An interview with Paul Rodgers

photo: Mahkaila Lusch

Paul Rodgers has sung several enduring classic rock tunes, most notably during his time fronting Free (“All Right Now,” “Wishing Well”) and Bad Company (“Can’t Get Enough,” “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” “Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy”).

Then there were memorable stints in The Firm with Jimmy Page (“Radioactive,” “Satisfaction Guaranteed”), The Law alongside Kenney Jones (“Laying Down the Law”), Queen, and solo endeavors like the acclaimed Muddy Water Blues project (“The Hunter” featuring Slash).

But that distinctive voice was nearly silenced due to some serious health problems over the past decade. No wonder the legendary British singer/songwriter exudes such positivity about creating Midnight Rose, his first solo album of all-new material in nearly a quarter century on Sun Records.

During the initial COVID-19 lockdowns, Rodgers went through material he had amassed and eventually booked a home studio that guitarist friend Ray Roper operates near the rock veteran’s Canadian residence. Together some musicians from the Rogers solo band, they whipped the songs into shape. 

Recording was an important step in Rogers’ recovery process from two major strokes, 11 minor ones and heart surgery. Nine months elapsed before the vocalist could resume guitar playing and much longer for the voice to completely return. 

“I thought, ‘Let's go in the studio and see if I can still sing,’” admitted Rodgers, during an interview from the home he shares with wife Cynthia in British Columbia.

The players at Roper’s studio attempted what became the bluesy album opener “Coming Home” first. 

“It was great to be back on the mic, have the guys in my headphones blasting away, eye contact and everything. It felt so good and was like, 'Wow, I'm back!’ Really amazing.” 

Primary Wave discovered that Rodgers was working on an album and stated that Sun Records, which the music publishing/management company runs, would be interested in releasing the finished result. 

Rodgers is thrilled to be associated with the modern incarnation of a legendary label associated with launching the careers of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and others back in the Fifties. 

“When I was a kid, my best friend Peter Smith and I sneaked his big brother’s Elvis record out,” recalled Rodgers. “We put it on, put the needle down and it went [mimics Elvis singing “Heartbreak Hotel”], 'Well, since my baby left me.' I was like, ‘Whoa, listen to that sound!' For a kid from Middlesbrough [England] to be on Sun Records and keeping company with those guys is just incredible.”

Midnight Rose, co-produced by Bob Rock (Metallica, The Cult, Bon Jovi) and Cynthia Rodgers, is among Rodgers’ strongest studio efforts to date.

“We did the bed tracks with four of us in Ray’s studio. Then we took the whole shebang to Bryan Adams’ [The Warehouse] studio in Vancouver and brought in Bob. 

“I knew he was a famous producer, and I was very flattered he wanted to produce this,” continued Rodgers. “He had such a positive influence on the whole thing.”

Keyboardist Chuck Leavell of The Rolling Stones/Allman Brothers Band and Adams’ longtime lead guitarist Keith Scott make guest appearances throughout the album. Scott’s fretwork enlivens most of the Midnight Rose tunes. Rodgers previously jammed with Scott at an Adams gig. “I understand why Bryan snapped him up all those years ago. He really got into the groove on ‘Melting’ - the first couple licks in there. Amazing.”

The bluesy album closer is also notable for Rodgers’ brief wail. Considering he couldn’t even speak at one point several years ago, just hearing him make that note is a surprise. 

“I don't know how I did that in one take,” said Rodgers. “Sometimes being in the studio is like that. You get it in the first go.” He commended Bob Rock for adding “a brilliant sound effect” that got very large and became “a really beautiful thing.”

Rodgers said he is “most proud” of “Melting” because “I got that riff and it felt really like a John Lee Hooker or Robert Johnson kind of feel.”

Getting Leavell to play piano on the upbeat, soulful “Take Love” and the Celtic-tinged title track “was wondrous and a revelation,” said Rodgers. The former originated during Rodgers’ stint with Queen.

“They very kindly let me play it [live] and did a great job on it. But I didn't put it on the album that we released, ‘The Cosmos Rocks.’ I thought I’d keep that one for myself. We had so much Queen material…the version we do on ‘Midnight Rose’ is really nice because there's a strong acoustic aspect to it, which I always liked – that light and shade.”

