A special note from the Producer, KEVIN SHIRLEY:
It sounds simple really. Make a record of the type of music you love to listen to. But after almost thirty busy, passionate years making records, there are only a handful I love. My first loves are those that I, like so many, grew up with – Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Bad Company (I actually didn’t hear Free until much later) – so when I heard Glenn Hughes and Joe Bonamassa tearing through an impromptu jam on Glenn’s song “Medusa”, a light bulb went off. Roy Weisman was standing next to me at the House Of Blues in Hollywood, grinning like a stoned Cheshire Cat, saying “we got something here” – so I said “lets go!”
Imagine putting together YOUR dream band! Here’s mine…
On guitar (and occasional vocals) – Joe Bonamassa
It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of Joe, and proud to call him amongst my closest friends, but it’s his lyrical fluid guitar style, rooted in the deepest Blues traditions, that touches my soul. And he can flat out rock, all the time keeping his own style front and center. There’s no copycat styling there, just “Always On The Road” Bonamassa. So he’s the guitarist
On vocals (oh yeah, and bass – at the same time) – Glenn Hughes
The enigmatic Glenn Hughes. He sings plays everything from Metal to Soul. Will the Voice Of Rock please step-up – Mr. Glenn Hughes! There’s nobody else around that can match the talents of Robert Plant and Paul Rodgers and still be unique. So he’s the singer
On the drums - Jason Bonham
I’ve been a fan for a long time. I produced the Healing Sixes album a while back, and brought Jason in for the first album I produced for Joe, “You And Me”, and there’s nothing like being in the room with him when he lays into a groove – you really feel the air move, literally. It’s genetic! Of course, he has the heritage and pedigree, so he’s the drummer
On the keys – Derek Sherinian
I had worked with Derek in Dream Theater when I produced their album “Falling Into Infinity”. The best keyboard player I have worked with. He can play a harmony riff to the fastest lead guitar solo and blow you away with his technical prowess of his own virtuosity, but he also sits quite happily behind the music, playing nothing but a single note or a simple chord if it suits the music. And I wanted to hear that Hammond rip – well, if it was good enough for Jon Lord….. so here’s the keyboard wizard – and the most grounded guy of the lot.
THE MUSIC – well Classic Rock was my brief to them. Ignore trends, forget American Idol and all their bastardized pop offspring, bypass Heavy Metal and formulaic style and write rock music you like and that’s easy to like. For the car, and for a stadium of people who enjoyed good Classic Rock. And they took to the task like ducks to water. Glenn cornered Joe in his off-month from his annual slog around the world which is his constant touring, and there was a spark. Derek joined in and the rest was the creative juices at work once we got to the studio.
The music was all recorded together – four guys in a room, playing together, with me sitting in as well – no glass partition, no headphones – just enjoying their energy, raw and unfocused as it was. After two days, everyone disappeared to the far flung corners of the earth, and I was left to sort through some recordings. One Last Soul, Medusa, The Revolution In Me – what a great start, so we found another three days three months later – and those were the tracking sessions. Glenn and Joe hadn’t refined the lyrics at that stage, so a month later they popped into my studio, The Cave, and sang for a couple of days, and after they finished their vocals, I mixed the song. Quickly.
On getting the mixes, mastering guru Bob Ludwig said “I love your flat mix of “One Last Soul” as well, if there is no level issue for anyone, then go with it! All the rest would basically be your flat mixes then as well”, so this album is as it sounded in the studio. Enjoy! I do.
Kevin Shirley
May 21, 2010
