SPV GmbH
May 30
Words by Kris Peters
I don’t care what anyone says, without the blues, there would be no heavy metal.
Sure, the purists are going to argue, but let them. The blues created the soul in music, which created the attitude, which created the noise. Need I go on?
And if you need any further proof, take note of the fact that The Dead Daisies are getting ready to unleash their new album Lookin’ For Trouble on May 30, an album that pays homage to some of the blues greats that have had some bearing on the music and lives of the musicians who make up this fine hard rock band.
With returning vocalist John Corabi back on deck following his return to the band on last album Light ‘Em Up, the scene is set for a musical collection that combines the past, present and future of music into one slab of goodness, starting with opening track I’m Ready from Muddy Waters.
From the moment Doug Aldrich rips into a sizzling guitar riff to open the track, it is painfully obvious that The Dead Daisies aren’t just covering these songs. They are imparting their own DNA on the very fabric of their existence.
In abundance.
I have a feeling already that I won’t know many of these songs by name, but things are going to make sense as soon as the music starts, and I’m Ready is proof of this. I have heard this track played by cover bands in pubs for many years, but I have to say never with as much feel and charm as this.
Even the harmonica sounds great – and I have never been a massive fan, to be honest. The Dead Daisies are in fine form from the outset, creating a groove that is impossible to resist. The track isn’t massively different from how I remember, but it is definitely beefed up considerably, with Corabi‘s voice tailor-made for such music. Great way to start!
Freddie King‘s Going Down is up next, and I can’t say I am familiar with it yet. But there’s plenty of guitars already from Aldrich and David Lowy, which augurs well for the future.
The blues swagger is alive and well in Going Down, with an almost shuffling beat that drives the engine room. The Dead Daisies have always been a strong, guitar-heavy band, but so far on Lookin’ For Trouble, it seems they have found another gear. I’m not sure whether or not all of these guitar runs and solos are in the original version, but they are meaty as fuck and sound like they belong.
So far, if I had to use one word to sum up the overall vibe of the album, it would be fun. It sounds like the band are enjoying themselves immensely, be it the freedom of playing someone else’s music or the fact that they are getting to put their own spin on music that in part shaped their personas. Whatever it is, it’s highly infectious and solid as fuck.
Boom Boom from John Lee Hooker is next cab off the rank, and the slow drawl that accompanies the song’s intro takes you back to the time and place where it was born in the swampy confines of Mississippi.
This sounds very close to the original from what I can remember, which proves that The Dead Daisies are paying respect where respect is due. While there are songs you can take added liberties with, some don’t need tinkering with much at all, and Boom Boom is one of them. It represents an era of the blues that means so much to so many people, and the fact the band have kept the predominant nucleus is testament to this point.
The harmonica again makes a welcome incision, used sparingly for effect rather than as a dominating presence. I remember a good friend of mine – who used to sing most of these songs, which is where I learnt them – once said “it’s not what you put into a song, it’s what you leave out” and it’s obvious The Dead Daisies subscribe to this theory so he must be right.
Lead Belly‘s Black Betty is next and has a similar feel to Very Superstitious early on. I haven’t heard the original version, but have heard Spiderbait‘s version, and this is nothing like that. Whereas that one was a fast-paced joyride in a stolen car, this one is more of a Sunday afternoon cruise in the Cadillac version.
It’s catchy as fuck, and, yes, dominated by the harmonica, but it’s also fucken awesome. One of the beauties of music is that different genres can all find connection with each other, which is accentuated beautifully by the fact two bands from opposing ends of the musical spectrum have both covered Black Betty and both nailed the fuck out of it.
But I actually prefer this one better…
BB King‘s classic The Thrill Is Gone slides out of the speakers next, with a soulful and mournful guitar intro that sets the tone for an emotional and deeply resonating track that does more than justice to the original. Corabi croons over this as if he knows sorrow and pain, but to tap into these feelings, singing someone else’s words could not be an easy thing. Not that you would know.
Aldrich shines on The Thrill Is Gone, his delicate playing breathing life of its own into a song that many bands wouldn’t even attempt to cover. But The Dead Daisies have approached this track with a confidence and vulnerability that is necessary to recreate such a timeless piece of music.
Albert King’s Born Under A Bad Sign explodes out of the blocks next, decidedly more upbeat than I remember and twice as good because of it. As Corabi enters the fray, things pull back slightly into more blues territory – albeit with a sprinkle of The Dead Daisies thrown in for good measure.
Every song so far on Lookin’ For Trouble has been awesome for different reasons. Be it the subtle timing and tempo changes, or the accentuated guitars, or the silky smooth vocal delivery, every song hits the mark beautifully. I’m not sure how much time the band spent making sure things were perfect, but however long it was is more than worth it.
I know that I know the next track, as should all of you, a little ditty by Robert Johnson called Crossroads. Now this IS a treasured song for many, so if anything is going to derail this album, then this is the one. But from the moment the slide guitar rings out all notions of possible disappointment fly directly out the window. This is Crossroads on steroids!
While the start of the song is very familiar, it sounds like The Dead Daisies have made minor adjustments in some areas, but all are done seamlessly and without impacting the scope of grandeur that Crossroads inevitably brings. And if you are going to cover another band’s music, then the least you can do is offer up something comparable, which The Dead Daisies have done across every track so far.
This is definitely a much rockier version of the song, but it still maintains the core underbelly of the original, which I’m not sure is out of necessity or by design, but either way it works.
Robert Johnson is represented again with the next track Sweet Home Chicago, which opens with a wave of harmonica before settling into a groove. I might be wrong, and don’t crucify if I am because I am a metalhead, but this version actually feels slower and more precise than the original, which shows yet another side to The Dead Daisies‘ musical persona. It’s not all about speeding things up to make them tougher.
Sometimes less is more, remember?
By slowing things down, the song is given a tighter groove and swagger, which is exemplified by Corabi’s gravelly, yet smooth huskiness that drips with the flavour of the blues. I never thought I would actually say that I like a slower version of an already slow song, but The Dead Daisies have left me no choice. Bless their cotton socks.
Another track I know well fires up next in the form of Rufus Thomas’ Walking The Dog. A cheer of gang vocals kicks things off before the guitars take centre stage and set the rock-drenched blues wheels in motion. I don’t remember these gang vocals of “ai, ai, ai, ai, ai” being in the original, but I am probably wrong there as well. Either way, it’s a nice touch and acts almost as a vocal breakdown of sorts.
But once Aldrich flips the switch and lets his fingers go for a walk, this becomes his centrepiece of delight. His guitar soars, echoes, and wails in perfect harmony with the rhythm section, paving the way for Corabi to sweep in and add the icing on top. This track is also a vehicle for drummer Sarah Tomek to show off her chops, which I’m guessing would be the hardest of all the instruments to change in a song. Some delicate drum shuffles and moments of authority remind us that drummers need loving too, which I’m sure we all agree there should be more of.
Lookin’ For Trouble closes out with Howlin’ Wolf‘s Little Red Rooster, and once more we are met with a tasty piece of slide guitar that entices a shuffling of drums and a groovy bass line from Michael Devin that locks the track into a steady groove that pushes through the smoke drenched blues haze to deliver yet another win for The Dead Daisies.
The story behind Lookin’ For Trouble is almost as good as the listen itself, but you are going to have to head to HEAVY‘s interview with John Corabi to find out the juicy details of that story.
For now, sit back, close your eyes, and let the amalgamation of hard rock and blues engulf your senses and carry you on a musical journey into a world where there is no right or wrong. There just is. And that’s a place where The Dead Daisies are judge, jury, and executioner.
