Derek Sherinian Thread: Where's the new DS or Planet X album???

[RodrigoAltaf]

I did my FOURTH interview with Derek last week, to talk about his new album, The Phoenix: https://www.sonicperspectives.com/interviews/derek-sherinian-interview/

this one is actually one I'm inclined to check out, seeing as Simon Phillips plays on it. And strangely enough (or not strangely enough, depending on your expertise Rodrigo) I personally like his solo work (and what he did with Alice Cooper as well) A LOT more than his work with DT or Sons Of Apollo. Don't know why though. (that doesn't mean to say he is among my favourite keyboardists though)

He certainly takes a lot more risks in his solo material than in SOA.

[Madman Shepherd]

The only thing better than Rodrigo baiting Derek, is Derek not taking the bait and instead articulately responding as to why he prefers certain keyboard sounds over others.

Man, if he had acted that way all along...

Anyway, excellent interview like always and it actually made me pretty damn excited for his new album.

[RodrigoAltaf]

The only thing better than Rodrigo baiting Derek, is Derek not taking the bait and instead articulately responding as to why he prefers certain keyboard sounds over others.

Man, if he had acted that way all along...

Anyway, excellent interview like always and it actually made me pretty damn excited for his new album.

I talk to him a lot on Facebook, and that bait was totally my fault for blurring the lines between our casual chatting and the more "professional" talk to promote the album. In retrospect, I shouldn't have done it, and I'm glad he took the high road.

While we're at it, did any of you research the name Ganymede? I asked him about it in the interview to see if he knew what it was about. Simon Phillips suggested the name to him, and it's Jupiter's largest moon, but it's also the name of a Greek god which is quite controversial. I told Derek about this after the interview, and we had a laugh about it.

[Elite]

I did my FOURTH interview with Derek last week, to talk about his new album, The Phoenix: https://www.sonicperspectives.com/interviews/derek-sherinian-interview/

this one is actually one I'm inclined to check out, seeing as Simon Phillips plays on it

Simon Phillips plays on most (all?) of Derek's solo albums.

[Max Kuehnau]

I did my FOURTH interview with Derek last week, to talk about his new album, The Phoenix: https://www.sonicperspectives.com/interviews/derek-sherinian-interview/

this one is actually one I'm inclined to check out, seeing as Simon Phillips plays on it

Simon Phillips plays on most (all?) of Derek's solo albums.

then that seriously escaped me. All the more reason to check them out then.

[Madman Shepherd]

The only thing better than Rodrigo baiting Derek, is Derek not taking the bait and instead articulately responding as to why he prefers certain keyboard sounds over others.

Man, if he had acted that way all along...

Anyway, excellent interview like always and it actually made me pretty damn excited for his new album.

I talk to him a lot on Facebook, and that bait was totally my fault for blurring the lines between our casual chatting and the more "professional" talk to promote the album. In retrospect, I shouldn't have done it, and I'm glad he took the high road.

That wasn't unprofessional at all. He made that a main part of his identity when SoA was first formed. Totally fair game.

While we're at it, did any of you research the name Ganymede? I asked him about it in the interview to see if he knew what it was about. Simon Phillips suggested the name to him, and it's Jupiter's largest moon, but it's also the name of a Greek god which is quite controversial. I told Derek about this after the interview, and we had a laugh about it.

 

Wow. That's quite a god. 

[devieira73]

https://open.spotify.com/track/68pm97VYpY5kNVPRDl2Yxn?si=NhGVIy1MSEeIx3FnIvFN8w
Great piano work on this one! Derek should write more songs in this style more often!

Edited: Even better with the band playing in the studio:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4gclTXiseo

[HOF]

https://open.spotify.com/track/68pm97VYpY5kNVPRDl2Yxn?si=NhGVIy1MSEeIx3FnIvFN8w
Great piano work on this one! Derek should write more songs in this style more often!

You beat me to posting this. Love this piece, and the video is great (as I’ve said before, all videos should be guys sitting around in a room jamming together).

[RodrigoAltaf]

My review was published today: https://www.sonicperspectives.com/album-reviews/derek-sherinian-the-phoenix/

[nattmorker]

https://open.spotify.com/track/68pm97VYpY5kNVPRDl2Yxn?si=NhGVIy1MSEeIx3FnIvFN8w
Great piano work on this one! Derek should write more songs in this style more often!

You beat me to posting this. Love this piece, and the video is great (as I’ve said before, all videos should be guys sitting around in a room jamming together).

Totally agree! I've always thought this should be the norm. Also, great video of "Dragonfly" and the song is good.

[MinistroRaven]

You can now see the exclusive video on “The Making of The Phoenix” here:
https://youtu.be/FR_ee8g3b_c

[devieira73]

Excellent album! The Phoenix, Clouds of Ganimede (Steve Vai ), Dragonfly and Pesadelo (Kiko  ) are among the best songs Derek has ever written. I love Sons of Apollo, but I would be happier if Derek's solo albums style would be more present there.

