It’s been greater than 50 years since Foghat unleashed its freewheeling rock and roll, steeped in its blues beginnings. Sonic Mojo is its first studio album in seven years, and the primary with lead vocalist/guitarist Scott Holt becoming a member of founding drummer/bandleader Roger Earl, longtime lead guitarist Bryan Bassett, and bassist Rodney O’Quinn.

Holt, who performed with Buddy Man for years and has loved a solo profession, has been a part of the Foghat household for years, co-writing songs and enjoying within the facet venture Earl and the Agitators. He changed Charlie Huhn.

How did you formally be part of the band?
I used to be on the band’s studio in Florida, the place we had been writing and on the brink of put collectively the brand new file with Charlie singing. However, at some point, Charlie despatched an e-mail saying that he was retiring, so we instantly pivoted from writing to studying the Foghat catalog, as a result of they’d gigs arising.

I’ve been of their camp since about 2016, once they had been engaged on Below the Affect. The way in which we hit it off, it was a very artistic surroundings, and it conjures up me to put in writing. Bryan and I fireplace one another up. It’s a very enjoyable scenario.

How did you’re employed out the guitar elements with Bryan? He performs killer lead and slide.
With the catalog stuff, we attempt to re-create the guitar elements devoted to the best way Dave [Peverett] and Rod [Price] did them. I feel Bryan would agree that we really feel it’s a accountability to the music and the followers; once you come to the present, you wish to hear “Sluggish Experience,” and also you need it to sound prefer it did on the radio. You don’t wish to hear our jazz interpretation (laughs.) Bryan performs the issues that Rod performed and I play the issues Dave performed, with a sure diploma of poetic license. I’ve all the time approached these from an improvisational standpoint. With my previous work with Buddy Man and my solo stuff, there was by no means any sort of worked-out solos. You simply responded to the music. I’ve been doing it for 30 years, so I don’t know do it some other approach at this level (laughs).

Foghat sprang from Savoy Brown, led by guitarist Kim Simmonds, who co-wrote three of the songs on Sonic Mojo shortly earlier than he handed.
We listened to these tracks, and “Time Slips Away” was onerous to hearken to the primary time. It’s a direct music about mortality written by a man staring it sq. within the face. It was such a wonderful lyric. He despatched us demos – vocals, possibly a rhythm guitar, and a drum machine or click on monitor. They had been actual stripped-down, however they gave us numerous room on deal with the music.

Which guitars did you play?
On the file, I performed a G&L ASAT I’ve been utilizing without end and simply love. Once I acquired the gig with Foghat, I celebrated by getting a guitar from LsL Devices. They constructed me a monster. It’s formed like a Telecaster however has two humbuckers with break up coils, to get a single-coil sound if I must. These are the 2 electrics I performed. On “I Want I’d a Been There,” I used Bryan’s acoustic; I can’t bear in mind what it’s, however it’s a tremendous guitar.

There are some musical surprises on Sonic Mojo.
A band is a singular mechanism. You’ll be able to’t unplug one part then plug one thing else in and count on to get the identical end result. Definitely, after I stepped into this band, my background is the blues, and that’s my wheelhouse. My references are blues guys. We sat right down to work the association for “Drivin’ On,” and Roger and I had been speaking. I stated, “I feel we must go like Slim Harpo, and possibly a bit bit John Lee Hooker.” That’s my language. Bryan and Rodney [also] know the blues.

To me, Foghat is a celebration of American music. I’ve gone again and listened to every thing of their catalog. They didn’t simply do blues – they did R&B and rockabilly issues. There’s a robust Chuck Berry thread by the entire historical past of Foghat. They don’t simply rejoice one lane of American music; they seize from every thing, which appeals to me. I’ve all the time discovered that extra fascinating than being a one-trick pony.

This text initially appeared in VG’s December 2023 subject. All copyrights are by the creator and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.