pop and secular music, from Antonella Ruggiero to Rossana Casale, from Raphael Gualazzi to Andrea Bocelli.

The thirty-year anniversary album - I Believe in Youdraws its title from the first composition by founder and conductor Aurelio Pitino. Conceived for a CD released in 1991, when Anno Domini was still a vocal band with a religious background, it is presented here in a choral version; the catchy earlier version seems to multiply its face value over time, also thanks to the precious contribution of the American vocalist Liz Vaughn.

Sincere faith, which also explicitly permeates the mobile, sparkling “Believer”, is matched here with modern vocal immediacy; while fully respectful of tradition, the repertoire is in tune with the pop-soul aesthetics of recent decades.

Musician, vocal coach, popularizer, and prime mover of religious events, among his numerous commitments Pitino champions the Gospel Jubilee Festival, an event devoted to “Christian Contemporary Music” in its broader sense, an approach consistent with the musical field patronized by the choir that he leads. Scheduled in Turin every year in December, in prestigious venues and theatres, it has run for twenty-six editions. Since 2015, he has coordinated the Let’s Sing Gospel Connection, which involves singing groups from all over Italy.

On record, the leader honors his role, tackling the solo part with his usual grace and proverbial fervor in four of the thirteen tracks; the nine minutes of controlled transcendence in the epic version of “Marvelous” by Walter Hawkins, a key person in modern urban gospel, are memorable.

As distinguished guests, there’s a welcome bunch of eminent soul brothers and sisters from overseas. Besides Vaughn, friends and regular collaborators from the United States such as Sean Simmonds, Izacc Dorn and Nikki Potts have joined the project; the Angeleno artist, already the protagonist of a video performed by a remote “virtual choir” produced by Pitino at the time of the Covid-19 emergency, here enriches the song “Bless This House” with her inspired adlibs. The British scene, in turn, is represented by two prominent figures of the likes of Jnr Robinson (pictured) and Lois Kirby, with her passionate drive on the original track “Thank You, Jesus”.

Anno Domini: L’importanza di credere

by Edoardo Fassio

Ha celebrato trent’anni di vita il torinese Anno Domini Gospel Choir, schieramento canoro di spicco del panorama devozionale nazionale. La formazione ha cantato per tre pontefici (San Giovanni Paolo II, Benedetto XVI e Francesco), è apparsa in mondovisione in occasione dell’ostensione della Sindone e ha affiancato numerose star del pop e della musica profana, da Antonella Ruggiero a Rossana Casale, da Raphael Gualazzi ad Andrea Bocelli.

L’album del trentennale - I Believe In You - prende il titolo dalla prima composizione del fondatore e direttore Aurelio Pitino (foto).

Elaborata per un CD uscito nel 1991, quando Anno Domini era soltanto una band vocale dall’intonazione religiosa, è qui riproposta in versione corale; la già orecchiabile versione primaria sembra moltiplicare il suo valore nel tempo, anche grazie al prezioso apporto della vocalist nordamericana Liz Vaughn.

La fede sincera, oggetto esplicito anche della mobile, scintillante “Believer”, si coniuga nel repertorio con una comunicativa di tipo moderna; pur rispettosa della tradizione, è sintonizzata con l’estetica pop-soul degli ultimi decenni.

Musicista, vocal coach, divulgatore e primario organizzatore di eventi a sfondo religioso, tra i numerosi impegni Pitino promuove il Gospel Jubilee Festival, manifestazione dedicata all’accezione più ampia di “Musica cristiana contemporanea”, un’impostazione coerente con l’ambito musicale prescelto dalla corale. In programma a Torino ogni anno, a dicembre, in spazi da concerto e teatri di prestigio, ne ha condotto a termine ben ventisei edizioni. Dal 2015 coordina la Let’s Sing Gospel Connection, a cui aderiscono compagini canore da tutt’Italia.

Su disco, il leader fa onore al suo ruolo, affrontando con la consueta grazia e il proverbiale fervore la parte solista in quattro delle tredici tracce; memorabili i nove minuti di controllata trascendenza nell’epica versione della “Marvelous” di Walter Hawkins, figura chiave del gospel urbano moderno.

Tra gli ospiti di pregio si incontrano eminenti fratelli e sorelle in soul da oltremare. Oltre a Vaughn, hanno aderito collaboratori storici dagli Stati Uniti come Sean Simmonds, Izacc Dorn e Nikki Potts; già protagonista di un video eseguito da un “virtual choir” a distanza prodotto da Pitino ai tempi dell’emergenza Covid, con i suoi ispirati improvvisi l’artista angelena qui indirizza il brano “Bless This House”. La scena britannica è invece rappresentata da due personaggi di spicco del calibro di Jnr Robinson e Lois Kirby (foto), dal drive appassionato sulla traccia originale “Thank You, Jesus”

Mitch Ryder

By Kevin Wildman

Mitch Ryder, the legendary singer known as the founder of the Detroit rock sound, has released a new double album titled “The Roof Is On Fire” in collaboration with the Berlin blues band Engerling. The album, which celebrates Ryder’s 75th birthday and the tour he embarked on with Engerling in 2019 and 2020, showcases the singer’s enduring talent and the band’s musical prowess.

“The Roof Is On Fire” is a two-disc set that highlights different aspects of Ryder’s music. The first disc, titled “Tuff,” features the classic Detroit soul rock sound that Ryder is famous for, with standout tracks including “Tough Kid,” Bob Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues,” and the Kim Wilson classic “Tuff Enuff.” The second disc, titled “Soft,” focuses on soul blues songs and ballads, with highlights such as Jimmy Cliff’s “Many Rivers To Cross,” Ryder’s own “Red Scar Eyes,” and a captivating cover of The Doors’ “Soul Kitchen.”

Throughout his career, Mitch Ryder has influenced countless musicians and has been praised by the likes of Keith Richards, who once called him “the most exciting singer in rock.” Despite facing challenges and changes in the music industry, Ryder has remained a powerful force on stage, consistently delivering energetic performances that keep fans coming back for more.

“The Roof Is On Fire” serves as a testament to Ryder’s enduring legacy and the timeless appeal of his music. The album features collaborations with seasoned musicians, highlighting the fact that when it comes to creating great music, age is irrelevant. Ryder’s partnership with Engerling, which began with their first rehearsal in a communist-run youth center in East Berlin, has only grown stronger over the years, resulting in a collection of songs that showcase their combined talent and passion.

We had the chance to sit down with Mitch Ryder for an interview, and he was very candid and informative about his new album, “The Roof Is On Fire.” Here is the interview with Mitch Ryder:

Rock And Blues International: Hello.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, Kevin.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah.

Mitch Ryder: Mitch.

Rock And Blues International: How you doing, Mitch?

Mitch Ryder: Good. Good.

Rock And Blues International: All right. Well, you’ve got a new album out. It’s been a while.

Mitch Ryder: Um, well, if you go to Europe, it hasn’t been a while. But yeah, in

Mitch Ryder Talks About His New “Live” Album

The

America for sure.

Roof Is On Fire

Rock And Blues International: Yeah. Well, yeah. Why do you think you’re so much more popular in Europe than you are in America? I mean, you’re a living legend here in America. Bands, when they started out years ago, all they could do is talk about Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels.

Mitch Ryder: I really don’t know how to answer that. Different cultures, different value systems on art. I have no idea to be honest.

Rock And Blues International: Okay, but in Europe, you’re still a big star.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, we tour every year. I mean, it’s incredible. We just did 25 onenighters and came back home. And we’re moving. Right now we’re in the process of moving into a new home. And we got a recording coming up in Memphis. I think in August, we’re going to record a studio album.

And then we have a tour, I believe in America for two weeks in November. And then we do the European thing again in February and March and we’re doing about seven to nine countries over there. And mostly because of this career that I’ve been cultivating over there. And I haven’t been ignoring America, it’s just you need to, if you want to see me, you need to talk to some promoters. You know, they’re the ones that are spending the money.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, I don’t seem to have too much pull with the promoters.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, neither do I. And that’s why you do things like develop alternate careers.

Rock And Blues International: Right. Well, I’m based in Houston. So I haven’t seen you appearing in Houston in God knows how

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long.

Mitch Ryder: I know, we used to come down there pretty regularly. It was definitely a nice place in Austin. We used to play a lot. And we were strong in that part of the country. And probably the Midwest. Of course, in sections of the south and the east, northeast, were good. I think the weakest spot for us really was in around the LA area. But even having said that, we did manage to have a good following in the well... let me put it this way. I was really surprised one day to see a movie called “Y Raul” and Los Lobos was doing “Devil With The Blue Dress On” on in Mexican.

Rock And Blues International: Isn’t that great when you see someone doing something like that, a tribute to your work.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, yeah, that’s great. Oh, what are you leading to Kevin? What are you leading to?

Rock And Blues International: What do you mean?

Mitch Ryder: Oh, maybe I misunderstood the question. No, yeah, it is a compliment.

Rock And Blues International: Well, yeah, it’s a compliment to see them do your song, isn’t it?

Mitch Ryder: Of course. Yeah. I just never heard it in Mexican. That’s all.

Rock And Blues International: It transcends all barriers.

Mitch Ryder: There’s some I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t transcend.

Rock And Blues International: Well, yeah, it may not sound the same in Japanese.

Mitch Ryder: Exactly.

Rock And Blues International: But yeah, Los Lobos, they do a good job. They take in a lot of a lot of songs in English and record them in Spanish.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah. Yeah, I was. I was happy to be one of them. Great. I understand. Is the band still together? I’m not sure. I heard something. One of the original members died recently. And that was kind of sad to to read about.

Rock And Blues International: I don’t know if they’re still together or not. I have no idea to be perfectly honest with you.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah. So what do you want to talk about?

Rock And Blues International: What do you want to talk about, the new album, or is there something more on your mind?

Mitch Ryder: Oh, the new albums cool. I mean, you should, you know...

Rock And Blues International: We need to talk about it. You know, it’s a double CD. You’ve written almost every song on here. There’s a couple of songs that aren’t yours. And I’m a little curious as to why you picked those. Well, I’m curious about the whole setlist? It looks like it’s a combination of two shows.

Mitch Ryder: It is and they were both from the same tour. And they were taken from the tour celebrating my birthday. So that was the purpose for the creation of it. And there you have it, that was a reason to exist.

So what you’re hearing on the album, is probably half of what we performed on that tour. We had to pick out of everything we recorded the songs that we felt deserved to be on the album the most. And that’s what you ended up with, with “The Roof Is On Fire”.

Rock And Blues International: Well, what was an average set, like two hours?

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, absolutely.

Rock And Blues International: I would think so with that many good songs.

Mitch Ryder: Well, we have Yeah, we had a big catalog to choose from and frankly, enjoyed. There was nothing boring about it at all. You have to be.... if you’re doing a two hour show with no intermission, you can’t just be standing there. You’ve got to be, you know, use up a lot of energy.

Rock And Blues International: Two hours with no intermission.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, we’ve been doing it that way for several years now.

Rock And Blues International: Really? How does your voice hold up like that?

Mitch Ryder: Well, if we could answer that, there’d be no reason for me to go on living.

Rock And Blues International: Well, I mean, is it like an hour’s worth of tea and honey before the show? And then another hour with the tea and honey after the show to smooth that out?

Mitch Ryder: No, I think it’s just nature, whatever.

Rock And Blues International: Well, some people and obviously you’re one of them. When they’re a singer like this, it doesn’t matter how long they sing. They can do it. They can do a great job and they can do it night after night. And no doubt that’s what happened with this.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, you got a couple of cuts on there, though, you can tell it’s near the end of the tour because there is a definite change in the tone of the voice. It starts sounding a little tired on the last couple of songs. And you can absolutely tell it’s the end of a long, long tour. These are all onenighters every night and at this stage of my career, doing one-nighters is something.... The schedule that we get is something I would probably think about even if I was quite much younger.

Rock And Blues International: And how many dates was this tour?

Mitch Ryder: This last one is not the one we’re talking about. It was 25 dates.

Rock And Blues International: Okay. And this tour right here that the album is

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culled from, how many dates was that?

Mitch Ryder:I believe it is from 28 different dates.

Rock And Blues International: Oh, wow. Well, it looks like it’s mainly two shows. It looks like it was mainly two shows there.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, it was.

Rock And Blues International: And I couldn’t even begin to pronounce the names of these venues.

Mitch Ryder: Well, don’t try or start drinking German beer.

Rock And Blues International: And wait to I’ve drank a lot of German beer before I tried to pronounce it.

Mitch Ryder: Right. Once you’re drunk? It’s gonna sound the same anyway.

Rock And Blues International: Okay. What made you decide to go ahead and do a live album like this?

Mitch Ryder: Well, it was my birthday. We were celebrating my birthday.

Rock And Blues International: Okay. But normally you have a birthday every year. So was it because it was the 75th birthday. It was at a special birthday to you.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, I think somebody at the record company wanted me to know how old I was because I was acting like I was like a young fool, so they said, Hey, let’s put him in his place and record him.

Rock And Blues International: Oh, hell, the way I look at it like you were celebrating your 21st birthday for the 55th time. I’ve been celebrating my 21st birthday for the 52nd time.

Mitch Ryder: Well see. You’re trying harder than me. That’s good for you.

Rock And Blues International: Well, I just never aged past 21.

Mitch Ryder: Oh my god. Well, I hope your parents know that.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, they do. It was quite a disappointment at one point.

Mitch Ryder:Where are you? Where are you right now?

Rock And Blues International: I’m in

Houston.

Mitch Ryder: Houston. That’s right. Briefly, yeah, we’ve mentioned Austin. Sorry, I forgot. I had a lot of friends, a couple of... I actually have an entire Houston policeman uniform, including the outside jacket for the wintertime. We had some friends on the force there and then one night when they were off duty, we all took a trip to New Orleans.

Rock And Blues International: Well, that’s cool.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah.

Rock And Blues International: So you had a police escort?

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, we needed one.

Rock And Blues International: Well, it keeps you out of trouble, doesn’t it?

Mitch Ryder: One of the guys left the force and went into a smaller town in Texas to become like a local sheriff. I believe all of them stayed in law enforcement in one one way or another. But they sure could have fun. They knew how to have fun.

Rock And Blues International: Well, just because you’re a policeman doesn’t mean you don’t know how to have fun.

Mitch Ryder: Oh, right. Right. There’s a time to be on duty and a time to be off duty.

Rock And Blues International: That’s right. Well, let’s talk about the album and the songs you picked on the album. It’s 15 songs on here. Let’s see, four covers on here.

Mitch Ryder: I believe four or five. Yeah.

Rock And Blues International: Do you want to talk about your songs first, or do you want to talk about the covers first?

Mitch Ryder: You’re doing the interview.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, but I want to have fun with it. I want you to give me some ideas on what you want to talk about here.

Mitch Ryder: Tell me the name of a song and I’ll try to discuss it.

Rock And Blues International: Let’s start off with the opening number, “Betty’s Too Tight.”

Mitch Ryder: Um excuse me. Oh, my wife. She’s causing me teenage angst.

Rock And Blues International: teenage angst. Yep. See, she’s probably still a teenager too.

Mitch Ryder: Well, she claimed she is, Yeah.

Rock And Blues International: You never argue with a woman.

Mitch Ryder: That’s not the part of my body that can differentiate that fact.

Rock And Blues International: Well start out with “Betty’s Too Tight”. What made you pick that number?

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Mitch Ryder: Oh, I like the feel of it. I just love the energy, because there’s a lot of energy in that song.

Rock And Blues International: There, there’s a lot of energy on just about every song on here. I only noticed it slowing down a little when you got to “Freezing In Hell”.

Mitch Ryder: Well, it’s because it’s the slow blues, right?

Rock And Blues International: And the audience went crazy. You can hear it there in the background there. The audience just went gaga over that song.

Mitch Ryder: And you know, how many Americans can you ask, “who is Mitch Ryder”? And if you want to make it even more difficult? How many people know the song “Freezing In Hell”.

Rock And Blues International: Well, probably not a whole lot. But evidently the people there knew this song.

Mitch Ryder: Of course. That song actually did appear as background noise on a very popular German TV soap opera, a daytime soap opera show. That was weird, because I know the lyrics very well. And when I tried to match them to the storyline of soap opera, it was kind of weird. But hey, you know them, they do what they want. And they speak good English, most Germans do.

Rock And Blues International: Well, if they send you a royalty check, that’s even better, isn’t it?

Mitch Ryder: That’s so perfect. That English is so perfect. You know if you can have all of your English like that, like you’re describing. That would be a perfect world.

Rock And Blues International: Wouldn’t it.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, once you make the exchange.

Rock And Blues International: Gotta love those royalty checks. “Tough Kid” came up next. That was really good.

Mitch Ryder: There’s some energy too.

Rock And Blues International: When did you write these songs? I don’t have a list in front of me of when they were first put out but give me an idea what how old some of these songs are because they sound so fresh.

Mitch Ryder: Well, I don’t know about that. Because the one you just mentioned was written when I was 14. Yeah.

Rock And Blues International: There’s nothing wrong with that.

Mitch Ryder: No, but I just never thought anything would have ever happened to it and why I held on to it that long is a mystery. But it did resurface. Oh, God, how many years ago, but it’s irrelevant, because it was, like I said it was from my teen years. And I just write about whatever it is that I’m familiar with. And I write sometimes to sort of draw attention to issues. I don’t want to go as far as saying I’m an activist of any kind, or even a political of any kind. But I do make my feelings about certain issues clear,

without being sort of trying to persuade anybody one way or another.

Rock And Blues International: Okay, well, then what what is “Betty’s Too Tight” about?

Mitch Ryder: Oh, man, you’re just start loving that song, I guess.

Rock And Blues International: It just starts this thing off. Really. It really starts it off rockin’. It starts it off with a good, you know, a good theme to the whole show.

Mitch Ryder: Well, it’s like a two or maybe two and a half to three decade early message about the transgender situation that we now are aware of in America.

Rock And Blues International: I would have never guessed that out of this song.

Mitch Ryder: Now you can go back and listen to it.

Rock And Blues International: I guess I need to. Well, I mean, seriously, I would have never guessed that.

Mitch Ryder: No, I learned from Bob Dylan that ambiguity is the most priceless thing you can include in your writing.

Rock And Blues International: Well yeah, you listen to some of his songs and sometimes you just don’t know what the hell he’s talking about. But it sounds good. You even picked one of his songs on here, “Subterranean Homesick Blues”, which is totally completely different from the way he did it.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah. I’m trying to like, feel like I owe it to him. He included me in the very first chapter of his book on modern music. So I felt honored about that because I actually was in the studio for his recording at Columbia Studios for “Highway 61 Revisited”. So I got to watch that session. That was cool.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah.

Rock And Blues International: So is that song special to you?

Mitch Ryder: Oh, not that particular song. No. There was two of them, actually.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, you do “From A Buick 6” on here also.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, “From A Buick 6” has got that sort of r&b feel to it. And I think we also have, like you said... oh, one that wasn’t on there that I wanted to be on there was “Wicked Messenger”. That’s one of my favorite songs that I used to do of his.

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And then you also move on to “Heart Of Stone” by The Rolling Stones.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, because I just never felt. I mean, I love Mick’s version, but I always felt that I would like to hear my version.

Rock And Blues International: And I’m sure yours is your favorite.

Mitch Ryder: I think so.

Rock And Blues International: Oh, right. Yeah. And you even do a Doors song, which I thought was really cool. On the album is “Soul Kitchen”.

Mitch Ryder: Well, you know, that group was something else. If you know that story, I’m sure people have died. There’s a couple of documentaries about them. Over the years they’ve been put out. But if you knew anything about the group at all, you knew how chaotic and mysterious they were. And I actually saw them perform their first performance in New York City in Manhattan. But my wife and I were in Paris. And we went to... what’s the name of the cemetery, Père La Chaise cemetery in Paris. And we visited Morrison’s grave there. And that was quite an eye opener because there are a lot of really famous important people in that particular cemetery. We were surprised to realize that he was there.

