Shooting Straight From The Hip
Shooter Jennings releases his latest disc – Shooter – on August 10. There’s a definite 80’s Country feel to the disc, as the singer explains that the sound of the album is very much in line with such classic Hank Williams, Jr. albums as Five-O or the seminal Hank Williams Jr. and Friends. Jennings worked on the record with Dave Cobb, and said the two began passing around ideas for the album while co-producing the latest disc from Brandi Carlile, By The Way, I Forgive You.
“This record came together because of the Brandi Carlile record. She wrote me, and asked me to be involved in her record, then she asked me if I knew Dave Cobb. I said ‘Yeah, I do. We’ve done a lot of records together.’ She said she wanted us to co-produce her new record. I said ‘That would be so much fun. I hadn’t worked with him in a while.’ Dave and I had just spent three weeks inside RCA Studio A, so I kind of knew everything about that studio, so to be able to slide right into my record was very cool and fun. During Carlile’s record, the two began laying out the groundwork for the music that you hear on Shooter – ranging from the up-tempo rocker “D-R-U-N-K” to the introspective “Fast Horses & Good Hideouts.”
Shooter is by far Jennings’ most “Country” effort in a while, the son of Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter is known for his creative 360-degree turns. Already back in the studio working with Marilyn Manson and Duff from Guns N’ Roses on separate projects, he will be teaming up again with Carlile this fall to produce a new record on Tanya Tucker. Jennings says he simply likes being creative – whichever form it takes!
“I’m continually making left turns, so I guess I will continue to do that. I’m working on a bunch of records right now. I’m really enjoying ramping up the production side, that allows me to spend more time at home out in Los Angeles. It’s really hard to focus on records when I’m out on the road, because I’m sitting out there feeling anxious all day and waiting for a show. I can’t get the focus I need. I would really love to slow down the touring a little bit and do more production stuff before I do another record. But, who knows, man? Right now, we’ve got the Shooter record coming out, and a very extensive touring schedule. I guess I’m just going to stay busy, and spend the moments where I’m not busy with my kids and my wife, and continue going. I love making my records. I love making other people’s records. I know I’m going to be doing. That will be on my docket for the next ten years. At some time, I’ll be doing some performances here and there with other people. I just want to keep it fresh, and always do something new. That’s always what I want to do.”
Shooter Jennings: http://shooterjennings.com/