Guitarist Joe King of The Fray spoke to Noise11 about the locations that helped inspire their new album.
The How To Save A Life hitmakers are back with their third album Scars & Stories, which just debuted at number 18 on the ARIA Chart.
The Fray actually put aside some of the recording budget for this album to travel and broaden their horizons, and pianist and singer Isaac Slade pulled quite a surprise on Joe in the lead-up.
“It was a Thursday afternoon,” King recalls, “And all of a sudden I get a text saying ‘Hey man, you wanna go to Rwanda on Saturday?’”
King laughs, “That was one of the strangest texts I’ve ever got. Obviously I couldn’t go. I can’t just drop everything an go to Rwanda two days later.”
While a daring Slade also went to South Africa, King got his own inspiration a little closer to home.
He headed to New Orleans, “I really connected with the culture and the people and the vibe there” and also New York, “I love just getting into the energy of the city there, and writing, walking around and get ideas.”
They also did some writing in Europe, King noting, “I love getting outside the box, getting outside my little comfort zone and it really helped me find new inspirations.”
Check out the whole chat below, where he discusses working with producer Brendan O’Brien (Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, AC/DC), whittling down seventy songs to make the new album, diving into the ocean at 4am during a video shoot, which member would win a sprint, the musical community in Nashville, and heaps more.
