Soul Asylum Talk Tim Waltz, “Slow But Shirley” and Steve Jordan

After living in New Orleans for 25 years, Soul Asylum frontman Dave Pirner is once again a proud Minnesotan. So it’s no surprise that he’s more interested in this year’s presidential race, with state Gov. Tim Walz running for the Democratic Party as Vice President Kamala Harris’ Democratic running mate campaign. (Pilner was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, but grew up in Minnesota.)

“I’m excited about it,” said Pirner, who got his start playing drums in the North Star State for the punk band Loud Fast Rules. advertising billboard One stop on Soul Asylum’s recent Jubilee Tour with Stone Temple Pilots and Live. “There are some exciting things happening in Minnesota. It’s fun to have a guy like that representing Minnesota because he really reminds you of a sports dad. It’s like, ‘Oh my God,’ like, ‘Oh my God,’ things are happening. I think it’s a good pick because he seems like a good complement to (Harris), in that good boy way or something. But he was progressive and popular.

Pirner did not recall meeting Walz, the music fan who signed a bill to rename a section of the state’s Highway 5 after the late prince. But Pirner said he was “ready to go out and support the home team”. Put my name in the hat.

However, he will have to fit any supporting appearances into his busy schedule. Soul Asylum has concert dates booked until early November, featuring the Juliana Hatfield Three but most importantly the quartet’s 13th studio album, Slowly, but Shirley, It will be released on September 27th. hurry up and waitdebuted with Blue Elan Records and reunited Pirner and company with Steve Jordan, the current Rolling Stones drummer who directed Soul Asylum’s 1990 album And the horses they ridea cult-favored set that was eclipsed two years later by double platinum sales Grave Dancer League.

“When we first started working with Steve, we weren’t that great,” recalls Pirner, Soul Asylum’s remaining founding member. “We were still learning how to play together. Since then, I’ve taken most of what Steve passed on to me at that time. So I kind of knew what he wanted and I wanted to give it to him and I thought it came out in a way that It comes together in a very organic way that I think you can feel in the record – I hope you can, at least. It does mark a step forward.

Pirner added that what Jordan and the band were looking for was “just excitement and not thinking too much about what you’re doing. It’s more like capturing the process of the band playing each other’s songs and really listening to the other people in the band and trying to To impress in a new, fresh way, Jordan enlisted the help of his crew — Pirner, drummer Michael Brand, guitarist Ryan Smith and bassist Jeremy Tarpe. Rowe – Tracking together in the studio, capturing the energy and attitude of live music.

“Over the years, we’ve tried almost every way to record something,” Pirner points out. “When working on previous records, the home studio became part of the picture, and you could take things home and work on them. It depends on the song… but in this case, every song was treated the same way, That’s “Let’s hang out! “It’s great because watching Steve and Michael work together is one of the musical experiences I’m looking for. Steve is a player’s player, he’s a great vibe guy and he understands trying to capture something in a bottle The concept of the Lightning, I think that’s what we wanted. We didn’t overplay anything and we tried to get something together the third time around.

Pirner says slowly but slowly shirleyHis songs come together in a variety of ways—some he improvises while the band rehearses, and others he “has been working in ProTools and on the computer and piecing together snippets of songs.” One of the songs, “High Road,” had been around “forever” before it was completed this time. The album is a fusion of Soul Asylum styles, from the raucous sound of “Freak Accident” to the punchy rock of “Freeloader,” “Trial By Fire,” “The Only Thing I’m Missing” and “Makin’ Plans.” The cool rhythm of “Waiting on the Lord” and the soft melody of “You Don’t Know Me.” “Tryin’ Man” and “Sucker Maker” also have a funky feel, which Pirner attributes to his time in the Big Easy and Bland, who played with Prince for seven years, in the band.

“I think subconsciously I was trying to take things in a hipper, groovier, swingier direction and not forget that I was dealing with a four-piece punk rock band,” Pirner explains. “That’s why punk rock is always so interesting, because it does have this ‘ignorance is bliss’ adventure and it sounds like your band. But sometimes people try things that they probably shouldn’t try , and then something new will come out. This is discovery, this is the charm of music.

Pirner is planning a long cycle slowly but slowly shirleyincluding more headline dates before the end of this year and into 2025. At the same time, this year also celebrates its 40th anniversary. Say what you want to say…the debut album produced by Soul Asylum’s Bob Mold, Pirner said the passage of time hasn’t been lost on him.

“It doesn’t get any easier,” he admits. “It feels like 40 years. It’s a little bit grinding. It’s different when you first start because you’re excited about everything and your tolerance is much higher because everything is new. It’s been a pretty tragic experience, but it’s been an adventure and I’m grateful for it; it’s what I do and what I’ve been doing and what I love to do sometimes is not fun at all. But I’d be like, ‘Well, this is what I want to do with my life, so shut up. I prefer doing that to digging holes, I’ll tell you that.’