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Riverdogs - California


Stefan

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Frontiers Music Srl has announced the return of RIVERDOGS.

Featuring original members Rob Lamothe (vocals, guitars), Nick Brophy (bass, vocals) and Vivian Campbell (lead guitar; DEF LEPPARD, LAST IN LINE). along with drummer Marc Danzeisen, the band has already started writing songs which will end up on its fifth album, due in early 2017.

A video message from the band taken at the recording studio can be seen below.

Campbell ended up joining RIVERDOGS after being tapped to produce their first demo. As an official member of the group, he would contribute to their eponymous debut album in 1990.

Though fans and critics gave the LP a warm reception, lack of support from their record label eventually led the band to go independent, with Campbell departing the lineup. Releasing another two albums in Europe, the group continued to pick up fans before eventually disbanding.

RIVERDOGS gathered in 2003 to record new material and play a few reunion shows. Those new songs were recorded as demos, but never completed.

In 2010, MelodicRock Records approached band manager Paul Liszewski about a possible release of these songs. The band liked the idea so much an agreement was reached and over the course of a few week-long get-togethers, the lineup of Rob Lamothe (vocals), Campbell, Nick Brophy (bass) and Danzeisen recorded final versions of the 2003 tracks as well as writing a couple of brand new songs. Added to the new "World Gone Mad" album was one live cut from the band's 2004 reunion shows, a cover of the BADFINGER classic "No Matter What".

Campbell, along with bassist Jimmy Bain and drummer Vinny Appice, was part of the original DIO lineup, which reunited in 2012 alongside singer Andrew Freeman to form LAST IN LINE.

LAST IN LINE's debut album, "Heavy Crown", was released on February 19 via Frontiers Music Srl.

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  • 1 month later...

Songs to appear on their 5th album??? What am I missing here?

 

Anyway, I like (not love) the debut but honestly would be surprised to hear something great from this resurrection. Very unexpected. Is Campbell out of Def Lep?

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Songs to appear on their 5th album??? What am I missing here?

 

Anyway, I like (not love) the debut but honestly would be surprised to hear something great from this resurrection. Very unexpected. Is Campbell out of Def Lep?

 

1. Riverdogs (1990/Epic)

2. Absolutely Live (1993/Dream Circle Records)

3. Bone (1993/Dream Circle Records)

4. World Gone Mad (2011/MelodicRock Records)

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Songs to appear on their 5th album??? What am I missing here?

 

Anyway, I like (not love) the debut but honestly would be surprised to hear something great from this resurrection. Very unexpected. Is Campbell out of Def Lep?

 

1. Riverdogs (1990/Epic)

2. Absolutely Live (1993/Dream Circle Records)

3. Bone (1993/Dream Circle Records)

4. World Gone Mad (2011/MelodicRock Records)

 

 

Well, slap my balls. I kind of remember rumours and talk about 'Bone,' now that you mention it, but I don't think I ever heard it. And I don't think I was aware of the 2011 release at all. Fancy that. Is either album actually any good?

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Never heard 'Bone' but I think I heard 'World Gone Mad' once and still think debut is better although I completely forgot how that 2011 album sounded.

I assume Vivian Campbell is still active in Def Leppard and this Riverdogs and Last in Line are his side project, probably studio projects and not live band ?

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  • 8 months later...

Album out July 7.

 

 

798.jpg

Tracks:

1 American Dream
2 The Revolution Starts Tonight
3 Something Inside
4 Golden Glow
5 You Are Too Rock 'n' Roll
6 The Heart Is A Mindless Bird
7 Searching For A Signal
8 Welcome To The New Disaster
9 Ten Thousand Reasons
10 Catalina
11 I Don't Know Anything
12 When The MIC Drops (Japan Bonus Track)

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Can't see this being even remotely good... but I'm curious. I doubt I can make it through more than a couple of songs, though...

