While The Runaways front-woman/solo artist Cherie Currie and Fanny drummer/vocalist Brie Darling had always been members of a mutual admiration society, the pair had never crossed paths until 2017, when Darling invited Currie and several other female powerhouses to contribute to the Fanny reunion album, Fanny Walked The Earth. The duo enjoyed each other’s musical company so much that they’ve forged what’s become one of summer’s most anticipated collaborative releases, The Motivator.

The 12-song album, produced by Grammy-nominated Dave Darling (Brie’s husband), features nine classic covers that not only shed light on Currie and Darling’s vast repetoire of influences but also showcases the duo’s infectious musical prowess. One of the biggest being their emotive take on The Rolling Stones classic, “Gimme Shelter.” Currie and Darling’s take on other hits by Buffalo Springfield, Stevie Wonder, John Lennon and The Kinks hold up equally as well.

The powerful collection is rounded out with three original songs, including the poignant rocker, “Too Bruised” and the groove-ridden and apropos “This Is Our Time.”

The Motivator will be released on Friday, August 2.

I recently spoke with Cherie Currie and Brie Darling about The Motivatorand more in this exclusive new interview.

How did the two of you come together for this project?

Brie Darling: I had done a record a few years ago called Fanny Walks The Earth. It was the first time that June [Millington], Jean [Millington] and I had recorded in forty-five years. During the recording we had the idea of having as many girl-band artists come out and join us as possible. So we had Patti Quatro, Cheri and a few of The Bangles and Go Gos. When Cheri walked through the door I noticed an immediate and undeniable energy. She was just awesome.

Cherie Currie: Even though I had been a fan for years I’d never met any of the gals from Fanny. So when I was asked to come in and do a backup, along with some of the other rocker chicks who’ve broken the ice over the past several decades, I was thrilled, and I was absolutely floored by Brie’s voice.

BD: What happened next was that Cherie had invited me out to do a benefit for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. I played drums with her on a performance of “Cherry Bomb”. The idea of working together was always simmering, and it finally came to be.

How did you determine which covers to include on The Motivator?

CC: Brie and I grew up with 60s and 70s music and have a natural gravitation to it. It was great to pay homage to the music we grew up with.

BD: I think we started off with somewhere around forty songs. It was really had to narrow them down because they’re were so many great ones.

What made you decide to include a cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter?”

BD: I’ve always wanted to do that song, and Merry Clayton’s soulful high part. We had to really play with that arrangement to make it happen in a whole different way. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I remember when Cherie came out to put on her vocal she was dealing with some kind of cold. We kept that first take because it was so raspy and cool.

Read the rest of my
Interview with Cheri Currie & Brie Darling by Clicking Here!