Amy Gore and Her Valentines will release their debut album, In Love, October 13.
The band will host a record-release party that night at the Lager House in Detroit.
In Love was produced, engineered and mixed by Al Sutton and includes special guests Luis Resto (Was (Not Was), Eminem), funk guitarist Dennis Coffey and guitarist Jackson Smith’s pianist sister, Jesse Paris Smith.
Singer/songwriter/guitarist Amy Gore has been the heart and soul of bands like Gore Gore Girls and Gorevette, producing albums and performing with The Cramps and Blondie. In 2011, she’d written a batch of new songs and booked a one-off show at Detroit’s Blow Out festival to perform them.
Originally named Gore and the Squires, Gore assembled Jackson Smith (T-Bone Burnett’s Speaking Clock Revue, Electric Six) on guitar, Leann Banks (the Von Bondies) on bass and Joe Leone (Grayling, Fletcher Pratt) hitting the skins.
It became obvious on stage that the band’s chemistry was too potent to walk away from. "We had no expectations beyond that first show, but the chemistry on stage was instant and powerful. It was as if everyone in the room knew something special was happening. Afterwards, Jackson called me to say they wanted to continue as a real band, he and Joe were really impressed with my songs and the vibe on stage. I couldn’t ask for better band mates, so we decided to move forward.”
A name change followed (They dubbed it the Valentines following a particularly prolific songwriting session Gore had over that weekend in February) and the band began recording and playing high profile shows. In April 2011, the band entered the studio with Al Sutton (Kid Rock) at Rustbelt Studios.
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Gore and the band have evolved from her roots in the punk/garage world, the Valentine’s sound is pure rock and roll with power pop touches; the songs are unbelievably infectious. Smith’s guitar work gives these songs their edge – his bluesy solo on “So Lost Now” rips through the pretty vocals and wouldn’t be out of place on a T Rex album.
Smith performs in the Patti Smith Group and other bands; he is on hiatus while touring, Franklin Hambone Jr. will be playing guitar at the live shows.
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