ALBUM CONTINUES TO SIT IN THE TOP 10 ON BILLBOARD’S “BLUES ALBUMS” CHART 26 WEEKS AFTER #1 DEBUT!
PRESS RELEASE 6/7/24
FOGHAT has released the latest live video for “Black Days & Blue Nights” from their critically acclaimed new album (and first in seven years), SONIC MOJO. The song was written by the current lineup –founding drummer Roger Earl, lead singer/guitarist Scott Holt, slide lead guitarist/engineer/co-producer Bryan Bassett, bassist/vocalist Rodney O’Quinn & their manager Linda Arcello-Earl–about the band’s original lead slide guitarist Rod Price, who passed away in 2005. Price first joined the band in 1971 when Roger Earl, Dave Peverett, and Tony Stevens decided to leave Savoy Brown to create a new group, which they later named FOGHAT. In search of a guitarist, they placed an ad in the U.K’s Melody Maker magazine. Roger Earl recalls: “We auditioned several guitarists, many of them very good, but to the best of my recollection, Rod was the only one who played slide. His slide playing was very intense with this incredible vibrato. Dave and I looked at each other…he was the one.”
The video premiered on UltimateClassicRock.com yesterday and can now be seen on the band’s official YouTube page, which features footage of Rod from the ‘70s. Leading up to the premiere, the band had been posting videos of band memories and personal stories about Rod on their official website and social media pages. Also new is a Remembering Rod Price Page on the website.
Roger Earl: “This song is our Ode to Rod Price. Our manager Linda and I began writing the song, because she had also managed Rod for a few years after he left FOGHAT in 1980. We felt compelled to write something about him. Rod was a complicated man. He was a beautiful soul, and we were good friends when he joined the band. However, after four or five years on the road, it started to wear on him. He was seeking a more peaceful existence. We were touring relentlessly and although Dave and I loved it, it was tough on Rod.”
Bryan Bassett: “I have fond recollections of my time spent touring with Rod Price. The year was 1991. I was touring Europe with Lonesome Dave and it was an anniversary year for the band FOGHAT, the band having been formed in 1971. Dave asked Rod to join us on our European trip and he decided he would. I had a blast traveling around the continent with Rod, studying his playing style up close and personal, as well as becoming friends. We often roomed together and talked about many things outside of music. I had just met my soon-to-be wife Julie and my discussions with Rod about maybe getting married were very important to me. We also spoke about many different styles of music. He was a particular fan of Philip Glass and many other classical composers. I saw a side of Rod many may not have seen. Most knew him only from his powerful stage presence. I cherish the memories and the time I with spent him.”
Scott Holt: “Rod Price was the lynchpin of the guitars in FOGHAT. He was the lead guitar player and he created the sound that became FOGHAT. ‘Slow Ride’ doesn’t exist without that iconic drum intro and Rod Price’s slide playing.”
Rodney O’Quinn: “Rod Price! One of the most electrifying slide players I’ve ever heard. His vibrato was amazing and off the charts. All I can say is he was electrifying!”
Manager Linda Arcello-Earl: “When I started working for FOGHAT In 1976, I was put ‘in charge’ of Rod. He had the best giggle, fun to be around, incredibly talented, and very insecure. Making decisions on things like buying furniture for his new home was a real challenge. We had some laughs decorating! Rod and I were good friends, and I totally respected his extraordinary talent. ‘The Stone Blue’ tour in 1978 totally did him in. On the road eight days a week, they had very little time off. When he left FOGHAT in 1980, I managed him and a new band he put together called Nightwatch. We recorded six tracks up at Bearsville Studios in 1982 and did a brief Northeast club tour and had a good couple of years before things started to fall apart. I am working on releasing the Nightwatch recordings in the very near future.”
Upon its release, SONIC MOJO soared to the top spot of the Billboard “Blues Albums” chart, where it hasn’t left the Top 10 for the past 26 weeks! It’s the first time the band—which originated in 1971—has ever landed at #1 on any of Billboard’s charts after a new album release.
