STACK #192 Oct 2020

MUSIC FEATURE

visit stack.com.au

know what? It’s interesting, because Lukas [Rossi] is also a huge Prince fan. He came to me with the idea of slowing it down and doing that kind of a version, and it just blew my mind! The original is much faster, super-super- poppy, and… I didn’t hear it like that. I thought, 'I don’t know about covering that, it’s not one of my favourites.’ But slowed down and sexy like that? It’s probably one of my favourite tracks on the record." When delivered by Rossi, Prince's lyrics ("When you were mine/ You were all I ever wanted to do/ Now I spend my time/ Following him whenever he's with you") leave the listener feeling concerned about the protagonist/ stalker's welfare. "Yes! Absolutely," Tommy concurs. "When it’s slowed down, it’s a lot more dramatic and meaningful, you’re right. Those lyrics go flying by you [in the Prince version], 'cause it’s really fast: ‘When you were mi-ine,’” he sings, then beatboxes the drum pattern. “It just whips by. "That’s so cool that you noticed. God, I get so excited when people actually f-cking pay attention and notice, because a lot of work goes into it at the end of the day... No matter what I’m working on, I'm like, ‘How do I make this the best it possibly can be? Reach in and touch somebody – you know, their soul – or make ‘em dance or make ‘em jump around or break shit,' or whatever it is. 'How do I get to somebody?'" his work with DJ Aero and the Methods Of Mayhem output (1999's Gold-certified self-titled album and 2010's A Public Disservice Announcement ), Andro's musical leanings shouldn't really come as a shock. "I know," Tommy agrees. "I don’t think I’ll ever understand [the surprise], because it’s definitely not some new direction. This is kind of what I do any time I do something on my own; I’m constantly splitting and crossing genres and mixing it up into something hopefully brand new, that’s exciting. [To] so many people, I guess I’m [still] the When you consider Tommy's previous solo albums (2002's Never A Dull Moment and 2005's Tommyland: The Ride , which was released in conjunction with Lee's book of the same name),

INTERVIEW

TOMMY LEE Of all the outrageous truths about the life and personhood of Tommy Lee, apparently the one that shocks the most is that he's truly an adroit musical chemist – and his genre-blended liquors are guaranteed to satisfy. Bryget Chrisfield spoke to the Mötley Crüe, Methods of Mayhem and solo legend about his new album, Andro .

O ne of the only fun things about the pandemic is being able to familiarise yourself with celebrity abodes, and Tommy Lee has been conducting most of the interviews to promote his upcoming solo album Andro from the home studio inside which it was created. Our chat is a phoner, though, so T-Bone decides to transfer the action outside. Let’s picture him reclining on a sunlounge by the pool – smiling and smoking – sporting designer shades, board shorts and slippers. "It’s a really pretty day outside," he enthuses. Is Tommy ever not 100 percent chuffed on life!? Given that his studio is onsite, has Tommy's lockdown life really been that different to whatever he would’ve been doing anyway? "You know what? It’s not at all," he confirms. "Other than if there wasn’t a pandemic, I would’ve been on tour in June with Mötley doing some stadiums, but other than that..." he trails off, laughing hysterically. Having fully digested Andro prior to our chat, this pair of ears was particularly drawn to a funky AF track called You Dancy featuring Canadian rocker Lukas Rossi (who you may remember took out the reality TV comp Rock Star: Supernova , which won him the lead- singer role in a super-group rounded out by Lee, guitarist Gilby Clarke and bassist Jason Newsted). This song definitely boasts Prince

vibes. "Oh my god! That’s so cool, thank you. I love that track, too; I really, really do," Lee froths. "It's super-super-funky and

How do I reach in and touch somebody – you know, their soul – or make 'em dance, or make 'em jump around, or break shit?

it sounds like something that Prince would do in 2020, right?" Correct. So has Tommy always been obsessed with Prince? "Completely obsessed," he answers

without hesitation. "I have been a fan forever. I got the opportunity to meet him a couple of times and

he was such a cool dude, and I just loved his music and I still do – always will." Was Prince shy, as is commonly reported? "He was really shy, really small – like, really tiny – and he was just super-cool," Tommy reveals. "He was mellow, quiet. But yet the guy just rips vocally, and on guitar, and dances. And you’re like, ‘Where’d that come from?’ All of a sudden he just flips a switch – f-cking amazing!" Another of Andro 's highlight moments is actually a Prince cover, When You Were Mine (also featuring Rossi). A vast contrast to Prince's upbeat, boppy rendering, Tommy's version instrumentally echoes and amplifies the dark lyrical content. When asked whether he's harboured the desire to reinterpret this classic Prince tune for a while now, T-Bone offers, "You

drummer from Mötley Crüe, and I’m not really allowed to do anything else, you know?” He laughs at the notion. “So, I dunno, maybe this isn’t for them..." BC

Andro by Tommy Lee is out Oct 16 via Better Noise Records.

Continue read the full interview online at stack.com.au

76 OCTOBER 2020

jbhifi.com.au