Solo artist extraordinaire Richie Kotzen is the former guitarist for the band Poison, as well as the Band Mr. Big. He is also a renowned solo artist who has released around 20 solo albums, and is the lead singer and guitar player the new super group The Winery Dogs, who are taking the rock world by storm at the moment. Richie has recently released a new compilation album titled The Essential Richie Kotzen, and is currently in between tour legs in support of this special release. Metal Exiles had the privilege to speak to Richie to discuss the new compilation album, his current tour, a new solo album in the works, as well as the upcoming plans for The Winery Dogs.
An Interview with Richie Kotzen
By Michael Knowles
Metal Exiles: You recently finished up a tour leg in Europe in South America how was the overall experience?
Richie: Well it’s been great you know the band is playing better than we ever have, and we’re really excited about this upcoming run in the United States. We fly out of here tomorrow, out of LA and start on the east coast and we’ll be out for about 27 days, so it’s going to be a lot of fun.
Metal Exiles: Usually when an artist releases a best of package, they are either cashing in or closing the door on an era, what was the motivation behind the release, why was the timing right for a new compilation album?
Richie: Well the compilation was done to primarily answer a question that I’ve been asked lately and people are kind of rediscovering me and the question I’m asked is, you have so many records out, what record do I buy where do I start? And so we decided to put together a collection that would answer that question and also have content on their for people who have been following me, so if you look at the record, there’s 10 catalogue songs on the first CD plus two brand new ones, and the 2nd CD I selected songs I wanted to draw attention to and re-record them in a more stripped down acoustic way so that it would be more about the actual song and the lyrics instead of the production value. And so to go a little further, it’s not a greatest hits record and it’s not a retrospective, it’s just more of a collection of songs that I chose for people that want to get into my music. And the reason I chose these songs is that I thought these were compositions that are relevant to what I do today. I could have gone back to my first record but there’s no connection between that and the artist that I became so I just tried to put my best foot forward and tie into who I am as a recording artist.
Metal Exiles: Due to the overwhelming success of The Winery Dogs album, do you feel there has been an increased demand for your music?
Richie: It absolutely has because when we did that record, I don’t think any of us were expecting it to do as well as it did, I know for me personally I thought it would be a cool record to make, it would come out we’d do a couple of shows and that would be it, but we ended up touring for over a year so that certainly has helped all 3 of us and we definitely want to go back next year and write some new music and make a new record. I think it’s going to be very exciting to see where this band can go but the reality is my whole life since I was 18, I’ve always been a solo artist and that’s what I do and that’s who I am so I would never give that up or not do that but certainly having a band like The Winery Dogs is a great vehicle and a great opportunity.
Metal Exiles: Really love the new songs on this album as well, what’s the approach to writing new songs for a compilation?
Richie: Well the process of writing is always different for me, it’s really a case by case issue. I mean some songs I write when I sit down at the piano I have an idea. Other times I might have a riff on a guitar or sometimes I might just have a melody in my head with a title. So they all come from different places and it’s also when you are inspired and following that thread. Sometimes I have an idea for a song and I get to a certain place and I run out of gas, I can’t finish it, so at that point I document the idea and I come back to it later, and sometimes I come back to an idea that I’ve had for 10 years, stored on a hard drive and I go back and in that moment I finish it and I turn it into something. So it’s always a different process depending on where you’re at, how you’re thinking, and how you’re feeling.
Metal Exiles: You released a video for the new song ‘War Paint,’ I’m curious to what is the lyrical meaning behind that song?
Richie: You know this is a question I got asked in the last interview and it’s funny, on Youtube someone was questioning the video wondering what was going on, and one of my friends went on their and answered the question to perfection ,but you know as a rule I really don’t talk about lyrics other than letting people read them, and the answer for that is I feel like when you hear a song and you connect with a song, a lot of times you have a meaning for a song that’s personal to you and so if the artist turns around and starts talking about what the song really is about then suddenly that kills whatever connection you had with that meaning that was personal. So generally I don’t really dissect lyrics beyond what they say on paper.
Metal Exiles: Are there any details you can give about your upcoming solo album, release date, musical direction etc.?
