Willie and the Giant were named “New Band of the Week” by the Guardian last year… and then they broke up due to creative differences. This happens all the time and it’s often because a lead artist in a group has other ideas they’d like to explore. That’s the case with Birmingham, Alabama’s Will Stewart who has stepped away from his old group to emerge as a compelling solo artist this year with a new EP, Faultline, releasing on April 15th. “Keyhole” appears on the new EP and it’s a banger of a single that rocks hard like a great slice of heartland rock ‘n’ roll. Recorded in Nashville and conceived in Birmingham, Stewart’s new music is super catchy, exciting and energetic.
“When I originally pieced together the structure of ‘Keyhole’ I immediately thought it sounded a little manic and sweaty. I started to think about a lyrical theme that might fit with the commotion of the music. My mind drifted to the idea of an altered state of consciousness feeling similar to that of passing through a portal or passageway; a portal to an unknown feeling or emotion. And not necessarily a chemically-induced altered state. Eventually, I came up with ‘Keyhole’ as the metaphor for the portal or passageway,” says Stewart.
He adds, “when I booked studio time with Mark to record, I knew that I wanted my former bandmates Mac Kramer (drums) and Grant Prettyman (bass) to be the rhythm section — we had fleshed out the song in a live setting for about six months and it was begging to be recorded. We always joked that Mac goes ‘full-Bonham’ during the end sequence, but it really does showcase his technical prowess on the drums. I decided to use a a little 10-watt amp that Mark had in the studio for the fuzz solo at the end. No pedals. Just played a 73 SG through the amp wide-open. We recorded everything in a day, no hiccups. And with Mark at the helm, I could rest easy knowing everything would be glued together just the way I wanted.”