[Max Kuehnau]

Excellent album! The Phoenix, Clouds of Ganimede (Steve Vai ), Dragonfly and Pesadelo (Kiko  ) are among the best songs Derek has ever written. I love Sons of Apollo, but I would be happier if Derek's solo albums style would be more present there.

I like this album infinitely more than any SOA album, to be honest. (thanks Simon Phillips, thanks Derek too actually ) I don't know why, but I think he is a lot more "himself" (as it were) on this album (and probably on any other solo album by him) than he ever has been with DT or SOA. I guess it may have to do with him being his own boss as opposed to him having to deal with MP. (just my observation, not directly intended as a slight on MP.)

[Max Kuehnau]

You can now see the exclusive video on “The Making of The Phoenix” here:
https://youtu.be/FR_ee8g3b_c

I love these kinds of videos. This one as well.

[kirksnosehair]

The album is pretty good.  I don't listen to much instrumental music, but I enjoyed this today at the gym and was surprised to hear a song with vocals.


I didn't look it up but it sounded like it could be the guy from Kings X

[goo-goo]

The album is pretty good.  I don't listen to much instrumental music, but I enjoyed this today at the gym and was surprised to hear a song with vocals.


I didn't look it up but it sounded like it could be the guy from Kings X

It's Joe Bonamassa.

It's a very good album. More mature than his earlier releases. I do miss his Nord tone and the heavier approach from his previous solo albums.

[gzarruk]

Bumping this thread because I've been diving into DT members' (and ex-members') guest appearances on other people's albums/tracks lately, and I know Derek has done a bunch of these but for whatever reason I haven't been able to find more than a couple. Anyone here have any good suggestions?

Btw, he has a new solo album coming in July IIRC.

[HOF]

Bumping this thread because I've been diving into DT members' (and ex-members') guest appearances on other people's albums/tracks lately, and I know Derek has done a bunch of these but for whatever reason I haven't been able to find more than a couple. Anyone here have any good suggestions?

Btw, he has a new solo album coming in July IIRC.

Derek had two guest spots on this album by Paradigm Blue last year:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oH5ah9J2X4U

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zJraHf4x9Fw

[gzarruk]

Bumping this thread because I've been diving into DT members' (and ex-members') guest appearances on other people's albums/tracks lately, and I know Derek has done a bunch of these but for whatever reason I haven't been able to find more than a couple. Anyone here have any good suggestions?

Btw, he has a new solo album coming in July IIRC.

Derek had two guest spots on this album by Paradigm Blue last year:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oH5ah9J2X4U

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zJraHf4x9Fw

Nice

[JediKnight1969]

Btw, he has a new solo album coming in July IIRC.

 

[lonestar]

Didn't even think about sharing this here till the bump... Derek played on drum prodigy Yoyoka Soma's new track...

https://youtu.be/llB8VzCdGyY

[The Letter M]

Bumping this thread because I've been diving into DT members' (and ex-members') guest appearances on other people's albums/tracks lately, and I know Derek has done a bunch of these but for whatever reason I haven't been able to find more than a couple. Anyone here have any good suggestions?

Btw, he has a new solo album coming in July IIRC.

Indeed he does! Posted from Inside Out:

World acclaimed keyboardist Derek Sherinian Official, (Sons of Apollo, Black Country Communion), one of the most significant keyboard players of the modern era, is pleased to announce the new album ‘Vortex’ due for release 1st July 2022. Returning alongside Sherinian is legendary drummer Simon Phillips Music, who once again co-wrote and co-produced the album, as well as Tony Franklin The Fretless Monster, on bass.

Derek Sherinian comments: “I am very happy to announce the release my new album “Vortex”. Simon and I always try and out do ourselves with every release, and I am confident we achieved our goal.”

The follow-up to 2020’s The Phoenix, Vortex includes eight tracks built on his signature chameleonic sound that blends rock with elements of funk, prog, and jazz, which he started writing even before The Phoenix was finished. “Vortex is a continuation of The Phoenix,” Sherinian states. “However, I feel the composition is stronger on the new album, and I would describe it as a modern day 70s style fusion record, but with newer heavier tonality.”

When it came to guitars, Sherinian recruited a who’s who of great players, some of whom he had worked with before - Steve Stevens, Joe Bonamassa, Steve Lukather, Zakk Wylde, Sons Of Apollo bandmate Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal - and a few new allies, in the form of Michael Schenker, Mike Stern and Nuno Bettencourt. “The choice of guitarist works itself out in the writing,” he explains. “Also, like in the case of Steve Stevens, we co-wrote the song together, so it was natural for him to play on it.” Of his new collaborators, he says of Bettencourt, who appears on the scratchy “Fire Horse”, “I have always been a fan of his playing, and I am glad that we finally got to record together. He has the Van Halen swing and swagger to his playing that I love. We were both born in 1966, the Chinese year of the Fire Horse.”

