After individually cutting their teeth in the clubs and honing their musical chemistry, singer-songwriters Brent Rupard and Anthony Olympia decided to join forces and become Everette; an explosive new duo who’s organic, back-porch style approach to songwriting is as infectious as their own personalities.
One listen to Everette’s debut EP, Slow Roll, reveals the duo’s deep, blues-inspired escapism of grit and groove. Fueled with tastefully woven tales of struggle and heartbreak as well as stories about having fun and letting go. The debut single and video, “Slow Roll,” showcases Everette’s knack for combining friendly dance beats with an unforgettable chorus. Other stand out tracks on the new EP, like the anthemic “Mugshots,” reveal an intoxicating vibe and groove that’s sure to become a soundtrack of summer.
AXS recently spoke with Rupard and Olympia about Everette, Slow Roll and more in this exclusive new interview.
AXS: How did this partnership come about?
Brent Rupard: Anthony and I met back in our hometown of Bullitt County, Kentucky. We were both playing music in other bands at the time but quickly hit it off as friends and music collaborators when we started writing songs together.
AXS: Why the name, “Everette”?
BR: It actually has more to do with the film, “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” We’d been struggling to come up with a band name. Nothing seemed to fit. Then one day, we took a break from a session and stumbled on that movie. The whole vibe of how they went on to become the Soggy Bottom Boys was our soul and journey. It’s been a crazy ride to be where we are now.
AXS: How would you describe your style of music?
Anthony Olympia: Brent often says that we’re back-porch rock and roll. It’s bonfire night; where everyone has a guitar, spoons, a tambourine, or a glass of bourbon and is sitting around jamming. It’s a communal spirit, but we also have the rock and roll element where things might get a little crazy at times.
AXS: What’s your songwriting process like?
BR: It can come from a lot of different things. Sometimes it starts out with just a lyric idea, but most of the time we’ll start jamming to get the vibe and see what the day has to offer.
Read the rest of my Interview with Everette by Clicking Here!
Although best known for his iconic role of Bo Duke from “The Dukes Of Hazzard” and on shows like “Smallville” and his current series “The Have And Have Nots,” veteran actor John Schneider is also a celebrated country music artist with more than ten albums to his credit along with four #1 singles.
This year, the singer-songwriter has launched perhaps his most ambitious project yet. A 52-track, song a week, compilation called The Odyssey. Together with famed drummer/producer Paul Leim, Schneider has recorded fifty-two all-new, fully orchestrated songs with the help of acclaimed songwriters like Paul Overstreet, Chuck Cannon, Mac Davis and Bill Anderson, along with some of Nashville’s finest musicians. A recent track, “Can I Buy You A Beer,” offers an alternative and perhaps more appropriate way of thanking our military veterans and first responders for their heroism and service to our country.
AXS recently spoke with Schneider about The Odyssey, songwriting, and the upcoming 40th anniversary of “The Dukes of Hazzard” in this exclusive new interview.
AXS: What inspired your new project, The Odyssey?
John Schneider: It’s all about the story, but a song a week? No one has ever released a full-blown, fully orchestrated, mastered single every week. People are wondering how we did it, but that’s part of The Odyssey and storytelling. We cut all of these songs live. All of us in the same room together, counting it down and just going for it.
AXS: What’s your songwriting process like?
JS: For me, it usually starts with a bit of humor; like “My wife ran away with my best friend. I’m sure gonna miss him!” [laughs]. Other times, it could be more serious family issues like bills and too much month at the end of the money. There’s another song, “If These Walls Could Sing,” that’s told from the perspective of one of the last buildings in Nashville that were once a staple of the music business. Everyone from Elvis to The Rolling Stones and Willie Nelson has played there. Every time they tear down a great old building to put up a box monstrosity it’s aggravating, and that’s great kindling for a good song. But it’s not something where we just sit down and say, “Let’s write a song.”. It’s more about sitting down and asking, “What’s going on in your life right now?”
AXS: Let’s discuss a few tracks from The Odyssey, starting with “Can I Buy You A Beer.”
JS: I am always one to thank firefighters, military, police and first responders for what they do. They’re the ones running toward while the rest of us are running away. It’s common that we thank people in uniform for their service, but we’ve been saying it for so long that it’s almost become second nature. I love the notion of coming up with a new way of saying thank you.
AXS: How about the track, “The Phantom of The Grand Ole Opry”?
