Today, NPR debuted the new music video for "Revolution" from Dr. John's new album, Locked Down, which was produced by Black Keys guitarist Dan Auerbach, who also plays on the album.
The album, which was released April 3 via Nonesuch, earned the highest-charting debut of Dr. John's 50-plus-year career.
"I wanted to surround (Dr. John) with younger guys. To test him a bit," Auerbach told NPR. "I also wanted him to talk from the Mac Rebennack [Dr. John's real name] perspective, lyrically. I didn't want him to talk from the Dr. John perspective."
The video, which was directed by Reid Long, offers a behind-the-scenes look at Dr. John's recent three weekend residency at BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music), where he performed with guests including Blind Boys of Alabama, Ivan Neville, Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Irma Thomas.
The residency also included a live performance of Locked Down with Auerbach, to which The New York Times responded: "Physical and spiritual, earthly and supernatural, a memento mori and a promise of transcendence - all were aspects of Dr. John’s music for the night."
Check out the video below; below that, you'll find Dr. John's current tour dates.
Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
