RICH RAGANY gets deep and dark with new album

RICH RAGANY formally of rock & roll trailblazers The Role Models, The Loyalties and most recently, The Digressions, has today launched a solo album, ‘You Can Get Dark With Me,’ via Barrel and Squidger Records.

The long-player features ten personal songs of heartfelt soul searching and rousing anthems that drive the listener to the essence of Ragany’s personality and song-writing talents. 

Calgary born, New York City seasoned, and now UK-based Ragany, has shared stages with the likes of Ramones, Bad Brains, SNFU, Rammstein, Oasis, The Lemonheads, Warrior Soul, The Men They Couldn’t Hang, and the resulting attention led him to signing a deal with Barrel and Squidger Records.

“After the big dramatic production of The Digressions albums I wanted to create something more personal, a world of its own, so I decided to deconstruct to reconstruct,” explained Ragany. “Every song is a mix of home recording, from the first day of writing each song, and proper studio stuff, to keep a real ‘straight from the moment of inspiration’ feel but have a sonically and emotionally expanded spirit as well.

“Guitars recorded on the fly in my bathroom as I wrote, in real time. Mostly acoustic, later taken and manipulated to sound ‘electric,’ inspired by the ‘Stone’s similar sonic experiments on Street Fighting Man.

“Backing vocals done on the spot, some of these literally recorded on a phone mic in my bathroom. I then took all this to my trusted friend and talented producer, Andy Brook, and added big studio-grade bass and drums via the talented duo of Simon Maxwell and Ricky McGuire.

“Then, ‘JUNO and Canadian Country Music Award’ winning producer – and another old friend and brother – Russell Broom got involved in a few tracks.  Travelling back to my early home of Calgary and recording with him really brought things full circle.”

The first single from the album, ‘A Pleasant Fiction,’ featured a special guest in guitarist Ken Mochikoshi-Horne of Los Angeles punk legends, ‘The Bronx.’

“It’s a song about addiction and where it leaves the person struggling through it, where it leaves that person’s loved ones,” adds Ragany. “How emotionally both parts of the experience are very close in the emotional landscape. The attempts of chasing the horrors away, while struggling to embrace the foundations desperately needed, while maybe being chased away by others. The musical backdrop gives a strut and hope, with an uplifting and tough melody to embrace the idea that sometimes singing or sharing your life, reaching out, can give one the strength to stand again. There’s hope.

“It’s amazing to have Ken play guitar on the track. We’ve been friends for years and always spoke about doing a fun collaboration. Upon hearing the song, he immediately got the streetwise strut and gritty feel. I have been a fan of his from ‘The Dragons’ to ‘The Bronx,’ so grateful for our friendship, his playing really adds something special to the song, and to the whole vibe.

INFO: Barrel And Squidger Ltd

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