New music from rock legend Paul Rodgers was recorded in the Okanagan and Vancouver with the help of several local musicians, including Surrey含羞草研究社檚 Todd Ronning.
The eight-song , due out Sept. 22 on the iconic Sun Records, is the first album of original music in 25 years for vocalist Rodgers, of Bad Company fame.
which Rodgers co-wrote with Ronning and Maple Ridge-based drummer Rick Fedyk, with guitar work by Ray Roper and Keith Scott, organ by Chris Gestrin, production by Bob Rock and mix by Randy Staub.
Recording of the album was kept hush-hush for 18 months until the June 23 release of 含羞草研究社淟iving It Up,含羞草研究社� a funk-fortified anthem with a Led Zep-ish groove and lyrics about enjoying all that America (and Canada) has to offer.
含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 a song where I had the music written a while back and I demo含羞草研究社檇 it over at Ray含羞草研究社檚 place (near Summerland),含羞草研究社� Ronning recalled in a phone call.
含羞草研究社淚 demo含羞草研究社檇 a bunch of stuff, you know, thinking maybe Bad Co. (Bad Company) or someone might like it. Who knows? But when I did that one, Paul liked it right away. I actually had another song planned for him, but he liked that one 含羞草研究社� you know, that含羞草研究社檚 OK, pick whatever you want. He had lyrical ideas and I含羞草研究社檓 super happy that he found something that I had done that he wanted to incorporate, you know?含羞草研究社�
With bed tracks done at Roper含羞草研究社檚 studio, additional recording for the album was completed at The Warehouse studio Vancouver.
含羞草研究社淩oper lives in the Okanagan, not far from Paul,含羞草研究社� Ronning explained. 含羞草研究社淎t The Warehouse, Bob (Rock) brought in Keith Scott (guitarist for Bryan Adams) to throw in a couple of things. Paul tweaked his vocals a bit there as well, but basically my job, and Rick含羞草研究社檚, too, was done up in the Okanagan.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社� RELATED: .
Ronning, who plays in the Heart tribute band Barracuda with Fedyk and Roper, has toured with Rodgers/Bad Company since 2012. He first met the British-Canadian singer back in 1996 when Rodgers lived part-time in South Surrey.
含羞草研究社淭hat was in the latter part of the year, when he was first getting together with his now-wife, Cynthia, in White Rock,含羞草研究社� Ronning recalled.
含羞草研究社淪ome local guys came together because Paul wanted to do an out-of-the-blue show at some small club in the area, just for fun, and we ended up doing it at the Ocean Beach (bar in White Rock), just five or six songs. Supposedly nobody was supposed to know, right, so I show up with my gig bag and all that and, and there含羞草研究社檚 a lineup around the corner, people trying to push into the doors. So I had to push my way in.含羞草研究社�
From there, a New Year含羞草研究社檚 Eve gig was arranged, along with another local club show the following year, and then Rodgers reunited with the original Bad Company guys. Ronning and Fedyk continued with the band King Karma.
Years later, Rodgers needed a bass player for a show, and Ronning got the call.
含羞草研究社淚n 2008 the bass player he was working with had some sort of medical issue,含羞草研究社� Ronning explained. 含羞草研究社淭hey were going to cancel a gig in Nakusp, so they called me to ask if I含羞草研究社檇 be ready to play the next day. Well, yeah! I learned some of the music on the plane trip up there,含羞草研究社� he added with a laugh. 含羞草研究社淚 did a good job and then it took a couple years after that until I was asked to be part of his band.含羞草研究社�
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Midnight Rose: My first solo album in nearly 25 years - available everywhere September 22nd!
含羞草研究社� Paul Rodgers (@_paulrodgers)
Until then, listen to "Living It Up" and pre-save the album with the link in bio.
含羞草研究社� Paul Rodgers (@_paulrodgers)
Rodgers含羞草研究社� new Midnight Rose LP was produced by Rock and Cynthia Rodgers (Paul含羞草研究社檚 wife), with album artwork created by Paul and Cynthia.
The album含羞草研究社檚 second single, 含羞草研究社淭ake Love,含羞草研究社� will be released July 28. Other song titles are 含羞草研究社淐oming Home,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淧hoto Shooter,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淢idnight Rose,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淒ance in the Sun,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淗ighway Robber含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淢elting.含羞草研究社�
The collection of songs 含羞草研究社済rew from sparks of ideas I had,含羞草研究社� . 含羞草研究社淭he sparks developed into a raging fire when the band and everyone involved brought their absolute 含羞草研究社楢含羞草研究社� game. I think it is my best album to date, I like it. I hope you do too.含羞草研究社�
Dominic Pandiscia, chief strategy officer of Primary Wave/Sun Label Group, calls Rodgers a rock legend.
含羞草研究社漌e含羞草研究社檙e proud to have him on the Sun Records label,含羞草研究社� stated Pandiscia, who calls Midnight Rose 含羞草研究社渁 modern-day classic that his established and new fans will love.
含羞草研究社淲e have heard one consistent comment throughout the record making process and it含羞草研究社檚 that Paul has never sounded better. I couldn含羞草研究社檛 agree more.含羞草研究社�
As for concerts, there is no word yet about Rodgers and band performing locally, if at all. .
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
Like us on Follow us on and follow Tom on
