EXCLUSIVE
ROCK AND ROLL ICON PHIL CAMPBELL AND HIS SONS CREATE ONE OF BEST ROCK ALBUMS OF 2020 ! WE ’ rE THE BASTARDS !
There is no question one of the hardest working bands in the history of rock and roll was the mega-influential band Motorhead . You would think guitarist Phil Campbell would have taken some time to relax and smell the roses of a well-earned career . Then again , you can ’ t take the road warrior mentality away . Phil has found the best of all worlds . He is creating amazing music with his sons on what he describes as a “ Jurassic Park of an album ”. I have been a fan for 30 years . This was an honor to talk to a legend .
Talk about going from “ Age of Obscurity ” to this new record , what was the process like ? Were you guys going for a bigger sounding record ?
PHIL : We knew we had to work harder to do something better than our first album , because that one was really good . We did a couple of riffs in sound check last year . January and February we knocked around and molded the songs into shape . Then the lockdown came in March and luckily we have our own recording studio that I built . We took turns going into different rooms in the studio and staying socially distanced . Sonically it ’ s massive I think . It gives the speakers a good kick on this one .
A real nice tip of the cap to the old band on tracks like ‘ Son of a Gun ’.
PHIL : Being in a band like Motorhead for so many years , you ’ re going to have some reflections of Motorhead . I ’ m really pleased with it .
It ’ s 13 brand new songs . My favorite song is the last one , “ Waves ”. I ’ m really pleased with that one . The problem about 13 songs is what ’ s the order to put them in to give the best effect to the listener . It ’ s a good hard rock record with a twist because Neil , our singer , never came from a classic rock , Black Sabbath , Led Zeppelin style . He was more into Nirvana and Manic Street Creatures . He has given us a fresh sound to hard rock . With everyone ’ s influences coming together , we made a crushing album . I ’ m so pleased with it . It ’ s a bit of a monster .
You have been a road warrior your whole life . How have you adjusted to not playing live after an album release or are you taking the time to smell the roses ?
PHIL : I just want to be safe . I ’ m not getting any younger . This virus is knocking out fit , young people . ( Continued on next page )