The Grateful Dead and the sport of boxing are cited as the latest sources of inspiration for Black Keys vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach as he launches a new solo project called The Arcs.
Coinciding with the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight on May 2, the Grammy-winning musician and producer will release two “boxing-related” songs on his own: “Stay in My Corner” and “Tomato Can,” which will be available on 7-inch vinyl at independent retailers via Nonesuch Records. Auerbach is a boxer himself who often spars backstage to get pumped for shows. His last solo project was 2009’s Keep it Hid.
The Arcs’ full album will be out late this summer. Auerbach told Rolling Stone that he wanted to get “extra weird” while recording in Brooklyn and at various rehearsal studios:
“I wanted everything to flow [and] be cohesive. A lot of the songs bleed one into the other, a lot like the Grateful Dead – my favorite records that they did. So I’ve got a lot of connected songs. It’s basically everything I love about music all wrapped up into one record – that’s all!”
He promises that the weirdness will apply to his music videos, as well:
“I’m just finishing up the artwork now, working on a cartoon video with this kid who lives in Bakersfield who’s never made a video before,” Auerbach says. “Kind of ridiculous. I’m just having fun [and] basically making music with no responsibility.”
In other exciting news, if you can make it to Europe, Canada, San Francisco or the East Coast, you can catch Auerbach and his other half of the Black Keys, Patrick Carney, on tour now that Carney has recovered from a serious shoulder injury.
(Via Rolling Stone)