Rodgers pays tribute to such 1960s influences such as Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, and Ray Charles during the smoking rocker “Living it Up,” a musical love letter to America.

“It's a long story told in three minutes, basically, about my history, my whole life, following music,” explained Rodgers. “I wanted to say thank you to America because it has given me the world. So much amazing music - blues, soul, rock and roll, country, and jazz - that’s come out of America, has been very positive and done great things in the world.” 

The smoldering Midnight Rose song “Highway Robber” finds Rodgers on harmonica revisiting the Old West-styled lyrical imagery of “Bad Company,” by his former band.

“I think I've watched too many Clint Eastwood movies, to be honest,” Rodgers said with a laugh. “I was very influenced by the Hollywood version of the cowboy. You know, it's all about the good and the baddies and the heroes basically.” 

Another standout on the new studio release is the fun and festive “Dance in the Sun,” where Rodgers’ grandchildren are heard laughing, Leslie Page’s supple backing vocals are prominent and Rob Dewar (who lives on a neighboring farm from The Rodgers) adds “incredible” flamenco-style guitar.

“I’ve been promising the fans a new album for 20 years. Finally, I’ve delivered,” stated Rodgers.

November marks 50 years since the eponymous debut by Bad Company was recorded at Headley Grange in England using Ronnie Lane’s mobile studio. The multi-platinum, chart-topping album spawned the top 20 pop hits “Can’t Get Enough” and “Movin’ On”). Meanwhile, album rock radio latched onto “Bad Company,” Mott the Hoople’s “Ready for Love” and “Rock Steady” in a big way. It was the first release on Led Zeppelin’s Swan Song Records and Bad Company shared manager Peter Grant. 

“We were in the right place at the right time,” recalled Rodgers. “Having the backing of Led Zeppelin, who were rock gods at that moment in time was enormously good for us.”

Comprising former members of Mott, Free and King Crimson, Bad Company was one of the original supergroups. The musicians were “bursting to do all this music…We steamed in because we were so ready to rock, and we put the whole album down in 10 days.” 

Looking back, Rodgers thinks the album holds up today.

“I still love that attitude and approach. I don’t like using too many toys, too many buttons. Most of the guitarists I’ve worked with all had a Les Paul and a Marshall stack. Boom! That’s it. And they got the sound out of that.” The same holds true for Bad Company and Rodgers now.

“I always come back to the basic format of bass, drums, guitar and vocals straight up.”

Paul Rodgers photo courtesy of The Press House.

My interview originally appeared in Rock Cellar Magazine.

Christmas album roundup: Jon Pardi, Cher, Matt Rogers

Three new Christmas albums spanning Broadway, country, pop, and dance music are in the spotlight.

Jon Pardi

Merry Christmas from Jon Pardi

(Capitol Nashville)
California native and past Stagecoach performer Jon Pardi provides an excellent country soundtrack for the holidays. On the fun, honky-tonkin’ “Beer for Santa,” Pardi sings about ditching cookies and leaving St. Nick “a koozie full of cheers” instead. The twangy, horn-laden “400 Horsepower Sleigh” features a gang chorus. An upbeat and jaunty “All I Want for Christmas is You” features fine fiddle and pedal steel work. Then there’s the laid-back, reggae-fied “Merry Christmas from the Keys,” where Pardi describes “all the hippies in their tie-dyed tops.” It’s quite a hoot. Other highlights include a blazing take on Buck Owens’ “Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy,” with an ad-lib ending; the Sixties country vibe of “I’ve Been Bad, Santa,” where Ashley McBryde collaborator Pillbox Patti provides come hither vocals; the fine forlorn ballad “Reindeer”; old timey piano-led “Swing on Down to Texas” and Counting Crows’ earnest “A Long December.” 

Information: jonpardi.com

Cher

Christmas 

(Warner)
Before recording her first holiday album, Cher bolstered her vocals with a coach. Wise move: her singing is robust as ever. Back in 1963, Cher sang backup on the Darlene Love/Phil Spector classic “Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home.” The pair reunite here on a terrific remake. Michael Bublé and Cher’s vocals soar during his elegant ballad “Home.” Cyndi Lauper adds welcome vocals to the Erasure-styled dance tune “Angels in the Snow” and the joyous, soulful “Put a Little Holiday in Your Heart.” Cher and Stevie Wonder exude happiness as he sings and plays harmonica on “What Christmas Means to Me.” Elsewhere, there are forays into hip-hop, EDM (an infectious “DJ, Play a Christmas Song”; the inviting “Christmas Ain’t Christmas Without You”); “Run Rudolph Run” just plain rocks and a surprising cover of The Zombies’ “This Will Be Our Year” fits well. 