Richie: Yes, the new record is called Cannibals, and we are actually playing the lead track Cannibals at our shows so people can hear that song there and I recently put a video on the internet for a song called “You,” and that song is on the Cannibals record so that is a little taste of what’s coming, and people can go on and check out that song, and that’s really it, it’s a 10 song record and it’s going to be a surprise I think for a lot of people, because it’s very different than anything I’ve done before.
Metal Exiles: I was just going to ask about your new song “You,” to me it is one of the most unique songs you’ve ever written, has a very somber feel, like with Walk With Me features the use of the Theremin, is it safe to say you are trying to break new ground as a songwriter maybe being more experimental for lack of a better word?
Richie: Well I think you know if you dig into my catalogue I’ve always just kind of done what I do, I mean there’s so many songs that I’ve recorded that actually don’t have a guitar solos for example. I tend to make decisions that are right for the composition. For example with the song “Walk with Me,” from the moment I demoed that song I heard a Theremin playing the role of lead guitar so to speak, I just heard it in my head so it was funny I went online I bought this thing I set it up, and for 2 weeks I messed around with it and I couldn’t do anything with it. And then finally I figured it out and I was able to get my idea across. But all my choices in recording just really come down to what the vocals are doing, and if I support that. So it’s not a conscious effort of experimentation or pushing, it’s just more of an effort of…it’s more about hearing, just the way that I heard the song that led me to that place. And the song “You” is a whole other animal because that piano part is something that my daughter was playing 4 years ago and she’s 17 now. But back then she kept playing this part, these 3 parts and I finally said what is that? And she goes, “I wrote it, it’s something I made up.” I recorded it and that lived on my hard drive for years and recently I went back and I found it and I decided to write lyrics for it and so we co-wrote that together. So there’s a lot of her in that song musically, so that’s really contributing to why it sounds so different.
Metal Exiles: Did she collaborate with you on any other new songs for the upcoming record?
Richie: She’s actually, aside from “You,” she’s not on anymore of Cannibals, that’s the only thing from that record, but she recently posted 4 songs that she wrote and produced and they came out fantastic, actually I tweeted it a while back if anyone is curious they can go to my Twitter account and download the link. She definitely has her own thing going and she’s very unique, has a very unique sounding voice so I’m excited for her and her exploring music.
Metal Exiles: Back to The Essential Richie Kotzen, Disc 2 contains acoustic recordings of some of your earlier work as you mentioned, how did you decide which songs would be the best choice to do acoustically?
Richie: Well you know for me it’s kind of instinctive, I can listen to a song and picture it translated acoustically, and it wasn’t so much about that, as it was finding songs that I really thought were overlooked so to speak. Like the song “The Road” for example , not a lot of people know about that record so I decided to put that on there, bring attention to it and you know the song “What Is” for example I did the original recording way back in 1997 so I thought it would be a good time to treat that song a little differently. And I had Dylan Wilson come in and play upright bass, and Mike Bennett come in and play drums on it, and they added something special to that so it was just kind of instinctive choices I don’t really…I’m one of those people who kind of moves on my instincts, if something feels right and makes sense I go with it, and if it becomes a hassle I usually just drop it.
Metal Exiles: Really liked that you included a version of the song The Road from your Wilson Hawk side project, really one of the highlights of this compilation, any chance that album will ever be released in a physical copy perhaps on the Loud and Proud label?
Richie: It’s not something we ever talked about but I would never say never, but that’s so off my radar right now. I mean I know the songs are out there, people heard it, but I think to do that there would have to be a real demand for it.
Metal Exiles: You included an acoustic version of the Poison song Until You Suffer Some (Fire and Ice). When you reflect back on your time with Poison what comes to mind? And do you think you took them in a better direction?
Richie: Well I think the one thing that did work well was the fact that all the other bands back then were putting out records and they were just not getting any attention whatsoever, and when we released Native Tongue, despite what was happening at the time our first single did extremely well, we immediately ended up with a Gold record and on that level it was a success. Unfortunately by the time we got to releasing our second single there was a situation where video outlets like MTV would not play any band from that era, and they just decided it was finished and over, not the fans. So that was unfortunate but it’s so far in the past it’s not something I ever really think about. What I will say is that I think we did make a really cool record and I do remember the making of that record being a lot of fun, and that’s it really.
