With the much celebrated Love And Rockets’ reunion tour winding down with just a couple of dates left before Daniel Ash, David J and Kevin Haskins go their own ways, they’re leaving a parting gift in the form of their new album called My Dark Twin to be released Friday June 9th and can be preordered now.
My Dark Twin is a 22 track double cd/digital compilation tracing the journey to Sweet F.A. The release contains eight previously unreleased versions and six unreleased songs from the Sweet F.A. sessions. It also contains a booklet with new comments from the band about the recordings and notes from historian Andrew Brooksbank.
David J: “Sweet F.A was our coming of age album. A rite of passage and the Phoenix rising from both the literal and figurative flames”
A couple of inspired new tracks were recorded on Kevin’s portable DAT machine, and acting on instinct, he thankfully he took them home with him on the night that a massive fire broke out. They lost all of their gear and nearly lost their lives as well. After the fire, the band checked into Jive in Silver Lake with producer Paul Wallfisch – Jive as basically Paul’s black widow infested garage!
“Shelf Life” is David J’s direct retort to the delivery of news that MCA would not be picking up the option on his solo contract. Bruce Kaphan (American Music Club) lends a hand on this track with his extraordinary pedal steel.
“Ritual Radio” was an improvised rehearsal room jam – a spooky 18 minute piece.
“U. O. ME.” is a spontaneous, improvised jam between Love and Rockets and Genesis P. Orridge (also very spooky!) Though it is raw, rough and unrehearsed, and not a studio-quality recording, the compilers thought it was important to include. (The original infamous Gristleizer’s last stand!)
“California (Have A Nice Apocalypse!)” has a few guest musicians that apparently just happened to be hanging out in the studio, including Chuck Prophet on guitar, Bruce Kaphan (American Music Club) on pedal steel and Steve Carter on piano. It was recorded in a single take at the end of a very long and productive day.
“Sweet F.A.” was inspired by one of Daniel’s many motorcycle journeys and on one occasion brought a guitar with him, and he said “I was in a lonely place at the time and that melancholic lyric was written in a motel room”
“Spanish Stroll” is a spontaneous, loose cover version of the 1977 Mink DeVille classic, taped on an old boombox. Kevin employing a knife and fork and empty wine bottles as percussion with David on wheezing harmonium plus backing vocals. Daniel plays guitar and sings lead vocals.
Love And Rockets close out their 2023 tour with the following dates:
June 7 Royal Oak, MI Royal Oak Music Hall (Tickets)
June 9 Brooklyn, NY Kings Theater (Tickets)
June 10 Philadelphia, PA Fillmore (Tickets)
June 11 Silver Spring, MD Fillmore (Tickets)
June 13 Atlanta, GA Coca Cola Roxy (Tickets)
June 15 Dallas, TX Factory in Deep Ellum (Tickets)
June 16 Austin, TX ACL Live at The Moody Theater (Tickets)
June 17 San Antonio, TX Boeing Center at Tech Port (Tickets)