JS: That’s a song about dreaming big. You can’t get anywhere without dreaming and going for it every minute of every day. When I hear something that speaks of dreaming and dreaming big, I’m attracted to that because I’m a dreamer. That’s a story and that means something to me.
Read the rest of my Interview with John Schneider by Clicking Here!
It’s been an incredible year for guitarist, Malina Moye. Not only did the beautiful, multi-talented artist release her genre-defying collection, Bad As I Wanna Be, but the new album also marked Moye’s first #1 album on the Billboard Blues album chart and featured songs that infused the best elements of funk, rock, blues and soul.
Now, Moye sets her sights on another side of creativity – acting— where she’ll make her big screen debut in the Marc Fusco directed film, “The Samuel Project.” The story centers on a teenager named Eli (Ryan Ochoa) who, for a school art project, gets to know his Jewish grandfather, Samuel (played by the legendary Hal Linden), who was rescued from Nazi capture as a young boy. Moye plays the role of Violet Leroux, a bohemian art director who befriends Eli and shows him what’s possible with his gift.
Moye also penned a song specifically for the film. The emotionally charged anthem, “Enough,” which features her sultry vocals and guitar wizardry. The track is also featured on Bad As I Wanna Be. The Samuel Project hits theaters on Friday, Sept. 28.
AXS recently spoke with Malina Moye about the film, her new single and more in this exclusive new interview.
AXS: Many people know you for your infectious brand of guitar playing. Was acting something you always wanted to explore as well?
Malina Moye: It’s something that I started to discover early on in high school. I remember a friend of mine had asked me about filling in as an actor for a project she had been working on. I did the scene and really enjoyed it and got a lot of great feedback. At one point, I remember having to make a decision on whether to pursue acting or music. I obviously chose music because it was my passion and calling. But when this opportunity came up, it was another way for me to express my creativity.
AXS: What attracted you to “The Samuel Project” – was it the story? Your character? Getting the chance to work with some of these other amazing actors?
MM: It was all of the above. Everyone wants to show what you can do, and this was a way to show people another side of me. It’s a character I thought I could really bring something to and have people see me in a different light. Ryan Ochoa plays the teen my character befriends and I help him realize what’s possible with his gift. Hal Linden is such a legendary actor, so to also have a few scenes with him was unbelievable.
AXS: What else can you tell me about your character?
MM: Violet’s a classy, bohemian art director with a great personality and is one of Samuel’s favorite customers. Whenever she comes in she brings the greatest energy, light and all things positive.
Click here to watch the trailer for “The Samuel Project.”
AXS: What are some of the differences between performing music and acting? Is there one that gives you more creative satisfaction?
MM: When you’re on stage playing it’s a whole different feeling. That stage is the set and there’s no do-over. You feed off the energy from the audience, and when you get off stage at the end, you’re amped up. It’s the fifth gear of entertaining. With acting; and especially if you’re doing a deep, heavy scene, it can take a lot out of you. But that just shows you what an incredible instrument your body is. You have to be present and in the moment for both, and that’s what I love about it.
Read the rest of my Interview with Malina Moye by Clicking Here.
There are few artists with the ability to successfully transition between the world of dance, feature film and commercial work. Even fewer can successfully maneuver these mediums with desire, versatility and charm.
Ashley Watkins, a professional actress and dancer, and a fixture of the entertainment industry for nearly ten years, meets all of this criteria.
An accomplished artist and performer, her resume encapsulates the full spectrum of drama, comedy, horror and dance/music videos. Her versatility, prowess and beauty are matched only by her innate ability to draw deep emotion.
Watkins takes on multiple roles in her latest project; providing the voice-over narration for James Wood’s suspense-thriller, “Neapolitan Sky”.
In “Neapolitan Sky”, dreams of becoming a professional writer are abruptly put on hold for college student Nica Mitchell following the unexpected death of her mother and her father’s cancer diagnosis. Forced to return home when he’s hospitalized after encountering a near death experience, Nica learns that her father has been keeping a dark secret. Something in between the stages of life and death that, when revealed, will change her life forever.
Watkins’ entertaining and infectious voice can be heard on the Audible version of “Neapolitan Sky”, which is available now!
I recently spoke with Ashley Watkins about her work on “Neapolitan Sky” and more in this exclusive new interview.
Was voice-over work something you’ve always done as an actress?