Metal Exiles: Since we’re on the topic of reflecting back, what do you feel has been the key to your longevity in this difficult business?
Richie: Well I think the fact that I…I think there’s a couple of things at play I mean I started really really young so I was able to kind of evolve publically as far as my work is concerned, whereas a lot of artists they don’t start that young or they don’t have that much output you know they don’t put out that much work but I have a lot of work I put out over a period of time that kind of allowed me to grow and evolve and I think for whatever reason people that come to my shows connect with what I do, I mean I have a great fan base but I am not by an means a mainstream artist because I don’t really think in those terms I don’t focus on that. I focus on making myself happy artistically and I think the people that buy my records and come to my shows can feel that and that resonates with them that’s why we have the connection that we have.
Metal Exiles: Really like the album cover, it’s almost an inside look at the artist at work, you have the 5 o’clock shadow going, seem to be pouring your soul out over the piano, was the cover part of your creative vision?
Richie: That was a total accident, I was in Germany I was on tour with The Winery Dogs, and John Zacco our stage technician is a great photographer and we went outside and did a bunch of photos outside, and in an alley there was this piano sitting there, so he said “Why don’t you go over there and sit at the piano.” So we did a series of shots and when I submitted the photographs and I had a different concept in mind, I submitted the photos to the label and they just grabbed that and used that as the cover, and I think it’s very affective because it looks like I’m in the middle of trying to write a song, and that’s how that happened.
Metal Exiles: What gear are you using on this current tour?
Richie: This time…I’m always changing my amps I did one tour with Fender amps, another tour with Marshall, and right now I’m doing an experiment. Started hanging out with the Bogner guys and I’m borrowing an amp from them, and it’s a 1/12 combo, and then I’m going to power the 2/12 cabinet with that. I tried it out here at my house and it sounded really great so I’m curious to see how that will translate live. And as far as the guitar I’ve got a signature model, a Fender it’s a Telecaster and I’ve been playing that guitar for as long as I can remember. And I also have another signature product that’s going to be coming out, and it’s called the Fly Rig and it’s a little pedal that has delay, and overdrive, and reverb built into it, and it’s very convenient and sounds great. We took about 6 months developing it until we got it right. And then I have a Wah pedal and that’s really it, it’s a simple rig and you know I like to use things that are more of a blank canvas so to speak, so that I can really focus on stressing myself. Most of the sound I believe from a guitarist comes from the hands anyway so you want to use gear that makes your job easy but doesn’t dictate your sound.
Metal Exiles: You are a very unique solo artist in that you play every instrument on your records, in a live setting what do Dylan Wilson and Mike Bennett bring to the songs that may differ from the recordings?
Richie: They actually bring a lot and it happens every time I tour with them, I have a record finished and we all start playing, I think damn I wish I could record the the record now with these guys. And maybe that is something I should do, that would be an interesting thing to do, take all the songs and re-record it with those guys and film it that would be an interesting thing to do. But they bring a lot because they have a very different background than me. I mean I grew up listening to rock and R&B and not to say they don’t have those sensibilities because they really do, but they also have a deep jazz background. So where that comes to play is when we get into our improvisational sections, they are just so good at listening to what I’m doing, and playing off of me and back and forth. And what happens is that they actually end up elevating and pushing me into directions basically that I normally wouldn’t go. So it’s a very exciting thing for me as a musician to play with guys that have a different background than I have.
Metal Exiles: That’s interesting, probably similar with your other band The Winery Dogs I would imagine?
Richie: It is similar, but with The Winery Dogs it’s interesting, because Mike and Billy don’t have a Jazz background but then Mike has that progressive rock thing, and Billy’s approach on the bass is almost…well is like nothing anyone has ever done before, so there’s a whole other dynamic there. That’s one of the key things I talk about to young musicians, because a lot of the time they’ll ask me, you know how do you progress, how do you get better? And I think the key really is playing with other people and playing with people that have different playing styles than you, that can move you in other directions. Of course if you are playing your music you need to play with people that understand your roots and how to play your music, but when it comes to growth I think trying to put yourself in unique positions musically is a great way to move ahead.
