New music from rock legend Paul Rodgers was recorded in the Okanagan and Vancouver with the help of several local musicians, including Surreysa国际传媒檚 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 sa国际传媒淟iving It Up,sa国际传媒� a funk-fortified anthem with a Led Zep-ish groove and lyrics about enjoying all that America (and Canada) has to offer.
sa国际传媒淭hatsa国际传媒檚 a song where I had the music written a while back and I demosa国际传媒檇 it over at Raysa国际传媒檚 place (near Summerland),sa国际传媒� Ronning recalled in a phone call.
sa国际传媒淚 demosa国际传媒檇 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 sa国际传媒� you know, thatsa国际传媒檚 OK, pick whatever you want. He had lyrical ideas and Isa国际传媒檓 super happy that he found something that I had done that he wanted to incorporate, you know?sa国际传媒�
With bed tracks done at Ropersa国际传媒檚 studio, additional recording for the album was completed at The Warehouse studio Vancouver.
sa国际传媒淩oper lives in the Okanagan, not far from Paul,sa国际传媒� Ronning explained. sa国际传媒淎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 Ricksa国际传媒檚, too, was done up in the Okanagan.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒� 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.
sa国际传媒淭hat was in the latter part of the year, when he was first getting together with his now-wife, Cynthia, in White Rock,sa国际传媒� Ronning recalled.
sa国际传媒淪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 theresa国际传媒檚 a lineup around the corner, people trying to push into the doors. So I had to push my way in.sa国际传媒�
From there, a New Yearsa国际传媒檚 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.
sa国际传媒淚n 2008 the bass player he was working with had some sort of medical issue,sa国际传媒� Ronning explained. sa国际传媒淭hey were going to cancel a gig in Nakusp, so they called me to ask if Isa国际传媒檇 be ready to play the next day. Well, yeah! I learned some of the music on the plane trip up there,sa国际传媒� he added with a laugh. sa国际传媒淚 did a good job and then it took a couple years after that until I was asked to be part of his band.sa国际传媒�
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Midnight Rose: My first solo album in nearly 25 years - available everywhere September 22nd!
sa国际传媒� Paul Rodgers (@_paulrodgers)
Until then, listen to "Living It Up" and pre-save the album with the link in bio.
sa国际传媒� Paul Rodgers (@_paulrodgers)
Rodgerssa国际传媒� new Midnight Rose LP was produced by Rock and Cynthia Rodgers (Paulsa国际传媒檚 wife), with album artwork created by Paul and Cynthia.
The albumsa国际传媒檚 second single, sa国际传媒淭ake Love,sa国际传媒� will be released July 28. Other song titles are sa国际传媒淐oming Home,sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒淧hoto Shooter,sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒淢idnight Rose,sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒淒ance in the Sun,sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒淗ighway Robbersa国际传媒� and sa国际传媒淢elting.sa国际传媒�
The collection of songs sa国际传媒済rew from sparks of ideas I had,sa国际传媒� . sa国际传媒淭he sparks developed into a raging fire when the band and everyone involved brought their absolute sa国际传媒楢sa国际传媒� game. I think it is my best album to date, I like it. I hope you do too.sa国际传媒�
Dominic Pandiscia, chief strategy officer of Primary Wave/Sun Label Group, calls Rodgers a rock legend.
sa国际传媒漌esa国际传媒檙e proud to have him on the Sun Records label,sa国际传媒� stated Pandiscia, who calls Midnight Rose sa国际传媒渁 modern-day classic that his established and new fans will love.
sa国际传媒淲e have heard one consistent comment throughout the record making process and itsa国际传媒檚 that Paul has never sounded better. I couldnsa国际传媒檛 agree more.sa国际传媒�
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
