Live preview: The Winery Dogs

Richie Kotzen looks forward to returning to the UK with a new album, Hot Streak.

It was a really fun night for a great cause. All of the musicians hung out like brothers. And Tony is recovering at a good rate, so I’m told.

We’re five weeks in and a big chunk of the record is included. We do Oblivion, Captain Love, Hot Streak, and I go out alone with an acoustic guitar for Fire.

The sleek and funky Think It Over is also included, hopefully?

I play that on the electric piano and it shows a whole other side of us.

**How much of the show is improvised? **

Where we really cut loose is during those cool solo sections. In the old days we’d have played a song like Elevate just like the record, but now there’s a lot of flexibility.

What do you know about the support act, Inglorious?

Their singer [Nathan James] and I have a mutual friend who brought them to my attention. The guy’s a fantastic vocalist and I’m looking forward to checking them out.

Two albums in, is the question of whether The Winery Dogs are a band or a project asked less?

[Laughs] That’s more of a question for Mike Portnoy. But I’ve heard him say numerous times that out of all the many things he does, Winery Dogs is his priority.

Classic Rock 220: News & Regulars

Dave Ling

Dave Ling was a co-founder of Classic Rock magazine. His words have appeared in a variety of music publications, including RAW, Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Prog, Rock Candy, Fireworks and Sounds. Dave’s life was shaped in 1974 through the purchase of a copy of Sweet’s album ‘Sweet Fanny Adams’, along with early gig experiences from Status Quo, Rush, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Yes and Queen. As a lifelong season ticket holder of Crystal Palace FC, he is completely incapable of uttering the word ‘Br***ton’.