Foghat RecordsVeteran boogie rockers Foghat released a new studio album called Under the Influence last month. Founding drummer Roger Earl says his wife and the group’s manager suggested the title after hearing the band members discussing their concept for the album.
“We were talking about what sort of attitude we want to have on the record,” Earl tells ABC Radio. “Basically, it was like different songs or styles and attitudes of music that influenced us over the years.”
Under the Influence features new original material written by the band members and some of their musical friends; covers of a couple of songs by Savoy Brown, the British band Earl played in prior to Foghat; a rendition of Marvin Gaye‘s “Heard It Through the Grapevine”; and a remake of Foghat’s signature tune “Slow Ride.”
Foghat began working on Under the Influence about three years ago at their Florida studio, then moved the sessions to the Nashville area, where they worked with producer Tom Hambridge. Hambridge, known for his Grammy-winning collaborations with Buddy Guy, also co-wrote six of the album’s 12 tracks.
The album also features guest appearances by Savoy Brown’s Kim Simmonds, longtime Buddy Guy guitarist Scott Holt, powerhouse singer Dana Fuchs and, perhaps most notably, ex-Foghat bassist/producer Nick Jameson. Jameson produced and played bass on the band’s most successful studio album, 1975’s Fool for the City — which features the original version of “Slow Ride” — and he also lent his bass skills to the new rendition of the tune.
Foghat lead guitarist Bryan Bassett tells ABC Radio about Under the Influence, “We really attempted to capture the old-school Foghat sound, from the way we recorded, which was mostly live in a room, minimal overdubs and no messing around with [a] computer…I think we got pretty close to what we wanted to do.”
Find out more info about Under the Influence, and check out a list of the band’s upcoming tour dates at Foghat.net.
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