Rock And Blues International: Well, it appears to be the most visited grave there in the cemetery.

Mitch Ryder: Well, it’s the most abused. I’ve never seen so much spray paint on anything in my life, it’s redecorated. There’s more spray paint there than on the New York subway.

Rock And Blues International: Oh, there’s so much graffiti there. People come up there and they party there. They leave their beer bottles there. They smoke joints and leave them there.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah. How do you know that? Huh? How did you know?

Rock And Blues International: Rumors get around.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, you left your beer bottle.

Rock And Blues International: Did you find it? It was the Schlitz.

Mitch Ryder: No, no. I found an old Molson some Canadian left it there.

Rock And Blues International: Okay,

well out of all the Doors songs what made you pick “Soul Kitchen”, because it was more bluesy or what?

Mitch Ryder: No, the dynamics. This was like a pretty Nirvana, where you really actually had a dramatic and defining moment in a song, where for a few times, it’ll go from very soft to a very loud sort of presentation just to make a lyrical point. And I thought that was pretty cool. Do you remember like, it was like decades before Nirvana. It’s even more important in terms of musical history for rock and roll.

Rock And Blues International: Right, right. Well, I have to admit The Doors were one of my favorite bands growing up. I just loved the band. I don’t know maybe I’m dysfunctional. They were a highly dysfunctional band at times.

Mitch Ryder: You don’t take the lizard for a walk on stage when you’re performing. That’s not cool.

Rock And Blues International: No, you don’t. I could not believe when he got arrested on stage.

Mitch Ryder: I couldn’t believe they did it on stage. I could believe he was gonna get arrested. I didn’t think they’d come up on stage and do it. I never saw the actual suspect because there’s no photos of it. But I’m told it was there hanging around.

Rock And Blues International: Oh, I don’t know. He says it was his thumb.

Mitch Ryder: Oh, really?

Rock And Blues International: Yeah. He said it. He was just sticking his thumb through there through the zipper.

Mitch Ryder: He needs to go to a hospital get that hole take it out of his thumb.

Rock And Blues International: I only

know what I’m told. I didn’t see the actual... I saw him get arrested, but I didn’t see the actual event.

Mitch Ryder: Right. I noticed the glee on the officer’s face as he pulls the young hero off stage.

Rock And Blues International: Well, I think that was the night that they maced see him in the back. They maced Jim in the back when he was making out with some girl and he got mad at the police or maybe that was a different show.

Mitch Ryder: Could be, guys with that name.

Rock And Blues International: Another song you did on here is The Fabulous Thunderbirds’ “Tuff Enuff” written by Kim Wilson. Are you a big Thunderbirds fan?

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, and you know of course, who can’t help but love Stevie Ray Vaughan, right, he is connected to the Thunderbirds!

Rock And Blues International: Oh, yeah. Well, his big brother was in the band.

Mitch Ryder: Right, right. And we thought it was a very cool version. And that’s the one thing about Texas. I have a dear acquaintance down there who lives there in the winter. Ted Nugent has a ranch down there.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, I think he’s up at Waco. Yeah, I heard he lives next door to the Bush’s.

Mitch Ryder: I don’t know, but my wife says, yeah. You know what that means?

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, he’s next to the Bush’s and he actually spread the ashes of a of a dead friend of mine on his

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property.

Mitch Ryder: On the Bush property or his?

Rock And Blues International: No, no on his property. We had a mutual friend in common and when that person died, he spread the ashes at a certain part of the property. And that’s that little area of the property is named after my friend.

Mitch Ryder: Whoa, cool. Ted didn’t tell me. We talk, not a lot, but I would say frequently. Not just on holidays, but to congratulate each other for some achievement that we’ve done. You know, all of these guys came from that Detroit, the young Detroit rock scene of young, angry white boys wanting to explode and break the Motown barrier, which was kind of like just sitting on one dimension at one point.

Rock And Blues International: Well, I think Detroit kicked off the rock scene in the in the United States for the biggest part.

Mitch Ryder: Oh, bless you, my son. I agree. Good. Good.

Rock And Blues International: No, that that’s where it started. So many bands have come from up there. It’s just crazy.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, well you know, you have two choices. You can you can do

that or you can be an athlete.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah. Well, you probably knew the guys in the MC5.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, they’re a little younger than us. But yeah, I knew them. I knew the whole group, the whole setup. In fact, I worked with a couple of them. So yeah, but you know, up here, in that early in the early start of that scene you’re talking about, everybody knew everybody. And once we broke out, and became successful, it literally opened the door for a bunch of Detroit boys to find labels.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, well you had bands leaving their hometowns to go to Detroit to get discovered.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, that’s because of the way the record companies act, you know. I mean, you remember the grunge rock. You remember the first grunge scene?

Rock And Blues International: Yeah.

Mitch Ryder: You remember Chicago blues, it’s like one act gets hot out of the city, the record labels like vultures ascend on it until they pick every piece of flesh off the carcass they can get.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, well, you even had the Alice Cooper band.

They were moved out of Arizona. They were in Arizona, or someplace out there. And they went back to Detroit to get discovered.

Mitch Ryder: Right. Right.

Rock And Blues International: But as far as I know, that’s where rock and roll was started in this country, Detroit.

Mitch Ryder: Well, thank you. Like I said, you know, it’s important that you understand that.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, I don’t think anybody’s gonna argue with us about that. All right. Now, let’s talk about some of the songs on here, that you wrote, which you have listed under... Well, you have this under both of your names.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, hold on a second. Hold on a second. I’m going to go outside for a while. Because he wants to talk about songs I wrote. So I want the neighbors to understand who I am too.

Rock And Blues International: Well, you’ve got a little PA set up outside right.

Mitch Ryder: No, I’m just going out to the balcony. You know, we just moved into a new home. We had to. We were living in

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Georgia for the longest time and then we had to come back up here.

Rock And Blues International: You moved back to Detroit?

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, I know. It sounds crazy because the weather was so cool in Georgia. But family members, basically our children and our grandchildren’s.... two sons and one grandson developed in one form or another, cancer, and they needed our help. And so we had to. You know, as well as I do, at least you should know that family comes first.

Rock And Blues International: Always, family always comes first before anything. Yep. Yes, I can relate to that. I have a couple of grown kids myself.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah. Do you have grandkids?

Rock And Blues International: I’ve got one that’s gonna be here in like a month or two. Yeah, he’s still in the delivery stage. We’re waiting. We’re waiting on FedEx. I’ll tell you, they’re just so slow.

Mitch Ryder: That’s what his mom is literally calling a pain in the ass. That’s the thing about women that I admire the most, the pain they’ll go through to bring those little creepy bastards into the world.

Rock And Blues International: Oh, let me tell you, they’re not creepy till they start learning how to talk.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, like I just did.

Rock And Blues International: They’re great until they know that they can ask for stuff. They want the new Mustang.

Mitch Ryder: The word you hate teaching them the most is “no”.

Rock And Blues International: Oh, yeah. Well, you hate to tell them no, but if you don’t, you’ll go broke.

Mitch Ryder: Right! You got to start early on that one.

Rock And Blues International: You bet. Well, let’s talk about some more of the songs on here. I love that you’ve got “Ain’t Nobody White” on here. That is just one of the coolest songs ever written. I’ve always loved the the lyrics. “Ain’t nobody white can sing the blues”.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah. Great title.

Rock And Blues International: It is, it

Mitch Ryder: Yeah. It’s getting a lot of.... a lot of controversy about it.

Rock And Blues International: Well, I’m sure as soon as you got in there, that “Ray Charles said no white can sing the blues except maybe Jews”.

Mitch Ryder: Well, that’s what he said.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, well, I’m sure to to repeat that, it probably got some criticism.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, I’m sure there’s Ray Charles fans out there of which I am one.

Rock And Blues International: Well, I’m Ray Charles fan also. He was a great performer. He was a great singer and a great writer.

Mitch Ryder: Agreed on all points.

Rock And Blues International: Well, tell me about the songs that you picked of your own on here. What made you do that? Because I noticed Well, some of the songs that you’re very known for did not make it on here.

Mitch Ryder: Well sorry, you know. Which ones you want to talk about first?

Rock And Blues International: Well, you got “Bang Bang” on here. We already talked about “Ain’t Nobody White”, “Freezing In Hell”. I just I love that song. The audience loves that song too.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, the recorded version, I believe made its debut in 1979. That’s how old that song is. But then again, you’re talking to a guy that put a song in there that he wrote when he was 14.

Rock And Blues International: So is there any reason you didn’t put anything on there like “Jenny Takes A Ride” and “Devil With The Blue Dress”?

Mitch Ryder: They audiences don’t ask for it. They don’t really care about it. It’s not the career I established over there. The career I established over there began with a European wide satellite broadcast covering 17 countries. And it was called “Rockpalast”, a very popular German show. And once a year, they would celebrate by having this gigantic festival and I was a part of that. And that’s where I became known.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, I’ve seen it. I’ve seen episodes of Rockpalast on TV before. They had great acts on there. They had everybody sooner or later.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, they covered the board.

Rock And Blues International: So pretty much a lot of the songs that are what were done on that broadcast, is that it?

Mitch Ryder: No, no, no. But they’re from that era. No, they’re they’re spread out over you know... I’ve recorded 23 CDs in Europe that have never been heard in America by the majority of the people.

Rock And Blues International: 23 CDs?

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, four those were live and the rest were in the studio.

Rock And Blues International: Okay, I’ve got to ask, why did none of those make it into the US?

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Mitch Ryder: You’d have to ask the record industry that, not me.

Rock And Blues International: Have you tried to have you tried to sell them on your website? Or are they already on sale on your website?

Mitch Ryder: Well, I even started my own label for two of them. And then of course, I’ve had.... over the years people have come and helped. Don Was helped produce “The Promise” and “Detroit Ain’t Dead Yet”. Mellencamp produced “Never Kick A Sleeping Dog”. And there’s a list of people who have helped along the way when they could.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, I think it was in about ’83 that Mellencamp did “Never Kick A Sleeping Dog”.

Mitch Ryder: Right.

Rock And Blues International: And you had a Prince song on there “When You Were Mine”.

Mitch Ryder: I loved Prince. I really, really loved him a lot. I thought he was the answer. He was like, This is my version, it’s idiotic, but I’m gonna say it because I’m an idiot. He was like the poor man’s Michael Jackson.

Rock And Blues International: Okay. I can see that.

Mitch Ryder: I can compare poor man to working class, because we’re getting so deeply divided between rich and poor in this country. It’s unbelievable. They’re trying to destroy the middle class.

Rock And Blues International: I don’t think we have a middle class anymore. I think it’s just a rumor or a passing phase.

Mitch Ryder: It’s a fading dream is what it is. Yeah.

Rock And Blues International: Well, let’s talk about a couple of the others on here.

Mitch Ryder: Okay.

Rock And Blues International: Well, let’s go back to “Freezing In Hell.” when when did you first do “Freezing In Hell?

Mitch Ryder: I did that in ’76 or ’75 actually.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah. And tell me a little bit about that song.

Mitch Ryder: It is an opening dialogue about my views on religion. And in a very,

very blunt and very obscure sort of secretive ninja approach to a discussion about religion.

Rock And Blues International: Okay.

Mitch Ryder: Nuanced.

Rock And Blues International: All right. I will go back and listen to that a little more. Are there hidden meanings in these songs?

Mitch Ryder: Well, that was written during a very... I was having a, I guess you would call it a nervous breakdown when I wrote that. So that’s what actually you get when you put me alone with pen and paper in an empty room. You know? When I say empty, I mean empty. There were no friends to be found. Except the boys that came into the studio and took a chance and made the music with me.

Rock And Blues International: Why is that? Why were there no friends?

Mitch Ryder: I’ve been known to alienate the industry over the years.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, well, sometimes people in the industry really need to have friends that are not in the industry.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, I agree. I agree.

Rock And Blues International: I would say a good deal of my friends don’t do anything like what I do, and it’s probably better that way.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, you got a bigger field to work with.

Rock And Blues International: Oh, I guess Yeah. Yeah. “All The Fools”.

Mitch Ryder: Oh, I love that song. So much.

Rock And Blues International: Why?

Mitch Ryder: This written about my wife.

Rock And Blues International: How long have you been married?

Mitch Ryder: 38 years.

Rock And Blues International: How many?

Mitch Ryder: 38? Yep.

Rock And Blues International: Okay. I’ve been married 43.

Mitch Ryder: Oh...

Rock And Blues International: I’m in a rut, I just can’t get out.

Mitch Ryder: Do you? Do you mind flowers. Are flowers okay.

Rock And Blues International: Do what?

Mitch Ryder: Do you mind flowers?

Rock And Blues International: Oh, I’ll tell you. It’s wild when you’ve been when you’ve been married something like that?

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, it becomes a real union. You literally are one.

Rock And Blues International: Right.

Mitch Ryder: There’s a very cynical view of it, which I choose not to adopt. A friend of mine who was getting divorced, said ‘Why should I do this’? I said ‘I don’t know, because you’re only going to be half the man you were’. So that’s my view.

Rock And Blues International: Okay? “If You Need The Pain”. tell me about that one.

Mitch Ryder: Another one about religion. Sort of a mild approach to.... I was tinkering with a sort of a light gospel feel, where I had a lot of training before I became a pro. And I developed my musical senses from the urban scenes in Detroit. So there’s a lot of black influence in my approach to music.

Rock And Blues International: Okay, and you do Jimmy Cliff, too. I mean, there’s so much variety on this on this double album, it’s just spectacular.

Mitch Ryder: Thank you.

Rock And Blues International: So why did you pick Jimmy Cliff?

Mitch Ryder: I mean, I relate to the feeling he’s conveying about being lost and not being able to find himself and not being able to find his way through his own abilities. And he’s, he’s frustrated. He’s lost. And he’s, he’s crying out for help.

Rock And Blues International: And you can you can relate to that?

Mitch Ryder: Yeah.

Rock And Blues International: Okay.

Mitch Ryder: I don’t put things on vinyl that I don’t have some experience with.

Rock And Blues International: Okay, I understand. And then we come to “Star Nomore”.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah. Isn’t that cool? That’s like I was feeling. It was like checking into a Motel Six, the curtains were broken. There is one little dried up cake of hand soap in the bathroom with a washcloth that had been used too many times, and a towel that had holes in it and one single light in the entire room which glared from the ceiling, continued on next page

Mitch Ryder

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and a TV that didn’t work. And that would be the equivalent of the feeling I was going through when I wrote that. I didn’t feel at the time.... Stardom in America is a very, very strange thing. There’s different levels for it. And there’s different pecking orders for it. And different levels that you can achieve, lose, re-achieve or lose forever. And if you continue to battle, you’re still a part of the game. And I wanted to remain a part of the game. But at that moment when I wrote that song, I did feel a sort of pointless pursuit in my life, because of the way I was being received and treated. And I guess it was like a boohoo moment, feel sorry for me. But nonetheless a great song.

Rock And Blues International: Okay, and how do you feel about it now?

Mitch Ryder: Same way, I still love it.

Rock And Blues International: Okay.

Mitch Ryder: I see what you mean. No, I’m feeling pretty positive today.

Rock And Blues International: Okay, so that song written during kind of a low point.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, you get those and if you’re on a kind of schedule that I am where I feel like recording is the ultimate. And that’s what I feel I have to do. That’s my mission is to record my history of my profession and commit it to audio. That’s the point of me being here is just to continue singing until I can’t sing any more. I mean, that’s all I’ve ever known. If you were to try to give me a different job at this point in my life, I wouldn’t know what to do. I’ve never been trained for anything else. I’ve never experienced anything else. I’ve never lived anything else. I’ve never bled for it like I bleed for this. It’s captured so much of me. That’s who I became, I became not me. But I became him, I became Mitch and that messed with me for a long time, that dual identity thing. That was really something to go through.

Rock And Blues International: Well, I can somewhat relate to that with myself as well. Not quite the same way as you but in a different way.

Mitch Ryder: You care to share that.

Rock And Blues International: Well, I was adopted. I was adopted out of an orphanage in Canada. So the name I have now isn’t obviously not the name I was born with. So it was bestowed upon me. So, you know, sometimes you think about those things. And it gives you a peculiar feeling.

Mitch Ryder: Sure. Probably one of

not belonging or not knowing where you belong.

Rock And Blues International: That’s part of it. Yes, that’s part of it. But anyway, we don’t need to talk about that. But in a way I can relate somewhat to what you were saying with the other. Yeah. And then now the next song, “Red Scar Eyes”. “I’m a star. I’m a star. You know, I’m sitting across the table from the gambler with the red scar eyes”.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, that’s another song about my marriage. Really, and my apology is I’m jokingly saying at the end, I’m going through this situation where I’m confronting myself. sitting across the table, from the gambler, the Red Scar is me and I’m listing the crimes. And then I apologize for it by saying, with some humility, “I’m a star”. This is why it happened “I’m a star.”

Rock And Blues International: So when you say I’m sitting across the table from the man that broke my wife, you’re you’re just, you’re yourself.

Mitch Ryder: Emotionally, physically, yeah. I abused her in so many ways. I am the luckiest man in the world to still have her standing by my side and supporting me after all of the things I brought to her life that were no good for her. And I’ve been very apologetic about it. And I’m serving her voluntarily. Serving because it’s the only way I can see to make up for the bad that I brought to her.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, I hope it wasn’t as bad as you seem to describe there.

Mitch Ryder: I don’t know. Have you read my book?

Rock And Blues International: No, I haven’t.

Mitch Ryder: It’s called “Devils With The Blues Dresses”. Yeah, it’s a very, very honest look at my life.

Rock And Blues International: And where can I find a copy of that book?

Mitch Ryder: I guess on Amazon, maybe.

Rock And Blues International: Okay. I just may give Amazon a call and see what they have on their catalog lists there.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, you might find it.

Rock And Blues International: Well, you know, for sure it’s there.

Mitch Ryder: Right. Yeah.

Rock And Blues International: Okay. Then I’ll be looking for it.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, well, I appreciate it. That would help you understand the complexities of my story. This all could be because I’m just plain nuts.

Rock And Blues International: Aren’t we all?

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, it could be as simple as that. But I think because I’m somewhat intelligent, that little deeper than that and I’m just a weird person to sort of cohabitate with.

Rock And Blues International: Well, they say that people that are are involved in art, whether it’s singing or, or, or painting or anything, that there’s a little bit of the devil in them. And you know, sometimes it creeps out. Would you say that sounds about right.

Mitch Ryder: It certainly does. Yeah.

Rock And Blues International: I think it happens to me too. Yeah.

Mitch Ryder: I wouldn’t be surprised.

Rock And Blues International: I’ve been doing my my job now for well over 40 years and God, you thought I could have been a plumber, I could have retired by now.

Mitch Ryder: Sure. If you’ve been working for the auto companies, you could have retired with a pension at 45.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah. And then I could have started with another company and retired again.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, which a lot of guys ended up doing. They no longer offer pensions. Now it’s you, you contribute to an IRA and they, they supplement it. And then now they’re trying to get it to where instead of giving you any kind of compensation, they’ll give you money, but they want you to invest it into the stock market.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah. Which I tried the stock market one time and lost everything I put into it. So needless to say, that’s one thing I’m not going to ever try again.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, probably would have been better off going to a gambling place or something.

Rock And Blues International: I probably would have, and I probably would have had a lot more fun.

Mitch Mitchell: I know you would have better odds.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, I had this one stock that got so low. It was... I forget how many 1000s I put into it. But it got to the point it was worth like, each share was worth like 1,000th of a cent. So all my if I sold everything I had, I wouldn’t even have enough money to buy a stamp.

Mitch Ryder: See, this is why you stay away from penny stocks.

