New Album release on the 1st July 2022.
Available on all main Streaming Platforms.
Pre-order from the 15th June 2022
The COVID years have not been kind to musicians all over the world. Live entertainment was literally banned for almost 2 years. Many Musicians faced the dilemma of either giving up their profession and make a living through other means or face the prospect of being inactive for a long time. I decided that no matter what, I was not not giving up. The last 10 Years, I have been working as a vocal coach and singer in different Tribute Projects, without spending much time writing my own material. When the whole world locked down because of the pandemic, I found myself with a lot of time on my hands, which I spent mostly in my home studio. This is where the song ideas started sprouting again and after writing the first one, I was overloaded with new ones. The album “Psychotic Tranquillity” was born.
I chose what I thought were the best tracks out of about 15 songs and settled for 10. The album title describes the feeling I had being in lockdown and not being able to perform live. The strange troubled tranquility of deserted streets, closed shops, empty bars, cafes. Just sitting in a room staring out of a window with a thousand thoughts and doubts shooting through your mind, not knowing what the future holds or whether things will ever be the same again. A psychotic unreal silence. And this is what got me to start writing again. The album cover shows my face with all its wrinkles and imperfections because I want listeners to see the real me. It’s all about the music. The lyrics are about everyday things that influence people’s lives, like greed, corrupt politics, social media, conspiracy theories but also about personal things like depression and suicide with one or two more lighthearted themes.
The music is a reflection of my bluesy hard rock roots with a modern hand-made touch. Having recorded the basic tracks, I started thinking of perhaps collaborating with someone else to give the album a more interesting feel. I had followed Wayne Camilleri from Malta and kept contact on Facebook and I really wanted to work with a Maltese musician. I love his prog style and I think he’s one of the most talented guitar players currently in Malta. His current release “Only The Heart Can Tell” is a fantastic record and he displays all his versatility on his album. So when I asked if he would be interested in contributing on Psychotic Tranquillity, I was totally happy when he said yes. I gave him a free hand and told him to just play what he likes on the tracks. His soloing on tracks like Poor Man’s Hero, Great Plan, Rain or Shine or on Skylight, which for me is one of the highlights of the album and where he did the most work, is simply excellent. An additional solo was played by my good friend and collaborator Guido Pyka on the song All Or Nothing.
In the end, I’m very happy with the way the album turned out and I feel it’s the best thing I’ve ever done. Not reinventing the wheel, just a Classic Rock statement from the heart. Release date for the album is 1st July 22 and will be available on all streaming platforms.