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Got to Get Backis the latest release by KKB, a 1974 power trio that featured
lead guitarist Bruce Kulick,
singer/bassist/songwriter Mike Katz,
and drummer Guy Bois. It’s a hard
driving/progressive rock sound reminiscent to the styles of Cream, YES, and
King Crimson. The band may have even become legendary if it hadn’t been for
their lack of professional guidance. The title track …“Got to Get Back” is
a brand new song. Kulick says …“I thought the way we could
celebrate it the best after 40 years was actually to record a new song with the
same guys, I gave Mike a riff that I thought was similar to the kind of
progressive /metal trio style we did back in 1974 and he ran with it and turned
into a terrific song.”
Got to Get Backby KKB
is a timeless gem performed by three first-rate musicians. (5)
Stars!
BRUCE KULICK was a veteran guitarist for “The Hottest Band In The
World” … KISS! It was during the unmasking period for the legendary rockers
who officially appeared in public without makeup in an appearance on MTV in
1983. Kulick would join KISS as their fourth lead guitarist in less than three
years and holds title to the longest continuous tenure of anyone other than
Simmons and Stanley (September 1984 to August 1996). Although Kulick never wore
the band's iconic makeup, he says …“It keeps my era a little bit more
unique and sacred in a sense and I’m there to waive the flag for it.”
Bruce Kulick played on (5) KISS studio albums … Asylum, Crazy
Nights, Hot in the Shade, Revenge, Carnival of Souls: The Final
Sessions. Kulick also appeared on Alive III and KISS
Unplugged. The song "I Walk Alone" from Carnival of Souls:
The Final Sessions is the only KISS track to feature Kulick as lead vocalist.
To date, Kulick is featured on more than (20) KISS releases.
The ‘Farewell Tour’ featured
original KISS members Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss.
Frehley left the group after the tour but Kulick was not asked to return as
their lead guitarist; instead Tommy Thayer became the new spaceman for KISS.
Kulick did however continue to work with the band by contributing on several
albums.
In 1997, Kulick formed ‘Union’ with lead vocalist/guitarist John Corabi (Mötley Crüe,
Ratt), drummer Brent Fitz (Slash, Vince Neil), and bassist James Hunting
(David Lee Roth, Eddie Money). ‘Union’
released (2) studio albums, two singles: "Old Man Wise" and
"October Morning Wind," and a live album.
Since 2001, Bruce Kulick has been
the lead guitarist for Grand Funk Railroad. The original band was a power trio
that featured current band members Don Brewer and Mel Schacher.
2015 Grand Funk Railroad Tour Dates
…
07/25/15
- Seneca Allegany Events Center, Salamanca, New York
08/01/15
- Delaware State Fair, Harrington, Delaware
08/07/15
- Paramount Hudson Valley, Peekskill, New York
08/08/15
- Wolf Den/Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, Connecticut
08/15/15
- Northwest Ohio Rib-Off, Maumee, Ohio
08/22/15
- Martin County Fair, Fairmont, Minnesota
08/29/15
- Husets Speedway, Brandon, South Dakota
09/04/15
- Golden Nugget Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
09/06/15
- Southern 500 Nascar, Darlington, South Carolina
09/19/15
- Cactus Pete's Resort, Jackpot, Nevada
NEW!
09/26/15 - Sam Houston Race Park, Houston, Texas
NEW!
10/10/15 - Florida State H.O.G. Rally, Fort Myers, Florida
10/21/15
- Fourth Street Live! Louisville, Kentucky
NEW!
