Wolfmother mainman Andrew Stockdale says anyone who thinks he’s a tyrant “couldn’t be any more wrong.”
The Australian retro-rocker has endured two lineup collapses in recent years, but insists he’s not to blame for the departures.
He says his new five-piece lineup are ready deliver their third album after some contractual difficulties – and one song is set to appear on the soundtrack of the Iron Man 3 movie.
In 2008 founding bassist and keyboardist Chris Ross quit, along with drummer Myles Haslett, citing “irreconcilable personal and musical differences” with Stockdale, who writes the band’s material.
While they formed prog rock act Palace of Fire, the frontman hire replacements to deliver second album Cosmic Egg in 2009. But history repeated itself when drummer Will Scott and rhythm guitarist Aidan Nemeth walked out, making statements similar to their predecessors’.
But Stockdale takes exception to the suggestion he’s difficult to work with.
He tells Classic Rock’s Dave Ling: “Being in a band offers so many different challenges. I have a good relationship with most people that have been in this band – but there are things you just can’t change.
“Two guys quit on me. The next drummer couldn’t handle the touring and wanted to stay at home. That’s not my fault.
“It’s just like everyday life: in any profession people come and go. Some will stay for three months and others will be around for three years. Being in a band in just the same.”
Wolfmother’s current lineup – Stockdale, Ian Peres, Vin Steele, Elliott Hammond
and Hamish Rosser – are set to preview material from their upcoming album at a one-off show in London on July 6.
The currently untitled record has itself been the subject of speculation with reports indicating the band’s labels Interscope, Universal and Modula all passed on releasing it.
“As of a few days about that’s been resolved,” says the frontman. “Things are back on track and everyone wants to keep the ball rolling. It’s evolved into a much stronger record, and we’ve begun talking to a producer about getting involved. In the meantime we’re tracking our own versions of the new songs.”
One track, tentatively called Ghetto, has been submitted to producers of the Iron Man franchise. “Only last night we were invited to submit and I had the perfect song,” Stockdale reports. “It has a big, slow, sludgy riff.”
And he hopes the album will be released before the end of this year. “It’s got to be,” he says. “There’s a song called Year of the Dragon – for that to come out 2013 would just be wrong.”
-Classic Rock Magazine
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