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Mitch Ryder

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Rock And Blues International: Yeah, well, I didn’t start out with the penny stocks.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, me. Yeah. Cuz I had a bunch of bigger companies. And I had to dissolve mine because of my first divorce. So that wiped out everything there. Yeah. I ever learned to liquidate and then divide today cash difference with my ex.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah. Well, let’s get back to the album. Tell me why you said you did. I think you said you did four live albums before this one in Europe. Why is this the first time we’re getting a live album like this here?

Mitch Ryder: It’s my it was my birthday celebration.

Rock And Blues International: But why didn’t you do any of the other four?

Mitch Ryder: Well, we did release them. In the US. there was no specific reason for releasing them other than they sounded hot. They were great performances and the music is fun. We decided, okay, let’s let’s put this out. You know, we don’t have time to be in studio. We’re on the road. We need to, we need to put something out. It’s part of my philosophy about always, always recording, always recording, always recording. I just don’t ever want to stop it. I feel so much comfort in the studio.

Rock And Blues International: I understand. I really do.

Mitch Ryder: It’s quiet. I mean, it’s loud when you want it to be when you make it that way. But it’s quiet in terms of what it does for your soul.

Rock And Blues International: Do you have your own home studio?

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, I do. It’s not set up right now because we just moved into our new place. We’re literally in the middle of unpacking. As we speak, my wife is still working at it. Oh boy. Yeah, yeah. And we got some good news today. We ordered some blinds for the windows and those are due tomorrow to come in. And we had to buy some new furniture because the couch we own. They couldn’t it couldn’t fit it in here. And we realized afterwards that when we bought it they had actually assembled the piece of furniture in the home. And they they never did move it in and we forgot that and that’s why we’ve made them try to move it in but it wouldn’t be fit. And they ripped it bringing it up and we had to get rid of it. So we ended up buying a new couch and a new loveseat and why they call it a loveseat. I’ll never know.

Rock And Blues International: It’s togetherness. You need to be in love to sit that close to someone sometimes.

Mitch Ryder: No, I think it’s more like they were competing with the backseat of a 58 Chevy. She was about the same length, which makes it difficult to have sex.

Rock And Blues International: Oh my. back in my youth I used to have a 1966 Pontiac and 1970 Pontiac Executive. and it was like having a double bed in the backseat.

Mitch Ryder: I know. I know. They were so wide. And the tires were so thin.

Rock And Blues International: Oh, yeah. Yeah. And it was like 22 feet long or 24 feet long.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, you couldn’t find a garage that was small back then.

Rock And Blues International: And nowadays, you pull into parking places. If you have a car like that it barely fits in. I measured my truck the other day. And it’s like six foot eight wide or six foot 10 inches wide and 21 feet long.

Mitch Ryder: Good armored vehicle.

Rock And Blues International: Well, I feel safe in a big vehicle. Now. I used to drive some small ones. But now Now I need them bigger. Protect myself. Well, yeah, we need to talk more about the album here instead of all this other stuff. So tell me, what do you want people to think about this album when they hear it? What is the big goal?

Mitch Ryder: I don’t have a goal for it. I’m just hoping that they walk away enjoying it. Right? It has good fidelity. And it’s interesting. It’s provocative. It has a high amount of energy. And it’s one of those albums worth having. And that’s my take. That’s my sales pitch.

Rock And Blues International: Okay, I’ll work with that. It sounds good. What haven’t we talked about on the album that we really should have? Is there anything that I just completely missed that you’re gonna go back and say, I can’t believe he didn’t ask me this?

Mitch Ryder: No, there would be no remedy for that. Anyway, so why? Why revisit it? You know? There would be no remedy for that. I mean, what would we set up another interview just to discuss one album that we forgot? Probably not. You know,

Rock And Blues International: Why the hell not? It might be fun.

Mitch Ryder: If you want to, I would.

Rock And Blues International: No, really, what else do we need to talk about on here? What else do you want people to know about this album when they listen to it? What

kind of a view into your your soul that you want them to feel on this album here?

Mitch Ryder: That I cannot tell you. It’s interesting what happens? We were talking about ambiguity and lyrics earlier. I think that’s also true with a presentation of vocal presentation. Some vocal presentations are going to display a lot of emotion and energy and different feelings. Feelings of sadness, feelings of happiness, feelings of fun, just run the gamut of emotions. And that’s kind of like what you’re doing. You know, with this album, you’re taking that emotional ride. The difference is being done with some very good music. So that’s all I can say about it. Really, it’s, it’s difficult for me to talk about my own stuff because when I’m writing it, I don’t evaluate it. I don’t test it against anything. I don’t measure it against anything that’s in the marketplace. I just write it and for better or for worse, that becomes the song.

Rock And Blues International: Well, I’ll tell you, I was very impressed with the album. I mean, it’s rocking from the very start of “Betty’s Too Tight” to the last notes on “Soul Kitchen”. This is just one exciting concert. I would have liked to have seen this myself.

Mitch Ryder: I’m glad you like. There’s plenty of that stuff out there that’s more beautiful than that even that is unheard at this point. There was a concert we did in East Berlin. It’s called “Easter in Berlin”. It is the title of the music. We had opened for The Police. That audience went totally crazy. I mean, you wouldn’t believe it. They wouldn’t let us off stage. They were cheering so much that they wanted more and they wanted more. They wanted more. And we were walking back to our dressing room with them shouting and shouting and shouting for more. And the drummer for The Police... We’re walking by casually and he stuck his head out the door. He said, “Why are they yelling so loud? We’re not on for another 20 minutes”.

Rock And Blues International: Oh, no. That’s Stewart Copeland there. Yeah, he didn’t get it.

Mitch Ryder: No, totally. He totally missed it.

Rock And Blues International: What a shame. I bet you got a lot of stories like that.

Mitch Ryder: My wife thinks I should make a book of road stories. She finds them entertaining and interesting.

Rock And Blues International: I bet they are. I bet you’ve got some really good moments. I bet there’s some moments you’d really liked to forget.

Mitch Ryder: Oh, yeah, there’s a few of those here.

Rock And Blues International: Well, if there’s nothing else you want to talk about on

Mitch Ryder

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the album, what else do you what do you want to talk about?

Mitch Ryder: Nothing else? Really? That’s why we got together tonight, to talk about that album.

Rock And Blues International: Okay.

Mitch Ryder: Just you know, we’re going to be recording another studio album. I’m interested in how that turns out.

Rock And Blues International: When do you go into the studio?

Mitch Ryder: I believe in August.

Rock And Blues International: Great. How long are you going to be recording?

Mitch Ryder: I don’t know, however long it takes to finish the album. That’s how long it takes.

Rock And Blues International: I’m sure you’ve been writing songs for it already.

Mitch Ryder: Actually finished one yesterday.

Rock And Blues International: Can you give me a preview of it?

Mitch Ryder: No.

Rock And Blues International: I mean, just tell me a little bit.

Mitch Ryder: No.

Rock And Blues International: Okay. All right, be that way. Well, I’m really looking forward to hearing some new music from you. I mean, it was great to hear this right here. But I just would, especially with you tell me telling me about your writing process here and how you how you do some of that. I can’t wait to hear something new from you.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, I mean, every night I go to bed, I review what I did during the day and make little changes here and there. The trick to going into a studio is if you want to save money, you spend all your time and energy preparing for the studio. So when you get in there, everybody knows what to do.

Rock And Blues International: Absolutely. I mean, studio time is so expensive to begin with. And to get in there and just start going okay, let’s start, let’s write one. You know, yeah, not everybody has the luxury, like The Rolling Stones just go into a place after being away from each other for over a year. And sitting there and wasting

money like that.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, just seeing if they if they can come up with something or not. Oh, yeah. I like to walk in knowing that I have something.

Rock And Blues International: Yeah, I understand the studio thing. And I’d love to talk to you about your studio one of these days. I’ve actually have my own little studio here that I’m working in and I used to record bands and stuff here. Now I just sit here and do my interviews for the magazine and watch TV. I’m sitting here with the console right next to me.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, it’s kind of like being semi retired. Yeah,

Rock And Blues International: yeah, I’ve got a couple of different versions of Pro Tools. In the other room. I’ve got all these different recorders that I started out with. I mean, we started out on cassette. We went to four track we went to eight track, we went to 16 track, we went to digital. It’s crazy. And all this stuff’s just piling up around here. Anyway, it’s been wonderful talking to you. I never thought I’d ever get to talk to Mitch Ryder. And it’s, it’s really been a pleasure. I really appreciate you calling me and talking to me about the album. And we’ll put something good together for you. Okay, well, like I said, this has been a pleasure. I’ve had a great time talking with you. Okay. Well, we’ll talk again one time, I hope. Maybe when you do the next album.

Mitch Ryder: Yeah, I hope to. That’d be great.

Rock And Blues International: All right. Well, thanks again. We’ll talk again later then. Bye.

Mitch Ryder: Okay, bye bye.

Mitch Ryder, the legendary voice behind the iconic “Detroit Sound,” is back in the spotlight with his electrifying new live album, “The Roof Is On Fire.” This release is more than just a collection of live performances; it’s a triumphant celebration of Ryder’s enduring legacy and his long-awaited return to American audiences.

For years, Ryder has been releasing critically acclaimed albums in Europe that have largely gone unnoticed by his American fan base. However, with “The Roof Is On Fire,” he’s reminding listeners in the States that he’s still here, still alive, and still creating some of the most compelling music of his career. At 75 years young, Ryder’s voice is as powerful and soul-stirring as ever, proving that age is just a number when it comes to

delivering unforgettable performances.

Recorded during his 75th birthday tour, “The Roof Is On Fire” showcases Ryder’s unparalleled energy and passion on stage. Collaborating with the Berlin blues band Engerling, Ryder tears through a setlist that spans his entire career, from the classic Detroit soul rock sound that made him famous to the soul blues and ballads that showcase his versatility as an artist. The album is a testament to the fact that Ryder is not just a survivor in the music industry, but a thriving force to be reckoned with.

Throughout his career, Ryder has faced numerous challenges and obstacles, but his unwavering commitment to his craft has never wavered. He’s influenced generations of musicians and earned the respect of his peers, with luminaries like Keith Richards praising him as “the most exciting singer in rock.” With “The Roof Is On Fire,” Ryder is once again cementing his status as a living legend and an essential voice in the world of rock and blues.

But Ryder isn’t content to rest on his laurels. During our interview, he revealed that he’s already scheduled to return to the studio to record another album, a prospect that has his fans buzzing with anticipation. It’s clear that Ryder’s passion for music is as strong as ever, and he has no intention of slowing down anytime soon.

We at Rock And Blues International would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Mitch Ryder for taking the time to speak with us about his incredible new album. “The Roof Is On Fire” is a must-listen for any fan of rock, blues, or soul music, and a shining example of what can be achieved when talent, perseverance, and an unwavering love for the craft come together. We wish Mitch Ryder all the success in the world with this release and can’t wait to hear what he has in store for us next.

Conversations With The Professionals John in Houston

This Month Blues Great Janiva Magness

There is something about certain people that you sense right up front. Your sixth sense kicks in and you just know what you know without any prior connection to back it up. You just feel their presence, you just know. At that very moment in time it’s too early to compartmentalize exactly what the hell has grabbed your attention but something is telling you that this person is in the right place at the right time with you. There is something about creative individuals, a spiritual essence that emanates from them. I remember being at the 2017 Blues Music Awards in Memphis which is a pretty big deal within the international blues community and Janiva Magness came on stage. The auditorium was filled to capacity with blues artists and industry professionals from all around the world. The audience had been quite talkative between sets like what normally happens at most award events but once this woman walked on stage an immediate hush fell over the room. I had never met her, I knew her name but not much more than that yet I felt that certain something that I am writing about even before she began to perform. Some people sing the blues while others deliver the blues, Janiva Magness definitely delivers and delivers gut level big time. Rightfully she was on stage that night, after all the blues community was celebrating the best of the best. What’s really cool about the BMAs is that voting for the best is reserved for just Blues Foundation members only. So if you are up on that stage, your peers put you there. In fact Janiva has received the coveted BMA award seven times. That is incredible in and of itself. Undoubtedly Janiva Magness is one of the greats of our era and the blues community embraces those that have earned their stripes. It’s quite the story. Yet if she were to look back I am sure she would be the first to tell you that it was her own sixth sense that kicked in over and over throughout the years that would eventually lead to those evenings at the BMAs.

Janiva was thirteen years old on an ice cold blizzard of an evening in Minneapolis Minnesota and if you don’t know that neck of the woods it gets freaking cold. I mean it gets so cold there that those that folks up that way drive their cars and trucks out onto the ice of the lakes, drill holes in the ice and fish. That’s cold man. So here’s Janiva at thirteen hitching a ride from the foster home where she was living being drawn in like a moth to a flame to go see this guy named Otis Rush perform. In our interview I asked her what was so special about him: Janiva shared, “The way he played, the way he delivered, no exaggeration it was a spiritual experience. I call it the Otis experience and you know after that evening was over I sought out every blues, soul and R&B performance that was happening in Minneapolis.” Years later, after making her bones, she would be invited to perform with the legendary traditional blues great Koko Taylor, a true honor to say the very least. Included in the billing were three additional greats Marva Wright, Marcia Ball and Melvia “Chick” Rogers all backed by Koko Taylor’s Blues Machine band. The show “The Sisters Of Royalty” would be held at the House of Blues in Chicago.

The Late Great Otis Rush

This Month Blues Great Janiva Magness

Now here’s the interesting thing about Janiva’s success, yes she’s earned every mile of it but there is an additional force within the universe that puts all of us in what we later feel were some how, some way predestined situations. To digress: Early on in her career Janiva was living in Minneapolis working as a vocalist doing session work in the studios. A lady friend of hers was the lead singer of a local rock band and asked her to stop by their ehearsal. When Janiva arrived her lady friend asked her to do a number with the band. Janiva was reluctant because she did not go there to audition and didn’t want to crowd her friend’s success. However her girlfriend kept on her until she finally did a song and then right after it was over her girlfriend said, “Janiva this gig is yours if you want it I am moving on.” She was blown away that this opportunity had materialized this way. The bottom line was that she hadn’t been looking for an opportunity, however the opportunity was looking for her. This is how it was with Janiva and Koko. They clicked and out of nowhere Janiva was invited to perform with top shelf traditional blues ladies on the main stage in Chicago. An interesting side bar: I was poking around for the best tour story that Janiva might have experienced over the span of her career and immediately she brought up riding to O’Hare Airport from Chicago with another lady and Denise LaSalle. As they were about to get in the taxi Denise noted that the driver was this fine looking polite young man and said you two sit in the back I’ll get up front with this young man. Well Denise knew just how to have fun with this young man and she kept on him until he was so nervous that sweat was pouring out of his forehead. Once Denise knew she had him confused but yet curious she took a line from one of her songs “you got to lick it before you stick it” and laid that bit of advice on this nice young man. Needless to say he started sweating even more profusely, you see Denise was still dressed in her stage clothes and the girls in the back seat were rolling with laughter. This young man had no idea who they were and Denise comes off like this with him, too funny. Moving on now, I can tell you from meeting with Janiva that she is well grounded, well grounded in regard to seeking success. What I am saying is that she’s damn good at what she does and has found success but it’s clear she’s never been chasing success. She’s enjoying the gifts she’s been given and for an entire career many, many opportunities have come to her. Among those she deeply admires was/is the late Etta James, whose stage presence by just watching her perform, educated Janiva on how she should work an entire stage and Jimmy Buffet who she toured with opening his shows in arenas, festivals and theatres of 18 to 25 thousand people each show told her to “sing to the nosebleed seats”. That was another mentoring point that came to her as well. When it comes to female greats the blues community includes lots of women. Back in the late twenties and then moving into the future it was and continues to be the female blues artist that packs in the crowds. These women are great blues artists because they have lived it one way or another. The raw emotion drawn from their life experiences is captured in their presentation, the way they carry themselves on stage and the delivery. Some things you just can’t fake. As they say the blues is a feeling. Janiva Magness has performed at so many major

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Janiva Magness, Denise LaSalle, Koko Taylor

Janiva Performing At The Prestigious Blues Music Awards 2017

This Month Blues Great Janiva Magness

clubs and festivals both here in the states and abroad that this writer would need pages of ink to list them all. She’s racked up award after award and soon she will release (get this) her seventeenth album. All of this coming to life from the roots of a strong foundation built on a sixth sense and door after door that opened without this woman having a motive. People that have paid steep dues tend to be this way. Ever attend a John Lee Hooker show? You can feel the presence of a life lived. These people are overflowing with emotion and the creatives out there who have lived an early life of struggle carry it with them for an entire lifetime. Then there are the initial impressions that a person gains from radio and live performances, with Janiva it was Etta James, Billy Holiday and James Brown just to mention a few. Those artists reached her, she related, her calling had been formed early on due to these impressions. This knowing I am writing about, this “have to” feeling came to her. The very essence of this artist’s contributions are deep rooted with the blessing of a high range soprano voice coupled with a tough youth and then routed through a maze of doors that kept opening for her, doors that she was not looking for and of course damn good looks. All of this would then flow over into the recording sessions as well. Because of a youth that made her both tough and yet open to others she works well in the studio. She is open to a musician’s ideas, listens to their ideas, samples them, but yet firm when she makes her final choice of what stays in the recording. So the studio environment is pleasant and ripe for creativity and success. When it comes to writing lyrics well there’s that long road of experiences she can draw from so most of her original works are based on the truth and while some are written on the road basically most are written at home. Mostly in an environment that allows for quiet reflection. Now having said all of this I want to leave you with this knowledge, here is what I gained from being with this woman. If there were a Janiva Magness perfume it would be labeled “Kindness” because that’s the essence of who Janiva Magness is… She can deliver hard driving rock blues but this woman’s true persona will also reach you with a traditional blues delivery that will reach you just as others had reached her so many years ago. If I am lying I am dying…. You rock lady, thanks for the time to meet with me. See you at the top! Learn more @ Janiva Magness

Janiva Magness - Blues Superstar And Proud Member Of Foster Care Alumni Of America

Cedric Burnside

By Greg Fontaine

Cedric Burnside, the Grammywinning bluesman and grandson of the legendary R.L. Burnside, has released his highly anticipated new album, “Hill Country Love.” The follow-up to his 2021 Grammywinning album “I Be Trying,” this new record was recorded in just two days in a former legal office in Ripley, Mississippi, the birthplace of the Hill Country Blues style.

Burnside collaborated with producer Luther Dickinson, cofounder of the acclaimed North Mississippi Allstars, to record the album in the unconventional space. “That building was actually going to be my juke joint. Everything was made out of wood, which made the sound resonate like a big wooden box,” Burnside explained. “We recorded in the middle of a bunch of rubbish – wood everywhere and garbage cans. We just laid everything out the way and recorded the album right there.”

The 14 songs on “Hill Country Love” showcase Burnside’s growth as a songwriter and his ability to express himself more directly than ever before. “Every time I write an album, it’s always different,” he said. “I’m always looking to express myself a little bit better than I did on the last one and talk about more things happen in my life. I think that every day that you’re able to open your eyes, life is gonna throw you something to write about and to talk about.”