I’ve done some voice work in the past but never voice-over narration. So, this was totally new for me. It was fun to delve into the characters and find out who they are and then bring them to life. At one point, I didn’t even have to look at my notes to see how to do each voice. It came very naturally.
What are some of the differences between typical acting and doing voice-over for a book?
In a film, there’s typically one actor with one character. This was one actor playing multiple characters. So, I had to focus not only on the main character, but the side characters as well and then bring them all to life. They all come up very quickly in the book, and I remember at one point five of the characters were together on one page! Having to distinguish between the voices when the men were having a conversation was also a bit of a challenge.
Was there anything you had to do to prepare to take on this project?
Just like a movie script, I had to read through the story and then break down the acting in each of the chapters. I used a different color highlighter on the page to mark each character who was speaking. That way, I could prepare by seeing in advance who I was going to be speaking for while I was recording. I also had to make sure I was able to pronounce words correctly, so I did some research beforehand. After I had recorded each chapter, it then went into the editing process where I would clean up any excess sounds. I didn’t want any breaths or smacks and wanted only true silence between every space and at the end of each chapter.
What did you enjoy most about the story?
I liked the twist. It was something I never saw coming. I’m reading this book with a character I can completely relate to: a girl with a military dad who grew up in the military and had a close group of friends. I related to so many things and then, out of nowhere, the twist just blew me away. You think everything is comfortable and then something happens that makes you re-think about life. You’re asking yourself, is this real? I felt for every character in the book.
You began your career as a figure skater. What made you make the transition to acting?
When I moved to Northern California when I was twelve, I had to quit ice skating because there wasn’t anywhere to skate that was within driving distance. The closest thing I could do that was similar was cheerleading and dance. As I started doing that, I also fell in love with drama and theater, which eventually opened the door to film. At the time, I was really into leading lady characters like Neve Campbell, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Julia Ormund. I went to college and got a theater degree and as soon as I graduated college, I went straight to L.A..
Are there any other projects you’re currently involved with?
I have a movie called “Professor Dario Bava” where I play the villain, Camilla. We’re going through an Indigogo phase right now. Our director, Phil Mucci, also wants to turn it into a comic book series to build the fan base. We’ll probably start filming in the spring.
What gives you the most satifaction about doing “Neapolitan Sky“?
I liked that I was able to add all of my touches on it. A writer brings the story to life and I got to bring the characters to life, vocally. Normally, there’d be an audio expert coming in to edit when everything is finished. But since I also did the editing, I learned a lot about the process. It was fulfilling to know I could put all that work into something and people will be able to hear it. It was fun to start the project and see it through to completion.
Fresh off a monster summer tour with fellow classic rock legend, Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers recently announced their first ever live, full-album performances, which will take place over two consecutive nights at New York’s Beacon Theatre. The band will perform Toulouse Street on Thursday, Nov. 15, and The Captain and Me on Friday, Nov. 16. Both will be performed in album sequence and in their entirety.
In addition to performing deep cuts that have never been performed live, both shows will also feature an additional selection of material from the band’s extensive arsenal of hits.
Toulouse Street (released in 1972) launched The Doobie Brothers to stardom and featured the hits “Listen to The Music,” “Rockin’ Down the Highway,” and “Jesus is Just Alright.” The Captain and Me (released in 1973) included hits like “Long Train Runnin’” and “China Grove,” as well as fan favorites “South City Midnight Lady” and “Without You.”
The Doobie Brothers are led by Tom Johnston, Pat Simmons and John McFee
AXS recently spoke with Tom Johnston about The Doobie Brothers upcoming residency, the albums, career highlights and more in this exclusive new interview.
AXS: What inspired this Doobie Brothers two-night residency at The Beacon?
Tom Johnston: I’ve been requesting that we play at The Beacon for a few years now. For me, it’s one of those places that sits in the hall of rock fame of places to play. All kinds of great bands have played there. The Allman Brothers owned it there for a while, and Steely Dan has also done many shows there. The idea to do the albums came from Mitch Rose at CAA. We were in a conference call and I brought up the subject of playing The Beacon. Mitch thought it was a great idea and suggested we do an album night, and since we were going to do two nights in a row, he suggested we do Toulouse Street and The Captain and Me.
AXS: It’s early on, but what’s it been like revisiting those albums and preparing for this event?