12/12/15 - Hollywood Casino Event Center, Charles Town, WV
With/
Michael Bolton-Michael Bolton (1983), Everybody's Crazy (1985),
The
Hunger (1987)
With/ KISS-Animalize (lead guitar on "Lonely Is the Hunter"
& "Murder in High Heels") (1984), Animalize Live Uncensored
(1984), Asylum (1985),Crazy Nights (1987), Chikara (1988), Smashes, Thrashes
& Hits (1988), Hot in the Shade (1989), Revenge (1992), Alive III (1993),
KISS Unplugged (1996), Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions (1997), Psycho
Circus backwards guitar intro and solo (on "Within"), rhythm and bass
guitar (on "Dreamin'") (1998), The Box Set (2001),The Very Best of
Kiss (2002),The Best of Kiss, Volume 2: The Millennium Collection (2004), The
Best of Kiss, Volume 3: The Millennium Collection (2005)
KISS
Video albums -
Animalize Live Uncensored (1985), Exposed (1987), Crazy Nights (1988), X-treme
Close-Up (1992), Kiss Konfidential (1993), Kiss My Ass: The Video (1994), Kiss
Unplugged (1996), Kissology Volume Two: 1978-1991 (2007), Kissology Volume
Three: 1992–2000 (2007)
With/Union
-Union (1998), Live in the Galaxy (1999), The Blue Room (2000)
With/
Daniel McCartney- Unbreakle (2000)
With/ESP-
Lost & Spaced (1998), ESP (1999), Live in Japan (2006),
Live
at the Marquee DVD (2006)
Solo albums -Audio Dog (2001), Transformer (2003), BK3 (2010)
I had the great please of chatting
with Bruce Kulick recently about his latest release Got to Get Back with
his first band KKB … Becoming a longtime guitarist with KISS … Playing with
Grand Funk Railroad … Touring … Tommy Thayer … A new solo album? … The shock of
being shot …My infamous ‘Field of Dreams’ question … and much-much more!
Here’s my interview with
a monstrous guitar player for KKB, Meatloaf, Blackjack w/Michael Bolton,
KISS, Union, and Grand Funk Railroad … BRUCE KULICK
Ray Shasho: Bruce thank you for being on the call today … I’d like to
first chat about the new release “Got to Get Back” which was recorded by your
first band KKB featuring the power trio of Bruce Kulick, Mike Katz and Guy
Bois. It’s a great album with a fascinating story behind it.
Bruce Kulick: “Except for the first track everything came from our very
ambitious efforts back in 1974. Mike found these tapes; he was the principal
songwriter, singer and bassist. I did a limited edition of a tape that I found
of what we did back then in 2008 and sold that on my website … it was called ‘KKB
1974,’ but I couldn’t remix any of it. Then around a year and a half ago, Mike
finally found the original tapes and now we had the four tracks that we could
properly mix, master, and re-master. We added a string quartet to one of the
songs; I realized that since I did a limited edition of it in 2008, I thought
the way we could celebrate it the best after 40 years was actually to record a
new song with the same guys, and that’s what the title track … “Got to Get
Back” is, I gave Mike a riff that I thought was similar to the kind of
progressive /metal trio style we did back in 1974 and he ran with it and turned
into a terrific song.”
“We never physically got
together because it was too expensive … with Guy (drummer) living in Paris,
Mike (bassist) in New York and I live in LA. Nowadays with Pro Tools you can
easily share the files. It was all mixed by Brian Virtue a very talented guy
here in LA and he sort of became the fourth member of the band. We didn’t want
to overdo anything since we found the original tapes and could transfer that
properly digitally. I could have done a lot of things … double guitars, replace
parts … but I didn’t want to do that, I really wanted it to be as pure as it
could be, and it’s funny how the new song fits in with the others after a 40
year gap … its crazy!”
Ray Shasho:I was blown away how well the new track fit right-in
after 40 years.
Bruce Kulick: “Mike has a very strong point of view as a musician and
hasn’t changed in the 40 years; he’s always been crazy for Jack Bruce and Cream
and that’s why we actually dedicated this CD to Jack Bruce. I had the pleasure
of actually meeting him a few times and even jamming with him at the Rock and
Roll Fantasy Camp, which was one of my dreams come true … actually playing
Cream songs with Jack. But Mike was so into that whole sound of Jack Bruce and
that style and I think Mike also has a terrific rock voice. But the way he
constructs a song and puts it together … he’s very complete about it; you could
hear all the harmonies for the vocals, we didn’t do a lot of that on the
original KKB but “Got to Get Back” has a couple of different backgrounds which
sound really good and it’s all Mike.”
Ray Shasho: A lot of the tracks on the new album have that progressive
rock feel to it …
Bruce Kulick: “Back in the 70’s it was King Crimson, YES of course,
although they used more keyboards and intricate vocals, but those bands I know
we did like, especially YES. Guy and I were in a cover band together playing
all the rock songs that we liked. YES and ELP were really important to us. I’m
sure Mike was aware of those bands too. The two bands I would think of while
KKB was rehearsing … I would imagine YES and more really Cream, but the music
is more progressive than Cream. I think Mike was fascinated with fooling around
with some of the time signatures. . KKB would explore a 7/8 or 5/4 time … you
don’t really notice it that much because it just feels right, but you know King
Crimson and YES did it a lot.”
