By Keith Walsh
When I saw Tom Cridland and his Tom’s Elton Tribute last summer at the Mission Theater in Fallbrook on August 3, I had the chance to sneak backstage and ask a few questions. He definitely sprung a few surprises on me, including his work on the upcoming Stylistics album, Falling In Love With My Girl, out February 23, and featuring a star-studded cast of players, many of them who Tom on his podcast, Greatest Music Of All Time.
Popular Culture Beat: Tom, Good to see you. You’re traveling the U.S. with your Elton tribute. And now you just told me that you’re working on the Stylistics on their new album, forthcoming album.|
Tom Cridland: Yeah, it’s already finished.
Popular Culture Beat: And they’re doing Tom Cridland compositions. How many?
Tom Cridland: It’s a 21 song album. It’s me, a guy called Antoni, and his wife Fiona, have written thirteen of the songs. A couple of them are written by the Stylistics. Shania Twain is on it as well.
Popular Culture Beat: This Anthoni guy you met, he wrote to you or something.
Tom Cridland: Yeah.
Popular Culture Beat: He’s in England.
Tom Cridland: Yeah, that guy.
Popular Culture Beat: You told me about it in L.A. What’s the album called, the title?
Tom Cridland: Falling In Love With My Girl, it’s called.
Popular Culture Beat: Is it kind of in that classic vein, or is it?
Tom Criidland: Classic vein, but the Elton John Band, Nigel, Davey, the whole lot of guys, they’re the like guesting people. Nigel plays drums on every track,
Popular Culture Beat: Various guests but Nigel on every track.
Tom Cridland: And the Elton John Band on most tracks. And we’ve got Bill Champlin from Chicago on it, we’ve got Billy Gibbons from Z.Z. Topp, Ronnie Wood from The Stones….
Popular Culture Beat: When’s it coming out?
Tom Cridland: October the eleventh, supposedly. It depends on the label. It’s either going to be BMG or Rocknation.
Popular Culture Beat: They’re going to fight for that.
Tom Cridland: Hopefully.
Popular Culture Beat: Where was it recorded?
Tom Cridland: It was recorded in Philadelphia, at Spice House Sound, at The Record Plant in L.A., which has just closed down.
Popular Culture Beat: Anybody notable on the board?
Tom Cridland: Well, he’s won a couple of Grammys. I hadn’t heard of him, he’s called Herny Andrat.
Popular Culture Beat: Any of your guys, Henry or Justin played on it?
Tom Cridland: The backing tracks are Nigel, Davey, and different guests. Tower Of Power are on it as well.
Popular Culture Beat: Are these more complex, layered tracks, or more stripped down? Horns?
Tom Cridland: Horns? Tower Of Power.
Popular Culture Beat: Tower Of Power?
Tom Cridland: Yeah.
From Tom, here’s a partial list of the personnel on the album: Justin Hawkins of The Darkness (Electric Guitar) on ‘Falling In Love With My Girl’ (title track).
Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones (Slide Guitar) on ‘Who Am I,’ Shania Twain (Lead and Backing Vocals, Production) on ‘Yes, I Will.’
Bill Champlin of Chicago (Lead and Backing Vocals) on ‘Whatever Happened to Our Love,’ The Real Thing (Lead and Backing Vocals) on ‘Whatever Happened to Our Love,’ Billy F Gibbons of ZZ Top (Electric Guitar) on ‘You’ll Live Forever,’
Gene Simmons of Kiss (Lead Vocals) on ‘Don’t Leave Me Here,’ Tower of Power (Horn Section) on ‘Don’t Leave Me Here,’ “Rock and a Heartbeat,’ and ‘I Could Never Leave Her,’ Carly Paoli (Lead and Backing Vocals) on ‘Take Me Back To Rainbows (Operatic Version).’
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