“It’s a heavy song for me since it deals with loss & suicide. I’ve had relationships with folks dealing with past traumas that they sometimes can’t get out of their minds but ending it all isn’t the answer. Finding a release is a huge key. One day at a time.”
“Champion” is about manifesting greatness, and it’s in these moments of greatness as a fighter we try to duplicate until we overcome our adversity. Before I was a musician I was a fighter and I would recall that voice in my head while training or before a match when I needed to psych myself up. I also wanted a fun track that wasn't heavy and had a cool pocket. “Champion” is the remedy.
In the summer of 2019, Redlight King recorded “Working Man” by Rush for their upcoming full-length album, Moonshine.
On choosing to cover “Working Man", founder and lead vocalist Mark “Kaz” Kasprzyk says, “I wanted to have a cover on the record, something that made sense with the 70’s rock vibe we had going on. I thought about something from The Clash, The Allman Brothers, or early Petty but nothing was quite hitting me. Our producer, Jimmy Messer stumbled onto “Working Man" one day while heading into the studio. We put it on blast and were like, that’s the one! It fits my everyman blue collar roots, and sonically it matched what we were already creating. I upped the tempo and we dropped the key a full step. We rehearsed it for a couple days and recorded it live.”
Redlight King were set to release “Working Man” on January 17, 2020 as the second single from their forthcoming album, when the news of Neil Peart’s passing hit last week.
Upon hearing the news Kaz says, “First of all, I was sad. We’ve lost so many iconic musicians in the past couple of years. I knew Neil was sick for quite some time, so I wasn’t shocked, but it’s still a tragic loss. My dad was 65 when he died of cancer, I feel for his family, loved ones and fans alike."
With Rush being a major influence of Redlight King, and their shared Canadian heritage, the band decided to move forward with the single as a tribute to the icon’s musicianship and integrity they have long admired.
"The timing was very strange,” Kaz concludes. “But I hope he would have thought we did the song justice.".
Listen to the newest release from Alexander Jean - an intimate take on the holiday classic “O Holy Night”. You can hear it on your favorite streaming platform now.
Redlight King have released their new single ‘Lift The Curse’ online at https://ffm.to/liftthecurse. The single is the first new music from their upcoming new full-length album entitled ‘Moonshine’ set to release in Spring 2020 via Parts + Labor Records.
“You do need to hear Shawn James sing. Vocally, he has few, if any peers.”
Check out Robert Crawford’s “10 Best Country and Americana Songs to Hear Now: Justin Moore, Bailey Bryan” list featuring our very own Shawn James and his newest single “Orpheus”
Our friends at Allsaints kick off 2019 in their LA Studios with Shawn James, offering up an exclusive performance of his new song Orpheus. Check it out!
Read Shawn’s exclusive interview with Billboard and hear the premiere of his newest single “Orpheus”, out on all streaming platforms Feb 8.
Shawn James releases his first offering “Burn the Witch” from the upcoming full length album The Dark and The Light, due March 22, 2019 on Parts + Labor Records.