“When KISS wanted to do Carnival of
Souls, they wanted to be a darker, heavier, meaner … Revenge (1992). In the
early 90’s, I started to fool around with detuning and writing riffs that may
have different time signatures. So there are quite a lot of songs on Carnival
of Souls that I contributed to. But to put it in the context of three guys, no
overdub, and no punching in, I’m constantly blown away how tight we were and
how good we were. Brian explained to me after he got to live with the
transferred tape, there’s a lot of bleed in each track, and that just proves
it’s all live. It’s a great time capsule of my early playing, but not only
that; to think we did all that work and recorded these song that are still
enjoyable and we never did anything …why didn’t we seek a record label or try
to network with someone? Thinking about it now I would answer that with … it
wasn’t about ambition it was all about making music. All of a sudden, Mike was
travelling and doing gigs for the USO and I’m off touring for six months with
another band backing disco artists because that’s where the money was back
then. But we never got the chance to do a gig or audition for a label, so who
knows what could have happened.”
Ray Shasho:On “Trying to Find A Way” I noticed that you
incorporated some Hendrix riffs on that track …
Bruce Kulick: “That was one of the only overdubs of the whole record, the
first song of course we did in a modern way and shared the files. But that was
the one track that was able to be put on the vocal track; we only had 4 tracks
when we recorded back then. The songs we recorded in the studio back in 1974
were all live and then Mike went in and did the vocals. We used all the
dynamics of a trio without any fancy studio tricks.”
Ray Shasho: Grand Funk Railroad begins touring in July and will make a
stop on October 10th at the 2015 Florida State H.O.G. Rallies ‘Roar to the
Shore’ in Fort Myers, Florida … www.flstatehogrally.com
Bruce Kulick: “Come on out and see the show! Every gig is a challenge
because we play a lot of different types of venues … casinos, classic rock
festivals, city festivals, barbeque fests and whatever it is, but its
interesting most of those crowds seem to vary in ages and fortunately we seem
to get the job done and everyone goes home really happy.”
Ray Shasho: “I’ve always been a huge Mark Farner supporter; we did a few
interviews together and chatted with him several times after his gigs in
Clearwater …
Bruce Kulick: “I’ve done work with Mark at Fantasy Camp. At first he was
a little put off to me and understandably, I had nothing to do with the
relationship of the original three guys. But I reached out to him because I am
a big fan of his and we had a couple of things in common where my Brother Bob,
who is actually a fine guitarist, played on his first solo record and Dick
Wagner produced it, and I remember the gift that he gave Bob, a sort of vintage
pistol. But I remember we had this vintage gun in the house which was his gift
to Bob, and as soon as I told him all of that he really warmed up. I reminded
him at the camp, since I know the material, and if you perform it, I’d be happy
to be your second guitarist and it would be an honor for me. He appreciated
that and I wasn’t expecting him to play KISS songs, (All laughing) so we got
along. When he did the Howard Stern Show he actually asked me to come and play
the acoustic so he could play guitar or when we performed “Closer to Home.” But
ultimately I have a lot of respect for him and whatever goes on between him and
the other members of the group is not my situation because I’m a fan too.”
Ray Shasho: “Let’s talk KISS … were you upset or a little annoyed when
Gene and Paul decided to bring in Tommy Thayer and not bring you back as their
guitarist?
Bruce Kulick: “It’s a great question you’re asking … quite honestly there
was times when I was aware that Ace was becoming a wild card and being very
difficult. It wasn’t by design that Tommy was kind of the bands tour
manager/assistant guy and he’d been involved for quite a few years even when I
was in the band … putting together the Kisstory book and being involved in
documenting a lot of things with Gene and Paul behind the scenes, even though
Tommy was always a talented guitar player from Black ‘n Blue and had gold and
platinum records on Geffen etc. etc. Tommy was also in a KISS tribute band at one
time so he certainly knew what it was to be dressed up like the spaceman. So
when it came down to it there were a couple events where Ace was a total
no-show. They weren’t high profiled things but were still enough where they had
to say … “Hey Tommy get the outfit on!” So it became pretty natural for
them to go to Tommy. It would have been awkward for me although I really do
miss being in KISS. But I couldn’t say 100% that I would never do that. Offer
me a contract … what’s the deal?”
