Huey Lewis and the News at Ardent Studios
By Daniel J Russo, Ardent Studios dot com
HLN at Ardent Studios, January, 2010.L to R: Ralph Arista, Bill Gibson, Johnny Colla, engineer Jim Gaines, 2nd assistant Lydia Gilman (seated), Huey Lewis, assistant Curry Weber, and Sean Hopper.22 January 2010, (posted at hln.org 23 January 2010): Superstar, R&B aficionado, and all-around nice guy Huey Lewis came to Ardent this month to start work on a new record. And yes – he brought the News. Together they were working on a Stax tribute record – yet to be titled – and felt that Memphis and Ardent were the way to go for just such a project. Says Lewis of the record: “…we’re trying to do it right, and I think if you’re down here you’re a little bit more careful.”
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Funk meets pop: Huey Lewis, Devon Allman record at Ardent
By Mark Jordan, Go Memphis dot com
18 January 2010, (posted at hln.org 19 January 2010): The scene in Ardent Studios in Midtown last week resembled some strange, never-happened recording session from the distant past: Devon Allman, strongly resembling his father — lead singer and organist in the Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame band the Allman Brothers — was overseeing an overdubbing session with Huey Lewis of Huey Lewis and the News fame.
“We met by the coffee machine,” says Allman of the happenstance that led to Lewis stepping into Ardent’s Studio C Wednesday to lay down a part on “Could Get Dangerous,” a funk-pop track from the upcoming sophomore release from Allman’s band Honeytribe. “He heard the tracks, and we kind of hit it off. We had this track that was just screaming for him, and he came in and blew harp on a song. Nailed it in like one take, too.”
Down the hall...
Lewis and the News are less obviously awe-struck by their first foray into the legendary Ardent Studios, where Bob Dylan, R.E.M., Stevie Ray Vaughan, and numerous others have recorded. The Grammy-winning nine-piece band has recorded eight studio albums over their three decades together. But for the band’s first new record in nine years, a Stax tribute album, the band felt compelled to be as close to the source as possible.
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"Ask The Band" 2009
A Nice li'l Present from the Band!
Posted by debP, HLN Today Co-Editor.
24 December 2009: The questions recently sent to band members written by forum members of HLN.org have been answered! We're so pleased to have heard from three of our guys in time for Christmas! Thanks SO much to Huey, Sean, and Marvin, for sharing a little of yourselves with us.
Below you'll find a random sampling of Q & A's from each of the three guys who have answered. Please follow link to see the full set of questions and the guys' witty answers.
Huey
Q: What was your favorite movie that you had a role in and why?
- Huey: Duets, 'cause I had the most to do.
Q: We see you tossing 'something (harp perhaps?) during your shows and appear to be out-changing them (?) or are you tossing one you've broken the reeds on?
- Huey: Sometimes, yeah, I'm throwing an out-of-tune one away so it won't find it's way back on the bandstand!
Sean
Q: We read you like to ride motorcycles. What brand are you currently riding?
- Sean: I have a 2003 Aprilia Tuono Racing, a 2001 Honda CBR929RR, and a 2007 Triumph Tiger 1050 ABS. That's a twin, a four and a triple, all around one liter.
Q: Were you really "nude for Rockfield"? (This sounds odd, I know... but it's Clover's "Keep on Rollin'" for those who haven't discovered the glories of 'Love on the Wire.')
- Sean: Of course not! Why would I take off my clothes for a studio? I'd say they get paid quite enough. Alex says "Nude, from Rockfield!", establishing for posterity that we are in one room of an old farmhouse quadrangle converted to a recording studio, in Wales, standing around an expensive Neumann microphone in a circle with no clothes on. The tone is still demonstrably superior.
Marvin
Q: Congrats for being part of one of the greatest groups in the world!! You've been playing with HLN for some time now, is this the only group you are a part of, or do you play in many groups?
- Marvin: I play in many groups, but I only feel like a member of two, This HLN, and the Fundamentals.
Q: You've done Broadway musicals in the U.S. Have you done any abroad? If not, would you consider doing that?
- Marvin: No, and no. The reason I do the musicals is for the pay and to be close to home. If I’m going to travel, I want to do it with HLN.
Be sure to see the complete list of questions and answers from each of the guys! Thanks again to Huey, Sean & Marvin!!
In Loving Memory of Ron Stallings
Posted by debP, HLN Today Co-Editor
13 April 2009: Huey and The News suffer the loss of a dear member of the HLN Family; Mr. Ron Stallings. A touching tribute was written in honor of Ron by Bill Gibson, and includes thoughts and memories from band members.
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Band Shares "Your Love is Killin' Me" with Their Fans through HLN.org!
HLN Today Exclusive
24 October 2008: Here you go folks! A vintage rehearsal version of "Your Love Is Killin' Me" for your listening and downloading pleasure! This was recorded at our studio sometime in November of 1995. Nothing new I know, but Huey, Johnny, Sean, J.P., myself and the rest of the cats figured it was time we did something cool like this for our fans. Our old pal Chris Hayes is burning up the guitar solo, and if you listen close you can hear him yelling when the horns come in on the second verse!
Our long-time friend and sound man, Jim Moran, was overseeing the recording with the mix going straight to DAT. These tapes were originally intended for the band to take home and critique, and few people outside the group ever got to hear them. Johnny unearthed this little gem in the process of archiving our back catalogue (who knows what else is in there?), and it kind-of 'shined' and jumped out for all of us . . . . Hope you enjoy it as much as we did 'rediscovering' it!
--Bill Gibson on behalf of Huey Lewis and the News
Download or listen to "Your Love is Killing Me"
Johnny Colla Radio Interview and Three Acoustical Songs with Stef Burns
HLN Today Exclusive
By debP, HLN Today Co-Editor
17 October 2008: While touring with Chicago and promoting his “Lucky Devil” CD a couple of summers back, Johnny Colla took part in an extraordinary thirty minute radio interview with Chad Blake of Jones Radio Network. We’re pleased to announce that Johnny has sent us this interview for our listening pleasure, and it was well worth the wait!
The interview includes the lighthearted Johnny speaking of growing up with parents supportive of his musical talents, his musical influences, and of working with different artists before beginning an accomplished career with Huey and The News.
After getting to know Johnny, we’re treated to three of his songs performed acoustically, on the spot, accompanied by Stef Burns! Hearing these songs “unplugged” is phenomenal – two of them aren’t even on the “Lucky Devil” CD!
More information and play the interview!
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