Puddle of Mudd revisits classics, preps for Florida shows

Multi-platinum rock band Puddle of Mudd will release an album of classic rock cover songs titled "re:(disc)overed" on Aug. 30. From left is Doug Ardito, Wes Scantlin and Paul Phillips.

Puddle of Mudd is all about rock and is now out to shock. Ten years ago next month, the band released its major label debut and eventual multi-platinum album “Come Clean,” which launched the band into the mainstream with radio staple hits “Control” and “Blurry.” With three studio albums under its belt since, the band has come clean once again with a new album of pristinely recorded classic rock cover songs titled “re:(disc)overed.”

While the song choices are pure classic rock, a few may surprise.

“As an artist, it’s fun to do something so outside of what you do. Songs like Zeppelin’s ‘D’yer Maker’ with the reggae vibe and the piano-driven Elton John song, it was incredibly exciting and challenging and inspiring to see if we could pull it off,” recalled lead guitarist and Jacksonville resident Paul Phillips, still excited at the vibe those tunes released in the group. “Part of the fun of doing this is, you think you know Puddle of Mudd, but you have no idea. My goal with this is to shock people. For better or worse, you know?”

What will jump out to listeners is how crisp these arrangements sound. The opening track, the Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter,” sets the tone for the remainder: It’s deliberately clean, even after being dragged through some Mudd.

Puddle of Mudd will hit the road in late August on the Rock Allegiance tour along with Buckcherry, Papa Roach and four others bands. It hits Florida for two shows Sept. 5 (Tampa) and Sept. 7 (Boca Raton). The show promises, as its publicity says, “great riffs and cheap tix.”

Phillips recently chatted with writer Chris Bradshaw, who contributes concert reviews and photos to the Daily News, about the new disc, upcoming Florida shows and even the singer Pink:

CB: How did you narrow down the songs?

Phillips: It was a bit of a process. We had to hone in on what era we wanted to stick with. And that whole late ’60s early ’70s — obviously one of the greatest times in music, ever. You have your early ’90s with the Seattle thing and also a lot of greatness, for me, in the ’80s with Metallica, Slayer and all the thrash stuff. But it’s like, we’re not going to go do a Slayer song. That would just not work.

Nirvana is still on modern rock radio. So it was like a three-month process of just listening to classic rock radio and bouncing ideas off each other. We came up with about 30 songs, weeded it down to like 14, which was tough, and then 11 made the record. ...

We made a conscious decision not to go in and totally re-invent these songs. They’re already the best they’re ever going to be. So all we did really was just go in and record them a little bit modern. I didn’t crank the volume dial to 11 like we normally do. And I also didn’t want to play on Keith Richards’ amp, so to speak.

There was a middle ground there which was very important for me.

CB: I’ve read you’re an unabashed fan of pop-rock singer Pink. Which song of hers would you cover?

Phillips: Oh, man, there’s so many. I really like (singing) ’cause I’m a hazard to myself ...

That tune “Don’t Let Me Get Me” was when she kind of came out on the second record and did what she wanted, and the label hated it and didn’t think it would ever work. It ended up being huge. So that song is about being “punk rock” and doing your own thing.

It’s wild you bring Pink up because, oddly enough, I brought in her guitar player, Justin Derrico, to help me out with some rhythms because I wanted two totally different rhythms on the sides. He’s a monster player, man. I wouldn’t let him do any solos, though, because I wouldn’t be able to play them live (chuckles).

I’m not the biggest fan of modern rock radio, and I know we fall into that category, but I really listen to the old stuff like we just recorded and all the greats like Guns ‘N’ Roses.

But I can say I, honestly, like and respect Papa Roach and Buckcherry. Both (are) great live bands. I think Jacoby (Shaddix of Papa Roach) is the best front man on the planet.

CB: Here’s a fill-in-the-blank for you, Paul. I want someone from our area to somehow get your attention at one of these Florida shows. And when the first fan from Southwest Florida gets your attention, you will be sure to ...

Phillips: Oh it’s beautiful down there, (I) know your area well. Hmm. I will be sure to ... give that person a high five and take a shot of liquor in their honor. I may do that for every single person from Naples! (laughs)

And if I don’t meet them, I may do it anyway.

CB: So with the album title “re:(disc)overed,” does that signify the band’s rediscovery of these rock songs or is it maybe your intention for the listeners to rediscover them with you?

Phillips: It’s a little bit of both. A lot of our fans have grown up with us and probably grew up on the stuff we did as well. So yeah, we went back and rediscovered a bunch of stuff that inspired us. But there’s also kids who’ve probably never heard this stuff before, so hopefully it’ll inspire them to go back and update their catalog because they’re missing such a great period in music. Also the way (the title) is spelled is kind of a play on words that fell into place; it’s a disc, the songs are covered.

CB: How did recording these classics affect your studio approach?

Phillips: Normally with modern rock you go and lay down four or five guitars and stack them up to cover all these tonal frequencies. On this one it was very important to me that it was like those old records where you had one guy playing hard left speaker and one guy playing hard right speaker and they’re not necessarily playing the same thing. And that’s what makes it great: when you put your headphones on, you hear the separation and it’s not muddied by multiple guitars. So I made an effort to keep that '70s spirit of doing it like that.

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