It’s always fascinating to see how songs can catch on and – in some cases – become emblematic of an entire era. For many, the early ’90s hip-hop scene is typified by songs like ‘Jump Around’, the debut single from Los Angeles trio House Of Pain.
They charted around the world, and while that debut single hit No. 3 in the US and No. 15 in Australia, they never quite matched the same critical and commercial heights.
By the time they’d hit the big time, one member of the group – Everlast – had already gone solo with a debut album in 1990, having previously emerged as a member of Ice-T’s Rhyme Syndicate. But once House Of Pain called it quits in 1996, Everlast went solo once again, with albums like 1998’s Whitey Ford Sings The Blues going top ten in the US.
He even took home a Grammy in 2000 thanks to ‘Put Your Lights On’, a collaboration with Santana which is still a track I go back to regularly.
However, while albums would come relatively regularly, his most recent record – 2018’s Whitey Ford’s House Of Pain – was his last for some time, with live shows being largely put by the wayside, and new music emerging only rarely. As he explains, there was a lot going on: COVID, a house fire, a divorce, and even a health event which left him unable to play guitar.
This year, however, he returns with Embers To Ashes, an album which falls into vintage Everlast territory, pairing his vulnerability with acclaimed musicianship in a way that appeals to fans both longtime and nascent.
This week, I was lucky enough to have a chat with Everlast (well, we had the chat back in May, if you want a peek behind the curtain), to chat about the new record and everything associated with it.
If you’re eager to hear war stories about his time in House Of Pain, I will admit you may be disappointed, but Everlast – or Whitey Ford, if you prefer – is someone who can still tell a good story, and share some real interesting tales about his experiences with music.
Anyway, have a listen to Everlast’s Embers To Ashes, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.
Everlast’s Trusty Chords
Everlast’s One Influential Artist
- Divine Styler
Everlast’s Three Impactful Albums
- Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
- Cypress Hill – Cypress Hill (1991)
- Prince – Purple Rain (1984)
Honourable Mention: - Radiohead – The Bends (1995)
Everlast’s Five Trusty Songs
- Sam Cooke – ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ (1964)
- Joe Cocker – ‘Woman To Woman’ (1972)
- Radiohead – ‘Fake Plastic Trees’ (1995)
- The Supremes – ‘Stop! In The Name Of Love’ (1965)
- Neil Young – ‘Harvest’ (1972)