Information: cher.com

Matt Rogers

Have You Heard of Christmas?

(Capitol)

Irreverant, sometimes profane and frequently laugh-out-loud hilarious, Have You Heard of Christmas? contains several songs featured on Rogers’ acclaimed 2022 Showtime holiday special and added originals. The actor/comedian (“Fire Island”) delves into EDM (“Also, It’s Christmas”), hip-hop (“Hottest Female Up in Whoville”), R&B (“Imma Have

Your Back”) and pop (“Rockafella Centa,” which namechecks NBC personalities with a rap from podcast partner Bowen Yang). Standouts include a sleek, serious-minded “Every Christmas Eve”; the alt-pop of “Everything You Want” featuring Muna; dramatic Broadway-styled “Rain on Christmas” and classic-sounding “I Don’t Need it to Be Christmas at All.” 

Information: amazon.com

Concert review: OMD, Tears for Fears, New Order, Human League, Devo, others at Darker Waves Festival, Huntington Beach, Calif.

photo by George A. Paul

The Darker Waves Festival made its debut on Saturday in Huntington Beach with an amazing lineup that most fans of late ‘70s and ‘80s alternative music would consider ideal. Tears for Fears and New Order top-lined the bill, along with the B-52’s, Devo, Echo and the Bunnymen, Soft Cell, Psychedelic Furs, OMD, Human League, Violent Femmes, X, English Beat, the Chameleons, Clan of Xymox, and others.

All told, 33 acts – ranging from new wave, alt-rock and darkwave to punk, goth and beyond - performed across three stages during the 12-hour, sold out event. The two main stages were spread far apart on sand at each end of the festival. A smaller center stage was located on the parking lot.  

Early arrivals could play retro upright video games such as Donkey Kong and Ms. Pac Man in the mini arcade tent. Judging by the number of t-shirts and red energy dome hats spotted, a majority of people were there to see New Order and Devo.

Tears for Fears, still touring for 2022’s stellar album The Tipping Point, was definitely among the stronger performances. Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith opened with acoustic guitar-based ballad “No Small Thing” – the first of six newer songs. “The Tipping Point” was compelling, with dramatic dual vocals; the Smith-led earworm “Break the Man,” totally sublime. Longtime enthusiasts were rewarded early with the 1-2 punch of big hits “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” and “Sowing the Seeds of Love,” which prompted loud singalongs. Orzabal admitted to the crowd that there were bands on the lineup they admired and were jealous of, singling out Echo & the Bunnymen (whose own set sported a guest appearance by The Doors guitarist Robby Krieger). He obviously had fun doing the nonsensical bits at the end of “Seeds” too. Later, “Mad World” proved riveting.

“It’s nice to be playing by the seaside,” said New Order singer/guitarist Bernard Sumner. The influential electronic rock band often opens its regular concerts with the wistful 1993 single “Regret.” But seeing it performed here was perfect for those who recalled a music video the Mancunians shot that same year in conjunction with the TV series “Baywatch” on the sand at Venice Beach. New Order’s solid set was highlighted by Sumner’s riveting guitar solo during “Love Vigilantes,” the musicians’ intense interplay amid “Ceremony,” Gillian Gilbert’s stately keyboard washes on “Your Silent Face,” as well as Sumner’s melodica interludes and the updated intros to “Subculture” and “Bizarre Love Triangle.”   

photo by Justin James/Darker Waves

Because festival audiences are not always regular fans, and the stage times are shorter, astute bands will sometimes make the most of it by doing their greatest hits. OMD were a perfect example. From the get-go, singer/bassist Andy McCluskey said, “We’re gonna be totally relentless…and do 10 singles.” The wonderful set was elevated by his boundless energy and jubilant delivery on songs such as “Tesla Girls,” “Locomotion,” “Enola Gay” and “If You Leave” (from the Pretty in Pink soundtrack). His frequent between-song banter was both humorous (“now the s*** bass-playing stops and you gotta dance like me”) and acerbic (“there’s nothing more heartening than hearing 25,000 people singing about the end of the world”). A definite festival standout.

