Paul Nelson is a renowned guitarist that has worked with some fabled musicians out there. Following a new phase in his musical career, Paul formed the Paul Nelson Band and presents us his debut album. Read below what Paul told Grande Rock about his debut album, his band mates and his cooperation with the legendary Johnny Winter…
Hi Paul… it’s a pleasure to have you on Grande Rock…
P: Thank you so much for having me…
Do tell us… when did The Paul Nelson Band started and what led you to do so initially?
P: I felt it was time to do my thing once again so in 2015 I started putting together the best talent around…
I’d like to know how easy or not was to find Morten Fedheim (vocals), Christopher Alexander (bass) and Chris Reddan (drums) to accompany you on your new band.
P: Very easy... I had produced Morten Fredheim’s band and they had toured with us and I knew that someday I would have to have him in my net project. The same was true for Christopher Alexander his was playing with Samantha Fish’s band and they opened for us my tour manager mention that I should check him out so I did and I knew he was perfect as well. Chris Reddan was in Papa Chubby’s band and Lance Lopez’s band and they were opening for us (Johnny Winter Band) and I could not believe how good this guy was on the drums so he was contacted and the rest is history as they say.
What are those music secrets which make The Paul Nelson Band surpass the other bands of the classic rock/blues-rock genre?
P: Like them we write what we would like to be strong songs that hopefully strike a note with our fans…
Hence, which is that “Badass generation” that the album’s title refers to?
P: It’s a current term that this generation uses and it just fit what we were all about…
How did you come up with the idea of putting a “cassette” on the album’s cover?
P: It relates to the musical time we derive our influences from in a universal way.
I’d like you to comment on each track…
P: “Down Home Boogie”: First track fans get to hear me play slide guitar, which they might not know that I play as well I love the groove on this one.
“Keep It All Together”: Features Danny Louis from Gov’t Mule on keys – love the way Morten sings this one…
“Goodbye Forever”: Dixie Dregs meets Bad Co groove... (lol)
“Cold Hearted Mama”: A real rocker…
“Please Come Home”: One of the most different songs written on the CD; a big fan favorite has a very Allman Brothers groove…
“Root to All Evil”: Aerosmith vibe fan like this one a lot very British drum groove; love the way this one came out.
“Swamp Thing”: It’s about a girl back in the woods... the rest is up to your imagination hahaha…
“Come With Me”: I’d been working on this song in different ways for a while wanted it to very anthem like and I think we did it.
“Out of Time”: Heavy rocker about a man on the run…
“Trouble”: Had fun writing the main riff and lyrics great drumming and bass playing by Chris Redden and Chris Alexander.
“Fooled By Love”: Morten nails this one; he wrote the lyrics as well…
“Take It Back”: The return of guitar Harmonies!!! Real…
The album was engineered by Morent Fredheim @ Chop Shop Studios & Mike Goldberg @ IMP Recording Studios, mixed by Phil Magnotti @ Silvermine Studios and mastered by Joe Reagoso. Are you totally satisfied with the production? Personally, I like the fact that the album has a fresh, full and contemporary sound without trying to be “retro” as many bands are doing these days.
P: Very happy... yes we wanted to keep it fresh wanted to get inspired by the past... but not that much!
How did the guest appearances of keyboardist Danny Louis (Gov’t Mule), Frank “Kingbee” Latorre (harp) on Goodby Forever”, Susan Winter (cowbell) on “Swamp Thing” and Damon Grant (congas) on “Please Come Home” come about?
P: I had each one come in as the songs were being written. You start hearing instruments in your head and then you start making calls to the studio...
Will there be any lyric or concept video at some point and for which track?
P: Yes we have an album trailer for “Down Home Boogie” and a lyric video for “Please Come Home” out now.
What are your touring plans?
P: Looking at May 2016…
What are your expectations from “Badass Generation” and what are your long-term plans for The Paul Nelson Band?
