Page 4 - Rocknation Issue 28_Neat

PAGE 4 ROCKNATION ISSUE 28

Interview with Derek Davis

Hello Derek you have a new CD called “Live Lightning” coming out in
March, what songs are featured on this release?
Derek: We have 14 songs total on the new release, all taken from our live
show sets. Of course we have the hits, Hammer Swings Down, Kid Goes
Wild, Bang Go The Bells from our debut release, also Bad Blood from the
“Nothing Sacred” album and songs from “American Blitzkrieg”, “The Lost
Sessions” and our last album “Revelation Highway”are included.

What shows did you record these songs at?
Derek: We had three shows to choose songs from that were mobile unit recordings. But most of the
songs were taken from one show at Swiss Park Concert Hall In Newark CA .They seemed to sound the
most together.

Can you tell the fans about possible new songs for a studio release in 2023?
Derek: We have been doing demos for a year or so now and have most of the material that we are con-
fident with that we are probably going to use. I think we have some real stand outs. We have tracks like
“Sucker For Me’, “Looking For A Heartbeat”, Wrecking Machine, and a great ballad called “ I Will Never
Break Again’, and really Tom I think all these songs would be massive AOR hits if it were back in the day
when bands like ours ruled radio and main stream MTV, Head Bangers Ball and the music scene that was
happening back then.

A flashback question, what was it like working with Producer/Songwriter Jack Ponti?
Derek: Jack is a great producer/artist/manager and has many, many song writing hits too. He’s written for
Alice Cooper, Bon Jovi, Skid Row, Doro and many other great artists. Of course Babylon A.D. is on that list
too. He’s also managed R’n’B artists like Grammy award winner India Arie, Boys to Men and many more,
he’s like the mastermind Obi-Wan Kenobi, Master Jedi of a lot of music that people listen too but don’t
know he is involved, he is a very private person and shuns the spotlight. And I am proud to still have him
as a friend.

Of all the concerts you have performed
worldwide, which one stands out as
the best?
Derek: Wow that’s a very hard one,
because we have played a lot of shows
over the years. One that stands out at
the moment is the Arizona Fest around
1991 I think - There was every hard rock
band on the planet playing a three day
event for around 40,000 people a day -
The stage was massive and we were at
our peek. It was mind blowing, There are
many more recent shows I can talk about
but this one was crazy and really fun..