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Influences
Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Aerosmith, Mountain, Elvis Presley, the list goes on with plenty of rock-classic and southern, delta blues and blues rock as well as folk and roots country...all music is good!
Sounds Like
A big thanks to all of our compadres who support our music and supply us with their very best!"
Deep down in Louisiana, close to New Orleans, rang like a Sunday morning church bell, calling on saints and sinners alike to free their minds and become part of the revolution. They came out of the Southern swamps, the California desert, the working class towns of the Midwest and all along the East Coast. Loud guitars and larger than life drumming came together with storytelling poetry. Rebel-ism gave birth to rock “n’ roll. Every few years or so, a special batch comes up from the ground, to serve as a beacon. Black Stone Cherry has arrived with their second Roadrunner Records release, Folklore and Superstition due out August 19.
"There is a mystique with folklore and superstition," says Black Stone Cherry drummer John Fred Young. "We're intrigued by and interested in history, roots and heritage, and we incorporate that into the band." The ability to tell compelling stories and lyrical tales isn't the only thing that Black Stone Cherry brings to the table. The band can churn out riffs that'll put hair on your chest. They crank out choruses that are fit for a fist-raising rebel rousing and still keep the beauty of a Sunday morning back porch service. Folklore and Superstition isn't just a Southern rock record. It's an American rock n’ roll record.
The album is a timeless work by American pied pipers destined to take their music from the back roads of America to the four corners of the globe. "We are taking Southern tradition and giving a taste to the rest of the world," says bassist/vocalist Jon Lawhon.
Black Stone Cherry didn't stray too far away from home to record the album. The band wrote all the songs in the infamous Practice House, an old farmhouse used by John Fred’s father and uncle to write Grammy winning albums for The Kentucky Headhunters. A song like “Soul Creek” fills the room with its vintage arena rock sound yet was born where the band held bonfires around a creek across the road.
The band enlisted famed rock producer Bob Marlette (Ozzy, Shinedown) and headed to Nashville’s Blackbird Studio that has housed everyone from Kid Rock to The Raconteurs, just 85 miles from their hometown of Edmonton, Kentucky. “We incorporated regional sounds into the mix throughout the album,” says Young. The band used turkey calls, a banjo and a washtub basin, among other things. Jon Lawhon recalls, "I made a washtub bass out of a tub, a broom handle and nylon rope!" Clearly, the band shyed away from absolutely nothing when it came time to explore and experiment. "We didn't want to leave any door unopened while recording," says guitarist/vocalist Ben Wells.
Years of touring in support of their self-titled debut helped inspire and direct Black Stone Cherry's worldview when it came time to write the new album. The band traveled extensively outside the United States during the tour cycle on their 2006 self-titled debut. This allowed them to stretch their creative muscle and flap their musical wings even higher, with songs like "Please Come In" and “Sunrise” that show the band's growth and diversity.
"This album has allowed us to dig deep into our roots," continues Young. "It also shows the influences of the songwriting. Our band is a positive band and we try to write songs that are uplifting. We also have a very big storytelling side which comes through on the songs 'Ghost of Floyd Collins’ and ‘Reverend Wrinkle.’"
Vocalist/guitarist Chris Robertson reflects on the process, saying, “Starting out as a band seven years ago, with high hopes and even bigger dreams, I honestly believe this record shows the experience of our past travels, and gives a hint of the future. It captures all the energy and heart that make up Black Stone Cherry. We took some chances on this album and I believe that our fans will appreciate seeing the other sides of the band that they may or may not have known existed.”
Guitarist/vocalist Ben Wells comments on the band’s expansion of its sound and subject matter, saying "The songwriting took on a life of its own, as the structures of the songs themselves have grown so much from touring. We have so much more to talk about and can use the things we picked up musically.” He admits the band also kept the ladies in mind this time around, recalling, “On the last album, girls would come up to us and say, 'You have songs for guys, so where are our songs?’ So we have a song called 'You' on this album, which is a timeless ballad."
The band’s family and friends are another influence. "Long Sleeves" is told from the viewpoint of a friend who took part in the battle of Mogadishu as featured in the film “Black Hawk Down,” while "Things My Father Said" is a ballad that hits home with people from all walks of life.
From the eerie swagger of “Devil’s Queen” to the tell tale rocker “Blind Man” to the triumphant stomp of the anthem “Soul Creek,” Black Stone Cherry say the trick to Folklore and Superstition is simply brotherhood, family, friends and home; no more, no less.
Hey guys, I just read your Thankful blog! You guys have no idea how much it means to us when we hear you say how important your fans are to you and how grateful you are towards us. It really is just heartbreaking when you've been waiting hours to meet your favourite band, the band you look up to and aspire to be like, and they don't give a shit about you or what you have to say to them. I'm so happy you guys aren't like that. You seriously are the best band in the world in every way. I just thought I'd leave this comment to say thanks for being so respectful and genuine towards us :) It means a hell of a lot.
I'm thankful for Black Stone Cherry and the incredible music you guys make together! Can't wait to see you guys back in the UK next year!!
Hey guys, I just wanted to say thank you for giving us (The Real Rock Show) the interview earlier this year when you played Binghamton NY. Looking forward to the next time you come through and give this area another kick ass show. Keep Rawk'n!
Hey guys... hope all is well. I see I missed the KY shows, dang it. Safe Travels & Blessings, Rebecca p.s. it's fine to copy the pics off my page (sent in e-mail too) for your site.
Once again you guys ROCKED the place DOWN !! The other Cave City bands were great but you were total DOMINATION with all your screaming guitar lightning and JF's maniacal raging drum thunderage !! All I could do was raise my shaking hands in homage and let it all rain down on me !! ( or would that be " reign " ? hehe ) Man .. I think I saw cracks in the foundation .. prolly a good thing you guys tour around so the venues have time to recover
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) Man .. I think I saw cracks in the foundation .. prolly a good thing you guys tour around so the venues have time to recover