I always love chatting to Phil Campbell, he’s one of those guys you feel you’ve known for ages and someone you feel you can talk to about anything. Best known of course for his work with Motörhead and more recently his Phil Campbell and The Bastard Sons project, he has something a little different for us this time – a long awaited solo album, wonderfully titled ‘Old Lions Still Roar’. We caught up with Phil to talk about the album, the stellar line-up of guests, and so much more…
Phil: Hello Mark!
Mark: Hi Phil how are you?
Phil: I’m good thanks, just got a stupid timer buzzing on my phone – how are you mate?
Mark: I’m good thanks, it’s been a busy day, I’ve only had the album for about 18 hours!
Phil: You’ve only had it for 18 hours – you’re lucky I’ve had it for 18 years! (laughs)
Mark: (laughs) I know it’s been a long time coming but a solo album is something you’ve always wanted to do isn’t it?
Phil: Yeah, I guess for a lot of musicians when they’ve been in a similar situation in one band for a long time they want to branch out a little bit. But I was always too busy with Motörhead. I mentioned it to Lem, and Lem said “Do it Phil” but we never really had a lot of time off and I wasn’t really pushing for it then, but since Motörhead sadly finished I’ve had a little bit more time to do stuff. I’ve got my own studio up and running and so the time seemed right.
Mark: It’s great to see some of the guests you’ve got on there and there’s a very strong welsh connection throughout the album?
Phil: Yeah, I’ve got Benji on there and Nev and Leon, it’s good. I didn’t actually plan to have, well I didn’t have a plan really I just knew I wanted singers on the tracks and things like that and some other players but that was it. And everyone just wanted to be part of it when I asked them. So I guess I must have been nice to them in a previous life!
Mark: (laughs)
Phil: But it’s great that all this mega talent took time out to do something for me, I’m bowled over. No complaints at all.
Mark: It’s great to see all those names and then to see Jo Satriani at the very end; that was a bit unexpected for me but it’s a wonderful way to end the album!
Phil: Yeah and Mark King is hidden away on bass on that track too. Then there’s Matt Sorum and Danko there’s lots on there. They all did whatever they wanted for the track, you know what I mean, there was nobody doing it for themselves. That’s what I wanted these people because I knew they were so professional they would do what the track needed. And with Benji, I don’t even think Benji knew he could sing like that!
Mark: (laughs)
Phil: I don’t think people will have heard him sing that way, but we pushed him in the studio and I know he’s over the moon with it as well. It’s good, it’s all worked out perfectly really. I’m sure there will be some people… you can’t please everyone all the time but I’m really happy with it and I’m excited for it to come out next month now, and it is what it is. It’s done.
Mark: I think it’s gonna please a lot of people, sure some will take a listen because they see a name on there like Alice Cooper or Rob Halford or someone like that…
Phil: Yeah, it doesn’t do any harm at all and I think there’s a bunch of songs on there for everyone like, you know.
Mark: That’s exactly what I think they’ll find – they’ll get drawn in by maybe one of two names, yours included of course, and then they’ll find they’ve got a damn good album to listen to.
Phil: That would be wonderful wouldn’t it!
Mark: I think my favourite though, and bear in mind I’ve only played through it a couple of times so far, is I do love Nev on ‘Left For Dead’ I think it’s a great song and he puts on a great performance.
Phil: Yeah he’s great isn’t he?
Mark: How long had you had that song, I know you talked about having a few old riffs hanging around?
Phil: Well ‘Left for Dead’ was the last one, I put that together in my kitchen about eight months ago I think. The Satriani piano bit, I’ve had that in my head for a bout ten or twelve years, and the Benji piano one maybe just a bit less. There’s some old ideas, some not so old and some brand new stuff.
Mark: How does it feel when you’ve had a riff going around I your head for maybe years and you suddenly find a home for it? It must be a wonderful feeling.
Phil: It is pretty good actually. Some songs and riffs and pieces they just won’t go away like. And to finally get them down it’s like a rebirth or something, I don’t know if that’s the correct word, but to finally get a chance to put them to good use is great. The thing is I’m not really used to this solo album thing Mark, it’s all new to me, but it’s definitely something I would consider again. I don’t want to leave it too many years, but I want to do another ‘Bastard Sons’ album next year with the boys.
Mark: Fantastic.
