Singer, songwriter, musician, and producer Rob Lamothe rose to fame as the lead vocalist for the Los Angeles rock band Riverdogs. His soul-stirring debut solo album, ‘Gravity’ (1996), introduced an introspective side to his songwriting, exploring the human experience and blending rock, blues, folk and Americana. With 2 new singles, a Gravity re issue with a whopping 13 bonus tracks, a London gig and a new album coming, GRTR caught up with Rob for a chat…

1. What can we expect from there new album? Lyrical themes etc, is it all new material?

I’m 5 songs into my new album (‘Happy’). Musically, it’s pretty stripped-down. I’m playing a lot of the instruments myself… occasionally joined by my favourite collaborators (Vivian Campbell, Nick Brophy, Zander Lamothe). I’m writing about collective memory, about our shared future, about possibility. I’m writing about 5-year-old Robert ‘Happy’ Lamothe and his little lonely heart and about how we all navigate our journeys through trial and error and time.

2. On a forthcoming single you collaborate with First Nation’s artists and youths to create the song, can we expect further collabs on the new record and how to did you start working together?

I’ve been making music with Indigenous artists on Six Nations of the Grand River Territories for the past 14 years. That’s been life-changing for me. I was part of a team that received funding five years ago to create a song about water… with 250 young students from Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Six Nations of the Grand River Territories and Haldimand County. That project culminated with a song called ‘We Are The Water’, which has taken on a life of its own. A play based on the song (created by students 14-to-17) was recently performed performed for members of Canada’s Federal Parliament. Mind-blowing.

3. It’s great to see your music becoming available digitally for the first time…how do you feel about that, and the re issue (with bonus material) of your classic album, Gravity?

Over the past 4 decades, I’ve focused on writing and recording songs. I’ve neglected the marketing of those songs. Dan Nevin from Border Town Sound proposed to me that we get more ears on my music. Making my catalogue available digitally is a logical starting point. The re-issue of my first solo album on CD (and release on vinyl for the first time) is a dream-come-true!

4. There is a second disc of bonus material on the Gravity re issue, how did you go about selecting the material for inclusion? Is there still material available that did not make the cut?

Selecting bonus cuts for the special edition double CD package of Gravity was a trip! I searched through boxes of Masters and rough mixes to find some gems I hadn’t heard for over 30 years. There was lots to choose from but I was pretty diligent. I feel like we included the ‘essential’ stuff!

5. There are some great collabs on the Cross Country Driver album, are there any other musicians you would like to work with?

Honestly, my musical life has been blessed from the day I started singing little songs in my bedroom. I’ve collaborated with wonderful musical people for many decades.

6. What’s next for you?

I’m collaborating with the most interesting artist, filmmaker, activist, speaker, Indigenous badass I’ve ever known. Her name is Layla Staats. I feel like so much of what I’ve done over the past decades has brought me right here to the Grand River, inspired and open-hearted. Onward.

Rob Lamothe’s classic ‘Gravity’ album has been reissued on Deluxe Edition 2CD with 13 Bonus Tracks by independent label Border Town Sound & is Out Now.

Rob’s new singles: I Want To Swim In The Big Dipper & We Are The Water are Out Now

Rob plays his only UK show in London 12 July 2024 at St Pancras Old Church, London

See Tickets – Rob Lamothe (Solo) Tickets | Friday, 12 Jul 2024 at 8:30 PM

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

Next session: Sunday 19 January

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David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 1 December 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 3 December 2024.

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)