P: I just want to put out good music for the fans and so far they are digging what we are laying out.
How important was your cooperation with the legendary Johnny Winter and how much did he influence you musically? Which were the most important life & music lessons that you’ve learned beside him all these years?
P: Very important he took me under his wing and I became his protégé; it’s not bad being able to say you here Johnny Winter’s guitarist and friend... Johnny lived the blues and his turned me on to that love and for that I will be forever grateful.
It’s time for our Weird Questions!!! What are those things that you do not like in the music industry nowadays?
P: Not much I think it’s working the way that it should…
Is the “free downloading issue” the main reason why the music industry has taken the downhill or there are others, more important reasons for that?
P: I think your right… hopefully it will get under more control, many signed artists loose a hell of a lot and it’s not right.
What do you think about this “Views, tweets & Likes” mania of our time?
P: Great it part of the business everyone has to work it... there is however so much promotion it all tends to get lost sometimes.
If you were an animal, which animal would you be and why?
P: A dog... you don’t have to worry about anything!
Which are the best 3 blues-rock albums of all time according to you?
P: “Saint and Sinners” by Johnny Winter, Allman Brothers & any Skynyrd…
Were you obliged to give just one album to extraterrestrials that would represent the whole human music, which album would it be and from which band/artist?
P: Tough one… probably “Night at the Opera” by Queen.
If you had the chance to travel in time… where would you choose to go? To the past or the future and why?
P: Future I guess... just to check it out but I would want to come back as soon as possible...
Fill in the phrase… “Blues rock music wouldn’t have evolved the way it did, if it hadn’t been for…”
P: Guitar players like Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter, Eric Clapton…
Who do you consider to be the best rock vocalist in rock history?
P: Freddy Mercury!
Which one of the Seven Deadly Sins you consider yourself to be?
P: None! (lol)
Imagine that your girlfriend/wife is selling your whole album-collection just to buy an expensive ring for herself. How would you react?
P: It’s OK, I have it all backed up on my hard drive!
I think we’re done Paul! Thank you very much for taking the time to do this interview. Wish you the best of luck in all of your future endeavors. Take care dude!
P: This has been great man thanks so much – Paul Nelson…
P: Thank you so much for having me…
Do tell us… when did The Paul Nelson Band started and what led you to do so initially?
P: I felt it was time to do my thing once again so in 2015 I started putting together the best talent around…
I’d like to know how easy or not was to find Morten Fedheim (vocals), Christopher Alexander (bass) and Chris Reddan (drums) to accompany you on your new band.
P: Very easy... I had produced Morten Fredheim’s band and they had toured with us and I knew that someday I would have to have him in my net project. The same was true for Christopher Alexander his was playing with Samantha Fish’s band and they opened for us my tour manager mention that I should check him out so I did and I knew he was perfect as well. Chris Reddan was in Papa Chubby’s band and Lance Lopez’s band and they were opening for us (Johnny Winter Band) and I could not believe how good this guy was on the drums so he was contacted and the rest is history as they say.
What are those music secrets which make The Paul Nelson Band surpass the other bands of the classic rock/blues-rock genre?
P: Like them we write what we would like to be strong songs that hopefully strike a note with our fans…
Hence, which is that “Badass generation” that the album’s title refers to?
P: It’s a current term that this generation uses and it just fit what we were all about…
How did you come up with the idea of putting a “cassette” on the album’s cover?
P: It relates to the musical time we derive our influences from in a universal way.
I’d like you to comment on each track…
P: “Down Home Boogie”: First track fans get to hear me play slide guitar, which they might not know that I play as well I love the groove on this one.
“Keep It All Together”: Features Danny Louis from Gov’t Mule on keys – love the way Morten sings this one…
“Goodbye Forever”: Dixie Dregs meets Bad Co groove... (lol)
“Cold Hearted Mama”: A real rocker…
“Please Come Home”: One of the most different songs written on the CD; a big fan favorite has a very Allman Brothers groove…
“Root to All Evil”: Aerosmith vibe fan like this one a lot very British drum groove; love the way this one came out.