Metal Exiles: Speaking of The Winery Dogs, any update on when the formation of the next album will begin, and have you guys discussed anything about the musical direction, or will everything come together through a jam session like the last album.
Richie: Well I think you know, I would imagine the process would be very much like the process was on the first record I mean we were very happy with the response we got, and it was an easy way to work, so I don’t think any of us would want to mess with that formula too much. And the reality is there really was no formula, all we really did was, we went in a room and jammed on a couple ideas, I ended up taking them back and writing lyrics and singing, and then I brought in about 5 or 6 songs of my own that we tried to turn into Winery Dog songs and it all you know was a smooth process. So the goal is definitely to get back, play together again and see what we can come up with together, see what we can come up with on our own and then ultimately make another record next year.
Metal Exiles: You guys were performing a new song live on the last tour, is that song for sure going to be on the new album?
Richie: I would imagine so, you know what’s funny about that song no one realizes it but I still haven’t written lyrics for it. Every time I sing that song I sing it different.
Metal Exiles: The Essential Richie Kotzen contains 2 demo versions of Winery Dogs songs, Regret and Damaged, which you wrote yourself and brought into the band, for the next Winery Dogs album do you have plans on bringing in songs already written, or will this album be done completely from scratch this time around?
Richie: If I need to I mean you know I did that last time just because we had only 7 or 8 things that we did together and we started recording the record, and I just started playing stuff that I had, and luckily they connected on some things and liked it. I don’t know we might get in a room and jam and come up with 15 ideas, and we might not need to dig into my archives, but again if I write something that I think is special and I think might work well for the band, I’ll let them hear it. But the reality is right now with writing and finishing the new Cannibals record, and all the energy that went into The Essential I will probably after this tour need some time off to kind of recharge, and then come back fresh and we’ll see where were at then.
Metal Exiles: I’d like to close with more of a straight fan question, I’ve heard you in the past discuss some of your major guitar influences, but I’m curious as a vocalist, who are some of your major influences?
Richie: Well definitely Paul Rodgers, early Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder to a certain degree, but probably the biggest influence for me, someone at one point in my life I actually tried to copy would be Terrance Trent D’arby.
That being said immerse yourself in The Essential Richie Kotzen as well as the Winery Dogs and discover an amazing artist all over again.
Official Richie Kotzen Site
BUY The Essential Richie Kotzen
An Interview with Richie Kotzen
By Michael Knowles
Metal Exiles: You recently finished up a tour leg in Europe in South America how was the overall experience?
Richie: Well it’s been great you know the band is playing better than we ever have, and we’re really excited about this upcoming run in the United States. We fly out of here tomorrow, out of LA and start on the east coast and we’ll be out for about 27 days, so it’s going to be a lot of fun.
Metal Exiles: Usually when an artist releases a best of package, they are either cashing in or closing the door on an era, what was the motivation behind the release, why was the timing right for a new compilation album?
Richie: Well the compilation was done to primarily answer a question that I’ve been asked lately and people are kind of rediscovering me and the question I’m asked is, you have so many records out, what record do I buy where do I start? And so we decided to put together a collection that would answer that question and also have content on their for people who have been following me, so if you look at the record, there’s 10 catalogue songs on the first CD plus two brand new ones, and the 2nd CD I selected songs I wanted to draw attention to and re-record them in a more stripped down acoustic way so that it would be more about the actual song and the lyrics instead of the production value. And so to go a little further, it’s not a greatest hits record and it’s not a retrospective, it’s just more of a collection of songs that I chose for people that want to get into my music. And the reason I chose these songs is that I thought these were compositions that are relevant to what I do today. I could have gone back to my first record but there’s no connection between that and the artist that I became so I just tried to put my best foot forward and tie into who I am as a recording artist.
Metal Exiles: Due to the overwhelming success of The Winery Dogs album, do you feel there has been an increased demand for your music?
Richie: It absolutely has because when we did that record, I don’t think any of us were expecting it to do as well as it did, I know for me personally I thought it would be a cool record to make, it would come out we’d do a couple of shows and that would be it, but we ended up touring for over a year so that certainly has helped all 3 of us and we definitely want to go back next year and write some new music and make a new record. I think it’s going to be very exciting to see where this band can go but the reality is my whole life since I was 18, I’ve always been a solo artist and that’s what I do and that’s who I am so I would never give that up or not do that but certainly having a band like The Winery Dogs is a great vehicle and a great opportunity.