“Knowing that they really wanted
someone to be as much the spaceman as Ace was on the reunion tour …that would
have been a little left to center for my 12 years, because I really wasn’t
given that kind of direction. Tommy is doing the kind of job that Gene and Paul
want in the current KISS. I don’t mind the fact that it keeps my era a little
bit more unique and sacred in a sense and I’m there to waive the flag for it.”
Ray Shasho: Bruce, you definitely have an impressive rock
resume … how many musicians can say that they’ve played as a full-time member
in bands of the caliber of KISS and Grand Funk Railroad?
Bruce Kulick: “I’m proud of my resume. To be honest, I think Eric Singer
has a longer list than me. I’m proud of the things that I’ve done … there was
the Bat Out of Hell/Meatloaf tour which was exciting and the Billy Squire
record, and my relationship with Michael Bolton, and we still keep in touch.
It’s been so many years but everything comes full circle.”
Ray Shasho: So
overall your KISS relationship remains steady.
Bruce Kulick: “Oh yea, I stay in touch … Gene, Paul and Eric was at my
wedding, and they know I’m very supportive. It’s all good and the more they
continue on … they’re creating new fans all the time. I see on Facebook and
Twitter how many people they turn-on to the KISS world and who want to know
more about KISS and the next thing you know they’re following me.”
Ray Shasho: One of my favorite You Tube videos is your guitar
solo during “Cold Gin” in 1988 at Budokan Hall in Japan.
Bruce Kulick: “I’d been in the band for about eight years and we were in
fine form. I thought all the tours went very well and there were certain albums
I preferred to others, but I have a lot to be proud of.”
Ray Shasho:I heard you were a big sci-fi fan?
Bruce Kulick: “I love Star Wars, Star Trek … I like some horror but
I prefer the sci-fi stuff. It will be exciting to see the movie later this
year. The great thing about Star Wars, Star Trek and all the versions from The
Next Generation into Deep Space Nine … I found the stories to be quite
compelling, telling about something we all go through in our lives into a
futuristic landscape, and they are always very enjoyable, I know my dad always
loved those too.”
Ray Shasho: Bruce, what happened the day you got shot?
Bruce Kulick “It was over ten years ago and a weird random thing. I was
leaving a club and there was a guy that was very drunk and who was very angry
at a security guard at the Rainbow which was a block up from the club I was
leaving … I went to see a buddy of mine who was playing with Vince Neil. The
next thing I know, I hear these ricochet shots that sounded like a backfire of
a car. Something went through my leg and the other bullet kind of grazed my
head and whistled by my ear. Of course I went to the hospital and they were all
waiting for me looking pretty serious because they heard … head wound and leg
wound. The head wound was superficial thank God because the bullet could have
gone into my head. The other bullet could have crippled me, but it was the
perfect kind of way to get shot according to the paramedic and a cop. They said
you want it to go through the muscle, that’s the way to get hit. And then they
sent me home. I was home by six in the morning … and then I see scrolling on
CNN … former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick shot. Of course I called my parents
and said don’t worry I’m home already. It was pretty surreal. You’ve got to
check out “I’ll Survive,” it’s the fifth track on my solo album ‘BK3’ … I kind
of poetically tell the story of that event.”
“This year I released ‘BK3’ on vinyl
and it’s available on my website. Vinyl is very hot right now!”
Ray Shasho:Bruce, here’s a question that I ask everyone that I
interview. If you had a ‘Field of Dreams’ wish like the movie, to perform or
collaborate with anyone from the past or present, who would that be?
Bruce Kulick: “I’ve always been obsessed with The Beatles… I know you said
I can go back in the past but I’d be happy just sitting- in with Paul and Ringo
right now. I have so much respect for them … I did get a chance to briefly meet
Ringo which was a real thrill, and considering they came from the biggest rock
band in history. I have a lot of respect for how much good music they put out
and how entertaining they’ve been. So that would be my ‘Field of Dreams’
to play with The Beatles but would be very happy with just Paul and Ringo.”
Ray Shasho:Bruce,
thank you so much for being on the call today and for all the incredible music
you’ve given us with KISS, and all the great music you continue to bring!
Bruce Kulick: “Thanks Ray!”
Purchase Got to Get Backby KKB
the lat release from Bruce Kulick … Bruce is proud to offer a special
KKB GOT TO GET BACK CD Package for fans and collectors. The package includes:
Limited edition, numbered copy of the GOT TO GET BACK CD, Two-sided photo card
with the story/history of KKB, KKB GOT TO GET BACK guitar pick, Download card
with redemption code for downloading the digital version of GOT TO GET BACK
-The KKB GOT TO GET BACK CD Package is offered both unsigned ($20.00) and
autographed by Bruce ($30.00).
