Tesla

I've only got a "Best of" thing for Tesla. Don't listen to it very much with the exception of "Love Song", which is totally awesome.

Fat Freddy wrote:

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Call me a fan-boy

Okay, fan-boy.

I'll call ya Breadfan.

Troublezone wrote:

Fat Freddy wrote:

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Call me a fan-boy

Okay, fan-boy.

I'll call ya Breadfan.

I've been called worse.

Yup, got all their albums. I've always felt that Tommy Skeoch was the better guitarist, too bad he's gone now.

akeldama wrote:

Yup, got all their albums. I've always felt that Tommy Skeoch was the better guitarist, too bad he's gone now.

I don't know if he was better or not, but Frank & Tommy worked very well together, especially in a live setting. They each had a different style that meshed together very nicely. I have yet to see the new guy in a live setting with the band, but he seems like a pretty good fit from what I can tell.

Anyone know what Tommy Skeoch is up to these days? I seem to remember he released a few new tunes on a myspace page or something, possibly gearing up for an album. Then nothing. Still battling his demons, I guess?

MetalGuy71 wrote:

akeldama wrote:

Yup, got all their albums. I've always felt that Tommy Skeoch was the better guitarist, too bad he's gone now.

I don't know if he was better or not, but Frank & Tommy worked very well together, especially in a live setting. They each had a different style that meshed together very nicely. I have yet to see the new guy in a live setting with the band, but he seems like a pretty good fit from what I can tell.

Anyone know what Tommy Skeoch is up to these days? I seem to remember he released a few new tunes on a myspace page or something, possibly gearing up for an album. Then nothing. Still battling his demons, I guess?

He's got an album called Freakbucket and is working on a new one.

The local station here in Sacramento has the world premier of Tesla's
new video for "Breaking Free"

http://www.krxq.net/

the video is on the media player in the middle of the page

right click to bring up the full screen option

I enjoyed Franks solo album and i hope he does another. I will check out Tommy's as well.

The video's decent but that's a great song.

TheNazgul wrote:

The video's decent but that's a great song.

yeah alot of folks tell me that the new lp doesn't have anything sounding like the old Tesla The hook in the opening riff, the hook in the vocal melody, and the lead work ('specially the lead harmony part) are SO TESLA !

Playing the Cross Canadian Ragweed Family Jam in OKC on Sept 29th and I am going! Jeff Keith is a cool guy. One of the best live bands. They just look to jam and have fun same as I!

Weren't they supposed to have had a box set out this summer? I thought I read that on their website a while ago. Peace.

the sentinel wrote:

Weren't they supposed to have had a box set out this summer? I thought I read that on their website a while ago. Peace.

They've supposedly had a box set in the works for quite some time. Haven't heard anything new. Who knows when it will see the light of day?

MetalGuy71 wrote:

the sentinel wrote:

Weren't they supposed to have had a box set out this summer? I thought I read that on their website a while ago. Peace.

They've supposedly had a box set in the works for quite some time. Haven't heard anything new. Who knows when it will see the light of day?

I'll bet Freddy knows! He's tha man!

When the current tour is completed, they are gonna continue dialing in stuff at Brian's studio for the box set. There is a surprise in the works, hopefully it pans out.

Here is some Tesla news James B:

