DATE SEPTEMBER 16, 2021
FROM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/MARCEE RONDAN
D.D. VERNI & THE CADILLAC BAND
TO RELEASE THEIR DEBUT ALBUM
‘LET’S RATTLE’
SEPTEMBER 17
ON THE HEELS OF TWO SINGLES + VIDEOS,
“CADILLAC MAN” AND “OLIVIA…THAT’S WHO!”
NEW + ORIGINAL SWINGIN’ AND ROCKIN’ BIG-BAND MUSIC
FROM THE SONGWRITER/FOUNDING MEMBER AND BASSIST
FOR HEAVY METAL PIONEERS OVERKILL
BAND GEARING UP TO PERFORM FIRST-EVER LIVE SHOW
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30
AT THE VOGEL (COUNT BASIE CENTER FOR THE ARTS)
IN RED BANK, NJ
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Look for D.D. VERNI & THE CADILLAC BAND to release their debut album LET’S RATTLE September 17 (via MVD) on the heels of two singles + videos, “Cadillac Man” and “Olivia…that’s Who!”. Expect high-energy original swingin’ and rockin’ big-band sound from D.D. VERNI, the songwriter/founding member/bassist for heavy metal pioneers Overkill who’ve sold millions of records worldwide and have released 19 studio albums dating back to their 1985 debut album. Pre-order the album here, or pre-save the album here.
The band filmed the video for “Cadillac Man,” the album’s first single, at the Vogel (Count Basie Center for the Arts) in Red Bank, NJ, where they’ll perform their first-ever show on Saturday, October 30 Tickets are on sale now.
“We have our first show coming up and we’re very excited!” says D.D. “The more you move through life the less firsts there are, so I am pumped for this first-ever show. I’m now putting together a band that will feature a bunch of the same musicians from the ‘Cadillac Man’ video, with rehearsals this month and next. The show will feature most songs off ‘Let’s Rattle’ as well as a handful of classic rock and roll songs. I think people are very curious and they’re not exactly sure what to expect…just like me! But that’s half the fun–all I know is we’ll do our best to blow the roof off the joint.”
The set list at the Vogel will be comprised of songs from the album including its second single, “Olivia…that’s Who!” of which D.D. says: “While the song is about my daughter, I think it speaks to anyone who has a bubbly outgoing spirited girl in their life,” says D.D. “It could be your mom, wife or girlfriend.” Read an interview with D.D. about the album here.
LET’S RATTLE is the result of VERNI’s longtime dream of recording a big band album, as his love for the sound dates back many years. The New Jersey-based artist began by writing a fantastic collection of soon-to-be big band classics. Next he recruited longtime Brian Setzer Orchestra upright bassist, John “Spazz” Hatton, to do horn arrangements and play upright bass, while bass player D.D. switched things up playing some guitar on the album. Then D.D. brought in the LA based horn section from Phat Cat Swinger to play the horns and added Brian Setzer Orchestra drummer and current Doobie Brothers member, Tony Pia. Add jazz pianist Dave Moscoe and Hot Rod guitarist Damian Bacci, and you have a star-studded line-up of big band greatness that made this album shake and swing.
With songs like “Cadillac Man,” “Shake It Swing It” and “Olivia…that’s Who!” the album features 13 tracks (nine originals and four covers), was produced by VERNI and mixed by Greg Reely (Coldplay, Sarah McLachlan, Overkill), and recorded in Los Angeles and New Jersey.
“Powerhouse,” another highlight from LET’S RATTLE, will also be performed at the upcoming show. “I was not even aware that was the name of the song,” says D.D. “But everybody knows the riff from the old ‘Looney Tunes’ cartoons. When the factory starts up at the Flockheed Eggcraft factory and all the chickens are laying eggs, or a number of other different times when it was used through Warner Bros cartoons, ‘Road Runner’ and ‘Wile E. Coyote.’ etc. And I remembered that Blitz [Overkill’s lead vocalist] had suggested to me that maybe we could somehow use that as an Overkill intro tape, but I couldn’t think of a way. But it stayed with me as I feel like that’s the song that runs in my head all the time–hahaha. I have a lot going on, always busy, so it suited me. After I researched it some, I learned it was a Raymond Scott song–and as I listened, I said it’s such a great riff, I wished there was more of it or some lyrics. And then got the idea to just add to it and change the arrangement until it felt a little bit more like a song rather than just an instrumental. So I kept all the bit’s I like the best and added the female backing vocals to the riff part. I wanted to keep the title so I wrote the lyrics from there. I decided the ‘Powerhouse’ should be the devil and wound up writing lyrics about selling your soul to the lady in red, knowing it was not the right thing to do, but knowing you would do it again.”
Photo Credit: Mark Weiss
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The track listing for LET’S RATTLE is:
Cadillac Man
Shake It Swing It
Give Me Your Number
Olivia…That’s Who!
Powerhouse
Cold Hearted Woman
School Of Rock n’ Roll
L-O-V-E
Just Say U Love Me
Manhattan Baby
Close Your Eyes and Dream
Ain’t That A Kick In The Head
The One Who Loves You
Photo Credit: Mark Weiss
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