…““Shasho
definitely grips his readers from the very beginning. Growing up amid the DC
business wasn't easy, but it was never dull--and neither is this memoir. This
book is full of stories that many can relate to from their own childhood
misadventures. Ultimately, it shows the inside world of what it means to be a
Shasho. Also a great read for anyone that has ever felt a personal connection
to music. Check it out :)” -By Drew Stiles Format: Paperback
Guitar hero DAVE EDMUNDShas never followed music trends, and
throughout what Edmunds jokingly remarks as a “semi-retired” music career, has
probably been more devout and grateful to the original rock and roll format
than any other musician.
Edmunds recently
released his new album entitled ‘Rags & Classics’ via the MVD Entertainment Group. It’s an
all-instrumental masterpiece that displays Edmunds’ proficient guitar work
along with his brilliant multi-instrumental and production skills. Recorded in
his home studio, most of the cover tracks on the new album have never been
performed as an instrumental and are extremely difficult to implement as a one
man band.
I really enjoyed ‘Rags & Classics,’Edmunds did a remarkable job handpicking singles that are
classics but rarely relished. Some of the more notable tracks are the Brian
Wilson &Tony Asher “God Only Knows,” and the Elton John &Bernie Taupin
ballad “Your Song,” Both tracks are remarkable instrumental renditions while
acquainting the listener to a fresh prospective to an ageless classic. ‘Rags & Classics’ delivers an eclectic mix of captivating
musical gratification … you’ll be delightfully swayed by Edmunds’ intricate
instrumental renderings of Mason Williams’ “Classical Gas,” Procol Harum’s “A
Whiter Shade of Pale,” tracks from Dave’s guitar heroes … Chet Atkins “Black
Mountain Rag,” and Merle Travis “Cannonball Rag,” and a surprisingly but
phenomenal finale to an exceptional album, Mozart’s Symphony No.40 in G Minor,
Molto Allegro. Everyone will truly enjoy ‘Rags & Classics’ by guitar legend Dave Edmunds. ...(5) Stars!
DAVE
EDMUNDS, Welsh guitarist,
singer, songwriter and producer has collaborated with some of the greatest
musicians the world will ever know, including longtime pal George Harrison.
Edmunds is a 1950’s rock and roll purist and remains a loyalist to this day.
After his stint with
the blues/rock band Love Sculpture, Edmunds scored big with his cover hit …
“I Hear You
Knocking” (1970), a song written
by Dave Bartholomew & Earl King and first recorded by Smiley Lewis in 1955. Edmunds’ rendition added
authentic rock and roll dynamism and landed at #1 at Christmas on the UK charts
and #4 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in the U.S. It sold over three-million
copies, was awarded a gold disc, and became a rock and roll standard
worldwide.
In 1976, Edmunds began
collaborating with British musician/singer/songwriter/producer Nick Lowe
(Brinsley Schwarz) on several albums. Lowe and Edmunds were signed to different
record labels and couldn’t record together as ‘Rockpile’until
1980 when they released Seconds of Pleasure, their only album to feature the
‘Rockpile’ band name. Drummer Terry Williams and guitarist Billy Bremner were
also in the group. Critics and music enthusiast adored Rockpile. Edmunds
describes Rockpile’s short and sweet musical career as as a party band for
four years which they never took seriously.Rockpile was also hailed as a band
that laid the groundwork for ‘new wave.’
Between 1976 and 1981,
Dave Edmunds released four albums on Led Zeppelin’s Swan Song Records. After
Edmunds and Lowe went their separate ways, Edmunds collaborated and produced
albums for an assortment of friends and musicians including … Paul
McCartney, King Kurt, Stray Cats, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Status Quo,
the Everly Brothers, Johnny Cash, and the Flamin’ Groovies. Edmunds also
collaborated with singer, songwriter, composer, arranger,
multi-instrumentalist and record producer Jeff Lynne of the Electric Light
Orchestra. Edmunds released a song written by Lynne entitled “Slipping Away”
which became a Top 40 hit in 1983.
In 1985, Edmunds
arranged and became the musical director of Blue
Suede Shoes: A Rockabilly Session, a televised concert held in London,
England, featuring … Edmunds, Carl Perkins George Harrison, Ringo Starr
and Eric Clapton. It was the first public performance by George Harrison
in more than ten years.