Burnside’s life experiences, from touring with his grandfather at age 13 to his recent Grammy win and recognition with the 2024 Mississippi Governor’s Art Award for Excellence in Music, have certainly provided ample material for his songwriting. He has also appeared in several films, including “Tempted,” “Big Bad Love,” and the 2006 hit “Black Snake Moan,” and played the

Cedric Burnside Releases

“Hill Country Love,” a Testament to His Roots and Growth as an Artist

Watch The Video For “Juke Joint” Here at https://youtu.be/w_LKlJN192M

Cedric Burnside Links: Bio Link @ https://ffm.bio/cedricburnside Website @ https://www.cedricburnside.net/ Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/cedric.burnside.5/ Instagram @ https://www.instagram.com/cedric.burnside/ Spotify @ https://open.spotify.com/artist/5tuhrLilxNi6N7D6VeQZnc Apple Music @

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/cedric-burnside/292160072

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title character in 2021’s “Texas Red.” Throughout his career, Burnside has collaborated with a diverse array of musicians, including Jimmy Buffett, Bobby Rush, and Widespread Panic. Despite his many accomplishments, Burnside remains deeply connected to the Hill Country Blues style pioneered by his grandfather and other greats like Junior Kimbrough, Jessie Mae Hemphill, and Otha Turner. The title track, “Hill Country Love,” pays homage to his roots and the house party tradition that was central to his upbringing. “So that’s what I was thinking about as I was writing that song – where I come from and also where I’m going, and how my journey has been to get to where I’m at now,” Burnside said. Another song, “Juke Joint,” celebrates the local nightlife institu-

tions that were integral to his musical education. “The juke joint was a big part of my life,” he said. “I didn’t go to church, the juke joint was my church, and the juke joint was my school. I was there all the time, from 10 years old until I was grown.”

While Burnside’s music is steeped in tradition, he sees himself as an inheritor, not an imitator, of the Hill Country Blues style. “Big Daddy’s music, Junior’s music, Mister Otha’s music – my music is similar to theirs, but I’m a younger generation,” he said. “Whether we want to or not, we move on, and so my music will automatically sound a little more modern. But even if I tried to sound really modern, that old feel and old sound is just there. You might hear a song and think. ‘Wow, that sounds like it was recorded in

1959.’ I like that, but it’s really just me growing up around it and falling in love with that sound.”

“Hill Country Love” features a range of sounds and emotions, from the funky instrumental “Get Funky” to the introspective “Closer,” in which Burnside strives for spiritual redemption. “That song really resonates to me,” he said. “When I was writing it, I didn’t just think about myself, I thought about everybody in the world, and getting closer to God. Every day you wake up, life is challenging, and it throws you all kinds of curveballs. Your faith is tested every day – that line is actually in the song, and I know people can relate to that as I can.”

The album also includes

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Burnside’s rendition of Mississippi Fred McDowell’s “You Gotta Move,” a song often performed by his grandfather. “He would get off the tractor and go sit on the porch and play for a couple hours, drink a little moonshine, and then go back to the tractor,” Burnside recalled, “and that’s one of the songs that I always loved to hear him play.”

Burnside’s commitment to honesty and integrity shines through on “Hill Country Love.” “I compromised a little bit with my albums in the past,” he admitted, “and I didn’t really have to compromise with this one, because I did it by myself. I paid for the engineer, paid for the musicians, I didn’t have a record company there. We just went to play music, and how it came out was how it came out – and it came out great.”

With “Hill Country Love,” Cedric Burnside continues to cement his place as one of the most vital voices in contemporary blues, carrying on the legacy of his grandfather while forging his own path forward. “I have to be true to where I’m coming from,” he said. “On this album, the feeling that I had was like, I’m going to write what I feel, I’m going to write what’s going on. Life gives you good and life gives you bad and you have to cope with it however you need to cope with it. My way of coping with things is through my music, so I thank the Lord for music. I really do.”

Cedric Burnside

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May 1 - Macon, GA - Macon City Auditorium*

May 2 - Decatur, AL - Princess Theatre

May 3 - New Orleans, LA - The Broadside

May 4 - Hattiesburg, MS - Saenger Theater*

May 9 - Houston, TX – Continental Club

May 10 - Austin, TX - 3Ten

May 11 - San Antonio, TX - Jo Long Theatre

May 13 - Santa Fe, NM - TumbleRoot Brewery & Distillery

May 15 - Phoenix, AZ - Music Instrument Museum

May 16 - Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour

May 17 - Fresno, CA - Tower Theatre

May 18 - San Francisco, CA - The Chapel

May 20 - Bend, OR - Volcanic Theatre Pub

May 21 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios

May 23 - Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern

May 24 - Bellingham, WA - Wild Buffalo

May 25 - Vancouver, BC - Fox Cabaret

May 26 - Victoria, BC - Wicket Hall

May 28 - Boise, ID - Neurolux

May 29 - Salt Lake City, UT - The State Room

May 30 - Fort Collins, CO - Aggie Theatre

May 31 - Denver, CO – Globe Hall

June 1 - Denver, CO – Globe Hall

June 16 - Kansas City, MO – Knuckleheads

June 19 - Minneapolis, MN - Dakota

June 21 - Aspen, CO - JAS June Experience

June 22 - Aspen, CO - JAS June Experience

June 25 - Chicago, IL - Schubas Tavern

June 26 - Chicago, IL - Schubas Tavern

June 27 - Milwaukee, WI - Summerfest

June 30 - Montreal, Canada - Montpellier Blues Festival

July 6 - Cognac, France - Cognac Blues Passions Festival

July 14 - Rotterdam, Netherlands - North Sea Jazz Festival

August 12 - Notodden, Norway - Notodden Blues Festival

September 12 - Atlanta, GA - Terminal West

September 14 - Asheville, NC - Grey Eagle

September 15 - Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle (Back Room)

September 17 - Charlottesville, VA - The Southern Cafe & Music Hall

September 20 - Camden, NJ - XPoNential Music Festival

*With JJ Grey & Mofro

Vampire Weekend Announce Massive 2024 North American tour

The band will be embarking on a lengthy tour this spring in support of fifth album

‘Only God Was Above Us’

By Albert Schwartz

Vampire Weekend Announces Extensive 2024 North American Tour in Support of their New Album ‘Only God Was Above Us’

Indie rock luminaries Vampire Weekend have thrilled fans with the announcement of their ambitious 2024 North American tour, set to kick off this spring. The extensive trek, which will see the band traverse the continent, comes on the heels of the release of their highly anticipated fifth studio album, ‘Only God Was Above Us,’

which hit shelves on April 5th.

In a tantalizing preview of what’s to come, Vampire Weekend has already unveiled two captivating tracks from the forthcoming record: ‘Capricorn’ and ‘Gen-X Cops.’ These songs have only served to heighten the excitement surrounding the album, which follows the band’s critically acclaimed 2019 release, ‘Father Of The Bride.’ NME, in a glowing four-star review, praised ‘Father Of The Bride’ as a “key reinvention for the indie stalwarts, with a looseness and funkiness that proves,

thankfully, they’ve not overthought the comeback.”

As details emerge about the creation of ‘Only God Was Above Us,’ it’s clear that Vampire Weekend has embarked on a global adventure to craft their latest musical offering. The band has confirmed that the album was recorded in various locations around the world, from the bustling streets of Manhattan to the sun-drenched landscapes of Los Angeles, and even venturing across the Atlantic to

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Vampire Weekend

London and Tokyo. This international scope has undoubtedly influenced the sound and feel of the record, adding new layers of depth and complexity to their already rich musical tapestry.

The album, which is said to be “inspired and haunted by 20th Century New York City,” has been primarily produced by the band’s visionary frontman, Ezra Koenig, in collaboration with longtime creative partner Ariel Rechtshaid, known for his work with artists such as Haim and Brandon Flowers. The bulk of the songwriting took place between 2019 and 2020, hinting at a reflective and introspective period for the band.

Vampire Weekend’s musical journey has been one of constant evolution and exploration. From their early days as music blog darlings to their current status as chart-topping indie icons, the band has consistently pushed the boundaries of their sound, incorporating a dizzying array of influences ranging from Afro-pop and

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ska to hip-hop and ’80s pop. This eclectic mix has become a hallmark of their style, setting them apart from their contemporaries and solidifying their position as one of the most innovative and influential acts of the past two decades.

The band’s rise to prominence has been nothing short of remarkable. Their self-titled debut album, released in 2008, quickly garnered critical acclaim and a devoted fan base. However, it was their subsequent releases, 2010’s ‘Contra’ and 2013’s ‘Modern Vampires of the City,’ that truly catapulted them into the stratosphere. Both albums debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 chart, making Vampire Weekend the first indie group to achieve two consecutive numberone albums. ‘Modern Vampires of the City’ also earned the band their first Grammy Award, cementing their status as indie rock royalty.

In the years since, Vampire Weekend has continued to evolve and

experiment with their sound. ‘Father of the Bride,’ released in 2019, saw the band incorporating elements of jamrock and psychedelic soul into their already expansive sonic palette. The album, which topped the charts and earned multiple Grammy nominations, showcased the band’s ability to tackle complex themes and emotions while maintaining their signature wit and charm.

Now, with ‘Only God Was Above Us,’ Vampire Weekend appears poised to take listeners on another thrilling musical journey. The album, described as a densely layered reflection on a bygone era of New York City, promises to be a nostalgic yet forwardthinking exploration of the band’s roots and influences.

As fans eagerly await the opportunity to experience the new material live, the anticipation for Vampire Weekend’s 2024 North

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Vampire Weekend

American tour is reaching a fever pitch. With their reputation for electrifying performances and their knack for crafting setlists that seamlessly blend fan favorites with fresh cuts, the band’s upcoming shows are sure to be the hottest tickets in town.

The tour, which will see Vampire Weekend playing in venues across the United States and Canada, is a testament to their enduring popularity and the deep connection they’ve forged with their audience over the years. From intimate club shows to sprawling festival stages, the band has consistently delivered unforgettable live experiences that have left fans clamoring for more.

As the music world prepares for the release of ‘Only God Was Above Us’ and the subsequent tour, it’s clear that Vampire Weekend remains at the forefront of the indie rock scene. Their ability to evolve and innovate while staying true to their core sound and sensibilities has made them one of the most enduring and beloved acts of their generation.

With the 2024 North American tour on the horizon and a new album that promises to be another milestone in their already impressive discography, Vampire Weekend stands poised to once again capture the hearts and minds of music lovers everywhere. As fans count down the days until they can experience the magic of the band’s live shows, one thing is certain: Vampire Weekend’s legacy as indie rock trailblazers is secure, and their future has never looked brighter.

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APRIL

08 – Austin, TX, Moody Amphitheater (Solar Eclipse) – SOLD OUT

27 – New Orleans, LA – New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

MAY

10 – Salt Lake City, UT, Kilby Block Party

30 – Barcelona, Espana, Primavera Sound

JUNE

06 – Houston, TX, 713 Music Hall

07 – Irving, TX, The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory

09 – Phoenix, AZ, Arizona Financial Theatre

10 – San Diego, CA, Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre

12 – Los Angeles, CA, Hollywood Bowl

15 – Berkeley, CA, The Greek Theatre at U.C. Berkeley

16 – Berkeley, CA, The Greek Theatre at U.C. Berkeley (Matinee Show)

18 – Burnaby, BC, Deer Lake Park

19 – Bend, OR, Hayden Homes Amphitheater

20 – Seattle, WA, Climate Pledge Arena

22 – Bonner, MT, KettleHouse Amphitheater

23 – Bonner, MT, KettleHouse Amphitheater (Matinee Show)

JULY

19 – Morrison, CO, Red Rocks Amphitheatre

22 – Kansas City, MO, Starlight Theatre

23 – Lincoln, NE, Pinewood Bowl Theater

25 – Maryland Heights, MO, Saint Louis Music Park

26 – Chicago, IL, Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island

27 – Chicago, IL, Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island

30 – Minneapolis, MN, The Armory

AUGUST

01 – Milwaukee, WI, BMO Pavilion

03 – St. Charles, IA, Hinterland

SEPTEMBER

19 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH, Blossom Music Center

20 – Cincinnati, OH, The ICON Festival Stage at Smale Park

21 – Indianapolis, IN, Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park

23 – Rochester Hills, MI, Meadow Brook Amphitheatre

24 – Toronto, ON, Budweiser Stage

25 – Laval, QC, Place Bell

27 – Boston, MA, TD Garden

28 – Philadelphia, PA, TD Pavilion at The Mann

30 – Washington, DC, The Anthem

OCTOBER

02 – Charlottesville, VA, Ting Pavilion

05 – New York, NY, Madison Square Garden

06 – New York, NY, Madison Square Garden (Matinee Show)

08 – Wilmington, NC, Live Oak Bank Pavilion

09 – Raleigh, NC, Red Hat Amphitheater

11 – Nashville, TN, Ascend Amphitheater

12 – Atlanta, GA, Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park

13 – Asheville, NC, Rabbit Rabbit

15 – St. Augustine, FL, St. Augustine Amphitheatre

17 – Austin, TX, Moody Center

Moment in Music History!

The Blues Foundation is honored and excited to extend an invitation to you to witness a truly remarkable moment in the history of music. Join us as we unveil our revolutionary Hologram Interactive exhibit, a state-of-the-art installation that stands as the first of its kind in Tennessee and only the second in the entire United States. This groundbreaking exhibit harnesses the power of cutting-edge technology to create an immersive, unforgettable experience that pays tribute to the rich, soulful history of blues music.

Set in the vibrant heart of Memphis, the birthplace of the blues, this exhibit brings the powerful rhythms, the heartfelt stories, and the enduring legacy of the blues to life like never before. As you step into the exhibit, you’ll be guided by the distinctive voice of the legendary Taj Mahal, a 2009 inductee into the prestigious Blues Hall of Fame. Through his narration, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the profound impact of the blues on American music and culture.

“At Narrator Studio, we’ve long been at the forefront of AI and immersive experiences, and we’ve eagerly awaited the opportunity to leverage the power of holographic and AI technologies to preserve and celebrate the talent and legacy of a true musical icon,” says Ari Palitz, lead narrator at the studio. “It’s been an honor to collaborate with Kimberly Horton, The Blues Foundation, and the incomparable Taj Mahal to turn this vision into a breathtaking reality.”

The exhibit will open its doors to the public on May 8th, inviting blues enthusiasts, music lovers, and curious minds alike to embark on this extraordinary journey. To fully immerse yourself in the holographic experience, there is an additional charge of $10. The Blues Foundation museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 am to 5 pm.

The Blues Foundation, headquartered in Memphis, is a globally recognized organization dedicated to preserving the rich heritage of the blues, celebrating the art of blues recording and performance, spreading worldwide awareness of this unique American art form, and ensuring its vibrant future. Founded in 1980, the Foundation has grown to include approximately 4,000 individual members and 180 affiliated blues societies, together representing a diverse community of over 50,000 fans and professionals across the globe.

The Foundation’s signature events and honors, such as the prestigious Blues Music Awards, the Blues Hall of Fame Inductions, the International Blues Challenge, and the Keeping the Blues Alive Awards, have firmly established it as the international hub of the blues music community. Through initiatives like the HART Fund, which provides critical medical assistance to musicians in need, and educational programs like Blues in the Schools and Generation Blues Scholarships, the Foundation is committed to supporting the blues community and nurturing the next generation of blues enthusiasts and artists.

For those eager to dive deeper into the history and soul of the blues, the Blues Hall of Fame Museum, located in the heart of Downtown Memphis, offers an unparalleled opportunity to interact with the music and its rich history. This engaging, interactive space welcomes blues lovers of all ages, inviting them to explore, learn, and be inspired by the enduring power of this quintessentially American art form.

The Dave Matthews Band Announces Highly Anticipated 2024 U.S. Summer Tour with Groundbreaking Sustainability Initiatives

In a thrilling announcement that has sent shockwaves throughout the music industry and ignited the excitement of fans across the nation, the Dave Matthews Band has officially unveiled the dates for their much-awaited 2024 U.S. Summer Tour. This tour promises to be a landmark event, not only showcasing the band’s unparalleled musical prowess but also setting a new standard for environmental sustainability in the live music scene.

The Dave Matthews Band, renowned for their electrifying live performances and their unique fusion

of rock, jazz, and world music influences, has long been at the forefront of advocating for environmental causes. With this upcoming tour, they are taking their commitment to new heights by introducing the groundbreaking “On the Road To Zero Waste” initiative. In partnership with Live Nation, the global leader in live entertainment, the band aims to divert an astonishing 90% of fangenerated waste from landfills, setting a precedent for eco-friendly practices within the industry.

At the helm of this ambitious endeavor is Dave Matthews himself,

a UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador since 2019. Renowned for his unwavering dedication to environmental conservation, Matthews will collaborate closely with Live Nationoperated venues throughout the tour to implement a comprehensive waste reduction strategy. By working handin-hand with venue staff, the band seeks to create a sustainable blueprint that can be adopted by other artists and events, effectively revolutionizing the way live music is experienced and produced.

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Live Nation, with its extensive network of venues and vast resources, has fully embraced the “On the Road To Zero Waste” initiative. The company will deploy dedicated zero waste green teams at each tour stop, ensuring the seamless execution of waste reduction measures. These teams will establish strategically placed zero waste stations, facilitate food donations to local charities, and meticulously oversee waste sorting and composting efforts. Moreover, Live Nation will prioritize the minimization of single-use plastics, opting for eco-friendly alternatives whenever feasible. By leveraging their industry-leading expertise and influence, Live Nation aims to create a domino effect of positive change, inspiring other venues and artists to follow suit.

In addition to their waste reduction efforts, the Dave Matthews Band has reaffirmed their longstanding commitment to The Nature Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees campaign. Since joining forces with the campaign in 2020, the band has already contributed to the planting of an impressive four million trees. As part of their 2024 tour, they have pledged to plant an additional one million trees, further cementing their dedication to reforestation and combating climate change. By supporting this vital initiative, the band recognizes the multifaceted benefits of trees, from sequestering carbon dioxide to providing habitats for wildlife and sustaining the livelihoods of communities worldwide.

Recognizing that the environmental impact of touring extends far beyond the confines of the concert venues, the Dave Matthews Band has forged a partnership with REVERB, a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to greening music tours and engaging fans in environmental action. Through this collaboration, the band will implement a comprehensive carbon offset program, mitigating the emissions generated

by their own travel and that of their devoted fans. By investing in renewable energy projects and supporting reforestation efforts, the Dave Matthews Band aims to neutralize their carbon footprint, setting a powerful example for the music industry at large.

As the anticipation for the 2024 U.S. Summer Tour reaches a fever pitch, fans are not only eager to immerse themselves in the band’s mesmerizing live performances but also to be part of a movement that prioritizes the well-being of our planet. The Dave Matthews Band’s enduring success is built upon a foundation of musical innovation, emotional authenticity, and a genuine connection with their audience. From their humble beginnings in the vibrant music scene of Charlottesville, Virginia, to their meteoric rise to international stardom with seminal albums like “Under the Table and Dreaming” and “Crash,” the band has consistently pushed the envelope, redefining the boundaries of their genre while staying true to their artistic vision.

The release of their most recent album, “Walk Around the Moon,” in May 2023, showcased the band’s unwavering commitment to growth and experimentation. Under the masterful guidance of renowned producer Rob Evans, the album finds Dave Matthews delving into introspective themes, exploring the complexities of love, loss, and the relentless march of time. Yet, even in moments of profound contemplation, the album manages to retain the infectious energy and celebratory spirit that have become synonymous with the band’s music. Fans can anticipate a carefully curated setlist during the upcoming tour, featuring a perfect blend of new material and timeless classics, all delivered with the virtuosic musicianship and spontaneous magic that have made the Dave Matthews Band a force to be reckoned with on stage.

As the music community

eagerly counts down the days until the 2024 U.S. Summer Tour commences, the Dave Matthews Band’s unwavering dedication to sustainability and environmental activism has taken the spotlight. By joining forces with industry powerhouses like Live Nation and renowned organizations such as The Nature Conservancy and REVERB, the band is harnessing the transformative power of music to inspire change and mobilize fans to take action in their own lives. The “On the Road To Zero Waste” initiative, coupled with the band’s ongoing reforestation efforts and carbon offset program, establishes a new paradigm for what is achievable when artists, venues, and fans unite behind a shared vision of a greener future.

