Guitarist BRAD GILLIS Reflects On NIGHT RANGER Reunion In 1996 - "I Remember Doing 'Don't Tell Me You Love Me' After Six Years Of Not Playing It, And It Felt So Good."
September 12, 2021, 3 years ago
Night Ranger guitarist Brad Gillis guested on 80's Metal Recycle Bin and offered some insight on his history, the history of Night Ranger, how he acquired one of the very first Floyd Rose guitar bridges', and how he thinks 80s metal is still very much alive. Check out the clip below.
Gillis: "Somebody said 'Why don't you put the original band back together?' Jack (Blades / vocals, bass) had left the Damn Yankees but we had no reason to; the the Japanese (record company) came in around '95-ish and said 'If you put the original band back together we'll bring yuo to Japan, give you a record deal and a big tour.' We thought it would be a nice little re-kickstart to the band's career. We got together and rehearsed - it had been five or six years since we got together - I remember doing 'Don't Tell Me You Love Me' after six years of not playing it and it felt so good."
Night Ranger recently released their 12th studio album, ATBPO, via Frontiers Music Srl. Listen to the song "Tomorrow" below.
ATBPO stands for And The Band Played On, an ode to making music during the covid era. Its available on CD and Vinyl (several limited edition, color vinyl versions), as well as digitally across all streaming platforms.
The band began writing the album in early 2020, amid the onset of the global pandemic. After narrowing down the song selection and tightening them up to their well-known rock ‘n’ roll sound, the band hit the studio, although separately, due to the times we are in. Throughout ATBPO, we hear Night Ranger continuing their hot streak that kicked off with 2011's Somewhere In California. Ten years on, and two highly acclaimed albums later, High Road and Don't Let Up, the band's latest studio work shows them still burning with that high octane hard rock energy they are known for. Night Ranger has always had a knack for killer melodies, intricate instrumentation, and captivating lyrics; ATBPO delivers all of that and more.
"The process was strange but the outcome rocks." - Jack Blades
"This record was incredibly hard to do as we could not be in a room together with all the COVID-19 issues that were going on. But sometimes you do your best work when there’s a deadline approaching." - Kelly Keagy
“It’s been a crazy but fun task trying to write and finish this new record in a Covid situation. A few zoom video gatherings got us started. With everybody in the band having their own home studios, we were all able to elaborate and add our own textures to each song. As a Vintage Guitar Collector, I was able to add some great classic sounds to rhythm and solos using my 57 Strat and 52 Goldtop! I hope everyone enjoys the record!" - Brad Gillis
Having sold over 17 million albums worldwide, performed across more than 4000 stages, and enjoyed a radio audience that exceeds 1 billion, Night Ranger has both epitomized and transcended the arena rock sound and style well beyond that era. With multiple songs having a significant impact on popular culture, Night Ranger continues to grow their fanbase. The band is proof that powerful songs alongside incredibly talented musicians is the perfect formula for continued success.
Night Ranger is Jack Blades (bass, vocals), Kelly Keagy (drums, vocals), Brad Gillis (lead & rhythm guitars), Eric Levy (keyboards), and Keri Kelli (lead & rhythm guitars).
ATBPO is available on CD, Digital, and the following LP versions:
ATBPO Red Vinyl - Available Everywhere
ATBPO Crystal Vinyl - Frontiers U.S. & EU Webstore Exclusive, Limited to 400 Copies
ATBPO Blue Vinyl - Newbury Comics Exclusive, Limited to 300 Copies
ATBPO Yellow Vinyl - Night Ranger Webstore Exclusive, Limited to 400 Copies
A bonus track, “Savior” appears on the CD & LP versions of ATBPO only.
Tracklisting:
“Coming For You”
“Bring It All Home To Me”
“Breakout”
“Hard To Make It Easy”
“Can’t Afford A Hero”
“Cold As December”
“Dance”
“The Hardest Road”
“Monkey”
“A Lucky Man”
“Tomorrow”
“Savior” (CD/LP bonus track)
"Tomorrow":
“Bring It All Home To Me” video:
“Breakout” video: