Puddle of Mudd Guitarist Talks ‘Re(disc)overed,’ Metallica [Interview]
Paul Phillips says Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Alice in Chains among favorite albums
Who would expect the guys behind the grungy songs “Control” and “Psycho” to have admiration for classic 60’s and ‘70s rock, plus the talent and will to bring those songs to a new generation? That’s exactly what ensues on Puddle of Mudd’s new album of cover songs, Re(disc)overed, out today (Aug. 30), which has the men near-flawlessly jamming out to Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, Neil Young and more.
Throughout Re(disc)overed, stay very true to the original songs, even bringing on a cast of flashy backup singers and different instruments to match the feel and spirit of the first recordings. What really gives these songs a modern edge, without ruining their innate character, are frontman Wes Scantlin’s engaged vocals and guitarist Paul Phillips’ boundless energy and obvious love for the songs.
Phillips checked in to talk about Re(disc)overed and the band’s current stint on the Rock Allegiance Tour alongside Papa Roach, Buckcherry, P.O.D., RED, Drive A and Crossfade. Phillips also gives his Top 5 Rock Albums of All Time, and the list includes the one and only Metallica.
Were there any surprises that popped up during the recording of Re(disc)overed, as in something that you weren’t expecting going into recording a covers album?
I was surprised that some of the songs I thought we’d never be able to pull off, we did. “Rocket Man” by Elton John, for example. I’m a huge Elton John fan, but it’s such a stretch from what we do in Puddle, which is actually the reason I wanted to do it.
How did this process differ from recording a typical Puddle of Mudd album?
As a musician, it exciting to challenge yourself, and this being a covers record and not a Puddle record, it allowed us to get extremely far left from what we could do with a Puddle record. So, it was fun, and it was cool just hearing the playback and being like, “Wow, we actually did that.”
You guys are on the Rock Allegiance tour with Papa Roach, Buckcherry, P.O.D., RED, Crossfade and Drive A. What are you looking forward to on the tour?
We get to do what we love to do and hang out with cool people on tour, but anytime you put this many bands together that have had this many hits and there are this many shows, it has a synergy effect that’s greater than its parts. So, I’m looking forward to some big crowds and some crazy fans, and it’s going to be fun.
What’s your quick, Top 5 Rock Albums of All Time?
Guns N’ Roses, Appetite for Destruction. Master of Puppets from Metallica. Nevermind by Nirvana. Vulgar Display of Power by Pantera. Alice in Chains, Dirt.
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