Exclusive: BW&BK In Conversation With WHITE LION Drummer Troy Patrick Farrell
Boston-based scribe Deb Rao spoke with
WHITE LION drummer Troy
Patrick Farrell recently about a number of topics including the band's new album, Return Of The Pride, out now on Frontiers Records. The chat reads as follows:
Do you think this CD recaptures the classic
White Lion sound?
Farrell: "Frontiers released the album in Europe and beyond, Airline Records (Fuel/Sony) took care of North America and King Records released the album in Japan. The idea of Return Of The Pride was to go where White Lion may have gone, after a 17 year lapse. The line up is different, but the captain of the ship is still the same. We went into Return with every intention of making a White Lion album."
White Lion has often touched upon many different issues. What was the theme of this album centred around?
Farrell: "I think lyrics are very personal. I think it’s best for the listener to capture what they think the meanings of the songs are. I always like when I talk about songs with comrades of mine, and two people have two different meanings of songs. In this album, you’ll find songs about Religion, war, love and straight up rock. I don’t think the album had one particular theme."
How did the band approach the writing and recording of Return Of The Pride? I heard that it was recorded and written in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Australia.
Farrell: "Being an international band, the months of pre-production and rehearsals are impossible. Tramp, being the principle songwriter along with Claus Langeskov (bass), the songs took form through demos sent in emails. Eventually, the band was in one spot during a tour stop in Denmark to lay down the basics. Eventually more emails and more tracks, guitar solos in Australia, mixing in Copenhagen, and you have an album. If you ever want to start a band and do an album, I don’t recommend this process.".
Was it hard for the current White Lion line-up to go back into the past to write an album that has the classic White Lion vibe? Did everyone have to go back and listen to the early releases to get back into that '80's headspin, or did the band just play what came naturally?
Farrell: "I don’t think the idea was to make an album that should’ve come out in 1992 or '93. We obviously couldn’t release a modern rock or
CHEMICAL ROMANCE type album and alienate the old fans. That is our fan base. We need to appease them while introducing us to a new crowd that might catch a show with their mom or dad or older brother or sister. When you have Mike Tramp as your leader, from the classic White Lion, it certainly helps. The hardest part is breaking the mold of what people attach to White Lion. Some people expect the classic line up, but that just won’t be. Those guys have moved on doing other gigs and such. I do however think now that people have seen us live in this configuration, and now an album from the same members, it’s sticking a bit more. People are taking this as seriously as we are. Sure, there are plenty of nay-sayers and critics, but we move forward. We hope you come with us. With respect to approaching the new songs, we didn’t go back and listen to the “old” stuff, as we know it because we’ve been playing the old stuff, the classics in the set for over three years."
The rhythm section on Return Of The Pride is outstanding. How did your influences come into play? Did you listen to a lot of 80s bands including White Lion when you first started your career in music?
Farrell: "We’re called the Low End Bro’s for a reason! I grew up in that era, and my older brother Shawn played the 70s and some 80s. I grew up on
AC/DC, DIO, THIN LIZZY, CHEAP TRICK, AEROSMITH. Eventually I needed to claim my own music, and that was the
CRÜE, KINGS X, ENUFF ZNUFF, and yes, I think I owned the Pride on cassette!"
White Lion will be embarking on a major European tour that is slated to begin June 8th in England. Tell us about the tour and what the fans can expect to see on this run. Will the band be performing a lot of new tunes from the album, Return Of The Pride?
Farrell: "We leave for rehearsals June 1st, fresh off of our South American run where White Lion hit Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Mexico and Chile. It was the first visit ever for White Lion and we are already sorting out plans to visit again in 2009. On the summer UK/Euro run, you’ll hear what you expect to hear when you come to a White Lion show. You will most likely hear a few songs you never heard in the classic White Lion set, and now that the album is out, we’ll be adding a few new songs to the set. We played one new one in South America and it was well received, considering they don’t have the album down there. We appreciate the opportunity to test new waters in new lands with what we now consider, old friends in South America."
Also, White Lion will be performing at the Bang Your Head Festival on June 27th. What is so special about this festival that keeps the metal fans coming back year after year?
Farrell: "We played BYH in 2005. The best thing about this festival is that
White Lion, DIO, CANDLEMASS, LIZZY BORDEN and
JUDAS PRIEST can all share the same stage. You get rock, in all forms, shapes and sizes and there’s no other festival like Bang Your Head. They’ve been good to us and we appreciate the opportunity to come back".
Is there a release date on the upcoming White Lion DVD that was recorded at the Bang Your Head festival in 2005?
Farrell: "It’s nearly done. Now that we have captured some great South American footage, we’re considering adding just a little more new footage for the new song. We hope it’s out by the end of the year."
Will there be rare concert footage, interviews, etc on the DVD?
Farrell: "There will be the 2005 Bang Your Head festival in it’s entirety and all the goodies you expect from a DVD."
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