By Jeb Wright
Transcribed By Eric Sandberg

Frank Hannon, best known as the guitarist of Tesla, is a mother of an axe-slinger but few realize just how good a vocalist he is! That little secret is coming out as Hannon is cranking out fun little side projects of some of his favorite classic rock tunes. His latest solo release is titled From One Place to Another Vol 2.

CRR met up to discuss his newest project, which includes a killer remade of the Deep Purple classic “Hush.”

Jeb Wright: It's great to have a chance to talk with you again. You know, you and I have a mutual friend that makes guitars, Jake.

Frank Hannon: Yeah, that's right. I need to get ahold of Jake. He makes beautiful guitars. For you people reading this, Jake Willoughby makes C.R. Alsip guitars and they're stunningly beautiful guitars.

Jeb: Let's talk about your new video. One of my favorite bands ever is Deep Purple. This is one funky, cool version of "Hush." Of all their songs "Hush" is not the obvious song to cover. What made you pick that one and how did you come up with that arrangement?

FH: Thanks for the compliment. It makes me feel good. The track does have some magic to it, I must say. You feel good when you listen to it. It was recorded live in the studio so that gives it the spirit that I, and it sounds like you, are hearing.

The idea came when I was on the Deep Purple tour, opening for them in South America. I was checking out Randy Hansen on the Moody Blues cruise and he did a version of "Spanish Castle Magic" that segued into "Hush." It sounded so phenomenal it became my dream to get together and jam with him.

Randy is the original Jimi Hendrix tribute act, going back to the 70s. He is a West Coast legend. I was going to his shows since I was fifteen years old. He's one of my heroes. He was really the first tribute act. Today there are loads of tribute bands. Randy has always been the ultimate Jimi Hendrix.

Jeb: I see he played on your cover of "Spanish Castle Magic" as well. That's really cool. You and I must have very similar record collections.

FH: Yeah, I was born in '66.

Jeb: Me too.

FH: 1976 was a great year for music. The early to mid 70s was so influential on my style of music, definitely you can hear it in my work with Tesla.

Jeb: I wasn't a huge ‘80s fan, I was into Zeppelin and Sabbath, but when I saw the Tesla video for "Modern Day Cowboy"I was like, "Dude, this is rock!" And I've been hooked ever since.

Before we get too much further, we should explain that this is volume two of a project called From One Place to Another which are your own special albums. Where did you come up with the idea and how far do you see you yourself taking it?

FH: Well I'm glad you called them "special" albums and not solo albums [laughter] The words, "solo album" just really bug me. These albums are very special to me because I'm singing the lead vocals. This project started as a way for me to develop my singing voice. I am, and always will be, the lead guitarist with Tesla, but I'm a very hyperactive, creative guy and I'm always playing.

I wanted to improve my singing voice and it was actually my father-in-law, Dickey Betts from The Allman Brothers, who encouraged me to sing. He gave me the idea to learn by listening to other singers. So I learned a bunch of tunes by other people, from Seal to Jimi Hendrix to Deep Purple, Aerosmith...Billy Swan...I even did a little "Jim Dandy to the rescue!"

Then I started having some of my friends make guest appearances.  Gunnar and Matthew Nelson were the first ones. They are so freakin' talented and they're such great guys. They played on a cover of their dad's song "Garden Party."

Jeb: How is Dickey Betts doing?

FH: Dickey has recovered from his injuries [Betts suffered a severe head injury after a fall in his garden in September]. It's just a miracle. When he became conscious again, he was the same old Dickie as he always is; fully and completely there. He's just going through some exercise programs right now to get his strength back. He's on his way home from the hospital this week. I'll be seeing him this weekend and get to spend a few days with him.

Jeb: The very first time your wife took you to meet her father, did you get to jam with him or were you too scared?

FH: The first time I hung with Dickey we had a great jam session that I will never forget. We were in a hotel room at Caesar's Palace and Dickie was working as a guest guitarist with the band Moe [legendary progressive jam band]. They did a great version of "In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed."

