KEN TAMPLIN
1. Who is Ken Tamplin?
Well if you ask my publicist, let me quote her: “Ken Tamplin has always been referred to as a “singer’s singer” with vocal references to his cousin Sammy Hagar, while guitarists have hailed his playing, songwriting and production in
equality to some of the biggest names in the business. Ken?s past successes, such as his highly acclaimed groups Shout and Magdallan, has continued to expanded horizons for Tamplin to be asked to sing for such groups as Foreigner, Motley Crue, Skunk Baxter, Jeff Lynn, Geazer Butler, Accept, and even Peter Frampton. It has also provided a platform for many film scores and source music for such features as Inspector Gadget, Perfect Storm, The Waterboy, Charlie’s Angels, Mod Squad, Wild America, Major League III as well as a host of TV series’ such as Melrose Place, 90210, The X-Files, Baywatch, the theme for Ace Ventura (Nickelodeon), Spin City, On Disney Now!, and Entertainment Tonight participated in by Tamplin..
In addition, Ken Tamplin has also found success in national television commercials for Nestle, Hotwheels, and Acura, as well as Japanese TV commercials for Ford, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Japan Airlines, Lux, and Shakey’s. Tamplin has even written header spots for people like Rush Limbaugh. His recent philanthropic CD “Make Me Your Voice” on EMI this past year included gospel legend Andrae’ Crouch and Charlie Peacock, and played a key role in the Presidential signing of The Sudan Peace Act this past October.
His current CD titled ?Wake The Nations? is an 18 song masterpiece, no less than what would be expected from Tamplin featuring some of the world’s greatest guitarists.
If you ask me at a personal level, I am just some guy who loves music and loves inspiring people toward greatness. I hope that my life and my music will contribute something positive here on this earth.
2. Let us know about your new album…
My new CD is a melodic rock album featuring some great melodic rock guitarists
and mysicians such as:
Reb Beach /Guitar (Whitesnake/Winger/Dokken)
Doug Aldrich /Guitar (Whitesnake/Dio/House Of Lords/etc)
Kee Marcello /Guitar (Europe)
Richie Kotzen /Guitar (Mr. Big and Poison)
Marty Friedman /Guitar (Megadeth)
Jeff Watson /Guitar (Night Ranger)
Mattias Eklundh /Guitar (Freak Kitchen)
Pete Lesperence /Guitar (Harem Scarem)
Jeff Scott Soto /Vocals (Yngwie Malmsteen/Talisman)
Scott Van Zen /Guitar (LA Guitar Wars Winner)
Howie Simon /Guitar (Jeff Scott Soto)
Stevie Salas/Guitar (The Rolling Stones/Terrence Trent D’Arby)
Drums: Glen Sobel (Beautiful Creatures/Impelliteri)
Bass: Daniel Pearson (Coolio/Jennifer Lopez)
Keys: Ed Roth (Glenn Hughs/Mya/Impelliteri)
Philip Bardowell/Background Vocals
It was loads of fun to make and flies directly in the face of the plastic, packaged pop music out today.
3. Who are the famous friends of Ken and what kind of contribution do they have in your album?
I think I’ve already answered some of this but as to their contribution, mostly were just guitar solos however, Howie Simon was a huge inspiration to me as not only did he help write some of the best material on the CD, he was directly responsible for encouraging me to make the record to begin with.
4. Is there any message behind the title of your album?
Wake The Nations is a clarion call for all to wake up to what is happening around the world. For the most part (and this isn’t as true for European countries as much as it is for the U.S.) people are completely ignorant of world events and therefore have little or no worldview. This is extremely dangerous for the survival of freedoms as we know them. So I wanted to do my part to “Waking” them up to that fact.
5. Why did you use kids in your sleeve?
Because my photographer Nigel Skeet came up with the idea and I thought it was great. I think he was right.
6. There’s a “dance” atmosphere in a few songs due to the drum machine
that you use….
WEll, I didn’t use any drum machines, the drummer is Glen Sobel. He did play to a few drum loops and yes, I love motown grooves so there are definite dance feels on several tracks especially songs like The Man With A Plan.
7. What do you remember from your previous band, SHOUT?
Shout was a trend setter for its time. Great guys and a definite inspiration to many.I enjoyed it and thank God for allowing me to continue to make music as most all of the other guys work regular jobs with the exception of the drummer Joey Galletta. I am still great friends with all the band which is a great testimony most bands can’t say.
8. Any chance to see SHOUT back in business?
I honestly don’t know. We did make a reunion CD called Shout/Back a couple of years ago so I never say never.
9. I know that you have recorded for films and commercials. Would you like to tell us about this?
Sure, I have been fortunate enough to work on a lot of great projects like:
TO END ALL WARS/WARNERS BROS. (Keifer Sutherland)
Produced Soundtrack featuring John Cameron and The London
Philharmonic Orchestra
INSPECTOR GADGET/THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY (Mathew
Broderick)
(Re-Record The Good, The Bad, The Ugly)
PERFECT STORM/WARNERBROS. (George Clooney)
(Source Cue #9 ?The Freezer Scene?)
THE MOD SQUAD (1999-2000)
(?Trippin? + ?Tower Of Strength?)
THE WATERBOY (1998) / THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY (Adam Sandler)
(The House of the Rising Sun + No One To Run With)
MAJOR LEAGUE III (1998) / WARNER – MORGAN CREEK
(Turning Japanese + The Good, the Bad, the Ugly)
THE GOOD LIFE/ PARAMOUNT PICTURES (Sylvester Stallone)
Whole Score
WILD AMERICA (1997) / WARNER – MORGAN CREEK
(Burn It Down + Suzie Q + A Little Dew From Heaven + Let Me Off)
ACE VENTURA/NICKLEODEON
(Pet Detective/Theme Song)
FRIENDS
(She Has A Way About Her)
FRANCIS COPPOLA’S FIRST WAVE / SCI-FI CHANNEL
(Not Without You)
THE X FILES
(The Shadow Creeps, Black Velvet Shoes, Something Sacred)
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT
(Black Velvet Shoes + Walkin’ On The Strand + 80 LB. Face + Watts It To Ya)
MELROSE PLACE
(She Has A Way About Her)
SISTER, SISTER
(Groove Me)
THE HOWIE MANDEL SHOW
(Funkadelic)
ON DISNEY NOW!
(Quiet Storm, Cliff’s Of Sardinia)
KISS – “I CONFESS” release CARNIVAL OF SOULS / the final sessions,
1998
I think I missed a few but this gives you an idea.
10. Are you going to tour ?
Yes we are planning shows. I will be announcing those on my website at
www.kentamplin.com as soon as we can put a schedule together.
11. What are you doing in your free time?
I spend it! (lol) I like to wine and dine my wife of 19 years. She rocks hard! I love spending time with my two kids. My daughter is becoming quite the pinao player/singer and my son is quite a ball player. This keeps me quite busy.
12. Any plans for the future?
Yes, I have quite a few things planned for the future. I have a blues CD I am working on. I have a vocal CD hopefully with some very “special” guests. I am working on another film right now. etc. etc. I am even considering starting a
record label. I’ll keep you posted.
I hope everyone gets a chance to check out Wake The Nations avalable at
www.songhausmusic.com for the US and www.nowandthen.co.uk for England and Italy and www.mascotrecords.com for the rest of Europe. It truly is a great record and has a bonus DVD with two music videos as well.
