What happens with two of today's most successful classic rockers join forces to create an album of songs that have been a source of inspiration for their respective multi-Platinum careers?
The result is INFLUENCE, the sophomore album by Shaw Blades..led by Styx/Damn Yankees guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw and Night Ranger/Damn Yankees bassist/vocalist Jack Blades, which is set for release February 20, 2007 on VH1 Classic Records. The self-produced album was mixed by Noel Golden (Matchbox Twenty, Willie Nelson) and Great White keyboardist/guitarist Michael Lardie. The first single, ..Your Move,.. will be serviced to radio in January.
INFLUENCE is the duo's first album since their recently re-released 1995 debut, HALLUCINATION. Like the debut--and unlike their history-carving decades as icons in the more hard-rock minded Styx, Night Ranger and Damn Yankees--the latest release is rooted in acoustic guitar and organic production, harvesting a decade of musical influences into 11 tracks (on which Blades and Shaw played all the music except for drums and the occasional keyboards). With classics from the ..60s and ..70s including the Mamas and the Papas "California Dreamin'" Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" and Steely Dan's "Dirty Work". INFLUENCE offers a track-by-track chronology of the musical era that helped define modern rock.
Whether the songs are delivered in faithful tribute, as is the case with Simon & Garfunkel's epic masterpiece "Sounds of Silence" or given a modern rock transfusion, as in the duo's 1966 folk anthem "I Am a Rock" the results are the same, sparkling like a beacon illuminating the mainstream roots of rock and roll's formative years.
"I cringe at the thought of Paul Simon hearing our stuff" laughs Blades, only half-jokingly. "I honor his spirit so much, and I'm such a huge fan. As far as I'm concerned, they invented the word genius to go along with him, and we just wanted to make sure that we did their songs justice. Tommy and I have that special symbiotic relationship that doesn't come along a lot. Simon & Garfunkel also had it, we have a reverence to it, and it was something that we just wanted to dig into".
"As writers, we're like two old friends who finish each other's sentences" adds Shaw. "We became best friends as a result of the music and the experiences we've had because of it".
But INFLUENCE isn't about the experiences of Shaw Blades, it's about the inspiration that helped create the experiences. "This album has been years in the making" continues the Styx/Damn Yankees guitarist. "The recording process didn't take years, but the concept had been looming in our conversations for a long time. We'd always sit around with a couple of guitars and play songs we both knew from or younger days, spontaneous harmonizing and all that, and we slowly eased into the idea of making this record".
One of the most prolific duos in the history of hard rock, Shaw and Blades have sold more than 50 million albums amongst their three bands, scored 12 Top 10 singles on the Billboard "Hot 100" chart, debuted 16 albums in the Billboard "Top 200" albums chart, and share joint songwriting credits for the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Aerosmith, Cher and Alice Cooper.
Even so, INFLUENCE offered the pair an invigorating musical freedom. "With Shaw Blades" offers Blades, "we're able to take liberties that our respective bands couldn't do. We need to be Styx-sounding, we need to fit in that Night Ranger world, and we even need to think about Damn Yankees, so that's what's fun about Shaw Blades--we get to be our alter-egos when we want to be, yet we can truly be ourselves. We grew up singing harmonies and songs with massive vocals, so it's a wonderful thing to have that freedom here. This was a complete labor of love".
In touring news, a U.S. trek is currently in the works and Shaw Blades hope to bring their music to their fans closer to the album release date.
"You can always tell a brilliant song, whether it was written 30 years ago or yesterday" says Blades. "Every song we picked is identifiable in its own right, and they're all immediately recognizable. What does that tell you? That the songs are the stars. That's what we wanted to do on this record, we wanted the songs to be the stars. I think that's what we accomplished".
The complete track listing is as follows:
Summer Breeze
Time of the Season
Your Move
I Am A Rock
Lucky Man
Sounds of Silence
California Dreamin'
On a Carousel
Dirty Work
For What It's Worth
Dance With Me
help needed...Things are tough right now with the economy, no employment positions to be found, if it's not to much trouble, could you buy and download one of my two releases and if possible tell your frinds to do the same. It's ONLY $3.00 thats it, just $3.00 for one of my releases, if you can find it in your heart to buy both would be great. Simple to do, hit the buy me button, takes you to my distributer and put in your payment information, download the cd and it's simple as that. The site is safe and your information is not shared. It would be greatly appreciated and being were friends, I'm sure you like the tunes... thank you so kindly and hope all is well with you as well...please help...katzinjamma
Still waiting on that DVD guys!!! As they say, good things come to those who wait! We know it will be more than just good! Really looking forward to Influence II! Gosh, that's another thing we need to wait on too! Come on Guys, ya killing us with all this waiting!! We want it, and we want it NOW! LOL!
I look to you when I need to find away to let my inner feelings show, when words are rushing quietly through my mind like a beautiful river as it flows. Holding you in my arms I move my fingers up and down your neck, I plug you in just to turn you on while deciding on the perfect effect. Finding within us the message to awaken their awaiting senses, while making them believe they're walking through lush green meadows, maybe being surrounded by little white fences. As I touch and move your strings you respond with the magic of your caressing sound, inspiration is lending itself from every direction, only needing me to be aware of what we together may have found. Speak to me easy my six string image of beauty, let me hear yet another dream that will share someone else's weight that they alone are still trying to carry.... ~Nick Nichols~ Have a great day my talented friends, enjoy the poem I wrote.... Many miles of smiles to you, ~Nick~
I WOULD LOVE IT IF YOU COULD TAKE THE TIME TO SIGN MY GUESTBOOK♥ ________________%% _______________%%% ______________%%%% _____________%%%%% ____________%%%%%% _____________%%%% _____________%%% _____________%%% _____________%%% _____________%%% _____________%%% _____________%%% _____________%%%__%% _____________%%%__%__% _____________%%%___%__% _____________%%%___%___% _____________%%%___%___% _____%%____ %%%__%____% ____%__%__%%%%%_____% _____%___%%______%____% ______%____ %%%%%____% ________%________________% _________%______________%% _________%%___You_______%% ________%%____ROCK!______%% _______%%_________________% % ______%%__GOOD WEEKEND___ %% _____%%____Luv and Light______%% _____%%______J@mie_________ _%% _____%%%___________________ %% ______%%___________________ %% _______%%%________________% % _________%%%%___________%%
Hi Jack & Tommy, Just wanted to drop by to wish you well, and to wish you a happy Easter. Your Christmas song/video is quite amusing. :) Happy trails fellers.. - DD
I want my S/B dvd. I swear Jack, I'm gonna take the pic I found of you from the 80's and give it to Tommy in May when I see Styx.LOL! Way cheesier than T's "guns"