Metal Exiles: Really love the new songs on this album as well, what’s the approach to writing new songs for a compilation?
Richie: Well the process of writing is always different for me, it’s really a case by case issue. I mean some songs I write when I sit down at the piano I have an idea. Other times I might have a riff on a guitar or sometimes I might just have a melody in my head with a title. So they all come from different places and it’s also when you are inspired and following that thread. Sometimes I have an idea for a song and I get to a certain place and I run out of gas, I can’t finish it, so at that point I document the idea and I come back to it later, and sometimes I come back to an idea that I’ve had for 10 years, stored on a hard drive and I go back and in that moment I finish it and I turn it into something. So it’s always a different process depending on where you’re at, how you’re thinking, and how you’re feeling.
Metal Exiles: You released a video for the new song ‘War Paint,’ I’m curious to what is the lyrical meaning behind that song?
Richie: You know this is a question I got asked in the last interview and it’s funny, on Youtube someone was questioning the video wondering what was going on, and one of my friends went on their and answered the question to perfection ,but you know as a rule I really don’t talk about lyrics other than letting people read them, and the answer for that is I feel like when you hear a song and you connect with a song, a lot of times you have a meaning for a song that’s personal to you and so if the artist turns around and starts talking about what the song really is about then suddenly that kills whatever connection you had with that meaning that was personal. So generally I don’t really dissect lyrics beyond what they say on paper.
Metal Exiles: Are there any details you can give about your upcoming solo album, release date, musical direction etc.?
Richie: Yes, the new record is called Cannibals, and we are actually playing the lead track Cannibals at our shows so people can hear that song there and I recently put a video on the internet for a song called “You,” and that song is on the Cannibals record so that is a little taste of what’s coming, and people can go on and check out that song, and that’s really it, it’s a 10 song record and it’s going to be a surprise I think for a lot of people, because it’s very different than anything I’ve done before.
Metal Exiles: I was just going to ask about your new song “You,” to me it is one of the most unique songs you’ve ever written, has a very somber feel, like with Walk With Me features the use of the Theremin, is it safe to say you are trying to break new ground as a songwriter maybe being more experimental for lack of a better word?
Richie: Well I think you know if you dig into my catalogue I’ve always just kind of done what I do, I mean there’s so many songs that I’ve recorded that actually don’t have a guitar solos for example. I tend to make decisions that are right for the composition. For example with the song “Walk with Me,” from the moment I demoed that song I heard a Theremin playing the role of lead guitar so to speak, I just heard it in my head so it was funny I went online I bought this thing I set it up, and for 2 weeks I messed around with it and I couldn’t do anything with it. And then finally I figured it out and I was able to get my idea across. But all my choices in recording just really come down to what the vocals are doing, and if I support that. So it’s not a conscious effort of experimentation or pushing, it’s just more of an effort of…it’s more about hearing, just the way that I heard the song that led me to that place. And the song “You” is a whole other animal because that piano part is something that my daughter was playing 4 years ago and she’s 17 now. But back then she kept playing this part, these 3 parts and I finally said what is that? And she goes, “I wrote it, it’s something I made up.” I recorded it and that lived on my hard drive for years and recently I went back and I found it and I decided to write lyrics for it and so we co-wrote that together. So there’s a lot of her in that song musically, so that’s really contributing to why it sounds so different.
Metal Exiles: Did she collaborate with you on any other new songs for the upcoming record?
Richie: She’s actually, aside from “You,” she’s not on anymore of Cannibals, that’s the only thing from that record, but she recently posted 4 songs that she wrote and produced and they came out fantastic, actually I tweeted it a while back if anyone is curious they can go to my Twitter account and download the link. She definitely has her own thing going and she’s very unique, has a very unique sounding voice so I’m excited for her and her exploring music.
Metal Exiles: Back to The Essential Richie Kotzen, Disc 2 contains acoustic recordings of some of your earlier work as you mentioned, how did you decide which songs would be the best choice to do acoustically?
