Jack Russell replied “Dude, I don’t do Iron Maiden” when presented with idea for last album’s title track

Jack Russell replied “Dude, I don’t do Iron Maiden” when presented with idea for last album’s title track

Jack Russell’s Great White lead guitarist Robby Lochner was recently interviewed by the Hair Metal Music‘s Facebook page. Lochner was asked whether he had any special stories or memories of writing / recording the songs on the band’s album He Saw It Comin’, which was released back on January 27, 2017.

The guitarist replied (with slight edits): “I co-wrote with Jack everything on the record. If you look on the credits, whoever’s name is first means they brought the idea in. “Love Don’t Live Here” and “Anything for You” were both Jack ideas. “Love Don’t Live Here” was one of the early songs that we put together. I remember our friend Sarge driving us through the mid-west from one acoustic date to another while Jack and I worked the song out in the back of the vehicle. For “Anything For You”, Jack had a rough vocal idea he sang for me. I took the idea that night and ran it over and over till I started getting more pieces and flushing out the melodies. My wife Jessica was in the kitchen while I was working on the song in the living room. She said “That’s really beautiful. What is that?” As I started developing it, I called Jack and played him the song over the phone at which time he added a little more to its direction. I wrote the ending independent of the rest of the song and when Jack came in to sing it, he didn’t know that part. I sang the two part harmony and just said “scat” over it. What came out was beautiful!

One of my favorite stories is how “He Saw it Coming” unfolded. I put the concept together and played / sang it to Jack over the phone. His response was “Dude, I don’t do Iron Maiden! Not that there’s anything wrong with that, it’s just not me.” I said “You’re not hearing it correct. It’s not Iron Maiden, but Queen, but no worries, we don’t have to use it.” I tracked a basic arrangement with piano and sang what I had for melodies. I actually put the song in a folder under my name figuring it wouldn’t be for Jack Russell’s Great White. The next night, he came in we worked on a few things, then I said, “I’m going to play you that song you thought was Iron Maiden-ish. No pressure. If it doesn’t work for you, it doesn’t work.” He said, “Play it without your vocals.” He immediately stood up and started singing over it. I said “That’s amazing. Let me grab a mic.” “Sing again”… It wasn’t what he had just sang… I said “Sing it again”… It was closer. I still have both of those performances. The vocal melody he came up with is what opens the song.”

You can read the rest of the interview with Robby Lochner at the Hair Metal Music‘s Facebook page.