Paul Reed Smith is an internationally known guitar maker, musician, and guitar player. Those facts are brilliantly evidenced on the debut album from his Eightlock band, Lions Roaring in Quicksand, which releases December 1st on Steele Records, distributed by Amplified Distribution. The first single, “Breathe,” will be released digitally on Friday, November 10th.
Paul Reed Smith – Eightlock is a band of high-level musicians who are friends and have “locked” together recording and performing a new kind of groove with its roots in Baltimore funk, DC go-go, and New Orleans swing. The band’s sound is a heady brew of blues, soul, rock, funk, and other roots sounds, all stirred up into a groove-alicious gumbo. The line-up is three drummers, a bass player, a female singer, and three guitar players. And the excitement around their three-drummer groove is infectious.
The band’s three drummers are: Dennis Chambers (John Scofield, George Duke, Brecker Brothers, Santana, Parliament/Funkadelic, John McLaughlin) who was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2001; Gregory Grainger (Whitney Houston, Acoustic Alchemy); and Ju Ju House the legendary DC Go-Go drummer (Roberta Flack, Trevor Horn and The Chuck Brown Band). Bassist Gary Grainger has performed with John Scofield, Nancy Wilson, George Duke, and Bill Evans. Vocalist Mia Samone Davis has a beautiful, multifaceted voice that got its start in gospel music at a very young age. Guitarist Mike Ault regularly performs with high caliber artists including Rachelle Ferrell, David Grissom, and Davy Knowles. Guitarist Bill Nelson is the Director of the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center where he was introduced and invited to join the band in their efforts to raise money for cancer patients and families.
“This group of highly respected and world-renowned musicians have a lot to say musically and spiritually,” Paul Reed Smith says. “It’s been an absolute joy to be the catalyst for their gifts resulting in the music found in Lions Roaring in Quicksand.” Added guitarist/vocalist Bill Nelson: “The musicianship in Eightlock is extraordinary, but what amazes me most is that the music – both the recordings and live performances – just keep getting better and better. Locking into an Eightlock groove is a dream.” And dynamic lead singer Mia Samone Davis summed it up by saying, “Creating this CD reminded me that, ‘Peace is the price when the mind is at war’……inner peace is priceless.”
In addition to performing and recording with his own band, Paul Reed Smith has played with artists such as Santana, Alter Bridge, and the Doobie Brothers. He was honored by Vintage Guitar Magazine as a Hall of Fame inductee in 2011. Paul has countless industry connections through all of the artists who endorse his guitars, plus invaluable marketing opportunities through his guitar company and all of the music stores worldwide that sell his guitars. Grammy-award-winning Mexican rock band Maná had him open a show at the LA Forum this year. In addition to 10 powerful original songs on Lions Roaring in Quicksand, the new album features a cover of a Maná song in English, “Ay, Doctor,” as well as scintillating versions of the Al Green soul classic, “Love and Happiness,” the legendary Edwin Starr song, “War,” and “99,” a European hit for Elliot Moss’ original version released in France.
Tickets are on sale now for PRS Eightlock’s show on Wednesday, November 29th, at Rams Head On Stage. Doors will open at 6:30 pm and the show is at 7:00 pm.
