ARTIST: Peter Gallagher
TITLE: 7 Days In Memphis
LABEL: Epic
GENRE: Soul
BITRATE: 187kbps avg
PLAYTIME: 0h 36min total
RELEASE DATE: 2005-11-08
RIP DATE: 2005-11-03
Track List
----------
01. Still I Long For Your Kiss 3:57
02. When Something Is Wrong With 3:28
My Baby
03. Still Got The Blues 4:45
04. Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye 3:48
05. Everytime It Rains 3:02
06. Don't Give Up On Me 3:33
07. I've Got To Love Somebody's 3:54
Baby
08. When You Move You Lose 3:11
09. Leave Right Now 3:55
10. A Song For You 3:02
Release Notes:
When you think of soul music, Peter Gallagher of The O.C. is not exactly the
first image that comes to mind.
But Epic Records is betting on the actor's Otis Redding-inspired vocal chops,
and will release an entire album of soul songs interpreted by Gallagher Nov.
8.
Fans of the Fox drama may remember last year's episode in which the
Broadway-trained actor performed a Solomon Burke song. One of those fans
happened to be an Epic executive's wife, who suggested her husband sign
Gallagher on the spot.
"Epic approached me about making the record after I had sung 'Don't Give Up
on Me,' last season on The O.C., Gallagher tells E! Online.
"The label suggested I record an album of songs like that and sent me a 10
CD set of recordings from the Stax era. I thought it was a great idea, but I
also wanted to do some songs for my generation that while not [exclusively]
from Memphis, might work with the Memphis sound."
Indeed, Gallagher's forthcoming studio set, 7 Days in Memphis, is more for
"his generation" than for fans of his current show. There's not a single
Death Cab for Cutie or Phantom Planet cover to be found on the track list
that includes renditions of "Don't Give Up on Me" along with Carla and
Rufus' "When You Move You Lose" and Sam and Dave's "Something Is Wrong with
My Baby." The closest thing to modern rock is a version of Lucinda
Williams' "Still I Long for Your Kiss."
While the 50-year-old Gallagher is an accomplished stage and screen actor,
with credits like Noises Off and sex, lies and videotape under his belt, he
has no illusions regarding his fame on the Fox hit--and how it made his
solo debut possible.
"Getting a record deal at my age is nothing anyone in their right mind
could anticipate or hope for in this day and age...It's one of the most
extraordinary things that's ever happened to me professionally," he says.
"In an age when the popular culture is geared almost exclusively to very
young people, it can be a little alienating if you're an adult to be so
conspicuously ignored. I wanted to do songs that would address love and
loss in a way that might resonate with people who have really experience
those things and that might also expose younger audiences to some great
songs and artists."
Gallagher started singing professionally in the first Broadway revival of
Hair more than 20 years ago. Until now, his greatest musical success came
in the Tony-winning revival of Guys & Dolls, where he starred opposite
Nathan Lane. Gallagher can be heard singing the classic "Luck Be a Lady"
on the Grammy-winning show album. Still, it's The O.C. that exposes him to
his biggest audience--and based on his performance of "Don't Give Up on
Me" last season, there could be more crooning in the Bait Shop during the
show's current third season.
"I've noticed a few singing references in the scripts so far, so it's
possible," Gallagher hints.
Of course, Gallagher is also cognizant of fellow actors like Bruce Willis,
Don Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton, Kevin Bacon and David Hasselhoff, whose
musical forays have wound up in the remainder bins.
"I know for a fact that there will be people who won't take my music
seriously because I'm an actor on a TV show," he says.
"But while I'm a newcomer to the recording business I've been singing my
whole professional life and have put together some great songs so
hopefully there will be some people out there who will enjoy them. Plus,
there is no response in the world that could lessen the really wonderful
experience I had singing these songs with these amazing musicians."
Gallagher's 7 Days in Memphis showcases some A-list session
musicians--including guitarist and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Steve
Cropper, a founding member of Booker T & the MG's and architect of the
Memphis sound.
"It is a truly great band and singing with them was one of the highlights
of my life," says Gallagher.
And if 7 Days fails to set the Billboard 200 on fire in November,
Gallagher says he always has a day job to fall back on. But due to the
grind of his weekly series, Gallagher doesn't have any immediate plans to
tour in support of his album.
"For the time being while The O.C. is in production there really isn't
much time for anything else," he says. But, he adds, "If I could make
singing and touring a regular part of my life, along with acting, I
would."