SONIC MOJO was released November 10 on their own label, Foghat Records, and is distributed by Select-O-Hits (part of the Sun Records family) in the U.S. by Proper Music in the U.K., and in Europe via Metalville Records. It’s available in various formats including a single CD boasting 12 electrifying tracks in a stunning six-page digipak and digital copies here. For vinyl enthusiasts, there’s a limited edition 180gram, neon purple vinyl version featuring 11 tracks and a gatefold jacket. Plus, extra special CD and vinyl bundles, complete with exclusive merchandise, can be found here.
The album’s first three singles, “ Drivin’ On ,” “She’s a Little Bit of Everything” (co-written by the late Kim Simmonds from Savoy Brown) and “I Don’t Appreciate You” are streaming on the band’s official YouTube page.
Vintage Guitar has immense praise for the recent music. “Few things in life are guaranteed – but one is that drummer Roger Earl will keep FOGHAT truckin’…FOGHAT’s trademark sound is here, with fresh twists planted in the blues – and even country…FOGHAT’s blistering guitar-boogie boogies on!” And as Riffmagazine.com declares, “Filtered through the lens of FOGHAT, the album has a cohesiveness to it. A sense of immediacy adds a personality that gives it its ‘mojo.’ Holt brings an authenticity to both his vocals and his bluesy guitar playing; though that’s no surprise for this one-time member of blues legend Buddy Guy’s band. He and Bassett clearly have the chops, trading lead guitar parts and solos. The tones are crisp and the band sounds tight on each track.”
The band’s journey began in 1971, and their legacy is written in Rock & Roll history with eight Gold records, one Platinum record and one double-Platinum record. Through ups and downs, tragedies, and triumphs, one thing remains constant: FOGHAT’s unwavering dedication to music. It’s all about the music, always has been and always will be.
Check out the band’s itinerary below:
Fri 6/7/2024 – Clearwater FL – Ruth Eckerd Hall
Sun 6/9/2024 – Orlando FL – The Plaza Live
Sat 6/15/2024 – Fort Lauderdale FL – The Parker
Sat 6/29/2024 – Miami OK – Buffalo Run Casino & Resort
Thu 7/18/2024 – Walker MN – Moondance Jam
Sat 7/20/2024 – Kimberly WI – Sunset Point Park
Fri 7/26/2024 – West Bend WI – Washington County Fair
Sun 7/28/2024 – Great Falls MT – Montana State Fair 2024
Sat 8/10/2024 – Beaver Dam KY – Beaver Dam Amphitheater
Sun 8/11/2024 – Bethlehem PA – Musikfest
Sat 8/17/2024 – Saskatoon SK – Saskatoon Festival
Thu 8/22/2024 – Shipshewana IN – Blue Gate Perf Arts Center
Sat 8/24/2024 – Gatlinburg TN – Gatlinburg Convention Center
Sat 8/31/2024 – Sparks NV – Nugget Casino Resort
Fri 9/13/2024 – Yakima WA – Sozo Sports Event Center
Fri 9/20/2024 – Manhattan KS – Mccain Auditorium
Mon 9/23/2024 – Bloomsburg PA – Bloomsburg Fair
Fri 10/4/2024 – Petoskey MI – Odawa Casino
Sat 10/26/2024 – Meadville MS – Homochillo River Festival
Sat 11/2/2024 – Cathedral City CA – Agave Caliente Terraza
Sat 11/23/2024 – St. Charles MO – The Family Arena
Sat 11/30/2024 – Baraboo WI – Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells
Sun 1/26/2025 – Solana Beach CA – Belly Up
Thu 2/13/2025 – Miami FL – Rock Legends Cruise XII
CONTACT:
Amanda Cagan
ABC Public Relations
818 990 6876
Amanda@abc-pr.com