BLACK STAR RIDERS frontman Ricky Warwick is set to release not one but TWO solo albums next month. The electrifying »When Patsy Cline Was Crazy (And Guy Mitchell Sang The Blues)« and the beautifully acoustic »Hearts On Trees« will be released as a double CD on 26th February 2016 via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. Until then, Ricky is teasing fans with another new track! Listen to the title track from the electric album, ‘When Patsy Cline Was Crazy (And Guy Mitchell Sang The Blues)’, here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQkzmMhyHAY
Ricky commented on the track and working with Sam Robinson: “We ended up in the pub one day and Sam said the words to me that every musician hates…he said ‘I’ve written some lyrics’ and you know when someone says that to you nine times out of ten they’re shite, they just are. You know everyone is a song writer. I’m not a plumber and I wouldn’t walk into your house and pretend to know how to do the plumbing but people seem to have this thing with song writing like it’s easy and any idiot can do it. So Sam handed me these words and I was just thinking ‘you know I really like this guy a lot’ and every time this happens they’re usually terrible or I can’t use them and you don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings…but he handed me these lyrics and my jaw hit the floor. They were the lyrics for the title track ‘When Patsy Cline Was Crazy (And Guy Mitchell Sang The Blues)’ and that title alone just evoked so many memories for me from my childhood. The strange thing is that Sam and I grew up about a mile apart from each other and supported the same football team, we had the same working class upbringing but never met each other. Now here was a guy who wrote in this song about the music that his father listened to, which was the same music that my father listened to; about his father working during the week, having a flutter on the horses on a Saturday, winning money, buddies coming over, the whiskey coming out, the cards coming out and we’d get to be the dj’s and get to put the records on – and when you’re 10 years old that was a big thing that you were in charge of the record player. You got to put on Sinatra, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline and all these greats, and that was magical…and Sam and I both had that when were kids so as soon as he handed me those lyrics I could hear the song, I could hear the music and I could hear the melody.”
The artwork for the double albums reflects the tone of each – »When Patsy Cline Was Crazy…« showcases the electric rock and roll side of Ricky, whilst »Hearts On Trees« veers more towards tender stripped-back songwriting, influenced by both Americana and, more importantly, Ricky‘s Northern Irish roots.
Ricky explains: “»Hearts On Trees« and »When Patsy Cline Was Crazy (And Guy Mitchell Sang The Blues)« were written by myself and my good friend Sam Robinson, both albums depict our experiences of growing up and coming from the Greater East Belfast area, not only experiences that have happened to us but historical references and stories that have been told to us by friends and family… in saying that both albums translate those experiences on to a global scale that hopefully anyone geographically can relate to.”
The release boasts an array of acclaimed musicians with guests such as; Joe Elliot (DEF LEPPARD), Damon Johnson (THIN LIZZY/BLACK STAR RIDERS), Andy Cairns (THERAPY?), Billy Morrison (BILLY IDOL), Nathan Connolly (SNOW PATROL), Ginger Wildheart, Jake Burns (STIFF LITTLE FINGERS), Richard Fortus (GUNS N’ ROSES/THE DEAD DAISIES) and Mark Thwaite (THE MISSION, PETER MURPHY).
The tracklist racks up as follows:
CD1 – »When Patsy Cline Was Crazy (And Guy Mitchell Sang The Blues)«
01. The Road To Damascus Street
02. Celebrating Sinking
03. When Patsy Cline Was Crazy (And Guy Mitchell Sang The Blues)
04. Toffee Town
05. That’s Where The Story Ends
06. Johnny Ringo’s Last Ride
07. Gold Along The Cariboo
08. The Son Of The Wind
09. If Your Not Gonna Leave Me (I’ll Find Someone Who Will)
10. Yesteryear
Bonus Tracks:
11. Ghost Town Road
12. The Whiskey Song
13. Tank McCullough Saturdays (Alternative Version)
CD2 – »Hearts On Trees«
01. Presbyterian Homesick Blues
02. Tank McCullough Saturdays
03. Psycho
04. Hearts On Trees
05. Said Samson To Goliath
06. Way Too Cool For Snow
07. Schwaben Redoubt
08. The Year of Living Dangerously
09. Disasters
10. 82
Bonus Tracks:
11. Love Owes
12. I Can See My Life (From Here)
13. The Ugly Truth
14. Hell Or Highwater
15. Eight Bells
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RICKY WARWICK & THE FIGHTING HEARTS live 2016:
w/ STIFF LITTLE FINGERS
25.02. UK Oxford – Academy
26.02. UK Portsmouth – Pyramids
27.02. UK Exeter – Phoenix
28.02. UK Cardiff – University (Solus)
01.03. UK Wolverhampton – Robin 2
02.03. UK Leamington Spa – The Assembly
04.03. UK London – Forum
05.03. UK Northampton – Roadmenders
06.03. UK Bristol – Academy
08.03. UK Cambridge – Junction
09.03. UK Norwich – Waterfront
11.03. UK Nottingham – Rock City
12.03. UK Leeds – Academy
14.03. UK Aberdeen – Garage
15.03. UK Inverness – Ironworks
17.03. UK Glasgow – Barrowland
18.03. UK Newcastle – Academy
19.03. UK Manchester – Ritz
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