Wednesday, March 23, 2016
By Chrissie Dickinson
Chicago Tribune
Shooter Jennings was born into country music royalty in 1979. The son of outlaw icons Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter, his godfather was Johnny Cash. The singer-songwriter grew up on his parents’ tour bus, traveling the country from gig to gig and surrounded by legends.
When it comes to his own music, Jennings is a guy known for left turns. He launched his solo career in 2005 with the raucous country-rock debut “Put the ‘O’ Back in Country.” Since then, he’s followed an idiosyncratic muse. Among his releases is “Black Ribbons,” a concept album collaboration with horror novelist Stephen King. For his new album “Countach (for Giorgio),” Jennings offers up an unexpected tribute to Italian disco producer and 1980s soundtrack king Giorgio Moroder.
Released on Jennings’ own Black Country Rock label, the album is named after the sleek Lamborghini sports car. It’s one of the many icons that informed his childhood and teenage years.
“My generation is so tied up in television, computers and video games,” says Jennings. “When we were born, MTV was already there. It was normal.”
Moroder was a major mover and shaker in that era’s musical landscape. An electronic music figure in the 1960s, he went on to produce Donna Summer in the late 1970s and helped make her a disco diva with such epic hits as “Love to Love You Baby.” He produced and composed a dizzying array of soundtracks and theme songs for a long list of films including “American Gigolo,” “Cat People,” “Scarface,” “The NeverEnding Story” and “Top Gun.”
Jennings examines some of Moroder’s hits on his new release. The bold and experimental tribute mixes country elements of guitar and fiddle with swelling electronic synth sounds and big dance floor beats. “Countach” features guest appearances from a number of diverse collaborators including Marilyn Manson. The theatrical goth rocker conjures his inner David Bowie for a smoldering version of “Cat People.”
“I have such respect for him,” Jennings says about Manson. “I met him a few years ago and we became friends. He was everything I hoped he would be as an artist and person.”
Country-rock pioneer Steve Young turns up on a version of “Born to Die.” Jennings has long been a fan of the revered but often overlooked singer-songwriter whose canon includes “Seven Bridges Road” (a hit for the Eagles) and “Lonesome, On’ry and Mean” (a signature tune for Waylon Jennings).
“Steve Young was a real influence on me,” says Jennings. “I first (contacted) him because I’d gotten obsessed with his records. We began a friendship by email. He would write all the time and tell me stories about his struggles. He was really helpful and encouraging to me. He became a friend. This song reminded me of Steve’s life. I went to his house in Nashville and we recorded his vocals there. It was a real accomplishment to have Steve on the record.”
Jennings is equally psyched about another personal hero who participated in the album. The song “Chase” features a spoken word cameo from the video game developer Richard Garriott de Cayeux. The spacey, psychedelic production is a mashup of electronic beats and tech talk.
“Richard was one of the first great computer programmers of video games,” says Jennings. “I became acquaintances with him after super-fanning him online. It was an honor to have someone I’ve revered so highly my entire life participate in the record.”
Brandi Carlile delivers a soaring rendition of “The NeverEnding Story.” Jennings met the critically acclaimed singer-songwriter five years ago when they both participated in a Johnny Cash tribute show in Austin, Texas. Jennings was already a fan of her work. He was even more impressed when he saw that Carlile had tattoos on both arms of a symbol that is used in “The NeverEnding Story.”
“I thought that was awesome,” he recalls. “Fast forward to 2014 when I was starting to work on this record. I told her if she sang ‘The NeverEnding Story’ I’d put it on the album.”
Carlile happily agreed to record the title track of the 1984 fantasy film. For Jennings, it evoked a powerful childhood memory.
“That movie was huge for me when I was a little kid,” he says. “I loved the music so much. I’d watch it every few years, even when I got older. It’s very audacious to think you can put that song on your record. It has a high chance of failure. It has the risk of being really cheesy. But I knew Brandi would sell it. It felt like such a cool connection to my childhood.”
The album’s memorable cover art is by freelance artist Rocky Davies and has the smooth and colorful vibe of a 1980s airbrushed van. It’s packed with classic images from the various films associated with the music of Moroder. There’s a fighter jet from “Top Gun” and the dancer from “Flashdance.” Falkor the Luck Dragon from “The NeverEnding Story” is depicted holding a machine gun from “Scarface.”
Jennings is no stranger to artistic collaborations. In 2013 he teamed with country firebrand Jamey Johnson and Manson’s bandmate Twiggy Ramirez for a mournful cover of the standard “You Are My Sunshine.” The dirge-like rendition was prominently featured in a pivotal scene on an episode of the TV series “Sons of Anarchy.”
“It was a magic moment,” Jennings says about the recording. “Me, Jamey and Twiggy still make money off that song.”
In a full circle move, Jennings currently tours with his late father’s road and studio band Waymore’s Outlaws. “I started playing with them in 2014, and we’re still doing it,” Jennings says.