After a tweleve year hiatus, longtime friends and collaborators Tommy Shaw
(Styx, Damn Yankees) and Jack Blades (Night Ranger, Damn Yankees) team up
once again for their sophomore effort Influence (read CD review). Rather
than following up their 1995 release Hallucination with more original material,
Shaw and
Blades
decided to take the covers root with a collection of 1960s and 1970s songs
that surely had an impact on the duo growing up.
Influence diverts from the
electric rock sounds that the 80s arena rockers established themselves
with, but the album still remains powerful with it's spot-on harmonies and
acoustic
tones. It's like two friends exploring each other's old record collections.
The duo even embarked on a U.S. tour in support of the album. Sometime
in between, Jack Blades and his Night Ranger co-horts put the finishing touches
on their forthcoming studio album and are preparing a summer tour of their
own. Even though Blades has had his hands full with various projects, he
found just enough time to answer some e-mail questions from Rock Is Life.
RIL: Why did you decide on a covers album for your second collaboration
together instead of an album of new material?
JB: It just happened that way. Tommy came
to my studio and we recorded “Nature’s
Way,” a song from the group Spirit for my solo record in 2004 and it
started from that.
RIL: Was it difficult selecting what songs you wanted on the album?
JB: Not really.
It was a very organic process. We started naming names of songs that we loved
and that inspired us from our early days and here we are.
RIL: In the process of the song selection, did you discover some old favorites
that you had forgotten about?
JB: Yes. I always loved “Lucky Man” and we had so much fun recording
it…especially with Tommy playing the solo at the end.
RIL: It’s been 12 years since your last collaboration, Hallucination.
Has this second album been in production for a long time, or was it something
you put together recently?
JB: We started it in 2004-05 and worked whenever either
Tommy or I had a break from touring and working with our other bands.
RIL: How is collaborating with Tommy Shaw different than other musicians
you’ve
worked with?
JB: It is the greatest and easiest thing to do...I have
two people in my life that are like that…Kelly Keagy and Tommy. Tommy and I kinda finish
each other’s sentences.
RIL: Do you think that by exploring you past influences a little more that
it will have an effect on your future song writing?
JB: Yes absolutely. It is
so inspiring to work with these absolute classics. It makes me want to be
a better songwriter.
RIL: Is it frustrating releasing an album in this day and age when
radio and music television doesn’t really embrace the past anymore?
JB: We are not
going to stop creating music as the business changes, that’s
just the way it is. We did hook up with VH1 Classic for the stateside release
so we could get the word out about Influence through TV. It has really helped
as we have sold lots of records and gotten lots of new fans so far.
RIL: Do you find that the Internet benefits you in promoting your current
music, or is a hindrance with people possibly downloading it for free?
JB: People
are going to do whatever they want...we have no control over that. The Internet
is a great vehicle and platform to promote and distribute your
music.
RIL: Did you and Tommy initially plan to tour in support of this album when
you were putting it together?
JB: We wanted to do it all.
RIL: You’ve toured all over the World with different bands
over the years. Where do you think the craziest fans are?
JB: That is a tough question...I
love Japan, and I love the States…Unfortunately,
I have not toured much in Europe.
RIL: Have you ever played a venue that really scared you?
JB: Not really…there
have been some places where I thought it was weird and those usually turn
out to be the best shows.
RIL: What was your worst on stage experience?
JB: In Louisville, KY. One night
on the Damn Yankees tour I sliced my face open with my bass on the encore
and had to be rushed into surgery that night.
And the entire next week all the shows were sold out…so I played all
the shows and that was really tough. We should have postponed them!!
RIL: Let’s switch gears here, it was announced recently that
Night Ranger has a new album entitled Hole in the Sun coming out soon.
What can you tell me about it?
JB: It
is the hardest rocking Night Ranger record since Dawn Patrol.
RIL: Any tour plans with Night Ranger?
JB: Yes, Japan in June and the States through
out the summer.
RIL: How is it different touring with Night Ranger today than back in the
80s?
JB: It is more fun as there is no pressure...we are just out there to give
the fans a great time.
RIL: How many times are you asked the story behind “Sister
Christian?”
JB: Millions.
RIL: Are you happy with the fact that "Sister Christian" is the song
that Night Ranger will forever be identified or is there another song you’d
rather be remembered for?
JB: I am fine with that…I also like the fact that the fans love “Don’t
Tell Me You Love Me” and “Rock in America.”
RIL: Is there also a live Night Ranger album on the way? What can you tell
me about that?
JB: Yes. We recorded a live CD in Tokyo Japan Dec ‘03
and Sony/BMG is releasing it as a live CD in May of this year.
RIL: Is there still
a chance for a Damn Yankees reunion?
JB: There is always a chance for that…I
think it would be a lot of fun and the fans would love it.
RIL: What happened to the illusive 3rd Damn Yankees album?
JB: It didn’t come out. We didn’t
think it sounded like a DY album. Songs from that CD have appeared on various
CDs from Ted, Tommy and me.
RIL: In 2004 you recorded a great melodic rock album with TMG (read
CD review) that was released in Japan & Europe. Is there any chance
of a follow-up?
JB: I hope so. Tak
is always so busy.
RIL: What’s the biggest rumor you’ve heard about yourself?
JB: I never
listen to rumors about myself…but I could tell you a few about
Ted and Tommy!
RIL: Will there be a 3rd Shaw/Blades album?
JB: Yes…
JACK
BLADES
