The band is led by singer/guitarist TJ Courtney, whose vocals and songwriting blend grunge and Nineties-inspired alt-rock. With drummer Derek Gledhill (Smile Empty Soul) and bassist Hayato Takano, a seasoned touring player, the ensemble makes for a no-nonsense powerhouse trio.
Prior to this new band lineup, Courtney recorded tracks at the Foo Fighters' Studio 606 with producer John "Lou" Lousteau and studio players including Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters), Rudy Sarzo (Ozzy Osbourne), Chris Chaney (Jane's Addiction) and Mick Murphy (My Ruin, Chevy Metal).
"'Sunny Daze' is definitely the most light-hearted song on the album, although there are some dark undertones to the lyrics that we’re going to bring out in the music video,” Courtney tells GuitarWorld.com. “I wrote this song when I was comparing a previous, completely crazy and toxic relationship to something new that felt really good and also really stable.
“Tracking guitars for this song was awesome because we were in the Foos' Studio 606; they have so many guitars and high-end amps lying around, it was hard to choose. We ended up using a blend of EVH and Friedman amps."
Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