Dave Edmunds was
selected to play in Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band for tours in 1992 and 2000.
Studio
albums:
-Love
Sculpture: Blues
Helping (1968), Forms and Feelings (1970)
-Brewers
Droop: The Booze
Brothers (recorded 1973, released 1989)
-Rockpile: Seconds of Pleasure (1980)
-Dave
Edmunds: Rockpile (1972)
,Subtle as a Flying Mallet (1975),Get It (1977),Tracks on Wax
4 (1978), Repeat When Necessary (1979), Twangin (1981), D.E. 7th
(1982), Information (1983), Riff Raff (1984), Closer to the
Flame (1990), Plugged In (1994),Hand Picked: Musical
Fantasies (1999), Again ( 2013), Rags & Classics (
2015)
I had the rare
pleasure of chatting with David Edmunds recently about his new all-
instrumental cover album ‘Rags & Classics,’ the inception of “I Hear
You Knocking,” Rockpile, Nick Lowe, Carl Perkins, George Harrison, my infamous
‘Field of Dreams’ question and much-much more!
Here’s my interview
with rock & roll guitar slinger/singer/songwriter/producer
… DAVE EDMUNDS.
Ray
Shasho:Hello Dave! First of all, thank you for staying true to rock and
roll. With all the changes in the music industry over the years, you remained
loyal and I commend you for that.
Dave
Edmunds: “Yeaaaaaaaa!”
Ray
Shasho: Your new album entitled ‘Rags & Classics’
is your very first instrumental release. It’s an incredible mix of classics
recorded instrumentally while spotlighting your proficient guitar playing as
well as your multi-instrumentalist skills.
It’s
an impressive recording that everyone should enjoy listening to over and over
again.
Dave
Edmunds:“I wasn’t sure how it would be received
because it’s very different from what I’ve done and from what everyone else is
doing. I had the whole idea for doing this sort of album because it was done in
a home studio. If I had to rent a studio and book musicians, engineers, and all
that, it would have never got made. My studio is a Logic Pro 9 on my MacBook
Air in the shed at the end of my backyard, I don’t need much now. There’s no
pressure or hours to keep to, I just do it when I feel like it.”
“I started putting
down Merle Travis/ Chet Atkins things because I was interested in that since I
was about 16-17 years old, but then I went off that stuff and just started
playing rock and roll. So I’ve come back to it and thought I’d get it down, and
then I thought, what could I do with a Stratocaster, because that’s my main
guitar, and I just thought of these songs. What I really like is a well-crafted
pop record, apart from all the other genres of music; I do appreciate a
well-made put together, well-written, produced and recorded pop record. I was going
through my list of absolute favorites and that’s where I got these, I could
hear them on the guitar. I did the backend tracks so you’ll hardly tell the
difference from the original and that’s a trip in itself for doing “God Only
Knows” and whatever, and then the Telecaster comes screaming in and you go,
whoa, what this! (All laughing) I wanted to do something well-known, because if
you want to get people’s attention with new instrumentals of tunes they never
heard, just been written, or obscure, it will be very difficult to hold their
attention. But if you provide them with something everybody knows and then put
the guitar on, everyone knows the lyrics and its nice listening to in your
car.”
Ray
Shasho:Dave, the mix of music you chose for this
album is just perfect. I really enjoyed your version of “God Only Knows” the
Beach Boys classic. I don’t think I’ve ever heard an all-instrumental track
covering that tune.
Dave
Edmunds:“No one had done it as an instrumental before.
It was such a blast doing it and capturing what Brian had done, for instance,
weird instrumentation. The only intro on the song is two accordions and a
French horn, and that’s it. You go, wow, who’d of thought of that? But it was
such fun doing it.”
Ray
Shasho:Your cover of Elton John’s “Your Song” was
also brilliant!
Dave
Edmunds: “I’m proud of
that one, it came together nicely. I was sitting late at night on my sofa ready
to go to bed and was plugged into my Logic Pro 9 and my Taylor guitar, and I
had sort of worked it out before, but I just played it all the way
through in one take. Then I added a bass and a few strings on the keyboard and
that was it. Yea, I like that one.”
Ray
Shasho:On the next track you come in
with “Black Mountain Rag” á la Chet Atkins. Your guitar playing almost sounded
like you were playing a 12-string.
Dave
Edmunds: “I did a double
track on that one a bit. I used a Taylor acoustic and a T5 which is like an
electric acoustic. There’s two ‘Rags’ on there and can’t remember which one I
used on each.”
