Brad Paisley & LL Cool J Duet

Brad Paisley’s next CD, Wheelhouse, will be released on April 9th, and it will contain the first single, Southern Comfort Zone.  But until now, all other details about the album have been a mystery.  This week, Brad co-hosted Country Countdown USA with Lon Helton, and for the first time discussed a lot of specifics about his new album.  In fact, it was the first time many of Brad’s own people heard these stories.  

Since no one’s heard this album yet, what can you tell us about it? How much is the first single indicative of the album? “The album covers a lot of ground.  Think of that as the first track, which it is, and from there it takes you on a journey through genre bending stuff, which means I’m attempting to see what you can put into who I am in country music and still keep it recognizably me.  Also, it was done raw, in a farm house without being in a major studio.  There are some guests, such as Charlie Daniels, which is a neat way he appears, and I cut something with LL Cool J, and it won’t be expected either.  I think it’s the job of an artist to write what’s in their heart, and to try their best to see what they can do with their talent that can entertain people.  There’s fun things on here, there’s a song about summer that I love, there’s a song about the country way of life that’s got some interesting, strange twists in it, and songs about life and the times we’re in.  It’s always a challenge to do something new when you’ve had success.  That idea of being scared when you’re new is hard to recapture, and buy did I recaputure that on this album.”

LISTEN: 13-05 Brad1

At what pointin making this album did the “comfort zone” and breaking out of it happen?  At the start, I felt like as albums go, I’m very aware of what each record was for me, and what they became.  Albums are less important unfortunately, and I always loved albums.  I feel like in this case, I can’t do something like I did before.  My last album was a look at what I think traditional country music has become.  So I felt like the next step for me was what can I do incorporating things you don’t expect.  Because I have so many ideas for how you can talk about certain subjects, and does it all work.  One of my favorite things I’ve written for this album is called “Those Crazy Christians.”  It’s a gospel song about confusion and doubt, and I hope people understand, I hope they get my point.  I feel like the last thing this world needs is someone writing things that they think everyone will agree with and love.  So this record is full of honesty and other points of view.

LISTEN: 13-05 Brad2

It’s hard to write something you’ve never written before, and what’s the process like?  There were 22 to 25 things cut that I threw away before we got to the second verse.  We’re in the studio tracking it, we do a few passes, and I tell the musicians to go home.  That’s why we cut 25 to get 14.  Some of it’s normal for me, but every one of them is something I would not have done before.  Some of them are meant to push it further than others.  More than that, I think it’s a lot of fun, we sat in this house, laughing hysterically as we made it.”

Other guests on the album include Eric Idle, who is a member of the legendary British comedy troup Monty Python, and new country artist Hunter Hayes, who Brad has known for more than 10 years.  

 

Tags: Brad

Category: Audio