Myles Kennedy is best known – and rightfully so – for his amazing vocal prowess honed through The Mayfield Four, Alter Bridge and Slash & The Conspirators, but with his solo project and albums, the musical enigma finds himself with the freedom to pursue his other musical passion, the guitar, with much less expectation or scrutiny.
With his first solo album Year Of The Tiger in 2018, Kennedy explored a more acoustic ambience, immersing himself in his musical storytelling and allowing the sheer beauty of his songs do the talking.
With his follow up The Ides Of March Kennedy has continued that laid back approach, this time with electric guitar and an assortment of instruments such as the lap steel, mandolin and slide guitar to guide him on his vocal journey, culminating in a masterfully crafted and well-engineered collection of tunes that showcase yet another side to the man’s musical diversity.
Kennedy sat down with HEAVY earlier this week to discuss the new album and his newfound freedom of expression.
With The Ides Of March coming ut last week we start by asking how the reception has been so far.
“Well my Mom says she likes it,” he laughed. “I’m kind of funny in that way. I generally don’t read much press. I put a record out and throw it out there and walk away but my Mom has been surprisingly supportive of this record so I guess that says something.”
Often expectations – particularly from fans – can bury an album even before it has been released, and as such Kennedy admits both personal and public expectations are a thing he tries not to focus on.
“I’ve kind of learned expectations are… you’re setting yourself up for heartbreak if you’re not careful, so I think during this time… so many times I like to just put a record out and hopefully tour it – which honestly is a little challenging right now – but, you know, I think the expectation for me is something that comes from the songwriting. When I’m making a record I tend to be my own worst critic so often times I will drive myself half crazy trying to be at a certain level as a writer so once that’s done, once I feel that I have made myself happy, then all I can do is hopefully make someone else happy but as the worst critic I know, myself, that’s the person I’m trying to get it past.”
In the full interview, Myles talks more about the music on The Ides Of March, the decision to make it eclectic and electric, playing guitar and singing, writing music to his own guitar parts, the life and musical lessons he has taken from each band, his top three Commandments of Rock and more.
Watch “Get Along” below:
