Hello everybody. We’re here today with Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti from the fabulous band Alter Bridge. How are you doing?
Mark - Very good. Yourself?
Myles - Thank you.

Good. We’re here to talk about your eighth and self-titled album, which will be out on January 9th. First of all, do you have one word to describe it?
Myles - No. (laughs) Boy, that’s a great question. You’re really making us use our brain cells right now. I would say… it’s kind of visceral. There are moments of an epic journey, like the last track, but a lot of this record is very direct.
The analogy I’d use is driving an old classic car. Especially a manual - the way you use the stick shift, you hear that old engine roar. That’s how this record feels to me. For lack of a better word, it’s visceral. The way we constructed the riffs, the intensity of them, and the consistency of staying in that realm - not shifting down into first gear too often, but keeping it in fourth gear and going fast.
Mark - That’s not one word. (laughs)
Myles - Visceral.

Great. And Silent Divide was the first track released, but it’s also the album opener. Was that the reason you wanted to release it first, or was there more to this?
Myles - Yeah, it was my initial idea to open the record with it. It starts with a riff that really grabs your attention quickly. After we put together the final arrangement, it showed a good span of what we do as a band, with a lot of different influences. It also felt like a good first release. It’s not a typical radio song, and I don’t think we want to release typical radio songs anymore. We want to show what we like as artists.
Mark - Yeah. What he said.

In the middle of all that heavy rock n’roll, there are also softer moments that almost feel like rock ballads. How do you balance intense riffs with that softer touch?
Myles - It’s kind of become one of the hallmarks of the band. It’s funny because I contradicted myself earlier - there are moments where we bring things down, just not as frequently as on some other records. That ballad side allows us to emote differently and be more vulnerable, which fans seem to appreciate. We started that on the first record with In Loving Memory, then Watch Over You on Blackbird. It’s become a tradition, and a certain part of the fanbase expects it. It’s fun for us too, because we get to stretch out and express ourselves differently.

How do you feel the band has evolved from the first album to this one?
Mark - We’ve evolved a lot. One big difference is that Myles is playing guitar now - on the first record, it was just me. I also get to sing now while Myles plays lead guitar. The arrangements are way more complicated. The first record was much more straightforward. We’ve written hundreds of songs over the years, so you have to reinvent yourself - or at least try not to repeat yourself. That’s taken us down a lot of rabbit holes and turned us into a very different band.

On this album, there’s one track, Tested and Able, where we clearly hear your voice, Mark. Was that a specific choice?
Mark - Yeah, that verse was something I really loved. I had an older arrangement that didn’t meet the full potential of that part, so I rewrote it for this album. Myles sang the chorus, and going back and forth like that works well for us. There’s also Trust in Me, where I sing the chorus and Myles sings the verse. So I sing on two songs - but not a whole song, and I don’t sing any bridges. I got gypped on this record, Myles. (laughs)
Myles - Yeah, but we can change that live. I’ll let you sing those bridges - I like having a break. One of the joys of him singing is getting to rest my voice a bit. He loves singing, just like I love playing guitar, so it’s fun to mix it up.

There seems to be a great atmosphere and cohesion within the band. How is it in the studio?
Myles - A lot of fistfights. (laughs) No, I’m joking. We’ve been doing this for so long that we understand how to bring out the best in each other for the sake of the songs. I’ve learned over the years that sometimes I think something should be a certain way, and later I realize I was wrong. You learn to trust people’s instincts. Once you leave your ego at the door, it’s liberating. You walk in, hash things out like adults, stay respectful, and hopefully create the best version of yourselves. It takes time, maturity, and patience - and we’re still working on it.

You’ve called this album Alter Bridge because the music speaks for itself and because you’ve had the same lineup for 20 years. How has that become a strength?
Mark - We’re very level-headed guys. None of us wants to be the band leader. We’re friends who boost each other. We also have other projects for ideas that might not fit this band, which keeps things healthy. Not many bands make it 20 years. We’ve never had any major arguments, and we still genuinely get along.
Myles - One thing we haven’t done is go on vacation together. (laughs)

You recorded this album at Eddie Van Halen’s 5150 Studios. How did that influence the record?
Myles - It would be a very different record without that opportunity. It inspired all of us to bring our absolute best. That’s sacred ground. Wolfgang was kind enough to let us use it, and we didn’t want to show up with anything less than our best material.

So this is your eighth album. How do you keep renewing yourselves creatively?
Mark - Myles and I are nonstop writers. We’re always writing, no matter what. Having other projects keeps the creative process alive, and when you come back to Alter Bridge, it feels fresh again.

Is there something you experimented with on this album for the first time?
Mark - Getting out of the same studio.
Myles - Yeah, that was the biggest change.
Mark - And gear - amps, microphones, consoles. We’re very happy with how this record sounds. It’s probably the best-sounding Alter Bridge album to us.

The last track, Slave to Master, is nine minutes long and very atmospheric. What was the creative process behind it?
Myles - It’s about letting ideas incubate. Some parts need time to find their place. That intro came from 2018 - I knew it was special and saved it. Years later, other parts fell into place. Not rushing it really helped. Space and time allow you to reimagine things. Some songs happen overnight, but those are rare. This one needed to grow.

If this album were a movie soundtrack, what kind of movie would it be?
Mark - Blade Runner, or… (laughs) The Barbie movie.
Myles - A rom-com. The Notebook part two.
Mark - Ex Machina.
Myles - That’s a good one.

Do you have a message for your fans?
Mark - Thank you for sticking with us all these years and allowing us to keep making music - especially the French fans. You’ve always inspired us to come back.

And you’re coming back to France soon.
Mark - February 18th in Paris, February 13th in Bordeaux.

How do you feel about the French audience?
Mark - Incredible. Even when we played to 50 people, they felt like 5,000. Now the crowds are passionate and intense. It’s amazing.
Myles - And it’s an excuse to come back here - it’s so beautiful. We’re finally seeing the fruits of our labor here, and it took decades.

Do you know any French words?
Myles - Oui. Merci. And that’s about it.

Well, thank you very much for your time today.
Myles - My pleasure. Thank you for the great questions.
Mark - Thank you!