Breakout

Album: ATBPO (2021)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Night Ranger was still going strong in 2021 with three original members: frontman Jack Blades, guitarist Brad Gillis, and drummer Kelly Keagy. "Breakout" is the lead single from their 12th album, ATBPO, an initialism for "And The Band Played On."

    The band has done well with songs of support for a little sister, and here they return to the theme, with Blades singing, "Come on little sister, breakout."

    It's a rocker encouraging us to find our passion.
  • Night Ranger had been living in different cities for a while, so the pandemic didn't throw them off creatively as much as many bands, but it was still a challenge to create an album entirely by remote. They had also been producing their own material for a while, so they had more control of the album but didn't have that guiding voice.

    According to Kelly Keagy, "Breakout" started with a track Brad Gillis came up with, and then Jack Blades worked with the band on the lyrics. "We would be on the phone like 20 times a day, going, "What do you think about this line? And this line?" Keagy said.
  • Shooting indoors was more challenging in times of COVID, so Night Ranger made the video outside on a barren landscape that looks like the remnants of a Burning Man festival. The scenery was also used in the photo shoot for the album.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

JJ Burnel of The Stranglers

JJ Burnel of The StranglersSongwriter Interviews

JJ talks about The Stranglers' signature sound - keyboard and bass - which isn't your typical strain of punk rock.

John Doe of X

John Doe of XSongwriter Interviews

With his X-wife Exene, John fronts the band X and writes their songs.

Glen Burtnik

Glen BurtnikSongwriter Interviews

On Glen's résumé: hit songwriter, Facebook dominator, and member of Styx.

Dino Cazares of Fear Factory

Dino Cazares of Fear FactorySongwriter Interviews

The guitarist/songwriter explains how he came up with his signature sound, and deconstructs some classic Fear Factory songs.

George Harrison

George HarrisonFact or Fiction

Did Eric Clapton really steal George's wife? What's the George Harrison-Monty Python connection? Set the record straight with our Fact or Fiction quiz.

Steely Dan

Steely DanFact or Fiction

Did they really trade their guitarist to The Doobie Brothers? Are they named after something naughty? And what's up with the band name?