TJ: We’ve been working on it the whole time we’ve been out on tour with Steely Dan. We’d start sound check by working out tunes we don’t play in the set, and in a lot of cases, had never played before. It was really eye-opening. It was a long time ago and some of the songs were fairly complex. The other thing that’s interesting about doing an album show is that you do it in album sequence, which is nothing like you would do live. It’s a challenge but we’re looking forward to it.
AXS: Let’s talk a little about Toulouse Street, which was the first album where the band experimented with recording with two drummers. Was that always the plan?
TJ: We had already been performing live with [drummer] Mike Hossack before we ever did that album. We did our first tour with John Hartman, and at some point, after that, we tried it with two drummers. We decided we liked it. Mike was such a good drummer and it added a whole other feeling to playing live. So, when we got into the studio, that transferred over to all the songs we were cutting. It was pretty easy to do. It was also the first album we did with Ted Templeman [producer].
AXS: How did you develop your unique picking style?
TJ: I come from a blues, R&B and rock background and there was a period of time, from 1969-1972, where I spent a lot of time playing acoustic guitar. I played all day every day. I’d spend hours playing guitar; just listening to various artists and then trying to emulate a finger-picking feel. That’s how I developed that rhythm style you hear in songs like “Listen To The Music” and “Long Train Runnin.”
Read the rest of my Interview with Tom Johnston by Clicking Here!
Megadeth bassist and metal icon, David Ellefson, recently announced his new Basstory: An Intimate Evening of Riffs and Repartee tour. A series of limited, storytelling engagements that combines details of Ellefson’s illustrious career in music with solo bass performances.
The tour kicks off Sept. 20 in Portland, OR and includes stops in places like Spokane Valley, WA; San Antonio and Houston, TX. More dates will be announced shortly. VIP meet and greets along with exclusive merchandise will also be available at each event.
AXS recently spoke with Ellefson about his new Basstory tour, Megadeth(which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year), career highlights and more in this exclusive new interview.
AXS: How did the Basstory Tour come about?
David Ellefson: I had done as spoken word tour for my autobiography, “My Life With Deth,” back in 2015. I tried doing them in a lot of different formats. Some nights it felt like stand-up comedy and other nights it felt like a bass clinic. On the very last night, I tried a different approach. I just came out and sat on the stool with my bass and started telling stories about my life as a bass player and writing songs. I kept that in my mind as I was looking at my schedule this year. That’s where the idea of merging the bass and the storyteller began.
AXS: What’s the one thing that most fans want to know?
DE: People often ask if I can play the “Peace Sells” riff or about the interworking of Megadeth and how it works. Those are the top two. From there, it can be all kinds of random questions, which is cool because it forces me to stay up to speed on the catalog and riffs.
AXS: What can fans expect from your Basstory Tour?
DE: This year, we’re celebrating the 35th anniversary of Megadeth, and on our recent tour of Europe, we dug back into the catalog for some classic gems. So, we’ll have that be an open discussion and palette to draw from. I also like to open it up to Q&A, and in America, we’ll even have some support bands play on the bill as well. It’s an interactive bass event and every one of them will be different. That’s the beauty of it.
AXS: You mentioned the 35th anniversary of Megadeth. What goes through your mind when you look back now with so much perspective?
DE: It honestly seems like it was just last year when I moved to L.A. and when we were out doing the Killing is My Business Tour. At the same time, we’ve grown a lot together. It’s funny how Dave [Mustaine] and I will talk about things and it’s almost like we’re revisiting the halls of our high school together. It was the golden years of the L.A. metal scene, and there were three bands (Guns N’ Roses; Mötley Crüe and Megadeth) who were on the edge of debauchery and disaster. Bands from three different genres who, in some ways, epitomized the lifestyle of L.A. A lot of that comes into Basstory. That’s part of the charm of the storytelling.
Read the rest of my Interview with David Ellefson by Clicking Here!
Fresh off a series of Southern California live shows, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Nancy Wilson of Heart and her band, Roadcase Royale, are gearing up for their first East Coast and Canadian shows of the summer. The group, which features members of Heart as well as R&B powerhouse vocalist, Liv Warfield (Prince’s New Power Generation), will be in support of their eclectically cool, soul-driven debut album, First Things First.
The five-city tour begins in Waterloo, New York on Saturday, Aug. 11 and wraps up in Toronto, Canada on Saturday, Aug. 18. Tickets are available now.
AXS recently spoke with Nancy Wilson about the new Roadcase Royale tour, songwriting and the 40th anniversary of Heart’s album, Dog & Butterfly in this exclusive new interview.