For the fortunate fans who will have the opportunity to witness the Dave Matthews Band’s spellbinding performances during this tour, the experience promises to be nothing short of extraordinary. Beyond the sheer joy of being immersed in the band’s musical artistry, attendees will also have the profound satisfaction of knowing that they are contributing to a collective effort to create a more sustainable world. As the band takes the stage each night, their message of environmental stewardship will resonate deeply with the audience, igniting a spark of inspiration and empowering individuals to become catalysts for positive change in their own communities.

In an era where the challenges posed by climate change have reached a critical juncture, the Dave Matthews Band’s 2024 U.S. Summer Tour serves as a clarion call, urging us all to unite and take decisive action. By leveraging their platform to promote sustainability and environmental consciousness, the band is demonstrating the immense potential of music to transcend boundaries, bridge divides, and galvanize a global movement. As fans eagerly

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await the opportunity to secure their tickets and be part of this transformative journey, they can take solace in the knowledge that they are not merely spectators, but active participants in shaping a brighter, more sustainable future for generations to come.

The Dave Matthews Band’s 2024 U.S. Summer Tour is poised to be a defining moment in the annals of music history, a testament to the enduring power of artistry, activism, and the indomitable human spirit. As the band embarks on this extraordinary journey, they invite fans to join them, not only in celebration of their shared love for music but also in a collective commitment to preserving the beauty and wonder of our planet. Together, we can chart a course towards a more harmonious relationship with the Earth, one note, one song, and one tour at a time.

DMB 2024 U.S. summer tour dates:

May 22 — Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre

May 24 — West Palm Beach, FL @ iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre

May 25 — West Palm Beach, FL @ iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre

May 28 — Jacksonville, FL @ Daily’s Place Amphitheater

May 29 — Jacksonville, FL @ Daily’s Place Amphitheater

May 31 — The Woodlands, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

June 1 — Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion

June 12 — Alpharetta, GA @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre

June 14 — Raleigh, NC @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park

June 15 — Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater

June 21 — East Troy, WI @ Alpine Valley Music Theatre

June 22 — East Troy, WI @ Alpine Valley Music Theatre

June 25 — Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center

June 26 — Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theatre

June 28 — Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center

June 29 — Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center

July 5 — Saratoga Springs, NY @ Broadview Stage at SPAC

July 6 — Saratoga Springs, NY @ Broadview Stage at SPAC

July 9 — Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater

July 10 — Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center

July 12 — Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center

July 13 — Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live

July 16 — Gilford, NH @ BankNH Pavilion

July 17 — Gilford, NH @ BankNH Pavilion

July 19 — Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion

July 20 — Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion

August 23 — Greenwood Village, CO @ Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre

August 24 — Greenwood Village, CO @ Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre

August 27 — Bend, OR @ Hayden Homes Amphitheater

August 30 — George, WA @ The Gorge Amphitheatre

August 31 — George, WA @ The Gorge Amphitheatre

Sept. 1 — George, WA @ The Gorge Amphitheatre

Pre-order/add/save Hit Me Hard And Soft Here at https://billieeilish.lnk.to/hitmehardandsoft

OFFICIAL WEBSITE @ https://store.billieeilish.com/ FACEBOOK @ https://www.facebook.com/billieeilish/ INSTAGRAM @ https://www.instagram.com/billieeilish X @ https://twitter.com/billieeilish TIKTOK @ https://www.tiktok.com/@billieeilish YOUTUBE @https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiGm_E4ZwYSHV3bcW1pnSeQ

By Sheena Johnson

In an exciting announcement for music lovers worldwide, multiple GRAMMY® and Academy Award winner Billie Eilish has revealed details about her highly anticipated

third studio album, “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT.” The album, which promises to be her most daring body of work to date, is set for a global release on May 17 via Darkroom/ Interscope Records.

“HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” is described as a diverse yet cohesive collection of songs that takes listeners on a journey through a vast and expansive audio landscape. The

Photo credit for album artwork and press photo is William Drumm

Billie Eilish

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album’s title aptly reflects its ability to hit listeners both hard and soft, lyrically and sonically, while bending genres and defying trends along the way. Eilish, known for her introspective lyrics and refusal to shy away from mental health issues, aims to immerse her audience in a full spectrum of emotions, affirming her status as one of the most exciting songwriters of her generation.

The album was written by Billie Eilish and her brother and long-time collaborator, FINNEAS, who also produced the record. In a continued effort to minimize waste and combat climate change, “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” will be available across all physical formats in limited variants on the same day, with the same track-listing and using 100% recyclable materials.

Billie Eilish’s journey to becoming a global sensation began in Los Angeles, where she grew up in a household of actors and musicians. Home-schooled alongside her brother Finneas O’Connell, Eilish joined the Los Angeles Children’s Choir at the age of eight, developing the soulful vocals that would later appear on her early singles.

Her breakthrough came with the release of “Ocean Eyes,” produced and co-written with Finneas, which surpassed 14 million online streams and spawned numerous remixes. Eilish continued to gain momentum with subsequent releases, including “Bellyache,” “Bored” (featured on the Netflix series “13 Reasons Why”), and her debut EP, “don’t smile at me.”

In 2018, Eilish’s collaborations with Khalid on the hit single “Lovely” and her contributions to the second season of “13 Reasons Why” further solidified her rising star status. Her full-length debut, “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?,” released in March 2019,

showcased her unique blend of pop, electronic, and hip-hop textures with a rock edge. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and became a worldwide smash, with the pulsing single “Bad Guy” topping the Hot 100 and even receiving a remix treatment from Eilish’s childhood idol, Justin Bieber.

Eilish’s success continued with her historic sweep of the four major Grammy categories in 2020, becoming the youngest artist and second person ever to achieve such a feat. She also premiered “No Time to Die,” her theme song for the 25th James Bond film of the same name, which later earned her an Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Her sophomore album, “Happier Than Ever,” released in July 2021, unveiled a matured perspective and added fresh genres to her arsenal, further cementing her status as a pop culture icon. The album went straight to number one in several territories, and its singles, including “My

Future,” “Therefore I Am,” and “Your Power,” showcased Eilish’s evolving artistry.

Most recently, Eilish’s vulnerable ballad “What Was I Made For?” from the chart-topping soundtrack “Barbie: The Album” won a Golden Globe for Best Original Song and Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Best Song Written for Visual Media. At the age of 22, she became the youngest person in history to have won two Academy Awards when the song also received the Oscar for Best Original Song.

As fans eagerly await the release of “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” on May 17, Billie Eilish continues to push boundaries and captivate audiences with her unique blend of genres, introspective lyrics, and undeniable talent. With this new album, she is poised to once again redefine the musical landscape and solidify her position as one of the most influential artists of her generation.

Photo credit: Rob Bondurant

By Greg Fontaine

In a move that has sent shockwaves through the rock music community, the legendary supergroup Black Country Communion has released “Red Sun,” the second single from their highly anticipated fifth studio album, ‘V,’ set for release on June 14th. The band, featuring the extraordinary talents of Glenn Hughes, Joe Bonamassa, Jason Bonham, and Derek Sherinian, has once again proven their unrivaled musical prowess and undeniable chemistry with this emotionally charged and musically complex new track.

“Red Sun” follows the critically acclaimed debut of their lead single “Stay Free” and further showcases the collective genius of Hughes and Bonamassa, both in its profound and introspective lyrics and its compelling and dynamic musical composition. Produced by the band’s longtime collaborator and industry heavyweight Kevin Shirley, the song is a testament to the group’s constantly evolving sound and their ability to create music that is both authentic and deeply personal.

The lyrics of “Red Sun” take listeners on a profound and introspective journey, delving into the struggles and revelations that come with life’s most challenging moments. The song’s rich and multi-layered narrative is perfectly complemented by the band’s signature blend of hard-hitting rock and soulful blues, creating a sound that is both powerful and emotionally resonant. As Glenn Hughes eloquently explains, “We make music for the five of us. We make music that we love and like, hoping it registers with everyone else. We don’t make it for record companies, or this guy or that guy.”

For Joe Bonamassa, one of the most celebrated guitarists of his generation, Black Country Communion allows him to fully embrace all aspects of his musical identity. “It’s funny because the four musicians up here – everybody brings a certain thing to this that’s very specific. Every part is irreplaceable. For me, it’s about playing old-style rock guitar, loud,” he comments, highlighting the unique and essential contributions of each member. Derek Sherinian, the band’s virtuoso keyboardist, credits producer Kevin Shirley for keeping the band’s creative energies focused and on track, adding, “We got to give Kevin Shirley massive credit because he controls. He keeps it all flowing.”

“Red Sun” serves as a profound and significant piece in Black Country Communion’s already impressive discography, showcasing the band’s continuous growth and the deep mutual respect they share for one another. It stands as a shining example of their shared philosophy – to create music that is authentic, heartfelt, and a

Follow Black Country Communion Online: https://www.blackcountrycommunion.com https://www.facebook.com/bccommunion/ https://twitter.com/bccommunion https://www.youtube.com/@bccommunion https://www.instagram.com/bccommunionofficial/ https://shop.jbonamassa.com/collections/black-countrycommunion

true reflection of their collective experiences and unparalleled musical prowess. The release of this single follows the band’s electrifying performance at the Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale, FL, which marked their first live performance in the U.S. in over a decade, and their unforgettable appearance on the Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea cruise. These momentous events signify an exciting new chapter for the band and their devoted fans around the world.

As Black Country Communion prepares for the momentous release of ‘V,’ “Red Sun” provides an enticing and powerful glimpse into what fans can expect from this highly anticipated album. The band’s reputation as exceptional songwriters and a formidable live act is only surpassed by their unwavering dedication to their craft and their willingness to challenge each other to create the most remarkable and impactful music imaginable. With a sound heavily influenced

by the very best of British and American classic hard-rock and blues-rock music, Black Country Communion continues to push the boundaries of the genre, creating music that is both timeless and innovative, and that resonates deeply with fans across generations.

The release of “Red Sun” and the upcoming album ‘V’ marks a significant and long-awaited milestone for the band, as it is their first new music in seven years. The fever-pitch anticipation surrounding this release is a testament to the enduring appeal and unparalleled talent of Black Country Communion and the individual musical giants that make up this extraordinary supergroup. As fans around the world eagerly await the arrival of ‘V,’ “Red Sun” serves as a powerful reminder of the band’s unmatched musical prowess and their innate ability to create music that touches the soul and leaves an indelible mark on the hearts of listeners everywhere.

By Troy Wilson

Collective Soul, the Georgiabased quintet that rose to prominence in the ’90s with their radio-friendly hard rock sound, is gearing up to celebrate their impressive 30-year career milestone. Known for hits like “Shine,” “The World I Know,” and “December,” the band has remained a steadfast presence in the rock scene,

deftly navigating the changing tides of the industry.

Collective Soul has officially released the first single and accompanying video, “Mother’s Love,” from their upcoming double album ‘Here to Eternity,’ set to drop on May 17. This release comes as a significant milestone in the band’s illustrious 30-year career, which has seen them carve out a distinct place in the rock music landscape.

With a history dating back to the early ’90s, Collective Soul emerged from the small town of Stockbridge, Georgia, with a sound that blended the sonic angst of grunge with radio-friendly hard rock. Their debut album, ‘Hints, Allegations & Things Left Unsaid,’ initially released in 1993 on the Atlanta indie label Rising Storm, quickly gained local popularity

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Collective Soul

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before catching the attention of major label Atlantic Records.

The breakthrough came with their hit single “Shine,” which became a modern rock and MTV staple, propelling Collective Soul into the national spotlight. Their eponymous sophomore album followed in 1995, yielding five Top Ten hits on the Hot Mainstream Rock chart. Tracks like “December” and “The World I Know” showcased the band’s knack for crafting infectious melodies with a touch of Southern grit, earning them multi-platinum sales and a dedicated fan base.

As the ’90s progressed, Collective Soul continued to evolve their sound, navigating the changing landscape of rock music. While albums like ‘Disciplined Breakdown’ (1997) and ‘Dosage’ (1999) showcased their versatility, it was with ‘Youth’ in 2004 that the band returned to their rockier roots, earning critical acclaim and reaffirming their place in the genre.

Over the years, Collective Soul has maintained a steady presence in the music scene, releasing albums that balance their trademark sound with experimentation. ‘Blender’ (2000) saw the band exploring new musical territories, while ‘Afterwords’ (2007) marked a collaboration with retailer Target for exclusive distribution.

In 2015, Collective Soul returned with the album ‘See What You Started by Continuing,’ featuring the lineup of Ed Roland, Dean Roland, Will Turpin, Johnny Rabb, and guitarist Jesse Triplett. The album showcased a renewed energy and creativity, proving that the band’s fire still burned bright after more than two decades in the industry.

Their 2019 album ‘Blood’ coincided with the band’s 25th anniversary, demonstrating a continued passion for creating music that resonates with fans old and new. Following ‘Blood,’ Collective Soul released the EP ‘Half & Half’ in 2020, featuring a mix of new originals and covers that paid homage to their

HERE TO ETERNITY

influences.

In 2022, the band unveiled ‘Vibrating,’ an album that accentuated their heavier rock elements while retaining the infectious hooks that define their sound. Now, with the imminent release of ‘Here to Eternity,’ Collective Soul embarks on the next chapter of their musical journey, inviting listeners to join them for an exploration of their 30-year legacy.

As the first single “Mother’s Love” hits the airwaves, fans eagerly anticipate what promises to be a sprawling double album, showcasing the breadth of Collective Soul’s musical prowess. Recorded and self-produced at the historic Elvis Presley estate in Palm Springs, California, ‘Here to Eternity’ promises to be a testament to the band’s enduring creativity and dedication to their craft.

The accompanying video for “Mother’s Love,” featuring longtime Paul McCartney guitarist Brian Ray on

slide guitar, offers a glimpse into the band’s creative process and the collaborative spirit that defines their music. With its foot-stomping riffs and soaring harmonies, the track sets the stage for what is sure to be a memorable musical journey through the decades.

Collective Soul’s upcoming “Summer Camp with Trucks Tour” alongside Hootie & the Blowfish and Edwin McCain further cements their status as a rock institution. The tour, produced by Live Nation, will see the band crisscrossing the U.S. and Canada, bringing their electrifying live performances to fans in 44 cities.

For Collective Soul, three decades of unwavering dedication to their craft have culminated in ‘Here to Eternity,’ a double album that promises to be a celebration of their past, present, and future in rock music. As the band continues to evolve and innovate, their legacy remains firmly entrenched in the

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Collective Soul

(continued from previous page) hearts of fans worldwide.

With a catalog of hits spanning their illustrious career, Collective Soul’s music has left an indelible mark on the rock landscape. Tracks like “Shine,” a breakout anthem that catapulted them to fame, continue to resonate with audiences, while “The World I Know” and “December” remain enduring favorites. Their ability to craft songs with infectious melodies and heartfelt lyrics has earned them a place among rock royalty, and ‘Here to Eternity’ promises to be another chapter in their storied musical journey. As fans eagerly await the release of the double album, they can look forward to experiencing the evolution of Collective Soul’s sound, from their early days to the present, encapsulated in a collection of 20 brand new songs.

Check out the complete track listing for the double album and the band’s upcoming tour dates below, and stay tuned for more exciting 30th anniversary news soon.

HERE TO ETERNITY Tracklisting

1Mother’s Love

2Bluer Than So Blue

3Let It Flow

4Not the Same

5Bob Dylan (Where Are You Today)

6Hey Man

7Kick It

8Matter of Fact

9Sister and Mary

10Be the One

11Keep It on Track

12Who Loves

13La Dee Da

14Bring on the Day

15Words Away

16No Man’s Land

17Letter from E

18I Know You, You Know Me

19Therapy

20Over and Out

Headlining shows:

DATE CITY VENUE

Sat 4/20 San Antonio, TX

St. Mary’s University - Fiesta Oyster Bake

Hootie & The Blowfish Summer Camp with Trucks Tour with Edwin McCain:

May 30 Dallas, TX

May 31 Rogers, AR

June 1 St. Louis, MO

** June 4 Columbus, OH

June 6 Detroit, MI

June 7 Cincinnati, OH

June 8 Indianapolis, IN

June 13 Gilford, NH

June 14 Bangor, ME

June 15 Saratoga Springs, NY

* June 21 Boston, MA

** June 25 Erie, PA

June 27 Bethel, NY

June 28 Hershey, PA

Dos Equis Pavilion

Walmart AMP

Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

The Bluestone

Pine Knob Music Theatre

Riverbend Music Center

Ruoff Music Center

BankNH Pavilion

Maine Savings Amphitheatre

Broadview Stage at SPAC

Fenway Park

Warner Theatre

Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

Hersheypark Stadium

June 29 Burgettstown, PA The Pavilion at Star Lake

July 10 Denver, CO

Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre

July 11 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheater

July 13 Phoenix, AZ

Footprint Center

July 16 Anaheim, CA. Honda Center

July 17 Mountain View, CA

July 19 Portland, OR

July 20 Seattle, WA

** July 24 Omaha, NE

July 26 Birmingham, AL

July 27 Nashville, TN

** July 28 Evansville, IN

Aug. 1 Hartford, CT

Aug. 2 Holmdel, NJ

Aug. 3 Columbia, MD

** Aug. 6 Grand Rapids, MI

Aug. 8 Somerset, WI

Aug. 9 Chicago, IL

Aug. 10 East Troy, WI

Aug. 15 Cleveland, OH

Aug. 16 Philadelphia, PA

Aug. 17 Bristow, VA

Aug. 29 Columbia, SC

Shoreline Amphitheatre

RV Inn Styles Amphitheatre

White River Amphitheatre

Steelhouse Omaha

Oak Mountain Amphitheatre

Bridgestone Arena

Victory Theatre

The XFINITY Theatre

PNC Bank Arts Center

Merriweather Post Pavilion

GLC Live at 20 Monroe

Somerset Amphitheater

Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre

Alpine Valley Music Theatre

Blossom Music Center

Freedom Mortgage Pavilion

Jiffy Lube Live

Colonial Life Arena

** Aug. 31 North Myrtle Beach, SC House of Blues - Myrtle Beach

Sept. 5 Wantagh, NY

Sept. 6 Syracuse, NY

Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater

Empower FCU Amphitheater at Lakeview

Sept. 7 Toronto, ONT. Budweiser Stage

Sept. 12 Knoxville, TN

Sept. 13 Raleigh, NC

Sept. 14 Virginia Beach, VA

Sept. 19 Charlotte, NC

Sept. 20 Alpharetta, GA

Sept. 21 Greenville, SC

Sept. 26 Tampa, FL

Sept. 27 Jacksonville, FL

Sept. 28 West Palm Beach, FL

Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center

Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek

Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater

PNC Music Pavilion

Ameris Bank Amphitheatre

Bon Secours Wellness Arena

MIDFLORIDA Credit Union

Amphitheatre

VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena

iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre

* Also featuring special guests Barenaked Ladies

** Headlining shows

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Conan Gray Drops Highly Anticipated Album “Found Heaven” and Embarks on Worldwide Tour

Listen to Found Heaven Here @ https://conangray.lnk.to/foundheaven via

By Nathan Pugh

Platinum-selling singer, songwriter, and pop sensation Conan Gray has released his eagerly awaited album, “Found Heaven,” co-produced by a trio of music industry heavyweights: Max Martin (known for his work with The Weeknd, Adele, and Ariana Grande), Greg

Kurstin (Adele, Beck, Sia, Pink), and Shawn Everett (Kacey Musgraves, The Killers). The album marks a new chapter in Gray’s already impressive career, solidifying his position as one of the most influential and talented artists of his generation.

To celebrate the release of “Found Heaven,” Gray will embark

on his worldwide Found Heaven On Tour, spanning an impressive 16 countries across the globe. The tour has already generated massive excitement among fans, with multiple dates in the U.S. selling out, including shows at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York City continued on next page

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and the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, as well as performances in Philadelphia, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Atlanta, and Boston. Singer-songwriter Maisie Peters will support the North American leg of the tour, while electro-pop duo Between Friends will join Gray for the European shows. Fans are encouraged to secure their tickets quickly, as they are expected to sell out fast.