Although a “farewell” label was added to current Devo tour ads, both keyboardist/singer Gerald Casale and lead singer/keyboardist Mark Mothersbaugh insisted that’s not necessarily the case in recent interviews. Good news there. The core original members (along with guitarist/singer Bob Mothersbaugh), still manage to rock like nobody’s business, even into their 70s. The shrewd use of video and theatrics adds to Devo’s unique visual presentation. Starting with the frenetic “Don’t Shoot (I’m a Man)” off 2010’s underrated Something for Everybody, Devo delivered taut new wave renditions of the manic “Peek-A-Boo,” major hit “Whip It,” and a crazed “Uncontrollable Urge,” where Mark Mothersbaugh tears away at his and the guys’ yellow disposable outfits while singing. Somehow the routine never gets old no matter how many times you’ve seen it.

photo by MC Dub/Darker Waves

Last time The Human League performed in Southern California, at the similar music-themed Cruel World Festival in Pasadena last May, its set was cut short when the venue had to be evacuated due to potential thunder. This time around, the Sheffield synth-pop trio got to do a regular festival set chock full of ‘80s US/UK hits.

Phil Oakey, Susan Sulley and Joanne Catherall’s vocal harmonies were pristine as ever during the Motown-influenced “Mirror Man,” the idyllic synth strains of “Open Your Heart” (among five tracks played from major 1981 album Dare; a Pac-Man game was shown on a backdrop), luxurious ballad “Human,” a fun “(Keep Feeling) Fascination,” and the soulful “Tell Me When.” Oakey frequently mixed it up with the ladies onstage. An extended take on signature hit “Don’t You Want Me” prompted a loud singalong as more people than could fit in the Tiki Stage area tried to get a glimpse.

Before Blossoms appeared at Darker Waves, people on Facebook engaged in wishful thinking that the band would reprise its Smiths karaoke set with Rick Astley from Glastonbury over the summer. That didn’t pan out, but the Brits’ own tunes were quite memorable in their own right. One of a handful of younger artists on the bill, they came across like a breath of fresh air. 

Lanky long-haired singer Tom Ogden constantly roamed the stage. He and the other six musicians’ full-bodied, effervescent pop/rock sound fared best during “There’s a Reason Why (I Never Returned Your Calls),” the chiming guitar-led “Honey Sweet” off the 2016 eponymous debut album, an infectious “Oh No (I Think I’m in Love)” – where they stopped on a dime at one point - and the funky “Girlfriend,” complete with pedal steel and cowbell. Thoroughly enjoyable.

photo by George A. Paul

Violent Femmes is celebrating the 40^th anniversary of the classic eponymous debut album – Craft Recordings just released a highly-recommended expanded reissue with demos, 45 single B-sides, and live cuts – on tour by performing it from start to finish. In Orange County, they replicated the same order. The platinum-certified release conveniently contains Eighties college/modern rock radio staples “Blister in the Sun,” “Add it Up,” “Kiss Off,” and “Gone Daddy Gone.” The alt-folk band initially battled sound problems with the acoustic-leaning setup (including barbeque grill used as percussion), but it didn’t detract much from a highly entertaining set. Leader Gordon Gano even broke out the violin for “Good Feeling.”

Soft Cell, just Marc Almond for touring purposes while musical partner as Dave Ball recovers from an injury sustained last year, did three tunes from successful 1981 debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret (now available in a deluxe expanded edition). He also touched upon other Soft Cell releases including last year’s long-awaited reunion album Happiness Not Included. Aided by two male backing singers, he gamely tried to drum up audience excitement, but people were really chatty, seemingly unfamiliar with the non-hits or more likely, waiting for the Psychedelic Furs to follow on that stage. Once Almond and company finally got around to Soft Cell’s big hit cover medley “Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go,” the energy level increased and continued for the naughty “Sex Dwarf” at the end.

Texas goth rock duo Twin Tribes impressed with a transfixing early afternoon set, particularly during The Cure-like allure of “Shadows” and “Fantasmas,” a sinister-sounding “Heart & Feather” and crystalline “Still in Still.” 

Special thanks to C3 Presents for their help.