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Interview: A Return To Form For Wolfmother

By Michael Cerio 

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The gargantuan riffs and searing classic swagger of Wolfmother exploded in 2006. Songs like "Woman" and "Joker And The Thief" from their self-titled debut became firmly implanted in ears, helped along by placement in everything from movie trailers to Guitar Hero. Dane Cook fans and button-mashing children were united in appreciation for the Australian exports.

Wolfmother's leader and creative force Andrew Stockdale seemed to crawl out of some Black Sabbath incubating ooze to save us from our pop punk hangover and the Chili Peppers California vibes, but unfortunately it was unsustainable. Exhaustive promotion and touring led to a change in the band's lineup, and subsequent albums Cosmic Egg and New Crown failed to capture the same response.

Which brings us to now.

Stockdale has reloaded Wolfmother with an album that shares a lot of DNA with their self-titled smash. Released in February, Victorious finds them swimming in familiar waters - employing the same stylistics that hit so hard ten years ago. It feels like the sequel the band deserved, like when Jurassic World pretends that II and III didn't exist for the franchise.

"It's just the continuation of a style that I guess we found on the first record. Similar but different" Stockdale explains via phone. "An evolution I guess."

For Stockdale, Wolfmother never completely went away. Maybe it was the fault of a smaller marketing push, or his decision to set the name aside and go solo for a bit - both things he cites when asked about what happened in the time between their self-titled success and their latest effort - but the anniversary of that initial album and this new batch of riffs has certainly thrust Wolfmother back in the spotlight.

"This one, for a lot of people it feels like we're back again, because we used a producer I guess who's style is more in tuned with what people expect from a Wolfmother record" he explains. "We're touring the east coast of America, we haven't done that for a while. I don't know why but, yeah we just haven't made it over here in about seven years. The crowds have been fantastic."

In addition to an inescapable presence in media, it was the touring of Wolfmother that helped built a cult following a decade ago. It also seems to be the reason for their lineup changes over the years. "We worked that record for about four years I think. I think we did about four-hundred shows" says Stockdale. "I don't know, you know. Touring the world is not for everyone. It's a different kind of lifestyle going to a different city every day and being away for a lot."

The rebirth of Wolfmother might just come down to the basics. After all, a solid muscular riff is the heart of rock music and the foundation for this band's success in the first place. As Stockdale describes, "I think there is definitely something about a good riff and a good groove. That kind of thing is a sort of universal language so to speak"

Wolfmother will play The Trocadero in Philadelphia on Friday March 4th. To hear more from Andrew Stockdale, check out the full interview below.

 

 

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