Blood of the Snake
Encyclopedia
Blood of the Snake is the fifth solo album by keyboard player Derek Sherinian
. It has contributions from Billy Idol
, Zakk Wylde
, Velvet Revolver
guitarist Slash
, John Petrucci
of Dream Theater
, in addition to previous collaborators Simon Phillips
, Yngwie Malmsteen, Tony Franklin
, Steve Lukather
and Brian Tichy
. A video for a cover version
of Mungo Jerry
's "In the Summertime", with Sherinian, Idol, Slash, Franklin and Tichy, was released in conjunction with the album. In a reference to Idol, the bass drum is painted with the script "Derek Sherinian and The Rebellious Yellers!". Sherinian also worked with duduk
master Djivan Gasparyan
on the song "Prelude to Battle" on the release, written for his great grandmother who survived the Armenian genocide
.
* Note: The official time printed in the CD liner notes is 3:51, but the track actually extends to 6:32, and includes a little hidden audio clip of Sherinian and his friends supposedly celebrating the new album release.
Derek Sherinian
Derek Sherinian is a rock keyboardist who has toured and recorded for Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, Yngwie Malmsteen, Kiss, and Alice In Chains. He was also a member of Dream Theater and is the founder of the instrumental metal-fusion band Planet X...
. It has contributions from Billy Idol
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
, Zakk Wylde
Zakk Wylde
Zachary Phillip Wylde , best known by the stage name Zakk Wylde, is an American musician, songwriter, and occasional actor who is best known as the former guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and founder of the heavy metal band Black Label Society. He was the lead guitarist and vocalist in Pride & Glory,...
, Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver is an American hard rock supergroup consisting of former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum, alongside Dave Kushner formerly of punk band Wasted Youth. Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland was Velvet Revolver's lead singer from their formation until...
guitarist Slash
Slash (musician)
Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
, John Petrucci
John Petrucci
John Peter Petrucci is an American guitarist and songwriter best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. Along with his former bandmate Mike Portnoy, he has produced all Dream Theater albums since their 1999 release, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory...
of Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
, in addition to previous collaborators Simon Phillips
Simon Phillips
Simon Phillips is an English jazz, pop and rock drummer.-Career:Phillips began to play professionally at the age of twelve in his father's Dixieland band for four years. He was then offered the chance to play in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar...
, Yngwie Malmsteen, Tony Franklin
Tony Franklin (musician)
Anthony James "Tony" Franklin is an English rock musician, best known for his work on the fretless bass guitar with Roy Harper, The Firm, Jimmy Page, John Sykes' Blue Murder, Whitesnake and briefly, with Quiet Riot.-Fretless bass:...
, Steve Lukather
Steve Lukather
Steve "Luke" Lukather is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer best known for his work with the rock band Toto. Lukather has played with many artists, released several solo albums, and worked as a composer, arranger, and session guitarist on more than 1,500 albums...
and Brian Tichy
Brian Tichy
Brian Tichy is a drummer, guitar player, vocalist and songwriter. He is currently the drummer with Whitesnake. Previously he was the drummer for Foreigner from 2009 until 2010, when he was replaced by Jason Sutter. Tichy began playing drums at age eight and started playing guitar at age 12...
. A video for a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Mungo Jerry
Mungo Jerry
Mungo Jerry is an English rock group whose greatest success was in the early 1970s, though they have continued throughout the years with an ever-changing line-up, always fronted by Ray Dorset. They are remembered above all for their hit "In the Summertime". It remains their most successful and most...
's "In the Summertime", with Sherinian, Idol, Slash, Franklin and Tichy, was released in conjunction with the album. In a reference to Idol, the bass drum is painted with the script "Derek Sherinian and The Rebellious Yellers!". Sherinian also worked with duduk
Duduk
The duduk , traditionally known since antiquity as a Ծիրանափող is a traditional woodwind instrument indigenous to Armenia. Variations of it are popular in the Middle East and Central Asia...
master Djivan Gasparyan
Djivan Gasparyan
Djivan Gasparyan is an Armenian musician and composer. He plays the duduk, a double reed woodwind instrument related to the orchestral oboe. Gasparyan is known as the Master of the duduk.-Biography:...
on the song "Prelude to Battle" on the release, written for his great grandmother who survived the Armenian genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
.