Ray
Shasho:Another great track on ‘Rags & Classics’
is a song dear to my heart, and that is Mason Williams’ “Classical Gas.”
I used to sign-off my radio show with that song every night when I worked as a
deejay.
Dave
Edmunds: “When I did a
recording of that one it was very similar to the Mason Williams version, so for
that I thought I’d do it a bit different, so I did it in a swing beat with a
raucous bass going underneath it. Then I played some drums on top of that last,
which is very difficult to do. I think this album is a good example of my
style guitar playing and production.”
Ray
Shasho:The final track on the new album is a surprising finale … Symphony
No. 40 in G Minor, Molto Allegro (Mozart).
Dave
Edmunds:“I thought that’ll fool them! When I was
living in LA, my wife Cecilia and I went to the movies and saw Amadeus. I
didn’t know much about Mozart or classical music and on the way home we stopped
at Tower Records and she went over to the classical music section and bought
the best of Mozart CD ($4.95) all laughing. So I played it at home and
instantly thought … now I get it! This is why people talk about the genius of
Mozart. I just started picking it with a thumb pick, just the intro, and I
thought what am I doing? I kept listening to the original and inched my way
through it with the guitar, learning it, then I decided to do some solo
acoustic gigs around America and I learned to play it as the last song of the
set, and it went down a storm every time because people couldn’t believe it,
what’s this guy doing alone onstage with an acoustic and playing Mozart’s 40th.
It never failed and it was great!”
“So I thought I’d
record it. I did it all in one take, put a little bass on it, and thought it
would be good for the end of the album. It’s not meant for guitar but somehow
find a way in normal tuning, I’m in G minor, and I found my way around it. It’s
really difficult to play.”
Ray
Shasho:Dave, the last time I saw you perform was with Ringo Starr &
His All-Starr Band. I know you played in the band several times but this
particular lineup featured … You, Timmy Cappello, Burton Cummings, Nils
Lofgren, Todd Rundgren, Timothy B. Schmidt, Zak Starkey and Joe Walsh. Just a
great show!
You
were semi-retired for a while, are you going to be coming back full-throttle
with the release of this new album?
Dave
Edmunds: “I think I’ve always been semi-retired.
(All laughing) Not having any career plan really, it’s my hobby and I get to do
lots of things with different people and work with my heroes, so it’s never
been a full-on career, it’s more of …I’m lucky and made a living out of
my hobby. I’m kind of a loner in the music business …like a one-man band thing.
Maybe it’s because I came from Wales and not living in London like the
Yardbirds, Cream, and all the guys back then. I feel like I snuck in the
backdoor somehow and have just been on the periphery of the business ever
since, and went in a completely different way.”
Ray
Shasho:You scored the mega-hit “I Hear You Knocking” after your departure
from the blues-rock group ‘Love Sculpture’ …
Dave
Edmunds: “By accident! I knew some guys that had
a recording studio, not a professional studio. I recorded “I Hear You
Knocking” and EMI released it as just a single deal, not a record contract,
just a one off deal, I had no manager, no band, no press agent … and the record
just took off with absolutely any promotion, it went to Christmas #1 in Britain
for six weeks, which was the longest #1 Christmas single ever, and a few months
later it did the same thing in America, it just went screaming up the charts.
It must have been that the deejays loved it and they promoted the record
instead of the record company doing it, because there wasn’t a record company
just a one off deal. Then I was stuck because I didn’t even have an album to go
with it.”
“The song was first
released in 1955 by Smiley Lewis. I just happened to hear it on the radio one
day and I thought, gee, I had this idea to do Wilbert Harrison’s “Let’s Work
Together,” which I heard when I first came to America in 1969. I thought, when
I get back home I’m going to do that one and do my own cover, but Canned Heat
had the same idea. So when I heard Smiley Lewis, it was the same twelve-bar
format, you could use the same backing track for both songs, so I thought,
great, I’ll do that one instead, and that was it. It was done in 6/8 time, so I
brought it into 4/4 time to make it a little bit more accessible and just had
fun with it. It took a long time going back and forth, stripping it down and
starting again, and then it finally came together.”
Ray
Shasho:Who were some of the early guitarists that inspired you to pick up
a guitar?