Gray’s rise to stardom over the past five years has been nothing short of remarkable. Known for his authentic lyrics and originality across every aspect of his career, his multiplatinum hits “Heather” and “Maniac” have topped streaming charts and shaped Gen Z culture worldwide. In 2020, Gray’s debut album, “Kid Krow,” reached #5 on the Billboard Top 200, #1 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart, and became the biggest new artist debut of the year. His sophomore album, “Superache,” released in 2022, became his second Top 10 album on the US Billboard 200 Chart and charted in the top 10 in several countries, including Australia, the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands.

With over 15 billion total streams, Gray has garnered unanimous praise from a who’s who of tastemakers, including The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Vogue, GQ, V Man, Paper, Fader, Billboard, and NPR. He has delivered memorable performances on numerous television shows, such as The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Late Late Show with James Corden, and The Today Show Summer Concert Series.

In addition to his musical accomplishments, Gray has made a name for himself in the fashion

world. He has landed on “Best Dressed” lists in Vogue, GQ, and Paper for his custom Valentino outfit on the Coachella 2022 mainstage and his appearances at the prestigious Met Gala. In 2023, Gray graced the stage of the Global Citizen Festival in New York’s Central Park, performed for nearly 300,000 people at Lollapalooza across Latin America, and almost 40,000 people at Outside Lands, further cementing his status as a global superstar.

Gray’s live performances have been equally impressive, with the artist packing venues around the world and selling over 300,000 tickets during his headline run in 2022 alone. He has sold out legendary venues like Radio City Music Hall in New York, the Greek Theatre

AUSTRALIA

in Los Angeles, and the Eventim Apollo in London, showcasing his ability to connect with audiences on a profound level.

As Conan Gray continues to push boundaries and redefine the pop music landscape with the release of “Found Heaven” and his worldwide tour, it is clear that he is an artist who refuses to be confined by genre or expectations. His unique blend of authenticity, creativity, and raw talent has made him a voice for his generation and a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. With “Found Heaven,” Gray invites listeners to join him on a new musical journey, one that promises to be just as impactful and unforgettable as his previous works.

Found Heaven On Tour 2024 Dates:

Thu Jul 11 – Melbourne, Australia – John Cain Arena

Sat Jul 13 – Brisbane, Australia – Fortitude Music Hall SOLD OUT

Wed Jul 17 – Sydney, Australia – ICC Sydney Theatre

Fri Jul 19 – Adelaide, Australia – Spin Off Festival

NORTH AMERICA

Thu Sep 19 – Minneapolis, MN – Armory SOLD OUT

Sat Sep 21 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill SOLD OUT

Mon Sep 23 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage

Wed Sep 25 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway SOLD OUT

Thu Sep 26 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway

Mon Sep 30 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden SOLD OUT

Tue Oct 01 – Philadelphia, PA – Highmark Skyline Stage at the Mann SOLD OUT

Thu Oct 03 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater SOLD OUT

Fri Oct 04 – Atlanta, GA – Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park SOLD OUT

Sun Oct 06 – Indianapolis, IN – Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park SOLD OUT

Fri Oct 11 – Las Vegas, NV – Chelsea Theater at Cosmopolitan SOLD OUT

Sun Oct 13 – Portland, OR – Alaska Airlines’ Theater of the Clouds

Tue Oct 15 – Seattle, WA – WAMU Theater

Thu Oct 17 – San Francisco, CA – Bill Graham Civic Auditorium SOLD OUT

Fri Oct 18 – Inglewood, CA – Kia Forum SOLD OUT

Sun Oct 20 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre SOLD OUT

Wed Oct 23 – Sugar Land, TX – Smart Financial Centre

Fri Oct 25 – Austin, TX – Moody Center ATX

Sat Oct 26 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena SOLD OUT

EUROPE/UK

Sat Nov 2 – Amsterdam, The Netherlands – AFAS Live SOLD OUT

Sun Nov 3 – Amsterdam, The Netherlands – AFAS Live

Mon Nov 4 – Brussels, Belgium – Forest National

Tue Nov 5 – Paris, France – Zénith Paris la Villette SOLD OUT

Thu Nov 7 – Manchester, UK – O2 Apollo SOLD OUT

Fri Nov 8 – Manchester, UK – O2 Apollo

Sun Nov 10 – London, UK – OVO Arena Wembley

By Albert Schwartz

In an electrifying announcement that has sent shockwaves through the heavy metal community, Drowning Pool, the iconic band known for their chart-topping hits and unforgettable live performances, has revealed their plans for the highly anticipated SNAFU Le Tour 2024. This tour, a collaboration with the renowned rock band Saliva, promises to

be an adrenaline-fueled journey that will showcase Drowning Pool’s dynamic return with lead singer Ryan McCombs and the release of brand new music that is sure to captivate fans old and new.

The SNAFU Le Tour 2024 will be joined by the up-and-coming rock band Above Snakes throughout the month of May, adding an extra layer of excitement to an

already stellar lineup. As if that weren’t enough, the multi-platinum alternative rock band Alien Ant Farm will make special appearances on May 14th and 15th, bringing their infectious energy and fan-favorite hits to these two dates of the tour. With such an incredible array of talent, the SNAFU Le Tour 2024 is shaping up to be one of the most

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Photo Credit: Tricia Starr

Drowning Pool

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talked-about events in the world of heavy metal.

Drowning Pool, a name that is synonymous with raw energy and unapologetic attitude, is ready to take the stage once again and remind the world why they are considered one of the most influential bands in modern rock history. The band’s unmistakable sound, which has been a driving force in the nu metal landscape for over two decades, is set to captivate audiences once again with the return of Ryan McCombs on lead vocals.

McCombs, who played a pivotal role in the band’s evolution after the tragic loss of beloved frontman Dave Williams, brings his powerful vocals and charismatic stage presence back to Drowning Pool, solidifying their status as metal titans. With hits like “37 Stitches,” “Feel Like I Do,” and “Turn So Cold” under their belt, Drowning Pool has earned their place among the genre’s heavyweights, and their return to the stage is sure to be a momentous occasion for fans around the world.

Of course, no discussion of Drowning Pool would be complete without mentioning their iconic anthem, “Bodies.” This breakout single propelled the band to international recognition, leaving an indelible mark on the nu metal landscape and becoming an anthem for moshers, metalheads, and fans of electrifying live performances everywhere. Despite facing misinterpretations and controversy over the years, “Bodies” remains an enduring testament to the power of Drowning Pool’s music, inspiring new generations of fans and cementing the band’s place in metal history.

As guitarist C.J. Pierce puts it, “I’d play ‘Bodies’ five times a night if people really wanted it that bad!” This dedication to their craft and their fans is what sets Drowning Pool apart, and it’s clear that their passion for music has only grown stronger over the years.

But Drowning Pool’s story is about more than just music – it’s a testament to enduring friendships and a shared passion for their art. Ryan McCombs’ return to the band in 2023 marks a reunion of kindred spirits, a return to the roots of their musical journey. As McCombs himself puts it, “Just being back in the same room together after so many years… was a quick reminder as to why I considered them to be my best friends in the business back in the day.”

With new music on the horizon and a 2024/25 calendar that proves the demand for Drowning Pool isn’t about to slow down, the band has a white-knuckle grip on their present and future. Their triumphant

resurgence in 2023 was just the beginning, and the SNAFU Le Tour 2024 promises to be a celebration of everything that makes Drowning Pool one of the most beloved and enduring bands in heavy metal history.

As fans around the world prepare for what is sure to be an unforgettable tour, one

APRIL

thing is certain: Drowning Pool is back, and they’re ready to remind the world why they are the undisputed kings of nu metal. With their unapologetic spirit, their timeless anthems, and their unbreakable bond, Drowning Pool is poised to take the world by storm once again, and the SNAFU Le Tour 2024 is just the beginning.

Drowning Pool Tour Dates:

9 Beaver Dam, WI @Stormy’s Music Venue

10 Fargo, ND @Sanctuary Event Center

11 Sioux Falls, SD @The Alliance

12 Dubuque, IA @Diamond Jo Casino

13 Wichita, KS @The Crown Uptown

14 Pineville, MO @The Pines Distillery

16 St. Louis, MO @Red Flag

MAY

10 Myrtle Beach, SD @Suck Bang Blow

12 Daytona, FL @Welcome to Rockville

14 Nashville, TN @Basement East

15 Indianapolis, IN @The Vogue

16 Columbus, OH @Sonic Temple

17 Shroudsberg, PA @Sherman Lite

21 Ft. Wayne, IN @Pierre’s

23 Col. Springs, CO @Sunshine Studios

24 Salt Lake City, UT @Grand Complex

25 Winnemucca, NV @Runamucca Bike

Rally

26 Reno, NV @VA Street Brewhouse

28 Billings, MT @Pub Station

29 Great Falls, MT @The Newberry

30 Deadwood, SD @Deadwood Mt Grand

31 Denver, CO @Wild Goose Saloon

JUNE

1 Grand Island, NE @Filling Station

15 Dallas, TX @Studio at the Factory

21 Milwaukee, WI @Summerfest

22 Quincy, IL @Gem City Summer Con

29 Hot Springs, AR @Magic Springs

JULY

5 Algona, IA @ABATE Freedom Rally

13 Gettysburg, PA @Bike Week

19 Cumberland, MD @Rock the Mountains

20 Grand Rapids, MI @Upheaval

27 Menahga, MN @Mid Summer Music

Fest

SEPTEMBER

26 Louisville, KY @Louder Than Life

OCTOBER

10 Sacramento, CA @Aftershock

Horndal Top Swedish Charts

STREAM HEAD HAMMER MAN

via Apple Music, TIDAL, Deezer, Bandcamp and Spotify

Order Head Hammer Man here.at https://lnk.to/HeadHammerMan

FOLLOW HORNDAL ONLINE: Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/horndalmusic Twitter @ https://twitter.com/horndal_band Instagram @ https://www.instagram.com/

By Albert Schwartz

In a remarkable achievement, Swedish metal band HORNDAL’s third full-length album, “Head Hammer Man,” has soared to the top of Sweden’s national music charts, Sverigetopplistan, claiming the number one spot in the Hard Rock, Physical Releases, and Vinyl categories. The album’s success is a testament to the band’s exceptional storytelling and musical prowess, as they bring to light the previously untold real-life story of Alrik Andersson, a 1900s union leader from their hometown of Horndal.

“Head Hammer Man” is a powerful tribute to Andersson’s pivotal role in The Great Strike, a tumultuous period in Swedish history that nearly sparked a civil war. The album weaves Andersson’s tale throughout its ambitious and expansive compositions, drawing influence from a diverse array of musical icons, including Pugh Rogefeldt, Autopsy, Wipers, Judas Priest, Hawkwind, Mercyful Fate, Don Cherry, Voivod, Sparks, Jake E Lee, King Crimson, The Jesus Lizard,

The Great Strike, which raged across Sweden, saw local union uprisings crushed one by one. However, a small group of ironworkers from Horndal, led by the 27year-old Alrik Andersson, stood defiant against the steel company’s oppressive tactics. The company’s struggle against the striking workers had led to starvation, famine, and mass evictions of families, pushing the country to the brink of civil war. Workers from all over Sweden traveled to Horndal in solidarity, fighting alongside the unionized against the Swedish military, who had been sent with bayonets drawn.

To avoid starting a war, the Prime Minister eventually ordered the soldiers to lay down their weapons and the company executives to stop evicting the starving families. Alrik Andersson fought tirelessly for his fellow workers’ jobs and was successful, but at a great personal cost. The company executives ensured that he was blacklisted

throughout Sweden, making it impossible for him to find employment anywhere in the country. Forced into exile, Andersson fled across the Atlantic with his wife and two small children, eventually finding work at a steel mill in Chicago, where he was given the title “Head Hammer Man.” He worked there until his death in 1970, never mentioning his life in Sweden to anyone.

The album’s recording process was a testament to HORNDAL’s dedication to their craft, as they recorded in various locations across Sweden, including the legendary Atlantis Metronome studios. The band even had the opportunity to use ABBA’s very own grand piano on the album. “Head Hammer Man” features contributions from the band’s friends, including Martin Hederos (The Soundtrack of Our Lives) on organs and Moogs, and Henrik Palm (In Solitude, Ghost, Viagra Boys) delivering two hair-raising guitar solos. The album was co-produced by Anton Sundell, mixed by Simon Söderberg at Mayfire Studio, and mastered by Magnus Lindberg and Redmount Studios.

In a touching tribute, excerpts from a speech by Alrik Andersson himself are included in the album’s title track. “History may have forgotten him, but Horndal never will,” the band states, emphasizing their commitment to keeping Andersson’s story alive, over one hundred years after he took a stand for the people of Horndal.

With “Head Hammer Man,” HORNDAL not only demonstrates their exceptional musical talent but also their ability to bring important historical events to the forefront, ensuring that the sacrifices and struggles of figures like Alrik Andersson are never forgotten. The album’s chart-topping success is a well-deserved recognition of the band’s unwavering dedication to their craft and their hometown’s history.

Head Hammer Man tracklist:

1. Head Hammer Man

2. Calling Labor

3. Exiled

4. Fuck the Scabs

5. Famine

6. Blacklisted

7. The Shining Specter

8. Evictions

9. Orange Legacy

10. Creature Cages

Photographer credit: Daniel Liljas

Black Sabbath, The Shadows, Slayer, and Sonic Youth.

WATCH/LISTEN & SHARE: JD Pinkus - “Charmer” Stream @ https://shimmy.jyfl.link/charmer YouTube @ https://youtu.be/-uYc3gT0KU4 LISTEN/PURCHASE & SHARE: JD Pinkus & Tall Tall Trees - Ponder Machine LP Stream @ https://lnk.to/pondermachine Purchase @ https://shimmy-disc.com/ products/ponder-machine

JD PINKUS LINKS Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/JDPinkus/ Website @ https://www.jdpinkus.com/ SoundCloud @ https://soundcloud.com/user-187905207 Bandcamp @ https://jdpinkus.bandcamp.com/ Instagram @ https://www.instagram.com/jd_pinkus/

By Nathan Pugh

In an exciting development for music enthusiasts worldwide, the legendary JD Pinkus, a pivotal figure in the alternative and experimental music scene, has announced the forthcoming release of his latest solo album, “Grow A Pear”. Slated for a June 7th release via the esteemed Shimmy-Disc label, this LP serves as a captivating follow-up to Pinkus’ 2021 offering, “Fungus Shui”. With “Grow A Pear”,

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Photo Credit: Eric Van Dyke

JD Pinkus

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Pinkus promises to take listeners on an immersive journey through his ever-expanding psychedelic universe, delivering a collection of 12 potent tracks that seamlessly blend the raw energy of punk, the mind-bending soundscapes of psych rock, and the rustic charm of banjo-based folk.

The origins of “Grow A Pear” can be traced back five years when Pinkus began crafting material intended for a new Butthole Surfers album. However, as the project evolved and the Butthole Surfers’ album did not materialize, Pinkus made the bold decision to transform these compositions into a solo venture. Determined to bring his vision to life, he enlisted the talents of some of his most cherished collaborators, ensuring that the album would not only represent his musical roots but also serve as a bridge to his current artistic trajectory.

In a reflective moment, Pinkus shared his aspirations for the album, stating, “My wishes for the future, is that everyone in the world will finally ‘Grow A Pear’”. This sentiment encapsulates the essence of the LP, which Pinkus describes as “a combo of heavy psychedelia, drum and bass grooves, bouncy boogie, catchy tunes, and sprinkles of tastee horns, keys and strings thrown in‚ kinda like a thumb over the genrehose nozzle, something for everyone and nothing for someone‚ guaranteed!” This tantalizing description hints at the eclectic

and dynamic nature of the album, promising a listening experience that defies categorization and ignites the imagination.

To coincide with the album announcement, Pinkus has unveiled the record’s lead single, “Charmer”, an instrumental track that pulses with infectious rhythms and hypnotic melodies. The song’s mesmerizing quality is further enhanced by an experimental video directed by the visionary cinematographer Courtney Sell. Pinkus revealed that “Charmer” was inspired by his affinity for snakes, particularly his friendly rattlesnake companion, Fred. The track also features the otherworldly talents of Jed Willis on sci-fi pedal steel, adding a layer of cosmic intrigue to the already captivating composition.

Pinkus’ musical journey is one that has left an indelible mark on the alternative music landscape. His tenure with the iconic Butthole Surfers from 1985 to 1994 solidified his reputation as a trailblazing bassist, while his subsequent projects, such as Daddy Longhead, Skinny Leonard, and Areola 51, showcased his versatility and experimental prowess. Collaborations with luminaries like Helios Creed and Danny Barnes further testament to Pinkus’ ability to push the boundaries of genre and convention.

In recent years, Pinkus has become an integral part of The Melvins, one of the most influential and revered bands in the

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JD Pinkus

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world of heavy music. His involvement with the group began during their 30th anniversary tour in 2013, where he filled in for bassist Jared Warren. The chemistry between Pinkus and The Melvins was undeniable, leading to his full-time membership and contributions to several of the band’s releases, including the 2018 album “Pinkus Abortion Technician”, a testament to his impact on their sound.

As “Grow A Pear” prepares to make its debut, JD Pinkus is set to embark on a highly anticipated fall tour, joined by none other than King Buzzo of The Melvins and Trevor Dunn of Mr. Bungle. This powerhouse lineup promises to deliver an unforgettable series of performances, showcasing Pinkus’ new material alongside his extensive catalog of groundbreaking work. Fans across the country are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to witness the raw energy and musical prowess that Pinkus brings to the stage.

With “Grow A Pear”, JD Pinkus continues to cement his status as a true innovator, fearlessly exploring the depths of his psychedelic universe and inviting listeners to join him on a journey through uncharted sonic territories. As the album’s release date approaches, anticipation grows among music enthusiasts who have come to expect nothing less than groundbreaking artistry from this legendary figure. JD Pinkus’ “Grow A Pear” is poised to be not just an album, but an experience

that will leave an indelible mark on the music world, reaffirming his position as a visionary force in the realm of alternative and experimental music.

Grow A Pear

TRACKLISTING:

Side Rotten:

01. Heaven As Fuck

02. Rejoice Unto Yourself

03. 11:11

04. 16 Hands High

05. Charmer

06. Mohair Glasses

Side Ripe:

07. If I Could Read My Mind

08. Ooglin

09. Lemme Try Again

10. I Would Like To Pet it

11. BB’s Cowboy Spice

12. Baby Back

Pinkus is hitting the road late this summer as support for Melvins leader King Buzzo (Buzz Osborne) and Mr. Bungle’s Trevor Dunn’s co-headlining tour.

