Joe Louis Walker going soul with next album

Joe Louis Walker says his next album is likely to have more of a soul vibe than latest release Everybody Wants A Piece.

But he’ll continue to experiment with guitar sounds as he works on his 23rd title.

He described his 2015 album as a push in new directions, although he added: “I’d like to think that when someone puts on one of my records they would know from the first notes, ‘That’s Joe Louis Walker.’”

Walker tells CleveScene: “The next record is moving forward. It’s more of a soul record. But I still have some guitar in there. I think there might be a few guests on it too.”

And he credits producer Paul Nelson – known for his long collaboration with the late Johnny Winter – as a major creative influence.

“The cool thing about working with a producer who’s a guitar player is that you can dick around with guitar sounds,” he says.

“We had a wall of amps. It looked like something out of Spinal Tap. I love to hear people like B.B. King and Albert King. You can recognise their guitar sounds right away.

“It’s like canvas painting – I would hate to paint with the same colour.”

Walker tours the UK next month.

Joe Louis Walker UK tour

Jun 09: London Dingwalls
Jun 10: Worthing Southern Pavilion
Jun 11: Southampton Brook
Jun 12: Cardiff Globe
Jun 13: Stroud Convent

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.