Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Australian Singer/Guitarist Claude Hay Says, I Love Hate You, on New CD Coming October 16 from 128 Records, Distributed by Burnside Distribution

NASHVILLE, TN – Australian singer/guitarist Claude Hay, whose last CD, Deep Fried Satisfied, became an international sensation with his ultimate Do-It-Yourself musicianship, is back for another round of amazing stomping blues/rock/funk on his new CD, I Love Hate You, set for release October 16 on 128 Records, distributed by Burnside Distribution. To listen to the title track, click on this link: http://snd.sc/OMuP3s Hailing from the Blue Mountains near Sydney, the award-winning solo artist blends slide guitar, sitar, bass and drums to create a DIY masterpiece of music that is both highly creative and energized. Claude forges his live sound on the back of looping technology which allows him to create a band vibe without the band. This approach has seen this fiercely independent artist build an audience for his music globally with the release of his three home-made albums. To view a video of Claude’s live looping demonstration, click on this link: www.youtube.com/claudehay Taking DIY a step further than most, Claude has built all his own equipment: there’s “Betty,” his double-necked guitar which he made out of a kitchen bench top; and “Stella,” his new Cigar Box guitar, which started its life as a six dollar baking tin. He’s also built his own dome house and studio from the ground up, and pimped out his tour van with a shower and bar (a great move when you consider how much time he spends on the road). I Love Hate You is Claude Hay’s brand new third album and was recorded and mixed at Vader Studios (his home studio, with a huge back-lit Darth Vader mask overseeing production), and continues Claude’s move away from traditional blues and back to his love of rock – both alternative and hard – with his childhood love of 80s rock starting to show its influence. As on his last CD, he pays tribute to one of his influences; this time it’s a roaring take of The Beatles’ “Come Together,” which sits quite nicely among the album’s 11 other original songs. The signature slide is still there, along with the four-on-the-floor rhythms and gut-bucket sensibility, but new to the mix on album number three is an increased focus on guitar riffage, along with a more refined approach to songwriting and production. This new release sees Claude in a rare collaborative mood on three tracks, with the addition of drums on one tune, the rhythm section of Sydney band Chase The Sun on another and a guest cello on yet a third song. The new CD was mastered by Australia’s acclaimed William Bowden. I Love Hate You is a concept album – dealing with the things Claude loves, hates and loves to hate. From loved ones, great gigs, motor vehicles and treacherous trans-continental bus rides, bad customer service and indifferent radio programmers. I Love Hate You follows up Deep Fried Satisfied (2010), a very successful album for the indie artist that allowed him to get a foot in the door overseas. While promoting the launch of the album in the USA, Claude performed on National Public Radio and Deep Fried Satisfied promptly shot to number nine on the Billboard blues charts in response. The album went on to rank number five on Amazon’s top ten blues albums of 2010, with the track, “Miss You So,” polling third in the Best Blues Song of the Year category. Claude’s affection for New York-style pizza was the inspiration for that album’s lead track, “Get Me Some,” which won the Australian Blues Music (Chain) Award for Best Song of 2011. A track about the aggravation caused by faulty printers, “How Can You Live with Yourself,” hit number one on the Australian radio chart around the same time. Kiss The Sky (2007), Claude Hay’s debut lo-fi masterpiece which began his solo career, still sells like hotcakes whenever Claude Hay performs at festivals and venues around the world. Claude Hay will be touring in support of the new CD, with fall dates scheduled for Europe, followed by the USA in the spring of 2013, as well as numerous shows throughout Australia. For more information, visit www.claudehay.com.au. - 30 -