JD PINKUS LIVE

August 1 Pioneertown, CA Pappy + Harriet’s

August 2 San Diego, CA Casbah

August 3 Long Beach, CA Alex’s Bar

August 5 Los Angeles, CA Lodge Room

August 6 San Francisco, CA The Chapel

August 7 Sacramento, CA Harlow’s

August 9 Portland, OR Mississippi Studios

August 10 Seattle, WA Neumos

August 11 Spokane, WA Knitting Factory Spokane

August 12 Bozeman, MT The ELM

August 14 Salt Lake CITY, UT Urban Lounge

August 16 Fort Collins, CO Aggie Theatre

August 17 Denver, CO Bluebird Theater

August 19 Omaha, NE Slowdown

August 20 Saint Paul, MN Turf Club

August 21 Madison, WI High Noon Saloon

August 22 Chicago, IL Subterranean

August 23 St. Louis, MO Old Rock House

August 24 Louisville, KY Headliners Music Hall

August 26 Grand Rapids, MI The Pyramid Scheme

August 27 Detroit, MI The Shelter

August 28 Cleveland Heights, OH Grog Shop

August 29 Columbus, OH The Basement

August 30 Bethlehem, PA Musikfest Café at the ArtsQuest Center

August 31 Pittsburgh, PA Thunderbird Music Hall

September 1 Jersey City, NJ White Eagle Hall

September 3 Cambridge, MA The Sinclair

September 4 Brooklyn, NY Music Hall of Williamsburg

September 5 Hamden, CT Space Ballroom

September 6 Baltimore, MD Ottobar

September 7 Philadelphia, PA Underground Arts

September 9 Charlottesville, VA The Southern Café & Music Hall

September 10 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle – Back Room

September 11 Charlotte, NC Visulite Theatre

September 12 Athens, GA 40 Watt Club

September 13 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade – Hell Stage

September 14 Nashville, TN Exit In

September 16 Birmingham, AL Saturn

September 17 New Orleans, LA Siberia

September 18 Baton Rouge, LA Varsity Theatre

September 20 Houston, TX House of Blues – Bronze Peacock

September 21 Austin, TX Antone’s

September 22 Dallas, TX House of Blues – Cambridge Room

September 25 Tucson, AZ 191 Toole

September 26 Phoenix, AZ The Rebel Lounge

Photo Credit: Michael Schmelling

By Jose Martinez

Latin Grammy-nominated musician, producer, and singer Siddhartha is gearing up for an exciting year as he announces his North America 2024 tour and prepares to release his highly anticipated new single, “Diamantes,” featuring Argentine band El Zar. The tour, produced by Live Nation and MATS Agency, will be the last chance for fans to see Siddhartha perform live this year before he re-enters the studio to finish recording his forthcoming album.

The Siddhartha North America 2024 tour is a continuation of the artist’s phenomenal international tour, which began last year and has already seen him present more than 120 shows in some of the most important cities throughout Central, South, and North America. The U.S. leg of the tour will kick off on May 30 in Sacramento, followed by stops in Santa Cruz on May 31, Napa Valley (La Onda Fest) on June 1st, Los Angeles on June 15, Boston on June 17, New York on June 18, Philadelphia on June 19, and will conclude on June 21 in Washington, D.C.

Siddhartha’s success has been on a steady rise, with his latest single “Nada Por Hecho” ft. Spanish songwriter Leiva continuing to captivate audiences. On Thursday, April 11, the distinguished artist is set to release his highly awaited new single, “Diamantes,” featuring El Zar. The single, which is the third off his forthcoming EP, will be accompanied by a compelling music video written by Siddhartha himself.

The release of “Diamantes” comes at a crucial time for Siddhartha, as he prepares to wrap up the U.S. leg of his tour and return to the studio to record his seventh studio album. The new album promises to showcase the next intriguing phase in his artistic evolution and is eagerly awaited by fans and critics alike.

Siddhartha’s impact on the Mexican music scene cannot be overstated. He is widely regarded as one of the most respected musical figures in the country and ended 2023 with an incredible sold-out show at the legendary El Foro Sol venue in Mexico City. The unforgettable performance, which took place in front of more than 60,000 fans, featured the best of Siddhartha’s repertoire, including favorites from his now-Gold-certified album that lent its name to the tour.

As anticipation builds for both the tour and the release of “Diamantes,” Siddhartha’s dedicated fanbase eagerly awaits the opportunity to experience his mesmerizing live performances and hear the latest evolution of his sound. With his unique blend of musical genres, heartfelt lyrics, and captivating stage presence, Siddhartha continues to solidify his position as one of the most exciting and influential artists in the Latin music scene.

Tickets for the Siddhartha North America 2024 tour are expected to sell out quickly, as fans rush to secure their spots at these intimate and unforgettable shows. As the artist prepares to embark on this new chapter in his career, it is clear that Siddhartha’s star will only continue to rise, cementing his status as a true musical icon.

TOUR DATES:

May 30 Sacramento, CA Ace of Spades

May 31 Santa Cruz, CA The Catalyst

June 1 Napa Valley, CA Festival La Onda

June 15 Los Angeles, CA

June 17 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club

June 18 New York, NY

Debut Album, Metamorphosis

The momentum from his successful 2023 has carried over into 2024, and Siddhartha shows no signs of slowing down. His North America 2024 tour is expected to be another triumph, with the artist set to leave fans speechless once again with his last live performances of the year before he focuses on completing his new album.

June 19 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts

June 21 Washington, D.C. The Fillmore Silver Spring

For more information about Siddhartha visit:

Siddhartha anuncia fechas de su gira

Norteamérica 2024 y se prepara para lanzar su nuevo sencillo “Diamantes” ft. El Zar PRE-SAVE “DIAMANTES” AQUÍ @ https://forms.sonymusicfans.com/campaign/siddhar tha-diamantes-preorder-2024/

Por Jose Martinez

El reconocido músico, productor y cantante nominado al Grammy Latino, Siddhartha, se prepara para un año lleno de emociones con el anuncio de su gira Norteamérica 2024 y el lanzamiento de su muy esperado nuevo sencillo “Diamantes”, en colaboración con la banda argentina El Zar. La gira, producida por Live Nation y la Agencia MATS, será la última oportunidad que tendrán los fans de ver a Siddhartha en directo este año antes de que vuelva a entrar al estudio para terminar de grabar su próximo álbum.

La gira Norteamérica 2024 de Siddhartha es una continuación de su fenomenal gira internacional, que comenzó el año pasado y ya ha presentado más de 120 shows en algunas de las ciudades más importantes de Centro, Sur y Norteamérica. La etapa estadounidense de la gira arrancará el 30 de mayo en Sacramento, seguida de paradas en Santa Cruz el 31 de mayo, Napa Valley (La Onda Fest) el 1 de junio, Los Ángeles el 15 de junio, Boston el 17 de junio, Nueva York el 18 de junio, Filadelfia el 19 de junio y concluirá el 21 de junio en Washington, D.C.

El éxito de Siddhartha ha ido en constante ascenso, con su último sencillo “Nada Por Hecho” ft. Leiva cautivando a las audiencias. Este jueves 11 de abril, el distinguido artista lanzará su muy esperado nuevo sencillo “Diamantes”, en colaboración con El Zar. El sencillo, que es el tercero de su próximo EP, estará acompañado de un atractivo video musical escrito por el propio Siddhartha.

El lanzamiento de “Diamantes” llega en un momento crucial para Siddhartha,

mientras se prepara para finalizar la etapa estadounidense de su gira y volver al estudio para grabar su séptimo álbum de estudio. El nuevo álbum promete mostrar la siguiente e intrigante fase de su evolución artística y es esperado con ansias por fans y críticos por igual.

El impacto de Siddhartha en la escena musical mexicana es innegable. Es ampliamente considerado una de las figuras musicales más respetadas del país y cerró el 2023 con un increíble espectáculo con entradas agotadas en el legendario Foro Sol de la Ciudad de México. La inolvidable actuación, que tuvo lugar frente a más de 60,000 fans, contó con lo mejor del repertorio de Siddhartha, incluyendo los favoritos de su álbum ahora certificado con Disco de Oro, que dio nombre a la gira.

El impulso de su exitoso 2023 se ha trasladado a 2024 y Siddhartha no muestra señales de desaceleración. Se espera que su gira Norteamérica 2024 sea otro triunfo, con el artista listo para dejar a sus fans impresionados una vez más con sus últimas presentaciones en vivo del año antes de enfocarse en completar su nuevo álbum.

A medida que crece la anticipación tanto por la gira como por el lanzamiento de “Diamantes”, los dedicados fans de Siddhartha esperan con ansias la oportunidad de experimentar sus hipnotizantes

actuaciones en vivo y escuchar la última evolución de su sonido. Con su singular mezcla de géneros musicales, letras sentidas y cautivadora presencia escénica, Siddhartha continúa consolidando su posición como uno de los artistas más emocionantes e influyentes de la escena musical latina.

Se espera que las entradas para la gira Norteamérica 2024 de Siddhartha se agoten rápidamente, ya que los fans se apresuran a asegurar sus lugares en estos íntimos e inolvidables shows. Mientras el artista se prepara para embarcarse en este nuevo capítulo de su carrera, queda claro que la estrella de Siddhartha seguirá en ascenso, cementando su estatus como un verdadero icono musical.

FECHAS DE LA GIRA:

30 de mayo Sacramento, CA Ace of Spades 31 de mayo Santa Cruz, CA The Catalyst 1 de junio Napa Valley, CA Festival La Onda

15 de junio Los Angeles, CA

17 de junio Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club

18 de junio Nueva York, NY

19 de junio Filadelfia, PA Theatre of Living Arts

21 de junio Washington, D.C. The Fillmore Silver Spring

Para más información de Siddhartha visita:12, 2023

NYC Heavy Metal Icons PRONG

Brush Off Tax Day Woes with Video for Cover of “Working Man (Regular Version)”

Watch Here At https://youtu.be/tifFZuMLd94 From the Latest Album, ‘State of Emergency’

Available Here At https://prong.lnk.to/StateOfEmergency

FOLLOW PRONG:

Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/prongmusic

Instagram @ https://www.instagram.com/prongtheband/ Website @ https://prongmusic.com/ Twitter @ https://twitter.com/prongmusic

By Tank Martin

On a day when millions of Americans are scrambling to file their taxes, legendary metal band PRONG has found a way to make the occasion a bit more bearable. The group has just released a mesmerizing new music video for their cover of the RUSH classic “Working Man”, and it’s the perfect anthem for anyone feeling the pressure of tax day.

The track, which appears in a shorter edit on PRONG’s latest album ‘State of Emergency’, is a furious blast of the band’s signature sound - an uncompromising mix of heavy riffs, industrial textures, and sheer aggression. As PRONG frontman Tommy Victor explains, the song’s appeal lies in its timeless guitar work.

“RUSH had the big riffs and that’s something PRONG always wants as well,”

Victor says. “Especially in the song ‘Working Man’ with that all-time classic opening riff.”

The new “Working Man” video, which Victor describes as “a bit industrial and trippy at the same time,” is a mind-bending visual accompaniment to PRONG’s explosive cover. But it’s just a small taste of the sonic onslaught that awaits listeners on ‘State of Emergency’.

Produced by legendary studio guru Steve Evetts, known for his work with metal heavyweights like Sepultura and The Dillinger Escape Plan, ‘State of Emergency’ finds PRONG at the top of their game, delivering eleven tracks of unrelenting East Coast aggression and genre-defying experimentation.

From the post-punk flavored “Discon-

nected” to the grooving title track to the brutally honest “Breaking Point” and the lightning-fast “The Descent”, ‘State of Emergency’ showcases the breadth of PRONG’s musical vision. As Victor puts it, “It’s a very ‘PRONG’ record. I think it’s totally genre-transcending and definitely ignores what’s going on out there these days.”

But while ‘State of Emergency’ may be a diverse and ambitious album, it still maintains the guitar-centric approach that has defined PRONG’s sound for over three decades. “I like all kinds of music,” Victor explains. “This record totally reflects that because it covers lots of different angles. At the same time, ‘State Of Emergency’ is very guitar-oriented and a typical example of my style.”

Nowhere is that more evident than on the album’s closing track, “Back (NYC)”. “To me, it’s as if Jimmy Page wrote a song playing through Dimebag’s amplifier, with Henry Rollins singing,” Victor says of the song. “Kind of a weird experiment for sure!”

Weird experiments aside, ‘State of Emergency’ is a testament to PRONG’s enduring vitality and relevance in the world of heavy music. And with their new video for “Working Man”, the band has found the perfect way to celebrate the daily grind - and make tax day just a little bit more tolerable.

‘State of Emergency’ is out now via Steamhammer/SPV, and the new video for “Working Man” is available to stream on all platforms. So crank it up, bang your head, and let PRONG help you power through the most taxing day of the year.

‘State of Emergency’ Track List:

1 The Descent

2 State of Emergency

3 Breaking Point 4 Non-Existence

5 Light Turns Black 6 Who Told Me 7 Obeisance 8 Disconnected 9 Compliant

10 Back (NYC)

11 Working Man (Regular Version) (RUSH Cover)

‘State Of Emergency’ is available on Steamhammer / SPV on CD, LP, and digital download.

Slightly Stoopid and Dirty Heads Announce ‘Slightly Dirty Summer Tour’ 2024

Connect with Slightly Stoopid:

Website @ https://www.slightlystoopid.com/

Instagram @ https://www.instagram.com/slightlystoopid/ Twitter @ https://twitter.com/SlightlyStoopid YouTube @ https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCvdUFd6TueIEWmmvd16RSJA Facebook @ bhttps://www.facebook.com/slightlystoopid

By Troy Wilson

In an exciting announcement for music fans, Slightly Stoopid and Dirty Heads have revealed their plans for the 2024 ‘Slightly Dirty Summer Tour’ across the United States. The tour is set to kick off on July 11th in Cleveland, Ohio at Jacobs Pavilion, with additional stops in Bridgeport, Virginia Beach, West Palm Beach, San Diego, and more.

The bands have also announced four new shows, including two in Texas (Austin on August 29 and Irving on August 30), one in Ridgedale, Missouri on August 31, and the tour finale in Oklahoma City at The Zoo Amphitheatre on September 1. Special guests HIRIE and The Expendables will provide support for these added dates.

Miles Doughty, from Slightly Stoopid, expressed his excitement about the upcoming tour, stating, “Slightly Dirty Summer 2024 is gonna be nuts! It’s been a minute since we did a full summer tour with our brothers the Dirty Heads and we are excited to get this party started. Joining us in the madness will be our boys Common Kings and The

Elovaters taking the vibes to a new level! Looking forward to playing some new songs all summer while hitting new venues and some cities we have never played!”

In a heartwarming gesture, Slightly Stoopid and Dirty Heads have partnered with the Maui Food Bank, pledging to donate $1 from every ticket sold to support Maui relief efforts.

Slightly Stoopid, known for their eclectic blend of folk, rock, reggae, blues, hip-hop, funk, metal, and punk, originated in Southern California in the 1990s. The band, signed to Sublime’s Brad Nowell’s Skunk imprint, has evolved over the years, delivering memorable albums such as ‘Closer to the Sun’ (2005), ‘Chronchitis’ (2007), and ‘Meanwhile...Back at the Lab’ (2015).

Fans can also catch Slightly Stoopid headlining the Reggae Rise Up festival in Las Vegas on October 5, 2024, alongside Wiz Khalifa and other notable acts.

With their energetic live performances and musical versatility, the ‘Slightly Dirty Summer Tour’ promises to be an unforgettable experience for fans across the country.

Slightly Stoopid Tour Dates

Thu Jul 11 – Cleveland, OH – Jacob Pavilion #*+

Fri Jul 12 — Holmdel, NJ — PNC Bank Arts Center #*+

Sat Jul 13 — Bangor, ME — Maine Savings Amphitheater #*+

Sun Jul 14 — Gilford, NH — BankNH Pavilion #*+

Thu Jul 18 — Bridgeport, CT — Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater #*+

Fri Jul 19 — Bristow, VA — Jiffy Lube Live # *+

Sat Jul 20 — Wantagh, NY — Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater #+

Sun Jul 21 — Camden, NJ — Freedom Mortgage Pavilion #+

Thu Jul 25 — Virginia Beach, VA — Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater #*+

Fri Jul 26 — Raleigh, NC — Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek #*+

Sat Jul 27 — Wilmington, NC — Live Oak Bank Pavilion #*+

Sun Jul 28 — Charleston, SC — Credit One Stadium #*+

Thu Aug 01 — Jacksonville, FL — Daily’s Place #*+

Fri Aug 02 — West Palm Beach, FL iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre #*+

Sat Aug 03 — Clearwater, FL — The BayCare Sound #*+

Sun Aug 04 — Gautier, MS — The Sound #*+

Thu Aug 08 — Dillon, CO — Dillon Amphitheater *&

Fri Aug 09 — Vail, CO — Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater *&

Sat Aug 10 — Morrison, CO — Red Rocks Amphitheatre *&

Thu Aug 15 — West Valley City, UT — Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre #*+

Fri Aug 16 — Nampa, ID — Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater #*+

Sat Aug 17 — Auburn, WA — White River Amphitheatre #+

Sun Aug 18 — Bend, OR — Hayden Homes Amphitheater #*+

Thu Aug 22 – Redding, CA – Redding Civic Auditorium Lawn #*+

Fri Aug 23 — Mountain View, CA — Shoreline Amphitheatre #+

Sat Aug 24 — Chula Vista, CA — North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre #+

Sun Aug 25 — Phoenix, AZ — Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre #*+

Thu Aug 29 — Austin, TX — Germania Insurance Amphitheater #^

Fri Aug 30 — Irving, TX — The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory #^

Sat Aug 31 — Ridgedale, MO — Thunder Ridge Nature Arena #^

Sun Sep 1 — Oklahoma City, OK — The Zoo Amphitheatre #^

Sat Oct 5 — Las Vegas, NV — Reggae Rise Up

# With Dirty Heads

* With Common Kings

+ With The Elovaters

& With Fortunate Youth

^ With Hirie + The Expendables

Photo Credit: Keith Zacharski | Download

By Troy Wilson

Chicago-based rock band The Outfit has just released their third studio album, “Go,” on April 19, 2024, via Pavement Entertainment. Known for their straight-up rock and roll sound, catchy hooks, and aggressive style, The Outfit is poised to make a significant impact on the rock scene with this latest installment in their discography.

The band’s journey began with the release of their self-titled debut album on February 2, 2018. Engineered by Chicago music veteran Matt Mercado at Sonic Palace Studios in Oak Park, Illinois, and mixed by Grammy-nominated, multiPlatinum producer Ulrich Wild (Pantera, Static-X, White Zombie, Deftones, and Breaking Benjamin) in Los Angeles, the album showcased The Outfit’s raw talent and unique sound. The lead single, “Soldier Boy,” received widespread airplay on rock radio stations and peaked at number 34 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Radio Chart. The follow-up single, “Wire,” also made an impact, reaching number 28 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Indicator Chart.

Building on the success of their debut, The Outfit released their second album, “Viking,” on March 27, 2020. Once again, Ulrich Wild returned to mix the album, helping the band deliver a classic rock sound with a modern twist. The title track’s video has amassed over 380,000 views on YouTube, while the song “Come Alive” charted at number 38 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Indicator Chart and has garnered over 216,000 streams on Spotify.

Now, with the release of “Go,” The Outfit is ready to take their music to new heights. The album features the Billboard-charting single “Monster,” as well as standout tracks “Big Eyes,” “Mountain,” and “Arrival of Jane.” Sound engineer Matt Mercado and multi-Platinum pro-

ducer and mixer Ulrich Wild have once again collaborated with the band to create a dynamic and powerful record that showcases The Outfit’s growth and evolution as artists.

The Outfit’s commitment to bringing the rock scene back to basics with an edge is evident throughout “Go.” The band’s tight musicianship, infectious melodies, and high-energy performances are sure to captivate fans and attract new listeners alike. With Andy Mitchell’s powerful vocals, Matt Nawara’s electrifying lead guitar, Mark Nawara’s driving drums, and Mike Gorman’s solid bass lines, The Outfit has crafted a sound that is both familiar and fresh, paying homage to classic rock while infusing it with a modern sensibility.

As The Outfit prepares to embark on a summer tour in support of “Go,” fans across the country will

have the opportunity to experience the band’s live show, which has become known for its intensity and audience engagement. The release of “Go” marks a significant milestone in The Outfit’s career, showcasing their growth as songwriters and performers and solidifying their position as one of the most exciting acts in the rock scene today.

With “Go,” The Outfit is poised to reach new heights and connect with a wider audience than ever before. As the band continues to tour and promote the album, it is clear that their star is on the rise, and their impact on the rock scene will only continue to grow. The Outfit’s dedication to their craft, combined with their undeniable talent and electrifying stage presence, makes them a force to be reckoned with, and “Go” is sure to be remembered as a landmark release in their already impressive career.

