Album: Red Dragon Cartel (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Red Dragon Cartel is a Rock band featuring one-time Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Jake E, Lee, vocalist Darren "D.J." Smith of Canadian metallers Warmachine, drummer Jonas Fairley (Black Betty) and bassist Ronnie Mancuso (Beggars & Thieves), with the latter co-producing the disc with Lee under the pseudonym R. The band's name references the guitarist's Japanese roots.
  • This track, which features Cheap Trick's Robin Zander, was the band's lead single. Jake E, Lee told Guitar International that the creation of the song was a turning point in making their debut album, as he felt that Zander had the perfect voice for the tune. "I sat down, I listened, and heard Robin Zander and it was a surreal moment with a song I'd just written," he said. "It made me feel alive. It was the most alive I've probably felt in 20 years."

    Lee added: "I don't think I had missed doing it until that moment when I was listening to that track. I just said, 'Yes, yes, count me in. Let's do this s--t. I'm ready to go.'"
  • Lee recalled to Classic Rock Revisited the first time he met Zander: "I finally got to meet him when they came through town and they were opening for Aerosmith," he said. "I met him and I was like, 'Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for agreeing to sing on that song. I can't believe you would do that.' The funny thing was that he goes, 'Nobody ever asks me to do that. I was excited that somebody wanted me to sing on their song.' He is one of the most iconic rock singers of all time and the fact that he is not asked, left and right, by other artists to do that is weird."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Kim Thayil of Soundgarden

Kim Thayil of SoundgardenSongwriter Interviews

Their frontman (Chris Cornell) started out as their drummer, so Soundgarden takes a linear approach when it comes to songwriting. Kim explains how they do it.

Shaun Morgan of Seether

Shaun Morgan of SeetherSongwriter Interviews

Shaun breaks down the Seether songs, including the one about his brother, the one about Ozzy, and the one that may or may not be about his ex-girlfriend Amy Lee.

Weird Al Yankovic

Weird Al YankovicFact or Fiction

Did Al play on a Beach Boys record? Did he have beef with George Lucas and Coolio? See if you can spot weird but true stories.

Best Band Logos

Best Band LogosSong Writing

Queen, Phish and The Stones are among our picks for the best band logos. Here are their histories and a design analysis from an expert.

Carl Sturken

Carl SturkenSongwriter Interviews

Hitmaker Carl Sturken on writing and producing for Rihanna, 'N Sync, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Donny Osmond, Shakira and Karyn White.

Matt Sorum

Matt SorumSongwriter Interviews

When he joined Guns N' Roses in 1990, Matt helped them craft an orchestral sound; his mezzo fortes and pianissimos are all over "November Rain."