Road Chronicles: Live! Supersonic Blues Machine
Album info
Album-Release:
2019
HRA-Release:
12.07.2019
Album including Album cover
- 1 I Am Done Missing You (Live) 05:13
- 2 I Ain't Fallin' Again (Live) 04:14
- 3 Remedy (Live) 05:42
- 4 Can't Take It No More (Live) 06:41
- 5 Watchagonnado (Live) 05:29
- 6 Elevate (Live) 06:52
- 7 Bad Boys (Live) 06:06
- 8 Let It Be (Live) 07:33
- 9 La Grange (feat. Billy F Gibbons) (Live) 06:31
- 10 Broken Heart (feat. Billy F Gibbons) (Live) 04:04
- 11 Dust My Broom (feat. Billy F Gibbons) (Live) 04:22
- 12 Running Whiskey (feat. Billy F Gibbons) (Live) 03:30
- 13 Got My Mojo Working (feat. Billy F Gibbons) (Live) 05:11
- 14 Going Down (feat. Billy F Gibbons) (Live) 05:42
- 15 L.O.V.E. (Live) [Bonus Track] 04:42
- 16 Hard Times (Live) [Bonus Track] 11:05
Info for Road Chronicles: Live!
‘Road Chronicles: Live!‘ is their first live album, after two acclaimed studio records, ‘West of Flushing, South of Frisco‘ (2016), ‘Californisoul‘ (2017) and it follows them on their first European headline tour.
It was recorded during their show in Brugnera, Italy on 20th July 2018, capturing the band in a triumphant and joyous mood. The show was the final one of a 10 date tour that started at the O2 Shepherd‘s Bush Empire, London and took them through Switzerland, Poland, The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Spain and finally bassist Fabrizio Grossi’s native Italy. The legendary Billy F Gibbons joined the band throughout the tour putting in the stunning performances that you would expect from such an icon and it was the first tour to feature fast-rising UK blues-rocker Kris Barras on lead vocals and guitar.
Kenny Aronoff, drums
Fabrizio Grossi, bass, backing vocals
Kris Barras, lead vocals, lead guitar
Alex Alessandroni Jr., keyboards
Serge Simic, guitar, vocals
Guest:
Billy F. Gibbons (ZZ Top), guitar, vocals
Supersonic Blues Machine
Real blues is the music of life experience. It is simple, but contains multitudes - feelings and knowledge accrued over decades. Collectively, the trio of musicians that make up Supersonic Blues Machine (SBM) have experienced more than three typical lifetimes. These world-class musicians have banded together in Supersonic Blues Machine, bonding in their love of this uniquely American genre and motivated by a desire to help its spirit evolve.
Fabrizio Grossi (bass/producer/engineer/wordsmith) worked his artistry in his birthplace - Milan, Italy - before migrating to London, Canada, New York, and currently Los Angeles.
Texan Lance Lopez (guitar/vocals) accrued at least one lifetime of experience before he was out of high school while playing bars in Louisiana and Florida. College came in the form of tours with R&B legend Johnny Taylor and blues masters Lucky Peterson and Bobby Blue Bland.
Kenny Aronoff (drums) has a resume that spans four decades and reads like a “Who’s Who” of roots rock legends, including John Mellencamp, John Fogerty, Eric Clapton, Jack White, Billy Gibbons, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, and Dr. John.
Supersonic Blues Machine stems from Fabrizio Grossi’s desire to return to his roots. “The blues is what makes me tick. It is the main ingredient of any successful musical recipe,” he explains. “It is like pasta in Italian food. You can add all the ingredients you like and any sauce, but the pasta is the core of the dish. I’m the chef and blues is my pasta.”
Like a great recipe, Supersonic Blues Machine adds carefully chosen flavorings to its blues stock. “Blues is my passion but my favorite bands have always been eclectic, like the Beatles, Queen, Toto, and Earth, Wind and Fire,” Grossi continues. “I wanted to apply their lessons to Supersonic Blues Machine, and my band mates totally get that.” Aronoff calls it “a blast from the past aimed at the future.” Says Grossi, “You will feel B.B. King’s presence on stage even though we might be wearing space suits.”
Grossi found a magical connection with Kenny Aronoff when the two toured as the rhythm section of Toto guitarist Steve Lukather’s side Jam band “Goodfellas.”
The next step came when Lance Lopez contacted Grossi about working on the Texas guitar whiz’s new solo project. While they were recording, Grossi got a call from Billy Gibbons, whom he had met on a Los Angeles session. The ZZ Top guitarist had known Lopez as a young blues prodigy, and strongly suggested Grossi and Lopez join forces. It was the Reverend Billy G’s blessing that helped birth Supersonic Blues Machine, and a stronger imprimatur for a nascent blues-rock project would be hard to find.
The first tune recorded for the Supersonic Blues Machine project was “Running Whiskey,” written by Gibbons, Grossi, and Tal Wilkenfeld. It features Gibbons on guitar and vocals and helped forge the sound of this new blues-rock supergroup. “It had the twist on the blues that infuses all the other songs on the record,” says Grossi.
The guest guitarists on Supersonic Blues Machine’s debut West of Flushing, South of Frisco are not a random selection of famous names, but more like members of an extended family. “I have worked on projects with Warren Haynes [guest and co-writer on ‘Remedy’], and when he tours anywhere near Dallas, he will always have Lance sit in,” Grossi explains. Lopez and Chris Duarte (“That’s My Way”) have been friends for years, and the SBM guitarist grew up with guest Eric Gales (“Nightmares and Dreams”). Walter Trout (“Can’t Take It No More”) is yet another member of this blues fraternity who, despite battling health issues, was anxious to contribute to the project. Finally, Grossi describes Robben Ford (“Let’s Call It a Day”) as the “classiest guy” he knows. “All these people light up the room when they walk in,” he says.
European and North American tours are planned. “It was important for us to do this with people who can eventually join us live on stage when we tour,” says Grossi. “Every night will see different guests appearing. It will be like The Who’s ‘Magic Bus’ tour.”
Supersonic Blues Machine marks a new page in the story of three creative musicians with a history of lending their prodigious talents to others. “Here, the artist is us, no boss to follow or established identities to be maintained,” says Aronoff. “We’re writing our own book, and when you have been blessed and enriched by having collaborated with so many significant artists, your vocabulary gets richer.” Adds Lopez: “We’re mixing all the shades of the blues with our personal sound.”
An anonymous sage once said, “We used to sing because crying didn’t seem to help much.” The blues is not just about experience. It is about creating catharsis to help people through the hard times. “Everyone on this record has fought through their own personal demons,” says Grossi. “This is the redemption record.”
This album contains no booklet.