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BREAKING NEWS: RIVERDOGS RETURN WITH "CALIFORNIA"
• OUT JULY 7, 2017 ON FRONTIERS MUSIC SRL
• First New Album In Six Years
• Featuring Original Members Rob Lamothe, Nick Brophy, and Vivian Campbell

The Riverdogs ARE BACK! Original members, Rob Lamothe (vocals, guitars), Nick Brophy (bass, vocals) and Vivian Campbell (lead guitar), along with long time drummer Marc Danzeisen, have reunited to record their fifth album, “California". The album will be released on July 7, 2017 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Mixing the soulful vocals of Lamothe with the edgy guitarwork of Campbell and solid rhythmic lines from Brophy and Danzeisen, the album marks a definitive return to the sound of their critically acclaimed 1990 self-titled debut album.
On the making of the album, lead guitarist Vivian Campbell says, "[w]hen my friends at Frontiers suggested a Riverdogs album in the spirit of the original debut record, I jumped at the chance to make it. In my opinion, "Riverdogs" was a highlight of my career with some of my best guitar playing and definitely a record that flew under the radar. Having a clear direction of exactly what kind of record to make really helped the four of us create the music and there was an intense collective focus throughout the entire process that never wavered. I really think that we hit the target in creating a record that has all the hallmarks, the integrity and the emotional strength of the original debut. The fact that we've all remained such close friends throughout all the years only added to the joyous experience that was the making of this record."

“Going in to this project, my goal was to enjoy the opportunity of making music with some of my best friends, to share this incredible experience with my family...and to create something that Riverdogs fans will probably think is pretty bloody awesome. Big guitars! Beautiful melodies! Words about crazy, complicated, real stuff! I feel like Nick, Viv, Marc and I all brought our 'A-Games' to the writing and recording sessions. That's way more important than money and awards and fame to me,” adds vocalist and guitarist Rob Lamothe.

Bassist Nick Brophy sums up the writing process for the album: “In summer of 2016, I found myself in Los Angeles, reunited with 3 of my closest friends, about to begin a new Riverdogs album. Marc had arranged a rehearsal environment at a friend’s house which was to provide the creative atmosphere for writing new material. I stood there with bass in hand thinking “OK, now what?” Little did I know that a few days later we would have six new Riverdogs songs and the album ‘California’ was born. The remaining six songs came, surprisingly, just as easily, a testament to the amazing talents of Vivian, Rob, Marc and the effortless way in which we work as a group. Our clear goal for this album was to remain true to the original Riverdogs sound and provide fans with a new set of songs which carry on the legacy of a truly remarkable band.”

Riverdogs formed in Los Angeles at the end of the 80’s, when flashy, glitzy hard rock ruled the day, but they were determined to avoid clichés and adopted an original sounding blues rock style. Vivian Campbell of Sweet Savage, Ronnie James Dio, and Whitesnake/David Coverdale fame at the time (soon to join and become a long-standing member of Def Leppard and later, founding member of Last In Line as well) was initially brought on board to produce the band's first demo, but was so impressed with the band that he actually became a member and played on the debut album. Soon after the release, Marc Danzeisen joined Rob, Nick and Vivian to complete the line-up.

Though fans and critics gave the album a warm reception and high regard, the unfortunate and age old story of change of personnel at their record label came about and eventually led the band members to go their own ways, with Campbell settling into the Def Leppard lineup and Nick Brophy becoming a respected engineer and producer. Riverdogs, with a reformed line-up, released two more records in 1993, "Bone" and "Absolutely Live", before going on an extended hiatus. They reconvened, with the original line-up, in 2003 to record new material and play a few reunion shows. Those new songs were recorded as demos, but only completed in the studio in 2011 when their last album, “World Gone Mad” was released.

Now, six years after their last studio album, Riverdogs have crafted “California”, a record that truly recreates the magical sounds of their early days and that will surely be welcomed with open arms by fans both old and new!

FB

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  • 3 weeks later...

I love Rob's vocals, and Vivian is a very versatile player, but outside of a few solid tracks on the debut nothing from their prior efforts really stuck with me. This new track isn't bad, but it isn't something I'd come back to much.

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