The video for “Wicked Mind,” Mike Campbell’s debut single and upcoming Dirty Knobs album, featured the guitar legend in a coffin. Fortunately, the second single, “Electric Gypsy”, finds Campbell in a less morbid setting.
The longtime Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers guitarist calls “Electric Gypsy” one of his favorite tracks on the new album. “The song came to me in a moment of inspiration before a session with the band,” he shared on Facebook. “We recorded it that day in one take, guitar solo and all.”
The twangy “Gypsy” closes External combustionthe second Dirty Knobs album, which will arrive on March 4th. Like the 2020s Wreckless abandonmentCampbell co-produced the new record with producer and longtime associate George Drakoulias (Tom Petty, the Black Crowes)
The song’s live feel is indicative of the approach they took with External combustion in its entirety. “We recorded both [Dirty Knobs] albums pretty much live on the floor, all the solos are live, some vocals are live,” Campbell told UCR. to the next song. I like to do things quickly. In fact, we went so fast that a lot of lyrics were written while we were cutting the track. »
The video, which you can watch below, was directed by George Mays, who also came up with the “Wicked Mind” concept. For “Electric Gypsy,” the duo worked together from a “rough idea” Campbell had in mind. “I said, I want to have some kind of gypsy caravan, [with] an old truck or something,” the guitarist recalls. “A bunch of gypsies coming down the road and getting in trouble here and there or whatever. I gave him a lot to work with.”
It was more than enough to keep Mays hanging on. “He found an old pickup truck from the early ’70s, some green thing that looked like a trailer,” Campbell shares. “We have some extra people there to liven up the party a bit. We go down the road, I hitchhike and get in the van. We do this song and drive through the desert. There’s a nice atmosphere.”
After a few postponed attempts, the Dirty Knobs will finally hit the touring track early March, coinciding with the arrival of the album. Campbell says it will be a “spiritual release” to be on the road with the band. “It’s a great group,” he concludes. “I’m just looking forward to playing because I think people will be surprised at how good they are.”
Watch the video for ‘Electric Gypsy’ by Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs
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