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LOS ANGELES, CA SLASH the iconic, GRAMMY®-winning guitarist and songwriter will return with his star-studded debut blues album and sixth solo album of his career, Orgy of the Damned, May 17, 2024 on Gibson Records, pre-order HERE. Today, SLASH has released the new track “Oh Well” which features outlaw country star Chris Stapleton on vocals, and is a transcendent and electrified, bluesy folk-infused take on the Fleetwood Mac gem, written by original founder Peter Green; stream “Oh Well” HERE.
“So, this is the original Fleetwood Mac, which was founded by Peter Green, one of the greatest singer-songwriter-guitar players, he’s less known in the public, but very well known to us guitar players re the 60s British blues and he’s up there with Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Nick Taylor. He sort of had a misadventure with drugs and disappeared early in his career, but he had some great fucking songs and ‘Oh Well’ is one of my favorites. I remember hearing the song on the radio when I was probably 13, they used to play both the older version of Fleetwood Mac and the new version of the band with Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham a lot. I always loved this song, and it’s a great guitar riff. I jammed it with the Blues Ball back in the ’90s, and I’ve played it live here and there. I knew from the beginning I wanted to do the song on this record. It was also one of the songs that I was trying to figure out who would be the right vocalist for it, and one of the ideas I had was Chris Stapleton, who is one of the most brilliant singer-songwriters today. He’s also got such a gritty and distinctive voice, so I called him up and he did an amazing job. I mean, his voice is so cool.”
–SLASH
A vibrant homage to the blues, Orgy of the Damned is a collection of 12 dynamic songs that shakes up and revitalizes blues classics with an organic stripped-down approach. By celebrating both well-known and largely undiscovered songs, SLASH offers a nostalgic nod to the past while reinvigorating the songs with his inimitable guitar playing and the spirit of collaboration. For Orgy of the Damned, the acclaimed guitarist reteamed with storied producer Mike Clink and enlisted the album’s diverse guest vocalists, which include Gary Clark Jr, Billy F. Gibbons, Chris Stapleton, Dorothy, Iggy Pop, Paul Rodgers, Demi Lovato, Brian Johnson, Tash Neal, Chris Robinson, and Beth Hart. Rounding out his blues band in the studio and on the road, SLASH reunited with two of his bandmates from his Blues Ball outfit in the 90s, bassist Johnny Griparic and keyboardist Teddy ‘ZigZag’ Andreadis, and brought on drummer Michael Jerome and singer/guitarist Tash Neal.
Listen to the first single off Orgy of the Damned, “Killing Floor” feat. Brian Johnson of AC/DC on vocals, and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith on harmonica which Rolling Stone hailed “a freewheeling bluesy solo,” and American Songwriter described as “rocking” HERE. Watch/share the “Killing Floor” video for a first look at SLASH and his blues band in the studio HERE.
SLASH’s Orgy of the Damned is available digitally, on vinyl and CD via Gibson Records for pre-order HERE. Preview the album HERE and for more information, go to www.slashonline.com.
Orgy of the Damned encompasses a broad range of styles within the blues genre, veering from an upbeat, rowdy take on Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads” to a plaintive, twanging rendition of T. Bone Walker’s “Stormy Monday.” Some of the songs, like Steppenwolf’s “The Pusher,” Charlie Segar’s “Key to the Highway,” and Albert King’s “Born Under a Bad Sign,” had been performed by Slash’s Blues Ball, while others, like Stevie Wonder’s “Living for the City,” were long-time favorites for SLASH. “Hoochie Coochie Man,” written by Willie Dixon and made famous by Muddy Waters in 1954, showcases the in-the-moment nature and unrestrained energy of Orgy of the Damned, with Z.Z. Top’s Billy F. Gibbons stepping in on guitar and vocals. The group went into a rehearsal room in North Hollywood and began hashing out soulful, rollicking takes on the classic songs. Everything was played live in the room, with an emphasis on improvisation which resulted in a collection of dynamic, energized songs that are immediate, raw, and distinctly familiar.