AXS: What can fans expect from your upcoming tour with Roadcase Royale?
Nancy Wilson: When we’re out touring as Roadcase Royale, we’ll be doing quite a bit of the hits Heart fans really like to hear, like “Crazy on You,” “Barracuda,” and a reinterpreted “Straight On” that’s even more rock and fun. We’ll also be doing a few original songs from our album, First Things First, and a few covers that we really love to do. It’s a good place for a Heart fan to be.
AXS: How has the reaction been to the new Roadcase Royale album?
NW: A lot of people have called it a fresh, new take on rock and soul, which is exactly what we were aiming at. It’s still fun performing our song, “Get Loud,” which was aimed at the #MeToo movement before it even started. We wrote the song for the women’s marches and it’s even more of a relevant song today. There’s also a reinterpretation of “These Dreams” on First Things First. Liv is such a different kind of singer, and her interpretation and spin on the Heart songs is something so unique and different. She’s made the songs her own.
AXS: You’ve described the sound of First Things First as muscular rock with a flavor of R&B. Was that what you intended to have or did the sound evolve as you all started jamming and writing?
NW: It was definitely an intentional collaboration. I first met Liv when her band opened for Heart. She had been wanting to rock more and I’d always loved the flavor of soul and R&B. We liked each other so much that Liv sent me some tracks and we started talking about how we could make music together. I had a million ideas, but the first one I wanted to try was this amazing song, “Hold On To My Hand” by Colin Hay. The version I’d heard was just one acoustic guitar and voice. It was so moving that I thought, let’s interpret this simple, meaningful song, make it our own and see what our sound is going to be like. It still may be my favorite song on the album.
AXS: Can you tell me the origin of the track, “Cover Each Other” from First Things First?
NW: That song was inspired by my husband, Geoff. He has far-reaching talent and had been working for many years in movie division and TV. One day, they offered him and a bunch of other people a buyout, which was a very generous reward for all the years of loyalty and success. It was one of those things you’re happy about when you take it, but then realize there’s this whole other emotional level you didn’t anticipate. Leaving is like graduating school and missing your friends; the camaraderie and structured routine. I knew he was dealing with some of those feelings, so I wrote the words for “Cover Each Other.” Because when someone is going through something hard, you catch them and are there for them. That’s what the song is about.
Read the rest of my Interview with Nancy Wilson by Clicking Here!
Following her win at the Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition and subsequent performance at Montreal’s International Jazz Festival, singer/songwriter Arianna Neikrug will introduce audiences to her eclectically cool, groove-ridden sound with the release of her debut album, Changes.
Produced by Grammy Award-winning pianist and arranger, Laurence Hobgood, Changes features Neikrug’s inspired interpretation of songs from The Great American Songbook, as well as classic pop and R&B.
Tracks like Al Green’s R&B staple, “Let’s Stay Together” and the fusion of Joni Mitchell’s “Help Me” and “Be Cool” are instant stand-outs. Each revealing a depth of artistry well beyond Neikrug’s twenty-five years. The new album also contains two original tracks that take listeners on an even deeper dive into the beautiful songstress’ inner soul.
AXS recently spoke with Arianna Neikrug about Changes [which will be released on Concord Records on Friday, Aug. 24] and more in this exclusive new interview.
AXS: In your opinion, what do you think makes jazz so timeless and special?
Arianna Neikrug: I think it’s the delicate balance between something being complex and letting yourself go. The technical brain has to know so much about musical theory, but then you’ve got your natural voice (or instrument) to use as a vessel to convey it. Jazz to me is a platform for creativity. It’s about innovative thinking and improvisation, but it’s also about singing the most beautiful melodies and timeless lyrics.
AXS: How would you describe the sound of your new album, Changes?
AN: It’s definitely a groove-based album with reimagined style. It’s the fusion of singer/songwriter, pop and jazz moving in a modern, progressive direction.
AXS: How did you determine which songs from other artists to cover and include?
AN: It started by simply brainstorming. My influences are broad, and there are so many singers and instrumentalists I admire. But the thing that actually gave the most insight into what this album would become were the originals. Those songs were already there, so it was just a matter of finding and adapting the standards and other classics to make it a little more cohesive. The arranging part was the solidifier for the entire record. Finding things I love had an impact, but using the arrangement is what glued everything together.
AXS: Let’s discuss a few tracks from Changes. What can you tell me about your version of “Let’s Stay Together”?