The Warning Shines Bright with New Single “Automatic Sun” and Upcoming Album

LISTEN HERE @

https://thewarning.lnk.to/keepmefed PRE-ORDER/PRE-SAVE & LISTEN HERE @ https://thewarning.lnk.to/keepmefed

••• Follow The Warning ••• https://www.thewarningband.com

Instagram @ https://www.instagram.com/thewarningrockband/ TikTok @ https://www.tiktok.com/@thewarningrockband

YouTube @ https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCeZHVOA5rP9rHoa7zKCx7kQ

Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/TheWarningRockBand/ Twitter @ https://twitter.com/TheWarningBand2

By Greg Fontaine

The Warning, the alternative sistertrio from Monterrey, Mexico, continues to make waves in the music industry with their latest release, “Automatic Sun.” The track, produced by Anton Delost and Dan Lancaster, showcases the band’s evolving sound and serves as a tantalizing preview of their highly anticipated new album, “Keep Me Fed,” set to arrive on June 28, 2024, via LAVA/

Republic Records.

“Automatic Sun” highlights The Warning’s enigmatic style, featuring a head-nodding beat, a thick bassline, and a stomping riff that supports the chantable hook, “Look what you’re doing to me.” Dany, one of the band members, explains the song’s meaning, stating, “It’s about missing someone and the energy this person gives you. You’re drawn into their gravitational pull and

brightness—like an automatic sun.”

The Warning draw strength and power from a lifetime of sisterhood and music. The Mexico-born sister trio— Daniela “Dany” [guitar, lead vocals, piano], Paulina “Pau” [drums, vocals, piano], and Alejandra “Ale” Villarreal [bass, piano, backing vocals]—have logged thousands of miles on the road, generated hundreds of millions of streams, and left countless fans in awe. All of this tireless work and dedication has shaped and sharpened their sound with knifepoint precision, arming alternative anthems with universally catchy hooks and an uncompromising hard rock kick.

The girls have devoted themselves to a shared dream since their childhood in Monterrey, Mexico. They initially made waves with a string of independent releases, paving the way for their acclaimed 2022 full-length offering ERROR. Between performing alongside Muse, Foo Fighters, Guns N’ Roses, Royal Blood, The Pretty Reckless, and Three Days Grace, the band ignited MTV’s Extended Play Stage at the 2023 MTV VMAs.

To announce “Keep Me Fed,” The Warning shared two singles, “Hell You Call A Dream” and the Spanish-language “Qué Más Quieres,” which collectively generated over 1 million streams worldwide and garnered attention from Rolling Stone Mexico, Rock Sound, and other media outlets. The album also features the fan favorite “S!CK,” which is currently climbing the Active Rock charts and has been praised by Revolver and Classic Rock magazines. Rolling Stone even pegged “S!CK” as one of “All The Songs You Need To Know This Week.”

Regarding the story behind the decision to name the album “Keep Me Fed,” Pau explains, “Throughout the whole process, the work was consuming us. By impacting everything we did, the album kept us fed both creatively and personally. We’re inviting other people to participate and consume it too.”

Representative of their cultural impact, Pepsi even notably chose them as the face of Pepsi Black in Mexico. Moreover, they emerged as the rare force who could comfortably appear in features by Vanity Fair, People, Cosmopolitan, and Glamour as well as on Metallica’s star-studded Blacklist compilation—placing their cover of

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The Warning

(continued from previous page)

“Enter Sandman” [with Alessia Cara] shoulder-to-shoulder with contributions from Ghost, St. Vincent, Chris Stapleton, IDLES and Weezer.

In 2024, The Warning has already performed at ShipRocked in the Caribbean, Mexico’s prestigious Pa’l Norte and Vive Latino Festivals, and embarked on a month-long European tour. The tour marks the band’s return to Europe after their own 2023 run of beyond sold-out headline EU & UK dates in addition to their monumental run supporting MUSE & Royal Blood on their stadium tours. They also sold out shows across Mexico and South America, including their largest show to date in Mexico City at the infamous Pepsi Center. Upcoming, the band just announced their first-ever tour dates in Japan, including a show with Band-Maid.

As The Warning continues to shine brighter than ever, fans eagerly await the release of “Keep Me Fed” on June 28, 2024. Physical products, including signed CDs, vinyl, t-shirts, and fan packs, will be available at RepublicRecords.com. The Warning embrace their destiny with this new album, and their journey is far from over. With their undeniable talent, captivating performances, and growing global recognition, The Warning is poised to take the music world by storm.

The Warning Tour Dates

4/4 Madrid, ESP

Sala La Riviera

4/5 Lisbon, POR

LAV Lisboa Ao Vivo

4/6 Santiago De Compostela, ESP Sala Capitol

4/8 Barcelona, ESP

Sala Razzmatazz

4/9 Bilbao, ESP

Kafe Antzokia

4/11 Milan, IT Magazzini

4/12 Zurich, CHE

Dynamo

4/13 Munich, GER

Backstage Werk

4/14 Prague, CZ REP

Meetfactory

4/16 Berlin, GER

Metropol

4/17 Cologne, GER

Live Music Hall

4/18 Paris, FR

Alhambra

4/19 Haarlem, NL Patronaat

4/21 Birmingham, UK

O2 Institute 2

4/22 Leeds, UK

Stylus

4/23 Glasgow, UK

The Garage

4/25 Manchester, UK

Academy 2

4/26 Cardiff, UK

Y Plas

4/27 London, UK

O2 Forum Kentish Town

5/12 Tokyo, JPN

Ex Theater (w/ Band-Maid)

5/13 Tokyo, JPN

Space Odd

5/14 Osaka, JPN

Soma

7/5 Arras, FR

Main Square Festival

7/7 Barcelona, ES

Barcelona Rock Festival

7/13 Madrid, Spain

Mad Cool Festival

7/18 Bonona, IT

Bonsai Garden Festival

7/20 Maidstone, UK Maidstone Festival

7/27 Abertillery, UK Steelhouse Festival

7/31 Wacken, GR

Wacken Open Air Festival

8/1 Kostrzyn Nad Odra, PL

Pol ‘and’ Rock Festival

8/3 Granichen, CH

Open Air Granichen

8/5 Amsterdam, NL

Melkweg Festival

9/21 Camden, NJ

MMRBQ Radio Show

9/26 Louisville, KY

Louder Than Life Festival

10/11 Sacramento, CA

Aftershock Festival

AT https://marcusking.lnk.to/moodswings

@ https://youtu.be/NeY-e5uUX_Q

@ https://youtu.be/jjp4-SiDva0

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https://www.marcuskingofficial.com/ Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/marcuskingofficial Instagram @ https://www.instagram.com/realmarcusking/ X @ https://twitter.com/realmarcusking

Spotify @ https://open.spotify.com/artist/0FeWKiZSwBRdGzqeCdlH1a Youtube @ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6dwaC5J_YiXXsRCZhqK3yw

press photo by JM Collective

Marcus King

By Nathan Pugh

GRAMMY®-nominated singersongwriter Marcus King has released his highly anticipated album, “Mood Swings,” via American/Republic Records. The album, produced by the legendary Rick Rubin, known for his work with iconic artists such as Adele and Johnny Cash, is a deeply personal and eclectic symphony of soul that draws on King’s darkest moments and serves as a beacon of hope for anyone facing similar challenges.

King, a fourth-generation musician hailing from Greenville, South Carolina, began his musical journey at the tender age of 8, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, both accomplished guitarists. Through relentless touring and captivating live performances with “The Marcus King Band,” he quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. His solo debut, “El Dorado,” earned him a well-deserved GRAMMY® nomination in the category of “Best Americana Album.”

Despite his rapid rise to success, King has been candid about his struggles with mental health throughout his career.

“Mood Swings” is a raw and honest reflection of these challenges, with King drawing inspiration from times when he found himself on the brink of despair, even contemplating taking his own life. However, with the guidance and support of Rick Rubin, King was able to shift his perspective and view his mental health as a creative partner. “He helped me view mental health as a writing partner in a way,” King recalls. “I’ve learned it can give me that creative spark.”

The result is an album that is both intensely personal and universally

relatable. The stand-out track “Delilah,” which King premiered on “The Tonight Show” and later performed on “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” is a piano-driven rock classic that showcases King’s exceptional songwriting abilities.

“‘Delilah’ is one of the first songs I cowrote after moving to Nashville in 2018,” King explained. “It’s a coming of age story and a fine example of a song I was just really wanting to get out and was so glad when we finally figured out how to give it some life.”

Throughout “Mood Swings,” King fearlessly confronts his own truth, embracing the challenges he’s faced and emerging as a man transformed. The album represents a rebirth of both his sound and his mind, a testament to the transformative power of music and its ability to heal and inspire.

Beyond his music, King has been a vocal advocate for mental health awareness, launching various initiatives throughout his career. Most recently, he collaborated with MusiCares on a guitar auction to raise funds and support for

those in need. By openly sharing his own experiences, King hopes to help others who may be facing similar struggles, letting them know that they are not alone and that there is always hope.

“Mood Swings” is the culmination of King’s personal and musical journey, a powerful statement on the importance of mental health and the resilience of the human spirit. As he embarks on a US tour in support of the album, King’s music will undoubtedly continue to be a source of comfort and inspiration for fans around the world.

King’s contributions to the music industry and his tireless advocacy for mental health were recently celebrated with his induction into the South Carolina Entertainment and Music Hall of Fame on April 25th at Furman University’s McAlister Auditorium. With the release of “Mood Swings,” Marcus King solidifies his position as one of the most compelling and important voices in music today, a true artist who fearlessly channels his struggles into art that has the power to change lives.

Garbage Announces Expanded Reissue of 2005 Album “Bleed Like Me” on Vinyl

By Troy Wilson

Influential alternative rock band Garbage has revealed details of a long-awaited reissue of their fourth studio album, “Bleed Like Me,” which will be available on vinyl for the first time since its original release in 2005. The expanded reissue, set for release on April 5 via UMe, comes in response to the overwhelming demand from the band’s dedicated fanbase.

Fully remastered for 2024, the “Bleed Like Me” reissue will be available in various formats, including 2CD, 1LP white vinyl, deluxe 2LP red vinyl, and HD digital. The expanded edition features an array of bonus material, such as b-sides, rare tracks, remixes, and alternate versions of songs from the original album.

Reflecting on the decision to reissue “Bleed Like Me,” frontwoman Shirley Manson shared, “This album was tricky to make and resulted in the band taking a 5-year hiatus shortly after it was released.

However, over the years, it has become a mainstay of our discography, so we decided to finally make it available on vinyl due to the many pained pleas from our fans.”

Upon its initial release in April 2005, “Bleed Like Me” was a commercial success, reaching the top 5 on album charts in the UK, US, Australia, and the European Billboard chart. The album spawned four singles: “Why Do You Love Me,” a top 10 hit in the UK; “Bleed Like Me” and “Sex Is Not The Enemy,” which became staples in the band’s live shows; and “Run Baby Run,” accompanied by a music video directed by Sophie Muller.

Garbage, known for their guitar-based, electronic-washed sound and distinct sense of accessible pop songcraft, has been captivating audiences since their debut in the ’90s. Led by iconic frontwoman Shirley Manson, the alternative quartet has released multi-platinum albums such as their self-titled debut (1995) and the

Grammy-nominated “Version 2.0” (1998). Throughout their career, the band has experimented with various styles, from the pop-influenced “Beautiful Garbage” (2001) to the no-frills rock of “Bleed Like Me” (2005) and the self-released, rockfocused efforts “Not Your Kind of People” (2012) and “Strange Little Birds” (2016). In 2021, they celebrated another decade together with their seventh studio album, “No Gods No Masters.”

This year, Garbage is set to perform at several festival shows, including European and UK dates at Mad Cool in Madrid (July 10-13) and TRNSMT in Glasgow (July 1214). The band’s eagerly awaited “Bleed Like Me” expanded reissue will be available on April 5, offering fans a chance to rediscover and celebrate this significant album in Garbage’s discography.

As Garbage continues to captivate audiences with their unique sound and

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Garbage

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influential presence in the alternative rock scene, the “Bleed Like Me” reissue serves as a testament to the band’s enduring legacy and the unwavering dedication of their fans. With the album’s availability on vinyl and the inclusion of bonus material, both long-time admirers and new listeners alike will have the opportunity to experience the raw energy and emotion that defines Garbage’s music.

Bleed Like Me expanded reissue tracklistings:

2CD

CD1: original album remastered

Bad Boyfriend

Run Baby Run

Right Between the Eyes

Why Do You Love Me

Bleed Like Me

Metal Heart

Sex Is Not the Enemy

It’s All Over but the Crying Boys Wanna Fight

Why Don’t You Come Over Happy Home

CD2: B-Sides, Remixes and alternative versions

Space Can Come Through Anyone

Nobody Can Win

I Just Wanna Have Something to Do

Honeybee

Never Be Free

Badass (October 2003 Ruff Demo)

Tell Me Where It Hurts

Betcha

All The Good In This Life

Witness To Your Love

Bad Boyfriend (Sting Like a Bee Remix)

Bleed Like Me (Kuppers Klub Radio Edit)

Sex Is Not the Enemy (IL’s Vocal Mix)

Sex Is Not the Enemy (Devil’s Gun Circuit

Sex Remix)

Never Be Free (Goth Mix)

Tell Me Where It Hurts (Belle de Jour Mix)

Witness To Your Love (Acoustic)*

2LP

Side A: original album remastered

Bad Boyfriend

Run Baby Run

Right Between the Eyes

Why Do You Love Me

Bleed Like Me

Metal Heart

Side B: original album remastered

Sex Is Not the Enemy

It’s All Over but the Crying

Boys Wanna Fight

Why Don’t You Come Over

Happy Home

Side C: B-Sides

Space Can Come Through Anyone

Nobody Can Win

I Just Wanna Have Something to Do Honeybee

Never Be Free

Side D: B-Sides

Badass (October 2003 Ruff Demo)

Tell Me Where It Hurts

Betcha

All The Good In This Life

Witness To Your Love

1LP

Side A: original album remastered

Bad Boyfriend

Run Baby Run

Right Between the Eyes

Why Do You Love Me

Bleed Like Me

Metal Heart

Side B: original album remastered

Sex Is Not the Enemy

It’s All Over but the Crying

Boys Wanna Fight

Why Don’t You Come Over

Happy Home

DIGITAL HD/SD

Original album remastered

Bad Boyfriend

Run Baby Run

Right Between the Eyes

Why Do You Love Me

Bleed Like Me

Metal Heart

Sex Is Not the Enemy

It’s All Over but the Crying

Boys Wanna Fight

Why Don’t You Come Over

Happy Home

B-Sides, Remixes and alternate versions

Space Can Come Through Anyone

Nobody Can Win

I Just Wanna Have Something to Do

Honeybee

Never Be Free

Badass (October 2003 Ruff Demo)

Tell Me Where It Hurts

Betcha

All The Good In This Life

Witness To Your Love

Bad Boyfriend (Sting Like a Bee Remix)

Bleed Like Me (Kuppers Klub Radio Edit)

Sex Is Not the Enemy (IL’s Vocal Mix)

Sex Is Not the Enemy (Devil’s Gun Circuit

Sex Remix)

Never Be Free (Goth Mix)

Tell Me Where It Hurts (Belle de Jour Mix)

Witness To Your Love (Acoustic)

*All songs written by Duke Erikson, Shirley Manson, Steve Marker, Butch Vig, except I Just Wanna Have Something To Do, written by Joey Ramone, Johnny Ramone and Dee Dee Ramone.

Rock And Blues International

The Biker, The Blues & No Vacation From The Blues

“I went from Birmingham all the way to Boulder but when I looked over my shoulder all I could see was your sweet face shining through and no matter how hard I try to fight off this urge to cry it seems there ain’t no vacation from the blues” - Travis Tritt. There are many reasons why folks cut out and travel for miles and miles and miles months at a time. I should know I’ve been out here since the urge hit me and what I didn’t envision was the many situations I would learn about. Women who became exotic dancers, men that became bouncers only to become a Dad with the gal they met while working at the bar, the illegal immigrants who see America as their last hope, the house wife who chucked it all, family, friends and husband to find something that was alive in her heart yet undefinable even as she walked out the door. Travis Tritt got it right there ain’t no vacation from the blues. The very odd thing about it is that when you are one of those people and you are meeting new people all time in your travels you also meet those that are quite happy. You feel good for them, you are shy about saying why you are passing through but there is this sweet sadness that goes with seeing those situations. For some there is this hole in their heart that is not filled in for one reason or another, they just didn’t click in their otherwise safe and serene environment. The chucked it in search of peace of mind. Bad Company expresses a desire for love and finding the blues this way, “I don’t ask no favors, I don’t know the reason why. If I don’t ask no questions I, I don’t get no lies, I don’t get no lies.” So many artists, so many bands, have turned out gut wrenching true to life lyrics that are totally relatable. When I am on the road and drop in to some bar along the way I normally hit the jukebox. When I punch up a blues number you can feel the atmosphere in the place change, they relate. You see people staring into their drinks, looking at themselves in the mirror, lighting up a cigarette and exhaling in strong way. The waitress in her daisy dukes wiping tables and taking orders and you wonder what is running through their minds. So

many people with many different reasons to have either left a situation behind or they in deep thought about having made a wrong choice and are miserable still living their choice. Some are trapped, many due to the duty they feel to their kids or some other important reason to them like maybe even probation or parole. It’s hard for this writer to imagine any blues songwriter to put out a relatable song if they haven’t experienced the topic they present. The great reset comes about due to letting go, moving on. This lifestyle isn’t right for everybody but trust me there is horde of people that stopped being a round peg who were trying to fit into a square hole. If I am lying I am dying. I met a gal working behind the bar in Northwestern Pennsylvania in a rather remote part of the county. She was quiet but when I gave her a five dollar bill and asked her to liven the place up she punched up Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way” and the place did indeed come alive. The song is about being set free and enjoying every minute of it. At another pub in Southern Texas this good looking blonde gal was behind the bar. I gave her a five dollar bill and asked her to liven the place up. Her

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The Biker, The Blues & No Vacation From The Blues - cont’d

choices were as sultry but not as rock based as she chose Paula Cole’s “Feelin’ Love”. Both songs revved up the bars. Some places are more Allman Brothers oriented with getting away songs like “Midnight Rider”. Completely different theme but it’s the blues just the same. I remember being in a corner dive that was the epitome of what you would think a dive bar would attract but it’s soul was quite evident. These people had set themselves free, some may have paid a dear price. Waylon Jennings used to sing a song titled “Low Down Freedom”. In one verse he sings “Like them big wheels I’ll be rollin’ like them rivers gonna flow to sea cause I would rather leave her knowin’ that I’d made a fool of love before it made a fool of me.” Take the soulful bluesman Bert Wills out of Southeastern Texas. He sings a song titled “Slow Blues Lullaby”. It’s about late in the evening when the clubs are shutting down and he paints a vivid picture of what’s going down. The song grabs anyone that has ever been there, done that kind of thing. Tom Waits paints the “Heart of Saturday Night”. Just like Bert he paints a relatable bluesy late night experience. Then again sometimes it isn’t even the night life nor is it a bar. You meet everyday people cashing in on nomadic lifestyles.

Long haul truckers are that way, they just got to keep movin’ is the way they see it. Then there are those that never leave their home. They remain in their communities but yet they go to juke joints and theaters alike taking in their favorite blues style. Sometimes however they get away for a weekend and then it’s all they can do to pack up and return home. They do it because they are dedicated to someone but yet that tug to find the wind and let their sails unfurl is almost always present. I am writing this in mid April making my way to the annual Blues Music Awards in Memphis. If you’ve never experienced the BMAs well there’s nothing like the experience. The event is sort of like the Grammys with awards to those that made their mark in 2023. Way cool. Picture itBeale Street and all it’s clubs and literally thousands of people. All of which are dyed in the wool blues fans and if you could relate you would be as close to heaven as free people can get.