Track listing
- Czar of Steel – 6:01 (Sherinian/Phillips)
- Man with No Name – 6:55 (Sherinian/Tichy/Wylde)
- Phantom Shuffle – 4:21 (Sherinian/Phillips)
- Been Here Before – 4:30 (Sherinian)
- Blood of the Snake – 6:09 (Sherinian/Tichy)
- On the Moon – 4:34 (Sherinian/Phillips)
- The Monsoon – 6:08 (Sherinian/Tichy)
- Prelude to Battle – 2:55 (Sherinian/Tichy)
- Viking Massacre – 4:58 (Sherinian/Tichy)
- In the Summertime – 3:51* (Ray DorsetRay DorsetRay Dorset is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and founder of Mungo Jerry...
)
Personnel
- Derek SherinianDerek SherinianDerek Sherinian is a rock keyboardist who has toured and recorded for Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, Yngwie Malmsteen, Kiss, and Alice In Chains. He was also a member of Dream Theater and is the founder of the instrumental metal-fusion band Planet X...
- all keyboards - Billy IdolBilly IdolWilliam Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
- vocals on track 10 - John PetrucciJohn PetrucciJohn Peter Petrucci is an American guitarist and songwriter best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. Along with his former bandmate Mike Portnoy, he has produced all Dream Theater albums since their 1999 release, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory...
- guitar on track 1 - Zakk WyldeZakk WyldeZachary Phillip Wylde , best known by the stage name Zakk Wylde, is an American musician, songwriter, and occasional actor who is best known as the former guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and founder of the heavy metal band Black Label Society. He was the lead guitarist and vocalist in Pride & Glory,...
- guitar on tracks 2, 5, 7; vocals on track 2 - Brad GillisBrad GillisBrad Gillis is a guitarist most famous for playing with the band Night Ranger. He was in the band Rubicon during the 1970s before Night Ranger. He has also played for Ozzy Osbourne and Fiona, and has released solo albums....
- guitar on tracks 4, 6 - Yngwie Malmsteen - guitar on tracks 5, 7, 8, 9
- SlashSlash (musician)Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
- guitar on track 10 - Tony FranklinTony Franklin (musician)Anthony James "Tony" Franklin is an English rock musician, best known for his work on the fretless bass guitar with Roy Harper, The Firm, Jimmy Page, John Sykes' Blue Murder, Whitesnake and briefly, with Quiet Riot.-Fretless bass:...
- fretless bass guitar on tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8; bass guitar on track 10 - Jimmy JohnsonJimmy Johnson (bassist)Jimmy Johnson is an American bass guitarist best known for his work with James Taylor, Allan Holdsworth, Lee Ritenour and Flim & the BB's...
- bass guitar on track 3 - John "JD" DeServioJohn DeServioJohn "JD" DeServio, is the current bass guitarist in Black Label Society, joining after the departure of James Lomenzo in 2005.JD was also a member of Pride & Glory, Wylde's southern rock trio for a short time in December 1994 , and was also Black Label Society's original bass guitarist, playing on...
- bass guitar on track 7 - Simon PhillipsSimon PhillipsSimon Phillips is an English jazz, pop and rock drummer.-Career:Phillips began to play professionally at the age of twelve in his father's Dixieland band for four years. He was then offered the chance to play in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar...
- drums on tracks 1, 3, 4 - Brian TichyBrian TichyBrian Tichy is a drummer, guitar player, vocalist and songwriter. He is currently the drummer with Whitesnake. Previously he was the drummer for Foreigner from 2009 until 2010, when he was replaced by Jason Sutter. Tichy began playing drums at age eight and started playing guitar at age 12...
- drums on tracks 2, 5, 7, 9, 10; bass guitar on track 9 - Jerry GoodmanJerry GoodmanJerry Goodman is an American violinist best known for playing electric violin in the bands The Flock and the jazz fusion Mahavishnu Orchestra. Goodman actually began his musical career as The Flock's roadie before joining the band on violin. Trained in the conservatory, both of his parents were...
- violin on tracks 2, 4 - Brandon FieldsBrandon FieldsBrandon David Fields is an American football punter for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dolphins in the seventh round in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan State.-Early years:Fields attended St. John's Jesuit High School in Toledo,...
- alto saxophone on tracks 3, 6 - Jivan GasparyanDjivan GasparyanDjivan Gasparyan is an Armenian musician and composer. He plays the duduk, a double reed woodwind instrument related to the orchestral oboe. Gasparyan is known as the Master of the duduk.-Biography:...
- duduk on track 8 - Dimitris Mahlis - oud on tracks 7, 8
- Mike Shapiro - percussion on track 8