Purging the emotions that build up within the soul is the key to the blues, and Wisconsin group King's Highway purges their blues hard on the band's newest album, "The Line."
The Rat Pak Records group is fronted by the very intense lead singer Cedric D. Square, who delivers the songs with power, as if literally trying to exorcise personal demons.
The music that is collected together on "The Line" is what one would imagine fills the air at the various roadhouses and biker bars around the country.
I had a quick chat with Mike Stone, the new guitarist for the band, about the new music found on "The Line."
OnMilwaukee.com: What attracts you to do blues-based rock 'n' roll?
Mike Stone: I like a lot of different styles of music but it always feels good to play the blues.
OMC: What makes the blues feel so good?
MS: The end result of blues for me is feeling purged ... blues is a very emotional form of music that in a lot of ways is like therapy. You bring up different emotions, deal with them and let them go. The end result to me is feeling good!
OMC: What did making this album mean to you?
MS: I had a very clear vision of the album I wanted to make and it was very creatively satisfying making it a reality.
OMC: What was the vision for the album?
MS: The vision I had for the album was to play to the band's strengths (i.e. an awesome lead vocalist and a tried-and-true traditional blues band) and then add more structured song arrangements, not just traditional I-IV-V and 12-bar blues. Next was to sprinkle some '70s soul and R&B vibes through it. And finally, serve it up with a big slice of roadhouse Americana.
OMC: What were the writing sessions for the new album like?
MS: Tomahawk threw me drum grooves, Schultz had a bunch of riffs and I took from these and chiseled out what I was hearing in my head. The whole process actually went pretty quick.
OMC: You are on a record label that has a lot of metal and harder musicians on it. How do you fit in with Rat Pack Records?
MS: I have a great relationship with Rat Pak. They are a hardworking, hands-on label that wanted to branch out into other genres. It made sense to give them the ball.
OMC: Where do you have gigs this spring and summer?
MS: Throughout the Midwest and hopefully beyond.
OMC: What can people expect from King's Highway, live?
MS: A real deal blues/soul band delivering the goods with a lot of heart.
Born in Milwaukee and raised in the Milwaukee suburb of Brown Deer, Concordia University Wisconsin alumnus Poppe has spent the majority of his life in or around the city and county of Milwaukee.
As an advocate of Milwaukee's hip-hop community Poppe began popular local music blog Milwaukee UP in March 2010. Check out the archived entries here.
Though heavy on the hip-hop, Poppe writes about other genres of music and occasionally about food, culture or sports, and is always ready to show his pride in Milwaukee and Wisconsin.