Anyway, we came down and jammed in his hotel room and Dickey is so much fun. He can sing and yodel...he can do Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Williams like nobody's business. It was that night, as my new father-in-law and friend, that he advised me to start singing. I'll never forget it.

Jeb: So that's really you singing on "Lord Of The Thighs?"

FH: Yes sir.

Jeb: I'm a huge Aerosmith guy and that's my favorite cover version. I thought "Ooh, that's a ballsy one to do," but you nailed it.

FH: Thank you very much. I have to tell you, that song is ingrained in my head from listening to it on their Live Bootleg album. I want to send a shout out to Graham Whitford, Brad's son, who plays guitar in Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown. He is a kickass guitar palyer and he plays the extended solo on my album. He blows my mind.

Jeb: Brad is a special player so I imagine some of that DNA got into him.

FH: Graham is the spitting image of his father!

Jeb: How did you choose the songs for From One Place to Another Volume 2?

FH: Well I have a bunch of songs and a whole another batch worked up that are more on the mellow side. I did "I Need You" by America, The Beatles "Let It Be" which I definitely will be releasing, maybe even by Christmas. I'm a workaholic.

I realized I had too many ballads on the album and I wanted to rock with my band. Kelly Smith is my drummer and videographer. He helps me co-produce the videos and the music mastering and he kicks ass. My bass player Nick and Billy Raney and Randy Hansen is my guest guitar player.

I've always had guest guitar players on the albums. I've had Rick Derringer, Pat Travers, Dickey Betts. And when I do shows I have Jared James Nichols who is a kick ass guitar player. I've done two shows with him as a guest and he also plays on From One Place To Another.

Now that I've given you all this information folks, go check out all these albums and all these killer artists at my website http://frankhannon.com. We're even going to have a "Hush hoodie" available!

Jeb: One of the things I love about the album are the song choices. You did that Heart song with Roger Fisher, I wasn't even sure what album it was on, I hadn't heard it for ages.

FH: "Sing Child." Isn't that a killer song?

Jeb: It is, but it's one you forget about.

FH: Well that album Dreamboat Annie was a lot of love and lightning in a bottle. "Sing Child" is one of Roger's highlights on an album that had "Magic Man" and "Crazy On You." "Dreamboat Annie" is a beautiful song. That, along with Frampton Comes Alive and Jimi Hendrix Are You Experienced are probably the most influential albums of my childhood.

Live albums of that era were just the ultimate for me. Frampton Comes Alive, Aerosmith Live Bootleg, Rick Derringer Live, Ted Nugent Double Live Gonzo, Lynyrd Skynyrd's One More From The Road...

Jeb: I've got every one you just talked about!

FH: The feeling we got on these tracks like "Hush" and "Lord Of The Thighs" is because we recorded them live in the studio. I rented a studio in Santa Cruz, California called Rocker Studios, owned by Rick Vierra. It's a freakin' awesome studio. We went in there, set up and played live. All the songs on the album have that energy.

Jeb: From what I've read about these albums, you will record some of these tracks wherever and whenever you can. It reminds me of the old days, when bands were on the road and coming up with stuff in the hotel room and then booking the local studio in town to record them. It was all very organic.

FH: That's how they did it in the early 70s. Bands were constantly on the road. Grand Funk Railroad, Led Zeppelin...they would stop in at different towns and go into studios like Muscle Shoals or Motown studios and record. That's how this album was made.

Jeb: Is there going to be a Volume 3? Are you going to get those ballads out there?

FH: I have enough material for a Volume 3 now and those songs are more on the ballad side, yes. It might be a nice way to round out the project. The first one is more southern bluesy rock and the second is more heavy rock so maybe the last one can be ballads. I've got a few recorded already, including a Grateful Dead song.

Jeb: So what's happening with that little side project you have going on with that band called Tesla?

FH: We have a new album slated for 2019, and I'm sure we're going to be talking again about that one when the time comes. In the meantime, everybody enjoy the new video of "Hush" by the Frank Hannon Band.

https://frankhannon.com/
https://teslatheband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/TeslaBand/