“Swamp Thing”: It’s about a girl back in the woods... the rest is up to your imagination hahaha…
“Come With Me”: I’d been working on this song in different ways for a while wanted it to very anthem like and I think we did it.
“Out of Time”: Heavy rocker about a man on the run…
“Trouble”: Had fun writing the main riff and lyrics great drumming and bass playing by Chris Redden and Chris Alexander.
“Fooled By Love”: Morten nails this one; he wrote the lyrics as well…
“Take It Back”: The return of guitar Harmonies!!! Real…
The album was engineered by Morent Fredheim @ Chop Shop Studios & Mike Goldberg @ IMP Recording Studios, mixed by Phil Magnotti @ Silvermine Studios and mastered by Joe Reagoso. Are you totally satisfied with the production? Personally, I like the fact that the album has a fresh, full and contemporary sound without trying to be “retro” as many bands are doing these days.
P: Very happy... yes we wanted to keep it fresh wanted to get inspired by the past... but not that much!
How did the guest appearances of keyboardist Danny Louis (Gov’t Mule), Frank “Kingbee” Latorre (harp) on Goodby Forever”, Susan Winter (cowbell) on “Swamp Thing” and Damon Grant (congas) on “Please Come Home” come about?
P: I had each one come in as the songs were being written. You start hearing instruments in your head and then you start making calls to the studio...
Will there be any lyric or concept video at some point and for which track?
P: Yes we have an album trailer for “Down Home Boogie” and a lyric video for “Please Come Home” out now.
What are your touring plans?
P: Looking at May 2016…
What are your expectations from “Badass Generation” and what are your long-term plans for The Paul Nelson Band?
P: I just want to put out good music for the fans and so far they are digging what we are laying out.
How important was your cooperation with the legendary Johnny Winter and how much did he influence you musically? Which were the most important life & music lessons that you’ve learned beside him all these years?
P: Very important he took me under his wing and I became his protégé; it’s not bad being able to say you here Johnny Winter’s guitarist and friend... Johnny lived the blues and his turned me on to that love and for that I will be forever grateful.
It’s time for our Weird Questions!!! What are those things that you do not like in the music industry nowadays?
P: Not much I think it’s working the way that it should…
Is the “free downloading issue” the main reason why the music industry has taken the downhill or there are others, more important reasons for that?
P: I think your right… hopefully it will get under more control, many signed artists loose a hell of a lot and it’s not right.
What do you think about this “Views, tweets & Likes” mania of our time?
P: Great it part of the business everyone has to work it... there is however so much promotion it all tends to get lost sometimes.
If you were an animal, which animal would you be and why?
P: A dog... you don’t have to worry about anything!
Which are the best 3 blues-rock albums of all time according to you?
P: “Saint and Sinners” by Johnny Winter, Allman Brothers & any Skynyrd…
Were you obliged to give just one album to extraterrestrials that would represent the whole human music, which album would it be and from which band/artist?
P: Tough one… probably “Night at the Opera” by Queen.
If you had the chance to travel in time… where would you choose to go? To the past or the future and why?
P: Future I guess... just to check it out but I would want to come back as soon as possible...
Fill in the phrase… “Blues rock music wouldn’t have evolved the way it did, if it hadn’t been for…”
P: Guitar players like Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter, Eric Clapton…
Who do you consider to be the best rock vocalist in rock history?
P: Freddy Mercury!
Which one of the Seven Deadly Sins you consider yourself to be?
P: None! (lol)
Imagine that your girlfriend/wife is selling your whole album-collection just to buy an expensive ring for herself. How would you react?
P: It’s OK, I have it all backed up on my hard drive!
I think we’re done Paul! Thank you very much for taking the time to do this interview. Wish you the best of luck in all of your future endeavors. Take care dude!
P: This has been great man thanks so much – Paul Nelson…