According to Sherinian, Schenker’s inclusion was a no-brainer. “Michael Schenker has been one of my heroes for many years. He asked me to play on his Immortal album, and in return, he agreed to play on “Die Kobra”. I wanted to write a great song inspired by my favorite Schenker tracks. Zakk Wylde added some great additional parts to the song, and Tony Franklin and Simon Phillips sound great, as usual.”

Tracklisting:
1 The Vortex feat. Steve Stevens
2 Fire Horse feat. Nuno Bettencourt
3 Scorpion
 4 Seven Seas feat. Steve Stevens
5 Key Lime Blues feat. Joe Bonamassa, Steve Lukather
6 Die Kobra feat. Michael Schenker, Zakk Wylde
7 Nomad's Land feat. Mike Stern
8 Aurora Australis feat. Bumblefoot

-Marc.

[TAC]

Michael Schenker!!!!!!

[MinistroRaven]

Today, Derek is pleased to release the title track from the album.

Check out “The Vortex” here:
https://youtu.be/3rBjzSoOuVA

[MinistroRaven]

Check out the video for “The Scorpion” here:
https://youtu.be/UKHK-G6UDP4

Derek has this to say about the track:

“After the great response to “Dragonfly” on my last album, Simon and I wanted to do another piano trio song. Don’t be surprised if you see me going more in this direction in the future.”

[devieira73]

Love this song! Derek is so good when he uses more piano like that. Cool nod to Platt Opus (on Platypus 1st album and DT's OiALT) at 2:10.

[Orbert]

Cool tune!  I like how Derek doesn't shy away from playing in the low end even though there's a bassist.  Typically, the rule is to leave the low end to the bassist, which is hard for a keyboard players who come from a mostly piano background, but they've found a way to work together without stepping on each other.  The brief bass solo even went up high, leaving Derek to fill everything else.  I need to study this some more.

[goo-goo]

Enjoying it so far although I do miss the heavy side of Derek.

[devieira73]

This album is really great, even better than the previous one. With the exception of Nomad's Land (that it's not bad at all), all the songs have a better flow within themselves, sounding like more coherent compositions, which sometimes is something that is missing in a lot of Derek's songs, even in the (many) good ones. The other 7 songs are really strong, but I would highlight Seven Seas and Aurora Australis.

[MinistroRaven]

[gzarruk]

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Apparently he picked up some self-promotion tips from working with Gene Simmons. 

[Orbert]

Okay, it was not the most eloquently phrased, but I know what he means.  I come off stage and people thought it was great and tell me so, and I'm glad.  I'm grateful that I was able to bring some joy to their lives by doing something, and I'm glad to have that power.  It feels good to know that I've made someone else feel good.  I play something in church and afterwards people tell me how nice it was, and I thank God that I have something to contribute, because I sure don't have a lot of money.  People ask me to play or sing stuff all the time, and I do it, and it makes them happy.  I can do that.  I'm grateful for that.  I'm grateful to have that power, the power to bring people joy through music.

It took me nearly 60 years to figure out what it means to have "the gift".  The gift isn't the talent itself; the gift is that I get to feel the power that comes with making music.  I get to bring happiness to people by banging on a piano or blowing into a flute or saxophone or even just singing something.  Hell, being given the talent is practically a curse.  It's an obligation.  If I don't make music, I slowly go crazy.  But when I do, what I get out of it is the feeling that I've made others happy; it feels fucking awesome.  It's really, really hard to express that without sounding like a dick.  I am grateful to have been given this gift.

[ytserush]

Okay, it was not the most eloquently phrased, but I know what he means.  I come off stage and people thought it was great and tell me so, and I'm glad.  I'm grateful that I was able to bring some joy to their lives by doing something, and I'm glad to have that power.  It feels good to know that I've made someone else feel good.  I play something in church and afterwards people tell me how nice it was, and I thank God that I have something to contribute, because I sure don't have a lot of money.  People ask me to play or sing stuff all the time, and I do it, and it makes them happy.  I can do that.  I'm grateful for that.  I'm grateful to have that power, the power to bring people joy through music.

It took me nearly 60 years to figure out what it means to have "the gift".  The gift isn't the talent itself; the gift is that I get to feel the power that comes with making music.  I get to bring happiness to people by banging on a piano or blowing into a flute or saxophone or even just singing something.  Hell, being given the talent is practically a curse.  It's an obligation.  If I don't make music, I slowly go crazy.  But when I do, what I get out of it is the feeling that I've made others happy; it feels fucking awesome.  It's really, really hard to express that without sounding like a dick.  I am grateful to have been given this gift.

I only know what it's like being on the receiving end so I cannot even fathom what it means to you beyond knowing it is on another level entirely by orders of magnitude.

[Orbert]

That's all I'm saying.  It really is amazing, to have something like that.  I suppose it's not unlike having artistic talent, athletic talent, anything that you happen to have at a higher than average level, that can bring joy to other people simply through applying it.

Another part of the curse I suppose is that you're really supposed to keep it to yourself.  Going on social media and being grateful for it ends up coming across like "Man, I am so fucking talented!" especially if you already have the reputation of being full of yourself, which is what's happening here.