Richie: Well you know for me it’s kind of instinctive, I can listen to a song and picture it translated acoustically, and it wasn’t so much about that, as it was finding songs that I really thought were overlooked so to speak. Like the song “The Road” for example , not a lot of people know about that record so I decided to put that on there, bring attention to it and you know the song “What Is” for example I did the original recording way back in 1997 so I thought it would be a good time to treat that song a little differently. And I had Dylan Wilson come in and play upright bass, and Mike Bennett come in and play drums on it, and they added something special to that so it was just kind of instinctive choices I don’t really…I’m one of those people who kind of moves on my instincts, if something feels right and makes sense I go with it, and if it becomes a hassle I usually just drop it.
Metal Exiles: Really liked that you included a version of the song The Road from your Wilson Hawk side project, really one of the highlights of this compilation, any chance that album will ever be released in a physical copy perhaps on the Loud and Proud label?
Richie: It’s not something we ever talked about but I would never say never, but that’s so off my radar right now. I mean I know the songs are out there, people heard it, but I think to do that there would have to be a real demand for it.
Metal Exiles: You included an acoustic version of the Poison song Until You Suffer Some (Fire and Ice). When you reflect back on your time with Poison what comes to mind? And do you think you took them in a better direction?
Richie: Well I think the one thing that did work well was the fact that all the other bands back then were putting out records and they were just not getting any attention whatsoever, and when we released Native Tongue, despite what was happening at the time our first single did extremely well, we immediately ended up with a Gold record and on that level it was a success. Unfortunately by the time we got to releasing our second single there was a situation where video outlets like MTV would not play any band from that era, and they just decided it was finished and over, not the fans. So that was unfortunate but it’s so far in the past it’s not something I ever really think about. What I will say is that I think we did make a really cool record and I do remember the making of that record being a lot of fun, and that’s it really.
Metal Exiles: Since we’re on the topic of reflecting back, what do you feel has been the key to your longevity in this difficult business?
Richie: Well I think the fact that I…I think there’s a couple of things at play I mean I started really really young so I was able to kind of evolve publically as far as my work is concerned, whereas a lot of artists they don’t start that young or they don’t have that much output you know they don’t put out that much work but I have a lot of work I put out over a period of time that kind of allowed me to grow and evolve and I think for whatever reason people that come to my shows connect with what I do, I mean I have a great fan base but I am not by an means a mainstream artist because I don’t really think in those terms I don’t focus on that. I focus on making myself happy artistically and I think the people that buy my records and come to my shows can feel that and that resonates with them that’s why we have the connection that we have.
Metal Exiles: Really like the album cover, it’s almost an inside look at the artist at work, you have the 5 o’clock shadow going, seem to be pouring your soul out over the piano, was the cover part of your creative vision?
Richie: That was a total accident, I was in Germany I was on tour with The Winery Dogs, and John Zacco our stage technician is a great photographer and we went outside and did a bunch of photos outside, and in an alley there was this piano sitting there, so he said “Why don’t you go over there and sit at the piano.” So we did a series of shots and when I submitted the photographs and I had a different concept in mind, I submitted the photos to the label and they just grabbed that and used that as the cover, and I think it’s very affective because it looks like I’m in the middle of trying to write a song, and that’s how that happened.
Metal Exiles: What gear are you using on this current tour?
Richie: This time…I’m always changing my amps I did one tour with Fender amps, another tour with Marshall, and right now I’m doing an experiment. Started hanging out with the Bogner guys and I’m borrowing an amp from them, and it’s a 1/12 combo, and then I’m going to power the 2/12 cabinet with that. I tried it out here at my house and it sounded really great so I’m curious to see how that will translate live. And as far as the guitar I’ve got a signature model, a Fender it’s a Telecaster and I’ve been playing that guitar for as long as I can remember. And I also have another signature product that’s going to be coming out, and it’s called the Fly Rig and it’s a little pedal that has delay, and overdrive, and reverb built into it, and it’s very convenient and sounds great. We took about 6 months developing it until we got it right. And then I have a Wah pedal and that’s really it, it’s a simple rig and you know I like to use things that are more of a blank canvas so to speak, so that I can really focus on stressing myself. Most of the sound I believe from a guitarist comes from the hands anyway so you want to use gear that makes your job easy but doesn’t dictate your sound.