Phil: Hopefully we’ll start writing again early next year. And with a bit of luck we may get an album out by the end of next year.
Mark: It’s a great title for an album too ‘Old Lions Still Roar’- who came up with that?
Phil: Well my son Todd who produced the album he came up with it, but as a song title about three or four years ago. And I said, “That’s great, I’ll tell you what let’s not write a song, I’ll keep that and maybe use it for my solo record.” So that’s where it came from but everyone’s gonna think it’s because I’ve got a bunch of ‘mature’ geezers on the album! (laughs)
Mark: (laughs)
Phil: It’s purely coincidence but it’s true! No one’s gonna believe me but that is the one hundred percent god’s honest truth! (laughs) And it’s perfect for the album really, but it wasn’t intended the way people think.
Mark: It has that extra meaning for me too now! Who was the first of the ‘old geezers’ to come on board?
Phil: I think it was Halford, but it’s all in a big blur at the moment! (laughs) I didn’t keep a diary of things but I should have, there was too much going on in my head at the time like.
Mark: Of all the tracks what do you think worked best for you, maybe better than you hoped? I personally love ‘Rocking Chair’ that’s a great song, great lyrics about your journey, it couldn’t really have started any other way? Then there’s ‘Left For Dead’ and I loved ‘Dead Roses’ and then the real rockers just kill it – you can pretty much pick anything from ‘Swing It’ with Alice, or The song Rob did ‘Straight Up ‘it just goes on…
Phil: Yeah my idea was just to have songs which held up by themselves and then just put them all together and try and get a decent running order to keep the album interesting you know, but there’s no underlying theme like. Leon asked me what he should write the lyrics about for ‘Rocking Chair’ as I thought I’d put that on first so I said maybe just write about how I started in the business, so he kind of interviewed me one night for a few hours, he had this little note book there and he put the lyrics together from that. He wrote the lyrics about myself and people like me still being around in the business after many years like, you know. But I just wanted each song to be a good song in its own right. That way you have half a chance of making a good record (laughs).
Mark: That sounds like the basis of a good album to me.
Phil: That’s the main thing isn’t it, because a shit song is always gonna remain a shit song!
Mark: Your right, no matter how you dress it up. It’s interesting you mention that about ‘Rocking Chair’ though with Leon taking his notes as he went, there’s some great lyrics, and I love his reference to Persian Risk he slipped in there.
Phil: Yeah he was clever with some of the words on that one, yeah. He sings in a band with my son Tyla, it’s a Welsh band called ‘The People The Poet’
Mark: They’ve been around a couple of years now, great band.
Phil: Yeah they did an amazing album called ‘The Narrator’ a few years ago. They’ve got some great new stuff out too, he’s part of the family now (laughs) and he’s clever, he takes his note book everywhere, he’s one of them.
Mark: He’s certainly got talent. As well as the guest vocalists there’s also some other musical guests too, where does the connection with Mick Mars come from? How did he come on board?
Phil: I just called him up!
Mark: (laughs)
Phil: Well we did a few tours with Motley Crue, quite a few years back mind, and I since found out that Michael Sweet from Stryper has been trying to get Mick to play on his records for years, someone told me last week, but he’s always been turned down.
Mark: It must be your Welsh charm Phil!
Phil: (laughs)
Mark: And some great drummers too – Ray from Korn and guitarists like Danko (Jones), he’s a great guy, and I know he’s a fan of yours.
Phil: I know Danko from touring over the years, we’ve kept in touch and like you say he’s a big Motörhead fan. I love his band. We did a few tours with them. Great energy, really enthusiastic. He’s good as gold.
Mark: He’s just been down to see us I Australia. Which leads me to my next question – when are you coming down to see us?
Phil: well there’s no plans as yet, it depends on what offers we get. It’s a long way to go, so we’d want some decent gigs, or to open up for somebody. I don’t want to be playing restaurants and things like that! (laughs) I’d love to come down again, but we don’t want a ‘chicken in the basket’ gig.
Mark: (laughs) We have download now Phil.
Phil: Oh that’s right, our gent will be on the case! Yu never know we might turn up out of the blue next year!
Mark: Well thank you so much for your time Phil, it’s always a great chat. All the best with the new album and talk to you soon.
Phil: Thanks Mark and happy birthday to The Rockpit! Been a pleasure talking to you man, bye! See you soon.
