Believe it or not, Paul Reed Smith can play the hell out of the guitar. In a world where most builders spend more time at the drawing board than unleashing epic solos, Smith ain’t that guy.
Exhibit A is the latest release from his band, Eightlock. Lions Roaring in Quicksand shows Smith sharing decibels with heavyweight drummer Dennis Chambers and guitarists Mike Ault and Bill Nelson, all backing singer Mia Simone Davis. It’s a soulful tonefest.
How did the band get together?
Bassist Gary Grainger, Mia, Mike, and I have known each other for a long time. Once Dennis joined, I asked him, “What do you want to do?” and he said, “Let’s get together and see if there’s something there.” So, we got together. At the studio, I asked, “What kind of groove do you want?” Dennis said, “No, no… Play!” So, I started a tune called “Never Give Up On Livin’,” and the drums sounded like cannons and rockets – stunningly loud. There was nothing about it that I liked, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world (laughs). We finished mixing the tune, and I said, “What do you want to do?” He said, “Let’s do another.”
“Breathe” really sticks to the ribs.
“Breathe” is an old tune that Mia wrote with me, and Gary thought it was the best one we’d written. So we decided to redo it with this rhythm section, and it turned out so well we made it the first single. Ricky Skaggs’ engineer, Brent King, came out of retirement and helped mix it, and it’s got a hip-hop kind of thunderous bass – it’s majestic when we play it live. It comes to a head with the solo.
“Breathe” was the first song on which Mia heard herself on the radio, and it was a dream come true. She started screaming.
How did you find Mia?
Paul Rogers was supposed to sing at an event for PRS with Howard Leese, but he had to cancel at the last minute. We needed a singer for “Be My Friend.”
Mia’s mother was a full-time piano player in a gospel choir in Baltimore, which Mia joined at the age of three; she was a full-time member at six.
You’re all using PRS guitars and get these huge tones, but it’s never overkill.
Keb Mo’ said, “You’re a dirty dog for using that tone on top with the Graniger brothers’ rhythm section.” (laughs) He was surprised we were getting away with that tone on top of a sophisticated groove. It’s got a lot of gain, but it’s not over the top. It’s supposed to be saxophone-like.
What other gear were you using?
I’m playing my Paul’s Guitar, which has two humbuckers that sound like P-90s. The amp is the original, designed by Doug Sewell. The other was the Hendrix prototype, which became the PRS HDRX. We got to take Hendrix’s amp apart.
What did you discover about Jimi’s amp?
We opened it and our jaws hit the floor. They had done everything in their power to get it to not blow up on the road. It was in-between a Marshall JTM45, a 50, and a 100-watt – not stock by any stretch of the imagination. Looked like a rat’s nest. It had been in the basement of Paul Allen’s museum. Janie Hendrix gave me permission to open it, bless her heart.
What do you do with an amp that’s been sitting for 60 years?
You don’t turn it on (laughs). You get the circuit and build another one. The capacitors were dried up and it had military stencils all over it – “Handle With Care.” They didn’t have road cases back then. I would have loved to play through that rig at Woodstock.
What does the future hold for Eightlock?
We have a whole other record written and we’re ready to record, but we need to ride this horse for a while. People are just becoming aware of the magic that has been coming out of our studio.
This article originally appeared in VG’s March 2024 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
