New projects for Original RSG members

Carmine Appice is giving his all-star Guitar Zeus project a second shot with five new songs — including “Mothers Space,” a collaboration with Ron “Bumblefoot”

Re-released this month, the new Guitar Zeus resurrects 28 tracks from Carmine’s two albums originally released during 1995 and 1997, for which he recruited an array of six-string royalty — Queen’s Brian May, Journey’s Neal Schon, Slash, Zakk Wylde, Dweezil Zappa, Yngwie Malmsteen, Leslie West, Vivian Campbell (Def Leppard, Last in Line), Pat Travers, Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs, Deep Purple), Ted Nugent and more — to play a collection of songs Appice composed. Appice subsequently released Guitar Zeus compilations for Japan and Korea during 1999 and 2002, respectively, and he previously compiled the tracks for 2009’s Conquering Heroes.

Carmine told Billboard “This is what I always wanted to happen, these records never came out with any kind of support or any kind of notice. I think it’s some of the best songs I’ve written, some of the best drumming I’ve done and some of the best production I’ve done. I just wanted to give this thing a good chance — finally.”

The new, remastered incarnation of Guitar Zeus includes a version of Rod’s “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy,” with Carmine singing the song he co-wrote.

Carmine also took the reissue opportunity to create some new Guitar Zeus songs. “Mothers Space,” according to Carmine, was a song he started during the original Guitar Zeus sessions but did not finish. “It had everything there except lead guitar,”

Track Listing

• “Mothers Space” (feat. Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal) + **
• “Gonna Rain” (feat. Richie Sambora) + **
• “4 Miles High” (feat. Steve Morse) +
• “Nobody Knew” (feat. Brian May) + **
• “Where You Belong (feat. Slash) +
• “Out of Mind” (feat. Neal Schon) + **
• “This Time Around (feat. Yngwie Malmsteen & Dug Pinnick) + **
• “Nothing” (feat. John Norum) +
• “Doin’ Fine” (feat Vivian Campbell) +
• “Under the Moon and Sun” (feat. Mick Mars / Edgar Winter) + **
• “Code 19” (feat. Zakk Wylde) + **
• “Days Are Nights” (feat. Ted Nugent) + **
• “Do Ya think I’m Sexy” (Sung by Carmine, feat. Pat Travers)
• “Angels” (feat. Char)
• “Guitar Zeus, Pt. 1” (feat Jennifer Batten)
• “Safe” (feat. Neal Schon)
• “Dead Wrong” (feat. Dweezil Zappa)
• “Trippin’ Again” (feat. Ty Tabor)
• “Even Up the Score” (feat. Ted Nugent)
• “Dislocated” (feat. Paul Gilbert)
• “Stash” (feat. Stevie Salas / John McEnroe)
• “Perfect Day” (feat. Warren DeMartini)
• “Killing Time” (feat. Ty Tabor)
• “So Long” (feat. Doug Aldrich)
• “My Own Advice” (feat Kenji Kitajima)
• “Time to Set Alarms” (feat Elliot Easton / Bob Daisley)
• “GZ Blues” (feat. Seymour Duncan / Steven Seagal)
• “Guitar Zeus, Pt. 2” (feat. Leslie West / Jennifer Batten)
• “Where you Belong” (feat Paul Gilbert)
• “Cruzin” (feat. Denny Laine)
• “Couldn’t Be Better” (Feat. RaiZi)
• “Score” (Feat. Ted Nugent)
• “Snake” (feat. Bruce Kulick)

Meanwhile RSG guitarist Gary Grainger is returning to his first love The Who when he lines up in Chichester as lead guitarist in The Total Who Show at Chichester’s Assembly Room on February 9.

Gary told the chichester Observer The Who were the first band he ever saw, “I first worked with (Who frontman and singer) Roger Daltrey in 1985-86, and that was for an album that ended up being called Can’t Wait To See The Movie, and we did various TV shows playing live. We were touring on the back of his previous album called Under The Raging Moon”.

To read the full story go to https://www.chichester.co.uk/whats-on/music/west-sussex-date-for-rod-stewart-s-guitarist-and-co-writer-1-8783060

Photo by David J Uribe