Tesla bassist Brian Wheat spoke with the Break Down Room's Brian Heaton and revealed that the band has been busy writing songs for a new album.
He says, "We got together last week, me, Frank [Hannon, guitars] and Jeff [Keith, vocals] and put together a song, so we've got one in the can. Troy [Lucketta, drums] and Dave [Rude, guitars] will come in and we'll cut the track and fire up the engines again in 2011."
Although it was too early in the process for Wheat to reveal many details about the forthcoming studio CD, the bassist said that the new Tesla record would be entirely self-written. In contrast with Tesla's latest release, "Forever More," which was co-written with producer Terry Thomas -- a collaboration designed to help recapture some of the crossover appeal Tesla enjoyed in the late 1980s/early 1990s. However, that plan did prove to be fruitful, leading to a change in approach for the next record.
"We tried taking a shot to bring the band back to the time of 'Psychotic Supper' and being on every radio station," Wheat said. "Unfortunately, radio doesn't want to embrace Tesla like they used to. It didn't work out the way we hoped."
In addition to writing new songs, Tesla is also hard at work on two separate live records. The first, tentatively titled "Live Across Europe," is made up of live recordings from various shows overseas. An American version also is in the works, highlighting songs performed in the United States.
Wheat admitted it's not something commonly done, but felt it was a necessary step in acknowledging the support Tesla receives overseas.
"I could have just done one big live record, but I wanted the European fans to have their own piece of Tesla," Wheat said. "We completely ignored them from 1991-2006, although we go there a lot now. I just wanted to say 'hey look, this one is for you.'"
According to the bassist, "Live Across Europe" will feature a more "hits-oriented" roster of songs, whereas the United States release will focus on some of Tesla's more obscure tunes.
"There will be some overlap, but not much," Wheat said, regarding the songs on each album. "Americans got the DVD, 'Comin' Atacha Live 2008' and that had a lot of hits. So the American [live album] will have stuff we haven't played in a long time or played ever."
Tesla also plan to revisit their unplugged material. Right after the band finished their tour in 2005, they entered the studio to record a number of songs acoustically. The material is also noteworthy because it contains the last recordings of the band with original guitarist Tommy Skeoch, whom Rude replaced in 2006. That music will finally see the light of day at some point in the near future.
"Our biggest selling record is 'Five Man Acoustical Jam' and it is the worst sounding album we [have] ever made," Wheat said, revealing the idea behind the upcoming studio-quality acoustic release. "Hardcore fans will want that last stuff with Tommy, so we're going to put that out. It's a little sloppy, but it's a snapshot [of] where we were when we finished the 2005 tour and I think it needs to be out there."
The break between Skeoch and his Tesla bandmates was not amicable. Hampered by years of alleged drug addiction, rumors circulated wildly in 2006 that chemical dependency was once again affecting Skeoch's ability to play. Later that year, Rude replaced the guitarist, with Tesla citing Skeoch's desire to spend time with his family as the reason for the split.
However, on Feb. 16th, 2008, in an interview with The Classic Metal Show, Skeoch broke his silence, performing an exclusive acoustic track titled "I Left the Circus." The song was a satirical shot at his former bandmates taking aim at how he was let go and making fun of the personalities within the band.
"No matter what I say, people will think I am getting down on Tommy," Wheat said, with a hint of frustration in his voice. "Everyone knows there is no love lost between us. Tommy is Tommy."
Despite the split with Skeoch, Rude has filled the void nicely in his four years with the band.
"He's a smurfing great player," Wheat said of Rude. "Dave is dependable, no drug problems and he is easy as hell to get along with. It's a real win-win with Dave."
The victory for fans, however, will be the long-awaited Tesla box set. Announced a few years ago, Wheat confirmed that the set is still on the radar. Things are in a holding pattern, however, due to a difference in opinion with Universal Music (who owns the rights to the earlier, Geffen Records'-released Tesla material) on ownership of demos from "Mechanical Resonance."
Wheat refuses to allow Universal to release a Tesla box set because of what he felt the label did with "Tesla Gold," a compilation of hits and rarities put out in 2008. According to the bassist, Universal only shipped 3,000 copies to retailers, making the double-CD hard to find and did very little to support the album. He's adamant that will not happen again.
"You only have one time in your career to do a box set and we want it done right," Wheat maintained. "We've been together almost 25 years and this set needs a certain amount of attention. Tesla had become a classic band and I don't think Universal sees it that way. If I have to put it on my Web site and make them sue me, I'll do that. It'll come out eventually."
In the meantime, 2010 also will spotlight the side projects of Tesla's members. Keith has a country album he's working on, Hannon and Rude are touring with their respective solo bands and Lucketta is busy with his studio in Nashville.
Wheat's attention is on Soulmotor, his band with vocalist Darin Wood. The band, including guitarist Mike Mathis and drummer Dave Watts, is hard at work on its third album, "Wrong Place at the Right Time," which is scheduled for a May release.
Described by Wheat as "a lot more direct" than the progressive opus "Revolution Wheel," Soulmotor's last release, the new album has embraced the roots of its self-titled debut a little closer, which featured the hit "Guardian Angel."
"We are really diggin' the way it is coming out," said Wheat. "When you break down [the songs] on the new album, you hear heavy guitars and dark melodies. [Lyrically], it's like a giant Quentin Tarantino movie with all these unfortunate scenarios."
One thing some fans may view as unfortunate, however, is the departure of guitarist Tommy McClendon. According to Wheat, the ex-UFO axeman simply wanted to do something different.
"I haven't talked to Tommy in some time, [but] he got to a point where he wanted to play music where he could shred in, and me and Darin wanted to write heavy pop songs," the bassist explained. "There was no big fight or anything. We have tons of history together and are great buddies. He wanted to do something else and Darin and I wanted to do Soulmotor."
Despite the lineup change, the rapport between Soulmotor's founders, Wood and Wheat, couldn't be stronger. After listening to "Warlord on 16th Street," a bruising new groove-laden track from the upcoming Soulmotor release, Wheat had no problem summing up the duo's chemistry.
"Darin is the Warlord, he lives on 16th and I'm the King of Midtown," Wheat said with a laugh. "When you put the Warlord with the King of Midtown you get Soulmotor. It's a giant movie brought to you in audio form."