In celebration of the forthcoming new record, SLASH curated an all-star Blues lineup to join him on the newly announced S.E.R.P.E.N.T. festival touring North America this summer, including Warren Haynes Band, Keb’ ‘Mo, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Robert Randolph, Samantha Fish, Eric Gales, ZZ Ward, Jackie Venson, and Larkin Poe. SLASH’s S.E.R.P.E.N.T. festival, which stands for Solidarity, Engagement, Restore, Peace, Equality N‘ Tolerance, will bring fans together to celebrate the spirit of the Blues and raise awareness and funds for multiple charities that uplift marginalized communities, support mental health initiatives, and share SLASH’s restorative focus of elevating lives for the benefit of all. A portion of the proceeds from each VIP package and S.E.R.P.E.N.T. festival ticket sold will directly benefit the following charities that SLASH has selected The Equal Justice Initiative, Know Your Rights Camp, The Greenlining Institute, War Child, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The S.E.R.P.E.N.T Festival has partnered with PLUS1.ORG to support these charitable endeavors.
SLASH’s S.E.R.P.E.N.T. festival will kick off on July 5, for tickets and VIP packages, visit: www.SerpentFestival.com.
S.E.R.P.E.N.T Festival 2024 North American Dates with Warren Haynes Band, Keb’ ‘Mo, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Robert Randolph, Samantha Fish, Eric Gales, ZZ Ward, Jackie Venson, and Larkin Poe:
Fri Jul 5 Bonner, Montana KettleHouse Amphitheater*
Sat Jul 6 Airway Heights, Washington Northern Quest Amphitheater*
Mon Jul 8 Redmond, Washington Marymoor Park*
Wed Jul 10 Bend, Oregon Hayden Homes Amphitheater*
Fri Jul 12 Lincoln, California Thunder Valley Casino*
Sat July 13 Los Angeles, California Greek Theatre*
Sun Jul 14 Tucson, Arizona Anselmo Valencia Amphitheatre*
Wed Jul 17 Denver, Colorado The Mission Ballroom**
Fri Jul 19 La Vista, Nebraska The Astro Amphitheater #
Sun Jul 21 Terra Haute, Indiana The Mill #
Mon Jul 22 Cincinnati, Ohio PNC Pavilion at Riverbend #
Wed Jul 24 Interlochen, Michigan Interlochen Center for the Arts #
Thu Jul 25 Huber Heights, Ohio Rose Music Center $
Sat Jul 27 Windsor, Ontario The Colosseum at Caesars $
Sun Jul 28 Toronto, Ontario Budweiser Stage $
Tue Jul 30 Lewiston, New York Artpark Outdoor Amphitheater $
Thu Aug 1 Boston, Massachusetts Leader Bank Pavilion $
Sun Aug 4 New York, New York Pier 17 $
Mon Aug 5 Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Musikfest ^
Wed Aug 7 Cary, North Carolina Koka Booth Amphitheatre +
Thu Aug 8 Atlanta, Georgia Cadence Bank Amphitheatre-Chastain Park ^
Sat Aug 10 Clearwater, Florida The Sound-Coachman Park ^
Sun Aug 11 Saint Augustine, Florida Saint Augustine Amphitheatre +
Tue Aug 13 Huntsville, Alabama The Orion Amphitheater +
Wed Aug 14 Franklin, TN FirstBank Amphitheatre +
Fri Aug 16 Bentonville, Arkansas The Momentary ^^
Sat Aug 17 Grand Prairie, Texas Texas Trust CU Theatre ^^
* Warren Haynes Band, Samantha Fish, and Eric Gales
** Keb’ ‘Mo, Samantha Fish, and Jackie Venson
# Keb’ ‘Mo, ZZ Ward ,and Jackie Venson
$ Keb’ ‘Mo, ZZ Ward, and Robert Randolph
^ZZ Ward and Robert Randolph
+ Larkin Poe, ZZ Ward, and Robert Randolph
^^Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, ZZ Ward, and Robert Randolph
SLASH:
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YOUTUBE MUSIC | APPLE MUSIC | AMAZON MUSIC
SLASH’s S.E.R.P.E.N.T Festival:
Gibson Records:
Slash photo credits: Gene Kirkland
