Joe Bonamassa didn't release a studio album in 2019 but he's wasting no time in 2020 when he heads to Abbey Road Studios in January to track a new record. And he's told fans to expect something a little different from him.
“It’s very purpose-based, and maybe a bit more raw and rock than people normally associate with me,” he tells Guitar World in a new interview.
"You have to ask, ‘What can I do differently?’ " he says. "‘How can I challenge myself and the listener?’ You have to dig deep."
The decision to record at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London follows two albums recorded in Nashville.
“We’re going to spend two weeks at Abbey Road in January [2020] and record in Studio A, and it’ll be great,” Bonamassa adds.
“It’ll be a nice change of pace because we’ve done the last two records in Nashville. So we’re looking forward to getting into the raunchy weather and, you know, putting our ‘wellies’ on and cranking one out properly.”
I’ve immersed myself in my roots and it’s going to be really fun to do
Bonamassa added that most of the album was written in England too, with some British blues rock luminaries.
"I actually wrote most of the record in England, working with [former Whitesnake guitarist] Bernie Marsden and Pete Brown. And if you’re not familiar with Pete Brown, he was the poet that wrote a lot with [Cream’s] Jack Bruce for Disraeli Gears - stuff like Sunshine of Your Love and SWLABR, that really killer '60s beatnik poetry.
"So I’ve immersed myself in my roots and it’s going to be really fun to do. And you know, Abbey Road’s a bucket-list item for me, as far as wanting to set up shop there and do a record."
Bonamassa will follow that by working with Eric Gales on a new album. Both players recently featured in our 2019 10 best blues guitarists in the world today poll.
