• Hey, fellow GH fans...I know many of you are also Richie Kotzen fans. So zip on over to

    http://www.the-fuze.com

    and check out our brand new interview with Richie. He's got a great new album out called 'Change. You can hear samples at http://www.richiekotzen.com.
    While at The Fuze, check out our other recent interviews. You're bound to find some interesting reading.

    Cheers...Todd
    Writer, The Fuze

  • Thanks Todd. I've printed off the interview for later bedtime reading.

    I do check the site out regularly. Thanks for keeping us informed.

    'You thought that you could take me for granted, but I couldn't take it no more. Better run if you see me coming ... '

  • Good interview. I always liked the Alan Parson's Project, too. Didn't Kip Winger tour with them last year before Joe Lynn Turner? Also, do you still plan on interviewing Michael Bruce?

  • hi all,
    I've been following RK's work since 1993's "Motherhead's Family Reunion" Album, and in my opinion there hasn't been a weak release since then, well, except for his latest Album "Change", which I really don't like very much. While every other Album had brought a new direction to Richie's fabulous guitaring (and singing!!!), from Rock to Jazz, Blues and Funk, his latest offering sounds a little boring, mainly because it's loaded with Heavy Rock cliches, you have already heard too often. It just doesn't kick off for me - sorry, my opinion - please don't bother.
    Talk to you soon!
    Chris


    MEDUSA

        

  • Chris L. I totally agree with your assessment of RK. "Change" is alright, but very cliche and dull - nearly everything sounds like something he has already done before. "Slow" was the best cd I bought last year, though, and I like most of his other cds a lot.

  • Wow, I think 'Change' is absolutely fantastic. There are really only three heavy songs on the album, and they don't sound like heavy rock cliches to me. Rather, they sound like would-be modern rock hits. If you want to talk about cliches, perhaps we should shift the focus to the HTP albums

    Richie Kotzen has recorded some of his best vocals to date on 'Change', the title track and the stunning 'High' being perfect examples. He has also included hip-hop and Latin feel on songs like 'Am I Dreamin' and 'Fast Money Fast Cars'. There's even a jazz instrumental, 'Unity'. Most artists don't release albums HALF this diverse.

    Lastly, am I the only one who doesn't really care for Mother Head's Family Reunion?

    Cheers...Todd

    PS Jon, yes we are going to be running the Michael Bruce interview. We had some 'issues' to contend with, but it's coming.

  • Todd,
    there is a very special reason why I like "Motherhead's Family Reunion". When it came out, everybody around me was totally into Lenny Kravitz, and we sold tons of Lenny Kravitz CDs at the place where I used to work back then. I had just discovered the MHFR Album and couldn't understand why everybody loved Lenny Kravitz's latest Album (his third - title? a long one, definitely) and Richie Kotzen (although released through a major Label - Geffen/Universal) was totally ignored. Sure, Kotzen didn't and doesn't get any airplay around here, ok., but the shops didn't stock the Album at all, and that's where the "problem" was.
    This was the very point, when I learned that in this job, you have to put all your personal likes and dislikes aside, and give the people what they want. A hard learned lesson.
    Still, we managed to sell a couple of units only through suggesting it to people. A friend of mine in a different shop claims that this was one of the Albums he sold to all his regular customers, true or not, I don't know. Me, I'm still very proud I managed to sell Motherhead and Led Zeppelin 2 to a guy who came in to buy the Lenny Kravitz CD (he still bought it).
    Again, I'm not saying "Change" is good or bad, but compared to Richie's other Albums, I just don't like it that much.
    Chris


    MEDUSA

        

  • Bravo on pushing the MHFR album. Always nice when you can turn someone on to an album or an artist they would otherwise ignore.

    I think I feel about MHFR the same way you do about 'Change'. It just doesn't do much for me. Although we're both in agreement that Richie is virtually incomparable at what he does. The man is simply great

    Cheers...Todd

  • I bought "Change" after reading all the positive reviews and I have to say I don't think it lived up to the hype. It's good, but it's not a masterpiece.

    That said though, Richie is so talented I'd rather have five decent songs from him than an album from most of his competition. I like "Something To Say" the most out of the Kotzen albums I have - that's got the most tunes on it I like.

    JG

    "How can you lose, when you're destined to be a winner?"

  • Oh, I couldn't agree more Tero. I like "Get Over It", "Actual Size" is excellent and the farewell CD and DVD is a fitting tribute to a superb band.

    I love "Static" and I think one of the best things I've heard Richie do is his fabulous version of "To Be With You" on the tribute.

    JG

    "How can you lose, when you're destined to be a winner?"

  • "Change" is a pretty solid cd, it's just nothing special. "Forever One" was a different, and I love "Fast Cars" and the title track, but the rest is just decent filler to me. "Am I Dreamin'" does have the Santana thing going, but for the most part the songs are very predictable musically and lyrically. Don't get me wrong - it is a good cd, I just think I was expecting a great cd. I thought "Slow" was just a really cool album. Part of the problem with "Change" and other cds is that too many of his songs sound alike. They all blend together too much and don't stand out from each other. "Slow" had the same problem, but I loved the style of it. Other than that, RK is still one of my favorite recording artists and probably my very favorite guitarist. MHFR is a good cd, as are most of his others. "Something to Say" is probably my least favorite, but it's still good - the song "Aberdine" might by my fave RK tune, in fact. And I also liked his stuff with Mr. Big.

    As far as HTP goes, it is very cliche, but there are some killer rock songs on both HTP cds, even if they are a bit generic at times. So what they lack in originality, they make up for in listenability.

  • Its interesting to see opinions of Richie's work from years back ... I mean, the opinions from way back. I'm curious if your opinions about cds such as "Change" have changed after 5+ years and many more cds by Richie. I am going back and filling in; started w/ Go Faster then MHFR, etc. I appreciate Change more now, and LOVE "WOE", my latest fill-in, to death! Over the years, Richie has tried different styles and taken chances, just like Mr. Hughes has, and survived and grown. As a mature, all-around performer, I don't think he can be beat ... but I'm biased ;)

  • I'll have to go back and spin a bunch of Richie's stuff again. It's been a while since I've worked him into my rotation. I just listened to the 'Change' album two weeks ago, and like it as much as I did when I first heard it. My other favorite Kotzen album is 'What Is..'. It's so full of soul, from Richie's vocal delivery to his tasteful and restrained guitar playing. Pure class.

    One of my quibbles with Richie has sometimes been his drum tracks, which he has often played himself. He's not a very creative or interesting drummer, and so while I'm sure he appreciates being able to do it himself, I wish on those occasions that he'd gotten Pat Torpey, Jeff Martin or somebody else to play with him. The two times I saw Richie perform live his band consisted of Pat Torpey and Phil Soussan. I wish they'd recorded an album together.

  • For shame! You took RK out of your rotation? He he! I just bought What Is and World of Emotion a couple weeks ago and I LOVE both. Funky Richie is my fav over Jazzy Richie and maybe over Rock Richie. Now, I sorta disagree about the drums ... I have begun having issues with recordings where all you can hear is cymbals, what I think not so talented drummers often overuse. So since RK doesn't overuse the cymbals, I can actually hear! But I agree, he could use either of those drummers or the last 2 tourmates in his trio and upgrade those recordings.

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