November 29, 2007
Interview with rock legend Tommy Shaw!
by Ron Hollywood

With the non-stop tour schedule of STYX it’s hard to believe vocalist/guitarist, Tommy Shaw had time to record and now tour as the other half of Shaw/Blades. His duet partnership with bassist/vocalist, Jack Blades from Night Ranger/Damn Yankees has resulted in a harmony-high album, Influence filled with interesting classic rock songs. Tommy was gracious enough to answer some questions for us.

What was it that made this the right time for another Shaw/Blades album?
Nothing in particular, Jack was recording a solo album and invited me to come up and sing on a track he’d recorded which was an old favorite called Nature’s Way by Spirit. I sang on it and we both liked the way it turned out and how easy it was to get it done. On the way home I thought to myself, “If I was going to cover an old favorite, what would it be?” The first thing that came to mind was For What It’s Worth by Buffalo Springfield. I made a demo at home and sent it to Jack. He liked it a lot, and I then had an arrangement idea for Simon and Garfunkel’s I Am A Rock which I put down in demo form and sent it to Jack and got anther thumbs up. Soon he was calling me and holding the phone up to his car radio speakers, blasting YES’s recording of Your Move, insisting that I should sing it. It just got a head of steam that way and once we had three songs recorded we felt we were getting a story going and started playing it for people. A lot of friends first heard the Influence album in a serial form, one track at a time over a period of weeks and months.

What do you want people to experience from the Shaw/Blades tour?
We want them to have an uplifting, interactive experience, connecting with these songs we all grew up with in a live setting, hearing them sung beautifully and feeling comfortable to join in with us the way you’d sing in the car or the shower. It’s downright good for the soul. And in between there are plenty of interesting and sometimes funny tales of our experiences along the road to getting to where we are now.

For the tour you have guitarist, Will Evankovich (of American Drag) along. Why have a 3rd player and how did you pick him?
Jack met Will when he heard his band “American Drag” perform in San Francisco. Will’s an old soul and embraces the music from this era as part of the foundation of his own songwriting. He’s a multi talented string instrumentalist as well as being a singer who understands the way we harmonize. He helps to round out the sound live.

What is it about this continued great relationship you have with Jack Blades?
It’s easy. The things that usually are the most difficult to do—writing, singing harmonies, spending long periods of traveling together—it’s always been so easy we take it for granted. When we critique a show, we never even consider the harmonies, or things like that because when you have chemistry like that it’s second nature to you. It’s even gotten easier now that we’re a little older and wiser.

What’s your projection for a new Damn Yankees release?
No projection as far as I know.

You directed the Shaw/Blades video for Dance With Me and Everything All The Time for STYX. Is directing an art you’d like to go into more? Maybe even do videos for other artists or a film?
I’m content for now with my small projects and comfortable with taking my time in this arena.

Since you directed those videos who are your favorite film directors?
I love Joel and Ethan Coen’s films. They have a real knack for mixing comedy with drama and never seem stuck in one particular style of cinematography. I like Robert Rodriguez’s simple yet dramatic style and his one man band approach to making films.

Since you started your career playing in a bowling alley bar how good is your game?
I started 12 years before playing in the bowling alley lounge but even then I was usually working on music while there and maybe bowled twice during those six months. I’ve bowled quite a bit more in the past 10 years. It’s one of those things everyone can do a little bit, good or bad and it’s always fun.

The music industry has changed so drastically in the last few years. What’s your opinion on the new step that Radiohead and other acts are looking at as far as downloading product for the future?
Artists have had to find new ways to sell Cd’s since the collapse of the recording industry as we knew it. Newcomers are able to keep costs low and make a lot more money selling fewer records because they are not in partnership with a big company. It’s still good to have the clout of a major if they are using it to get you positioning where records are still being sold at retail. Most acts who have been around are stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea. I applaud Radiohead for taking that leap of faith. It paid off for them.

Since the last STYX and Shaw/Blades were cover albums, which artists would you like to hear perform either STYX, Shaw/Blades, Damn Yankees or solo material?
I’d love to hear Foo Fighters cover Renegade or Silver Chair do Coming of Age.

What is a memorable Spinal Tap moment for you?
At a gig in Las Vegas several years ago, a pregnant lady pointed out to me that the crotch had ripped out of my leather pants and that she was getting more for her money than she’d bargained for.

What is it that inspires you musically and personally?
The sound of a chord, the way a phrase rolls off someones tongue, or words of wisdom that I may have heard before but suddenly ring my bell.

Take Your Pick.

Audioslave or Velvet Revolver?
Love them both but have to go with Chris Cornell’s voice.

Jimmy Page or Pete Townshend?
Love them both but relate more to Pete because he plays, writes and sings his lyrics and seems endlessly curious about it all.

Mariah Carey or Christina Aguilera?
Both talented singers but Christina seems to still be growing as an artist where Mariah locked it in a long time ago.

Scripted shows or reality T.V.?
There are still plenty of excellent scripted shows. The genre is alive and well. Reality has already become derivative.

The film Ray with Jamie Foxx or I Walk The Line with Joaquin Phoenix?
Tough call, but I think Joaquin may have captured the pain of the tortured Cash a bit better than Foxx did with Ray Charles. Physically, it was Jamie Foxx hands down.

Hilary Duff or Lindsay Lohan?
Hilary is a well-adjusted young lady. Lindsay is a more interesting, flawed character. I’ll take Dysfunctional Personalities for $50, Alex…

Feel free to check out the official Tommy Shaw website.
TommyShaw.com

You can see even more Tommy Shaw info on the official STYX website including the Tommy Shaw directed video for Everything All The Time.
Styxworld.com

Other interviews
Previously: An interview with Drummer extrodinaire Dave Langguth
Next: Avril Lavigne press conference interview

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