"Last Generation:" The Grey Agents Releasing New CD, Celebrating New Sound
By Julie Perine on April 25, 2018
On May 26, The Grey Agents will be releasing a new CD and celebrating a new sound.
“We’ve got 12 new songs, but probably the most important thing is Phil Wyatt is in the band now. That’s the big change,” said rhythm guitarist/vocalist Brian Cottrill. “We’ve had several lead guitarists – all super talented – and for whatever reason, schedules and things didn’t work out. We really spent a long time not knowing how to move forward.”
After going more than a year with a vacancy and no live appearances, The Grey Agents welcomed well-known area musician, Wyatt - who rather than lead guitar - played the saxophone.
“We kind of went from sounding like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and took steps more toward Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band,” Cottrill said.
As a bonus, the band got a top-notch vocalist.
“Phil’s vocals are fantastic, whether he’s singing lead or harmony,” Cottrill said. “I don’t think there’s a better male singer in the region.”
With their revamped band and sound – and some newly-inspired writing by bass player/vocalist John Farmer – The Grey Agents whipped up a new recording project, “Last Generation.”
“It’s really about whether this generation cares about what it’s leaving for future generations - between driving up a federal deficit and our country plunging deeper into debt or just things like taking care of the planet and environment,” Cottrill said.
Tracts range from carefree toe-tappers to straight-up love songs to ballads inspired by relationships, social issues and even crime.
The latter was the project’s first single, “The Murder Farm (Hammer to the Head)” – about the murders of 1930s serial killer Harry Powers – was released on Halloween. Classic 50s rock and roll was combined with an eerie undertone, courtesy of some clever keyboard riffs by member, Davin Seamon.
The CD also includes “She’s Everything to Me,” written in the ‘90s by Cottrill about his wife Anita.
“There’s also some topical stuff about society,” Cottrill said. “There’s a song about a high school kid not being accepted. We’ve all seen that in high school; kids who are outcasts and not allowed in. There’s another song about trying to relate to your son from a father’s perspective.”
Farmer said he thinks The Grey Agents’ sound - which also features Bob Workman on - drums/percussion/vocals - has matured.
“We are still true to our influences, but we’ve ventured out a little farther than our last album,” he said.
Farmer had a hand in writing five of the 12 tracts on the new CD. Some were collaborations with Cottrill.
“I’ve been writing for years, but my old songs were designed more for solo performances,” Farmer said. “Now I’m writing for a band. It’s different, but it’s a lot of fun.”
He’s looking forward to the release.
“First, I feel we’ve really gelled as a band during this project. I’m excited for the public to see where our art has gone,” he said. “We worked on this album for over two years. We sifted through a lot of songs that either Brian or I had written to choose the ones that really show our style as a band.”
There are enough tunes leftover to record another album.
That’s sure possible, Cottrill said.
“I think we’ll keep playing as long as we’re having fun and able to keep playing music,” he said. “It’s such a fun release for everybody – forgetting about our problems for a while and just enjoying life.”
The release party for “Last Generation” will kick off 7:30 p.m. May 26 at the Benedum Civic Center on Main Street, Bridgeport. Fans are invited to come rock out with the band and some guest musicians.
“Seth Maynard and David Zinn will also perform,” Cottrill said. “They’ll open the show and play a few songs with us.”