Sorry for such a length post!

Wow, alot going on there. Lots to digest in one reading. Sorry to hear that the box set is in legal-limbo for the time being.

Quote :

The victory for fans, however, will be the long-awaited Tesla box set. Announced a few years ago, Wheat confirmed that the set is still on the radar. Things are in a holding pattern, however, due to a difference in opinion with Universal Music (who owns the rights to the earlier, Geffen Records'-released Tesla material) on ownership of demos from "Mechanical Resonance."
Wheat refuses to allow Universal to release a Tesla box set because of what he felt the label did with "Tesla Gold," a compilation of hits and rarities put out in 2008. According to the bassist, Universal only shipped 3,000 copies to retailers, making the double-CD hard to find and did very little to support the album. He's adamant that will not happen again.

That is too bad. I also feel bad for Tommy and I hope he cleans up. Good news on some new stuff.

As Freddy likes to say, "Zombie thread back from the dead" and since we don't have an official thread for Tesla-I did some searching. I didn't want to start a new topic to ask "where the f##k is the box set, guys? You been blue balling us for over a decade now! We need this now more than ever!

the sentinel wrote:

As Freddy likes to say, "Zombie thread back from the dead" and since we don't have an official thread for Tesla-I did some searching. I didn't want to start a new topic to ask "where the f##k is the box set, guys? You been blue balling us for over a decade now! We need this now more than ever!

There was a fire a few years ago in their studio/storage space that burned up a lot of their tapes, memorabilia and equipment. I'm sure that put a damper on a box set release.

https://archives.sfweekly.com/shookdown/2010/09/30/sacramento-metalheads-teslas-studio-burns-in-three-alarm-blaze

Thanks MG, I remember that, but even that was a decade ago. Unless they lost what was going to be in the box set? Or the things that were going to be the big draw for the long time fans? Thankfully, the band is obviously still around and active, so...here's hoping!

New tune "Cold Blue Steel" is out

And it has a video:

Lari wrote:

And it has a video:

Don't do YouTube due their censorship of free speech.
Tommy will be jazzed you pimped the new clip for them, I'll be sure to let him know.