Metal Exiles: You are a very unique solo artist in that you play every instrument on your records, in a live setting what do Dylan Wilson and Mike Bennett bring to the songs that may differ from the recordings?
Richie: They actually bring a lot and it happens every time I tour with them, I have a record finished and we all start playing, I think damn I wish I could record the the record now with these guys. And maybe that is something I should do, that would be an interesting thing to do, take all the songs and re-record it with those guys and film it that would be an interesting thing to do. But they bring a lot because they have a very different background than me. I mean I grew up listening to rock and R&B and not to say they don’t have those sensibilities because they really do, but they also have a deep jazz background. So where that comes to play is when we get into our improvisational sections, they are just so good at listening to what I’m doing, and playing off of me and back and forth. And what happens is that they actually end up elevating and pushing me into directions basically that I normally wouldn’t go. So it’s a very exciting thing for me as a musician to play with guys that have a different background than I have.
Metal Exiles: That’s interesting, probably similar with your other band The Winery Dogs I would imagine?
Richie: It is similar, but with The Winery Dogs it’s interesting, because Mike and Billy don’t have a Jazz background but then Mike has that progressive rock thing, and Billy’s approach on the bass is almost…well is like nothing anyone has ever done before, so there’s a whole other dynamic there. That’s one of the key things I talk about to young musicians, because a lot of the time they’ll ask me, you know how do you progress, how do you get better? And I think the key really is playing with other people and playing with people that have different playing styles than you, that can move you in other directions. Of course if you are playing your music you need to play with people that understand your roots and how to play your music, but when it comes to growth I think trying to put yourself in unique positions musically is a great way to move ahead.
Metal Exiles: Speaking of The Winery Dogs, any update on when the formation of the next album will begin, and have you guys discussed anything about the musical direction, or will everything come together through a jam session like the last album.
Richie: Well I think you know, I would imagine the process would be very much like the process was on the first record I mean we were very happy with the response we got, and it was an easy way to work, so I don’t think any of us would want to mess with that formula too much. And the reality is there really was no formula, all we really did was, we went in a room and jammed on a couple ideas, I ended up taking them back and writing lyrics and singing, and then I brought in about 5 or 6 songs of my own that we tried to turn into Winery Dog songs and it all you know was a smooth process. So the goal is definitely to get back, play together again and see what we can come up with together, see what we can come up with on our own and then ultimately make another record next year.
Metal Exiles: You guys were performing a new song live on the last tour, is that song for sure going to be on the new album?
Richie: I would imagine so, you know what’s funny about that song no one realizes it but I still haven’t written lyrics for it. Every time I sing that song I sing it different.
Metal Exiles: The Essential Richie Kotzen contains 2 demo versions of Winery Dogs songs, Regret and Damaged, which you wrote yourself and brought into the band, for the next Winery Dogs album do you have plans on bringing in songs already written, or will this album be done completely from scratch this time around?
Richie: If I need to I mean you know I did that last time just because we had only 7 or 8 things that we did together and we started recording the record, and I just started playing stuff that I had, and luckily they connected on some things and liked it. I don’t know we might get in a room and jam and come up with 15 ideas, and we might not need to dig into my archives, but again if I write something that I think is special and I think might work well for the band, I’ll let them hear it. But the reality is right now with writing and finishing the new Cannibals record, and all the energy that went into The Essential I will probably after this tour need some time off to kind of recharge, and then come back fresh and we’ll see where were at then.
Metal Exiles: I’d like to close with more of a straight fan question, I’ve heard you in the past discuss some of your major guitar influences, but I’m curious as a vocalist, who are some of your major influences?
Richie: Well definitely Paul Rodgers, early Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder to a certain degree, but probably the biggest influence for me, someone at one point in my life I actually tried to copy would be Terrance Trent D’arby.
That being said immerse yourself in The Essential Richie Kotzen as well as the Winery Dogs and discover an amazing artist all over again.
Official Richie Kotzen Site
BUY The Essential Richie Kotzen