Dave
Edmunds:“James Burton when he was playing with Ricky
Nelson, Scotty Moore when he was with Elvis, Chuck Berry of course, Cliff
Gallup of the Blue Caps … back then you had drums and drum fills and real
guitar solos. my son told me when he was working in the A&R Department with
Sony … he said, now what they want is no guitar solos, only a 4 bar intro and
the vocals have to be auto-tuned. It’s all gone. If you listen to all the stuff
that Ringo did with The Beatles, it’s fantastic drumming! But you don’t hear
that anymore.”
Ray
Shasho:“Do you ever talk with Nick Lowe?
Dave
Edmunds:“He lives in London and we don’t cross paths
anymore. When we did recently it was a Jools Holland gig and we were talking
for a bit, so yea he’s okay.”
Ray
Shasho:Rockpile was an incredible band but you guys
only put out the one album (‘Seconds of Pleasure’) …
Dave
Edmunds:“I think we ran out of enthusiasm by then and
quite rightly because he didn’t just want to be a band member, he’d done that
for years with Brinsley Schwarz. We had a great time; it was a party band for
four years and we never took it seriously, and that seemed to come over
onstage. We had a terrific goodwill from the American audiences, the record
industry, the radio, and everyone seemed to love us. I still get asked about it
today. But we only got together just to do a few gigs in London because we
didn’t have anything else to do at the time.”
Ray
Shasho:You also collaborated with Jeff Lynne
(Electric Light Orchestra) …
Dave
Edmunds: “I was just
about to move to America, I had just been through a divorce and hanging out
with George (Harrison) for quite a few years because I lived near him. He was
thinking about maybe making an album but he couldn’t make up his mind, and he
wanted me to produce it, but he kept flipping and flopping. So I said if
you want to do one work with Jeff Lynne because he’s very creative in the
studio. I kept after George to work with Jeff Lynne and after eighteen months
or so he finally said okay bring him down. So I did. I moved to LA. and then I
kind of fell out of the loop.”
Ray
Shasho:‘Slipping Away’ (1983) was a
really cool tune …
Dave
Edmunds: “A lot of the purist
didn’t like it because I was working with Jeff Lynne and using a synthesizer.”
Ray
Shasho:In 1986, you participated in Carl
Perkins's Rockabilly Session television special with George Harrison,
Ringo Starr and Eric Clapton. …Great program!
Dave
Edmunds: “Carl asked me and George if we’d be on
his TV show. We said yes and then discovered that there was no TV show, he was
just asking us anyway and then hoping that we would put it together. So George
said to me, if you get all the directors, line producers and the studio and all
that and I‘ll get Ringo and Eric Clapton in. So I said right, let’s do it! So
it all came together and I was the musical director. It all came down to Carl’s
personality that brought it off. George was so excited to be back out playing,
he was like a little boy and enthusiastic to be playing with Carl.”
Ray
Shasho:What was George Harrison like?
Dave
Edmunds: “He was one of
the most interesting people that I’ve ever met, and one of the nicest. Whenever
the subject of The Beatles would come up … he always called them the fabs, like
the fab four. He’d say …when I was in the fabs … and always looked at it with
amusement, not with any ego at all. He looked at it like … what a weird thing
that was, how the hell did that happen? The other three may have been
egotistical about it and proud of being Beatles, but with George he saw it as
some cosmic joke. He was just amused by the whole thing, he loved it but he
kept it to himself, and you could tell when you were talking to him that there
was no ego at all. Maybe acid burned it off. (All laughing) …I do miss
him.”
Ray
Shasho:You got to work in the studio with The Everly Brothers …
Dave
Edmunds:“I did two albums with them. It was great! I
had to sort of pinch myself and I was very nervous leading up to that because
they are so iconic.”
Ray
Shasho:Dave here’s a question that I ask everyone
that I interview. If you had a ‘Field of Dreams’ wish like the movie, to
perform or collaborate with anyone from the past or present, who would that be?
Dave
Edmunds:“I would sit, watch, and perhaps play with
Merle Travis. I’ve played with Chet, and played with most of my heroes and some
are still my friends. Steve Cropper was one of my main influences and I’ve done
a lot with Steve, we did a long tour together in America with Dion DiMucci.
Yea, so it would be Merle Travis. I’d say Elvis but what the hell would you say
to Elvis without sounding foolish? Elvis you’re great, love your records! (All
laughing)”
Ray
Shasho:Dave thank you so much for being on the call today and for all the
great rock and roll you’ve given us all these years and continue to bring!
Dave
Edmunds:“Thanks Ray … bye-bye!”
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