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Riverdogs

Magic

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 27, 2018
Messages
3,967
Location
USA
#1
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Riverdogs Website

Current Members:
  • Rob Lamothe - vocals, guitars, keyboards (1989–present)
  • Nick Brophy - bass, guitars (1989–present)
  • Vivian Campbell - guitars (1989-1992, 2003–present)
  • Marc Danzeisen - drums (1990-1992, 2003–present)

Albums:
  • Riverdogs (1990)
  • Absolutely Live (1993)
  • Bone (1993)
  • World Gone Mad (2011)
  • California (2017)

Riverdogs is a hard rock band from California. Their Debut album, Riverdogs, is a gem....but I am not going to start there. I'm going to start with California. I am really impressed with the vocalist, Rob Lamothe and Vivian Campbell is in top notch form on this album, too.

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Something Inside

The Revolution Starts Tonight

Welcome To The New Disaster
 

Magic

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Staff member
Joined
Mar 27, 2018
Messages
3,967
Location
USA
#2
10 Questions with Rob Lamothe

Before he joined the band, how did you first meet Vivian?

Rob: I first met Viv when he produced the original Riverdogs demo’s… We already had a guitar player at that time, but Viv would pick up a guitar at rehearsal to play a part as we prepared for recording… and sometimes he would join in on a vocal harmony. Viv was a great producer, but eventually we felt he was more like a member of the band… and then he asked to join us!

A hallmark of your songs is that they are often based on a good, solid chord progression. They would hold up even if someone were to just strum an acoustic by a campfire. Were you ever concerned making the debut that a virtuoso player like Campbell may overwhelm your compositions with riffs and fills?

Rob: Almost all Riverdogs songs (up until the ‘California’ album songs) were written on acoustic guitar, so you are correct about the campfire! Viv respected the songs… and I’m pretty sure that he never thought they required any instrumental virtuosity! He is the last guitar player who is looking for the spot in the song to ‘wail’ on guitar. Viv is all about the song, which is why he immediately fit in so well with the rest of us!

What new projects can we expect from you on the horizon?

Rob: Whew. Lots! I’m playing bass this Summer with an incredible singer-songwriter named Logan Staats. He just signed to Big Machine Label Group in Nashville. My younger son Zander plays drums in the band. I’m currently finishing up final mixes for the CD I’ve made with my sons and daughter called ‘And The River Reveals Herself’. I’m also finishing up recording projects with three amazing artists: Lauren Margaux (5 songs), Michael Wolf (6 songs) and Bonnie Hamilton (4 songs).I’ll head up to the Songwriting Camp I run at the end of every Summer in late August-early September. We are planning some shows in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands for October. Gonna have a special guest or two for those shows! I’m touring throughout Southern Ontario in February 2019, with a group of mostly Indigenous musicians, playing music inspired by the award-winning film, ‘RUMBLE- The Indians Who Rocked The World’. I’m one of the few fortunate non-Indigenous musicians to be invited to be part of that tour. That will be a lifetime highlight for me, in a lifetime of highlights!!
 

Lynch

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 28, 2018
Messages
426
Location
Outland
#3
I remember when the first Riverdogs album came out back in '90. I only heard one or two songs on it and I wasn't impressed, so I never bought it. Gotta be honest, I don't think I even knew about the album in '93 or that they still did anything anymore.

The songs you linked here are pretty decent. I might considering picking up the California album and then maybe search around for more of the older stuff since my tastes have evolved and/or broadened a bit over the years.