AN: That was a Laurence pick. I remember we were working at his place and then decided to take a look at Rolling Stone Magazine’s 100 Greatest Hits of All Time. We took a stab at coming up with some harmonic ideas for some of the songs. Then he saw “Let’s Stay Together” and a lightbulb went off inside his head. It was magic. It’s a song that’s very close to my heart. From that point on, it was an exploration of the vibe.
You can read the rest of my Interview with Arianna Neikrug by Clicking Here!
With a sound best described as hip-hop-funk ‘til you drop jazz, New Orleans-based ensemble, The Soul Rebels, have been mesmerizing audiences for more than twenty-seven years with their uncanny ability to infuse the sounds of traditional brass with elements of hip-hop, jazz, funk and rock. The eight-piece group, which began with the idea of blending traditional brass with the music of their own generation, has spent much of the last few years touring four continents and collaborating with or supporting such artists as Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Bruno Mars and Lauryn Hill.
In addition to working on a new album, the group is also geared up for another run of dates, including back to back performances at Louis Armstrong’s Wonderful World Festival and the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York on Saturday, July 21.
AXS recently caught up with The Soul Rebels’ founding member, Lumar LeBlanc and trumpeter, Julian Gosin, to ask them about the group, songwriting and more in this exclusive new interview.
AXS: How did The Soul Rebels come about?
Lumar LeBlanc: The Soul Rebels started back in 1991. We were originally part of the family from Dejan’s Olympia Brass Band; a traditional, historic, brass band from New Orleans who wanted to have junior members carry on their tradition. We were playing the music that was prescribed to us, but we also had this other urge to play music that was connected to our generation: the funk music from Earth Wind & Fire and James Brown and from the emergence of rap and hip-hop. We’re revolutionizing the sound of brass band music in a positive way.
AXS: Julian, how did you become involved in the project?
Julian Gosin: Prior to joining, I had always been coming around the band for years. I got acquainted with the guys and was always a fan. I had even played a few gigs with them. So, when a position became available, it was just an easy, natural fit.
AXS: How would you describe the sound of The Soul Rebels’ music?
JG: It’s very organic and rich with soul. There’s a lot of freedom in the music and there are no barriers.
Read the rest of my Interview with The Soul Rebels by Clicking Here!
Although they’ve always proudly charged against the musical grain, DevilDriver have never made a record quite like OutlawsTil The End: Vol. 1. It’s the perfect combination of country grit and neck-wrecking metal, a game-changer delivered by true heavy metal outlaws.
The band rebuilt classic country songs from the ground up, and injected them with DevilDriver’s signature sonic assault, and vocalist Dez Fafara’s unmistakable roar. The album also features guest appearances by John Carter Cash, Ana Cristina Cash, Hank III and Mark Morton of Lamb of God.
With songs like “(Ghost) Riders in The Sky,” “Whiskey River,” “If Drinking Don’t Kill Me (Her Memory Will)” and “Country Heroes,” Outlaws ‘Til The End might be one of most invigorating records DevilDriver has ever made.
Guitar World recently spoke with Neal Tiemann, the band’s guitarist, about the new album and more in this new interview.
What made the band decide to do a country-themed album?
It actually started with Dez. Like any band, we’ll all be sitting in the back-lounge listening to music as we’re getting ready for a show. So, there was always the fair share of Pantera and In Flames, but he’d also be listening to Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and Hank Williams Sr. The rest of us never batted an eye. For me, growing up in Texas, I heard them a lot. One day, Dez suggested we do a country covers record. We all laughed at first but then took a step back, and it slowly came to fruition. But it really all started with that back-lounge hang.
How have fans reacted to the new album?
Surprisingly well. We weren’t sure how people would take to singing on a DevilDriver record but everyone we’ve talked to on this run has been taking it in and loving it.
What was the criteria used in determining which songs to do?
We tried to pick songs that had some kind of meaning to us. Dez was adamant about doing the Willie Nelson song, “Whiskey River,” and whenever I hear Dwight Yoakam, it reminds me of fond memories with my dad. So, “A Thousand Miles From Nowhere” had special meaning. We listened to a lot of back catalog but also dug deeper to find songs that had a good melody or could transfer to metal. Then we took it from there.
Read the rest of my Interview with Neal Tiemann by Clicking Here!
Interview with Everette by Clicking Here!
Interview with Neal Tiemann by 
go.Jimmy.go 