Photo by Carly Squires
It's the kind of collaboration that likely no one saw coming, but few could argue makes anything other than perfect sense. Lamb of God's Mark Morton has teamed with Neil Fallon of Clutch to showcase their mutual love and appreciation for tried and true Southern Rock, by taking on a classic.
Tipping their hat to the greats in Lynyrd Skynyrd, Morton and Fallon have shared their rendition of “The Needle and the Spoon” from the band's 1974 sophomore record, Second Helping. Combining Morton's distinct guitar sound with Fallon's incomparable vocals, the cover speaks to the shared reverence for the not only the band, but the sound that remains hugely influential to both musicians.
“As a small kid in the ‘70s and ‘80s, southern rock bands were the soundtrack of my youth. None of them resonated any deeper with me than Lynyrd Skynyrd. Their signature guitar driven blues-rock has had a profound influence on my playing,” says Morton. “It’s hard to pick a favorite Skynyrd song, but ‘The Needle and the Spoon’ is certainly on the list. Allen Collins’ grimy, swaggering riff paired with Ronnie Van Zant’s dark depiction of addiction are every bit as relevant and captivating today as they were when they were released 50 years ago.
While explaining the continued relevance of Skynyrd, both stylistically and thematically, Morton also shared the excitement he had in being able to showcase his influences, while working with a friend and collaborator in Neil Fallon.
"Having toured with Clutch for many years and having been a fan of their music for even longer, I’ve long wanted to work together with Neil. Covering ‘The Needle and the Spoon’ was something we were both excited to do together and we’re thrilled with how it turned out. I hope you dig it!”
Fallon also shared his take on the project and the kind of full range of emotion that went into taking on such a beloved band. “I was flattered when Mark asked me to sing Lynyrd Skynyrd's ‘The Needle and the Spoon.’ I won’t lie, though, I was nervous, because, well…Ronnie Van Zant. No one is going to equal his delivery. But I hope I did it some measure of justice. And if that doesn’t convince you, then Mark’s guitar solo surely will. It rips!”
The latest from Morton follows the musician's recent release of his acclaimed memoir earlier this year, Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir via Hachette Books. Along with his venture into the world of publishing, Morton continues to work on music that exists in the periphery of his work with perennial metal band, Lamb of God.
Get "The Needle and the Spoon" from Mark Morton featuring Neil Fallon - HERE
