Page 9 - ISSUE 20

ROCKNATION ISSUE 20 PAGE 9

ROCKNATION: Hello Drought and welcome to Rocknation. to Be Gone picks
You just released your album “Tapped” produced by Todd up where Highway
“Taz” Anthony (Bang Tango, Dirty Looks producer) on Blue 16 left off. It also is
Ocean Music Group. Please tell us about the recording with very reminiscent
Todd as the producer. of the writing style
Shannon: Recording with Taz was a no brainer. He’s the that was prevalent
guitarist and one of the songwriters in Drought, and is also on the first album.
one of the best producers in Texas. He’s a perfectionist, and The funny thing
if something doesn’t sound right or doesn’t sound good about that song is
enough, he tells you. I worked for weeks
Mike: This guy will work for days on a mix…literally. Taz will to write a bridge.
always get the best out of you no matter how long it takes After I recorded
and never gets impatient. In the thank you’s on the album it, Taz came back
insert, I wrote that Taz treated this album like it was his kid. and said “Dude,
I don’t think there is a single song that ever leaves his studio your bridge is
that sounds bad. If there is, it means that you didn’t listen to better suited as
him. an outro.” He was
Shannon: I can tell you that this album went way smoother right… we tweaked
than the first. Having worked with Taz on the first album, we it and the end is
knew what to expect…how his process goes. I can tell you super powerful
that he has really honed in on his skills. You can hear it on and emotional. I’ll
the album. let the other guys
ROCKNATION: You team up once again with Anthony Focx talk about Stand
(Aerosmith, Buck Cherry, Ace Frehley) for mastering your and Monster.
CD. Please tell us about what he brought the table this time Shannon: Stand
compared to the debut release. was actually hang-
Taz: For me, it was a fresh set of ears that I trust with my ing out there for
mixes. He’s been my go to guy for the last 7 years, and quite a few years. We were undecided if we were going to
worked on over 250 professional projects so it was great to pursue it or not…it was a really political song. After record-
get him onboard on the Drought “Tapped” project. I always ing it, we changed the structure in order to update it. We
appreciate his patience in the process and allowing me to wanted to bring a little more to the table with the song to
get it right on my end. show that we’ve grown as a band. With the changes that
Shannon: When we got the master tracks back from were made, we changed up the lyrics to accommodate the
Anthony, we immediately listened to the entire cd in the car tempo of the song. Some of the lyrics stayed the same, but
and compared to the mastered tracks to the previous. I know we took the sting out of it.
we were drinking a lot that night, but wow!! The 1st song Taz: I agree with the Mike and Shannon, there was a
came on and it punched me in my face. With Taz doing such collaboration of songs, idea’s that we went through and
a great job on the mixing As always, Anthony Focx delivered worked from the ground up on lyric, melody and arrange-
a great finished product. It’s amazing when you sit back and ment changes to make the songs they are today. This is
really think about it. your second album how is your new one “Tapped”
I feel lucky to be compared to the debut “Untapped” in sound and direction?
working with this guy. Mike: It’s better. I think a lot of bands say that, but in this
Not many people get case, it’s so true. I don’t want to take anything away from
that chance. Thanks the first album…the first album was awesome, but this one
Anthony!! really shines. It shows that the band has grown…and in a
ROCKNATION: What good way. Shannon and Taz were the main songwriters on
was some of the influ- this album and they wrote phenomenally…it changed the
ences and writing direction. This album is edgier, there’s more of a variety of
process like for songs and tempos, the vocals are harder and more
“Stand”, “Monster” emotional. At the time, I’m not sure I was ready to tackle
and “Good To Be another album, but the material we had from Shannon and
Gone” to name a few Taz just begged for it.
of the tracks. Shannon: I agree with Mike. After the great reviews on the
Mike: For Good to Be 1st album, I was anxious to get back into the studio and
Gone, I wanted it to tie start working on the 2nd. With the new material that we
in the first album with were writing, we knew we had something more to prove to
this one. The song is ourselves and our fans. It’s really amazing what you learn
the answer or the sec- through the 1st album and what you can change or add to
ond part of Highway the 2nd. I felt a lot more open on this album and more
16 which references a creative as the 1st was a learning experience. The sound
young family’s plight and direction is beyond our expectations. It’s amazing when
to move out of the big you have Taz, Mike, and myself writing…all I can say is the
city and rely on each sky is the limit and I am proud to have worked with these
other to make it. Good guys again on such a strong and powerful album.
(Continued on page 10)