Bands To Fans

Joey Stuckey’s new EP, King of Strings, is the first album recorded in Les Paul’s studio in decades. He cut it on Les Paul’s 1957 tube console in a single 10-hour session, mostly in one or two live takes. When we sat down to talk, I wanted to know what it’s like to make music in the room of the master.Joey, a blind guitarist, producer and educator, told me why he asked for Les Paul’s own guitar to go back in its case. He laid out what he thinks makes someone a true “King of Strings,” explained how he got the swaggering, gritty tone on “Born to Be Your Toy,” and described how playing by touch instead of sight shaped his technique. We also talked about why he’d rather follow his eclectic instincts than chase a formula, and he gave a peek at his next record with Jimmy Hall of Wet Willie.

Joel Hoekstra has played guitar for Whitesnake, Night Ranger, Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Cher, and before that he did everything from wedding gigs to playing bass for the Turtles. Through it all he has kept making his own music with Joel Hoekstra's 13, whose latest album, From the Fade, is its heaviest yet. In our conversation, he talks about writing vocal melodies on guitar first, and he laughs at the angry mood behind the lyrics of "Misunderstood." He also explains why his goal was always to be a working musician, not a rock star.

Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (Asia / Sons of Apollo / Guns N’ Roses) talks about his album, Returns, how creating instrumental songs can be like scoring an imaginary movie, collaborating with Steve Vai and Brian May, and letting the art be what it is going to be. “Whatever feels right and gives a genuine piece of your soul to somebody for them to experience and connect with.”

It’s amazing what a 40-year hiatus can lead to. I spoke with Nick Heyward and Graham Jones of Haircut 100 about Boxing the Compass, their first album since the early 80s. We discussed the eclectic nature of this album and how that relates to the title, how they kind of like it when a string breaks during a concert, and that perspective is one of the key elements to creativity.

I spoke with Dennis Atlas about the making of his new solo album, Principle. We discussed writing instrumentals with the same intention he brings to lyric‑driven songs. Dennis talked about collaborating with the album’s special guests that included his Toto bandmates Steve Lukather, Joseph Williams, and Warren Ham, as well as drummers Marco Minnemann and Shannon Forrest. We also delved into the role of metaphor in expressing personal struggles, and the optimism that threads through even his most conflicted lyrics.

In this interview with Johnny Manchild we discuss his new album, Side Effects, as well as how singing live is not about looking pretty, adjusting his creative process to the manic and depressive episodes of his bipolar disorder, and how he benefited from the Oklahoma City music scene.

I talked with songwriter Andrew Morse about The Tasty Kings’ new album The Kindness of Numbers. My quick description: imagine if Lou Reed sang with the Rolling Stones. As you will see, that went over well with Morse. The Tasty Kings are a different kind of band. Their website uses the term “collective.” Morse writes the songs and then gathers some seriously impressive musicians to bring them to life. People like Charlie Sexton, Will Sexton, Charley Drayton, and Darryl Jones. And although these are his lyrics and melodies, Morse does not sing on any of the tunes. He plays guitar, but it is almost like he is a side musician in his own band. It’s a different approach, but the results are fantastic. I especially recommend the songs “New York Times,” “Tess of Soho,” “Sunset,” and “Fix My Head.”

In this interview with Jeff Marino, drummer and Music Director for Darius Rucker, we discuss how his relaxed power comes from economy of motion, a minimalist kit, and an obsession with feel. We also talk about the advice Kenny Aronoff gave him years ago that still guides him, the use of tension and release in crafting a set list, and his business developing the live of shows of young artists.

Paula Boggs has always believed music should take you somewhere. On Sumatra, her new album with the Paula Boggs Band, she makes good on that promise — opening with Gregorian chant recorded at a Seattle cathedral and closing with a joyous civil rights anthem featuring Valerie June and the Blind Boys of Alabama. Rooted in American roots music but ranging freely across folk, gospel, jazz, and spoken word, the album was born from years of walks, voice memos, and a deepening preoccupation with the tension between beauty and loss. Boggs recently sat down to talk about the making of Sumatra and why forward, as she sings on “Route 66,” only works as an action verb.

After 40 years together, the Southern California roots band Marley's Ghost shows no signs of slowing down — and their latest album proves it. Honky Tonk is a deep dive into the music that shaped them, featuring songs from Hank Williams, Waylon Jennings, and other giants of country music, recorded live in the studio with producer Larry Campbell. It's an album that smirks and stomps, carrying the weight of a lifetime spent in smoky bars and on stages across the country. Dan Wheetman, vocalist and founding member, sat down to talk about what it means to really live inside a song, how four decades of friendship shapes a band's sound, and why an older voice is sometimes exactly what a honky tonk tune needs.