The Compulsions: Log Cabin Studio Session 2016
If you’ve spent a night in a NYC venue listening to a rock show over the last decade, you might have seen Rob Carlyle and/or his mates who have played innumerable gigs in dives, joints, clubs, and theaters across the five boroughs and beyond. The core lineup of Carlyle, Frank Ferrer, Richard Fortus and Sami Yaffa is featured on The Compulsions’ full-length debut, Beat The Devil (2011) as well as the follow-up, Dirty Fun (2015). However, the guys are in-demand session players so The Compulsions’lineup has been somewhat fluid.
Sami Yaffa did five year stints in Hanoi Rocks as well as the New York Dolls while Richard Fortus and Frank Ferrer are members of Guns N Roses. Fortus joined up with Axl in 2001 while Ferrer came in five years later. Another key Compulsions contributor, guitarist Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal, has also worked with Guns N Roses. He provides the fretwork on a trio of Compulsions singles slated for release in 2016: namely covers of Revolution by The Beatles, Shock Me by Kiss and Fascination Street by The Cure.
Carlyle pointed to Ferrer, who has a wicked resume, as his favorite drummer in town. He was pounding the skins during this session at Log Cabin – a beautiful place to record at 34th and 8th that’s part of the Manhattan Center complex that includes Hammerstein Ballroom. Ferrer was joined by Alec Morton who earned his reputation playing bass for Raging Slab for almost two decades. Morton is a relatively new addition to the crew although Carlyle had his eye on him for a long time as a potential co-conspirator. Hugh Pool, who played lead in this session, has won acclaim through his guitar work in Mulebone and was inducted last year as a master artist into The New York Blues Hall of Fame. Poole also works on the other side of the glass as co-producer, along with Carlyle and Ken Rich, of nearly every track the band has put out. A third Compulsions disc is currently in the works and should be released next year.
