LENNY KRAVITZ the Rocker-Turned-Actor Turns Rocker Again with a New Studio Album
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ISSUE #37 MMUSICMAG.COM Q&A Greg Kadel LENNY KRAVITZ The rocker-turned-actor turns rocker again with a new studio album IN THE 25 YEARS SINCE LENNY KRAVITZ Do you like writing in a specific place? your work, would you like to mix my record?” released his debut album Let Love Rule, he I write when inspiration comes. My studio And he replied, “I’ve been waiting for you to has released 10 studio albums, won four happens to be in the Bahamas, so that’s call.” We hit it off from day one. For someone Grammys, and scored hits like “It Ain’t Over where I’ve worked on the last couple of who has issues handing things off to other ’Til It’s Over,” “American Woman” and “Fly records. And I write anywhere—I could be people, it was a great lesson for me. Away.” After recent star turns in such films as on the moon, it doesn’t matter. It’s not like, Precious, The Butler and the Hunger Games “Oh, I have to go to this location for work.” Do you embrace new studio tech? franchise, the 50-year-old singer-songwriter That would be horrible. I embrace things that apply to what I’m returns to recording with a new album, Strut. doing. I don’t just use new things because Extremely hands-on in the studio, Kravitz You titled the songs before writing lyrics. they’re new. They have to have a purpose— tapped veteran Bob Clearmountain (Bruce It made it more of a game. I named them tools that will help me bring out my vision Springsteen, Bryan Adams, Toto) to mix the whatever I felt they were called. It was very and sound. This record was mostly done in record. “It’s good to have a fresh take on instinctual. Like “Happy Birthday” I didn’t an old-school way with my vintage analog something you’ve spent so much time on understand at all. Why would I be writing and tube gear. Strut isn’t a great example and you’re so close to,” he says. a song called “Happy Birthday”? But when of new tools. It’s a pretty straightforward I heard the rhythm track after I cut it, that’s record—even the synthesizer I used on a Did The Hunger Games fuel Strut? what it said to me. couple of tracks is vintage. I wouldn’t say it fueled the music, but the music happened during filming. I was making Why decide to work with Bob? Let Love Rule came out 25 years ago. [The Hunger Games sequel] Catching Fire, Normally I mix all my records, but this time I I can’t believe that. Looking back, there’s working long days that started early in the felt his sound was what I was looking for. I something special about that time. There are morning, which was difficult for me—because was actually trying to emulate his technique things that I would do then that I wouldn’t if music came into my head, I had to spend and was getting pretty close, but then asked do now. But I believe that I’ve grown as a my nights working with it. It was hard, but myself, “Why am I trying to emulate it when musician, so sometimes I’ll rework a song— that’s how it happened. The music came I can just call the guy?” I’d never done it and other times I get it as close to the when it wanted to come, and when that before, but I thought it would be great to let record as possible. Depends on the situation happens I’ve got two choices—ignore it and go and put this in someone else’s hands. and the mood. lose it, or take it. I chose to take it. I called Bob and said, “I’m a huge fan of –Katy Kroll ‘I write when inspiration comes. And I write anywhere—I could be on the moon.’ 34 M mag 37.indd 34 3/16/15 12:29 AM.