blues | Metal Planet Media

The Dead Daisies are turning up the heat with the release of their latest single, “Boom Boom”—a gritty, hard-hitting take on the John Lee Hooker classic. Out today via SPV GmbH Germany, the track is the latest single off the band‘s upcoming blues album Lookin‘ For Trouble, arriving May 30th. Steeped in the raw energy and rebellious spirit that shaped rock ’n‘ roll, the album finds the band reimagining blues standards with the same firepower that has fueled their decade-long run.

“Boom Boom” channels the swagger and soul of Hooker‘s original, inspired by his time at Detroit‘s Apex Bar, where the bartender Willa would famously scold him, “Boom boom, you late again!” The phrase sparked one of his biggest crossover hits, and now The Dead Daisies bring that same playful edge and infectious rhythm to their high-octane version. “He thought it was a great title and wrote the song,” says frontman John Corabi. “He recorded it with the legendary Motown session band The Funk Brothers, and we couldn‘t pass up the opportunity to put our spin on it!!!” The result is a riff-heavy, blues-drenched anthem that pays tribute while making it unmistakably their own.

Watch “Boom Boom” HERE

From the moment they stepped into FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, the band—John Corabi, David Lowy, Doug Aldrich, Michael Devin, and Sarah Tomek, — felt the weight of history around them. The iconic space, where legends like Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, and Etta James once recorded, inspired a late-night jam session that quickly became something much bigger. Producer Marti Frederiksen pressed record, and what started as impromptu fun turned into a full-fledged album—one that captures the blues in its purest, most electrifying form.

Across ten powerhouse tracks, Lookin‘ For Trouble breathes new life into legendary songs, with The Dead Daisies putting their own stamp on each one. The band‘s high-voltage take on Robert Johnson‘s “Crossroads”—the song that gave rise to blues mythology—kicked off the album rollout with a scorching tribute to the Delta blues legend.

“’Crossroads‘ by Delta bluesman Robert Johnson has created a myth so large that it‘s been etched into the very foundation of rock ’n‘ roll lore,” says bassist Michael Devin. “Many bands have covered ’Crossroads‘ over the years, now we‘ve covered it in our own way.”

The band‘s rendition has already been met with praise, with Raised by Cassettes calling it “a high-energy, soul-drenched performance that bridges past and present.” The track is also receiving airplay on radio stations across Germany, the UK, and Australia.

Elsewhere on the album, the band tears through classics like “Going Down” (Freddie King) and “Black Betty” (Lead Belly), putting their own hard-hitting spin on these blues staples. The setlist also includes smoldering renditions of “Born Under A Bad Sign” (Albert King), “Sweet Home Chicago” (Robert Johnson), and “The Thrill Is Gone” (B.B. King), each one injected with The Dead Daisies‘ signature grit and intensity.

At its core, Lookin‘ For Trouble is a testament to the enduring power of the blues. The band approached the album with a deep respect for the genre‘s origins, recording the songs live to capture the spontaneity and emotion that make blues so timeless.

“This album is our love letter to the blues,” says John Corabi. “When I first heard blues, it was through bands like Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones. The deeper I researched my heroes, the deeper I got into the history of this music. The blues is the soul of rock ’n‘ roll—it‘s in everything we do.”

Guitarist Doug Aldrich adds, “We cut these songs live, in the same room where so many legends recorded. It was all about feel—capturing the rawness and authenticity that makes blues so powerful.”

Lookin‘ For Trouble by The Dead Daisies
1. I‘m Ready (Muddy Waters)
2. Going Down (Freddie King)
3. Boom Boom (John Lee Hooker)
4. Black Betty (Lead Belly)
5. The Thrill Is Gone (B.B. King)
6. Born Under A Bad Sign (Albert King)
7. Crossroads (Robert Johnson)
8. Sweet Home Chicago (Robert Johnson)
9. Walking the Dog (Rufus Thomas)
10. Little Red Rooster (Howlin‘ Wolf)

The Dead Daisies are thrilled to announce the release of “Crossroads” today, the first single from their upcoming album Lookin’ For Trouble, via Fame/Malaco Records. The song, immortalized by Delta blues pioneer Robert Johnson, has been reimagined with the band’s signature firepower, delivering a high-energy, soul-drenched performance that bridges past and present.

Few songs in American music carry as much myth and mystique as “Crossroads.” Johnson’s 1936 original – recorded in a single take – gave rise to one of blues’ most enduring stories in that he met the devil at a Mississippi crossroads and exchanged his soul for unearthly guitar prowess. Whether fact or folklore, “Crossroads” became the foundation of modern blues, inspiring generations of musicians. Now, The Dead Daisies put their own stamp on the song channeling its raw emotion with blistering guitars, driving rhythms and an impassioned vocal performance.

“When I first heard the Blues, it was through the music of bands like Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones,” says vocalist John Corabi. “The deeper I researched the music of my heroes the deeper I got into the history or origins. The Blues in my opinion has influenced EVERY genre of music we listen to, with the exception of classical. I would refer to it as ‘The Soul’ of music and I hope you love our interpretation of this song as much as we loved playing it.”

“Crossroads”, by Delta bluesman Robert Johnson has created a myth so large that it’s been etched into the very foundation of rock n roll lore,” adds bassist Michael Devin. “They say Johnson gave up his soul in exchange for his musical genius. Many bands have covered ‘Crossroads’ over the years, now we’ve covered it in our own way.”

Lookin’ For Trouble, The Dead Daisies’ first full-length blues album, was imagined in March 2024 during sessions for their upcoming rock album, Light ‘Em Up. After recording at Sienna Studios in Nashville, the band moved to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, to complete the album at the iconic FAME Studios. The famous sign above the entryway reads: “Through these doors walk the finest Musicians, Songwriters, Artists, and Producers in the World.” This is as true today as it was in 1961. Since it first opened its doors, FAME has welcomed a literal who’s who of music royalty with legends like Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, and Etta James recording their classic hits there. Stepping into the same space the band – John Corabi, David Lowy, Doug Aldrich, Michael Devin, and drummer Sarah Tomek found themselves drawn into the deep musical legacy of the blues. After their rock sessions wrapped each night, they started jamming on blues classics for fun. Producer Marti Frederiksen quickly recognised the magic happening and pressed record. What started as impromptu late-night sessions evolved into Lookin’ For Trouble, an album that crackles with the raw energy and rebellious spirit that made blues the foundation of rock ‘n’ roll.

“The blues had many names back in the day, and they all had unwarranted negative connotations,” says Corabi. The title Lookin’ For Trouble nods to this history – an era when blues was called ‘the Devil’s Music,’ feared for its themes of rebellion, hardship, and sensuality.

For over a decade, The Dead Daisies have been captivating audiences with their soulful, blues infused ’70s rock.

The band will be hitting the road again in 2025 on their European March Tour and showcase a couple of blues songs from their upcoming album. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit https://thedeaddaisies.com/tour-2025/

TOUR DATES:

EU – MARCH
05 – Mezz – Breda NL
07 – Les Docks – Lausanne CH
08 – Phenomenon – Fontaneto D’Agogna IT
09 – Hall – Padova IT
11 – Im Wizemann – Stuttgart DE
13 – La Rayonne – Lyon FR
14 – Le Forum II – Vaureal FR
16 – SO36 – Berlin DE

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Tag Archives: blues

THE DEAD DAISIES Drop “Boom Boom”

THE DEAD DAISIES BLAZE A NEW TRAIL WITH “CROSSROADS”