Foghat Goes ‘Under The Influence’

Foghat’s new album, Under The Influence arrives June 24. Members Roger Earl, Craig MacGregor, Charlie Huhn and Bryan Bassett began recording the album in 2013 at the band’s Boogie Motel South studio in Florida and were joined by Scott Holt, an alumni of Buddy Guy’s band who contributed to writing and adding guitar and vocals on several tracks.

There was more work to be done.  Bassett, proclaimed by the band as its “resident genius,” found himself playing, writing and recording the tracks, while Foghat was touring. A helping hand was needed.  But who?

Enter Tom Hambridge, who Earl met while presenting three Memphis Blues Awards to Buddy Guy. Hambridge, who was Guy’s producer, told Earl that he was a fan of Foghat and would love to produce one of the band’s records.

“Putting that in the back of my mind, this was the perfect opportunity,” Earl remembers.  “Tom came down to Boogie Motel South to meet the band and we clicked and started writing together immediately.  Working with him was inspirational!”

There were more surprises in store.  Holt, Bassett and Earl went to the Dark Horse Institute in Nashville to help on a friend’s graduation project. The result was a new band – Earl & The Agitators – with Holt handling lead vocals. The group recorded six tracks and is now opening for Foghat on select dates, resulting in Bassett and Earl playing in both bands.  Talk about overtime.

But there was more work to be done on Under The Influence.  Because Foghat emerged out of the Savoy Brown blues powerhouse, members decided that it was fitting to have that band’s Kim Simmonds join the sessions, helping to bring the group’s history full-circle.

You’ll have plenty of chances to see Foghat out on the road in support of the new LP.  Here’s the tour as it stands today:

May 20 – Arlington, Texas, Arlington Music Hall
May 21 – Baraboo, Wis., Ho-Chunk Casino, Hotel And Convention Center
May 28 – Chico, Calif., Silver Dollar Fairgrounds (Silver Dollar Fair)
May 29 – Victorville, Calif., San Bernardino Fairgrounds (San Bernardino County Fair)
June 5 – Kansas City, Mo., Starlight Theatre (with Boston)
June 17 – Marion, Ill., Black Diamond Harley Davidson
June 18 – Florence, Ky., UC Medical Center Stadium
June 25 – Sunbury, Pa., Spyglass Ridge Winery
June 30 – El Cajon, Calif., Sycuan Live & Up Close
July 2 – Sherman, Texas, Pecan Grove Park West
July 16 – Albany, Ore., Linn County Fairgrounds (Linn County Fair)
July 20 – Omaha, Neb., Baxter Arena (with Boston)
July 22 – Walker, Minn., Moondance Events (Moondance Jam)
July 31 – Readington, N.J., Solberg Airport (QuickChek New Jersey Festival Of Ballooning)
Aug. 3 – Columbus, Ohio, Ohio Expo Center (Ohio State Fair)
Aug. 4 – Kitchener, Ontario, Various Venues (Kitchener Blues Festival)
Aug. 6 – Arnolds Park, Iowa, Arnolds Park
Aug. 8 – Vale, S.D., Full Throttle Saloon (Sturgis Rally)
Aug. 9 – Ridgefield, Wash., Clark County Fairgrounds (Clark County Fair)
Aug. 12 – Santa Cruz, Calif., Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Aug. 13 – Sedalia, Mo., Missouri State Fairgrounds Grandstand (Missouri State Fair)
Aug. 19 – West Wendover, Nev., Peppermill Concert Hall
Aug. 22 – Airway Heights, Wash., Northern Quest Casino
Aug. 28 – Uncasville, Conn., Wolf Den
Sept. 2 – Woodward, Okla., Woodward County Fairgrounds
Sept. 3 – Walla Walla, Wash., Walla Walla Fairgrounds (Walla Walla Fair & Frontier Days)
Sept. 4 – Huron, S.D., South Dakota State Fairgrounds (South Dakota State Fair)
Sept. 17 – Cottonwood, Ariz., Old Town Cottonwood (Thunder Valley Rally)
Sept. 21 – New York, N.Y., B.B. King Blues Club (record release show)
Sept. 23 – Yakima, Wash., State Fair Park (Central Washington State Fair)
Oct. 8 – Colonial Beach, Va., Colonial Beach Bike Festival Grounds (Colonial Beach Bike Festival)
Oct. 14 – Las Vegas, Nev., Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino
Oct. 15 – Tyler, Texas, Butler Square (Classic Rock 96.1 Rock The Square)
Nov. 12 – Miami, Fla., Magic City Casino

Some shows are already on sale.  Visit Foghat.net for more details.