Drummer SHANE GAALAAS Releases New Solo CD, Lays Down Tracks For DIESEL MACHINE Album

After stepping out front and center with his critically acclaimed 2003 debut solo album "Primer", L.A.-based drummer Shane Gaalaas (GLENN HUGHES, B'Z, $IGN OF 4, DIESEL MACHINE) is unveiling his sophomore disc, "Hinge", on April 2, blasting the world with another multi-faceted slab of high-energy modern rock.

In part conceived in various hotel rooms throughout Japan while touring with B'Z and brought to life at Shane's Crumb West Studios in Simi Valley, "Hinge" continues where "Primer" left off and touches on everything from metallic bludgeon riffola ("To The Ground", "Funny People"),to BEATLES-esque acoustic pop ("Just Like You", "Til Forever Ends"),grinding electronica-infused grooves ("Sickify"),and anthemic big-hook rock ("The Wave", "Inside Out"),before closing things out with the experimental "Respect the Zamboni".

While Shane again handles everything from lead vocals to guitar, bass and keyboards, he made a concerted effort to bring his main instrument more into focus this time around, most notably on the manic "Funny People", blastbeats and everything. "The feedback I received on 'Primer' made me realize that a lot of people get my albums because they enjoy my drumming and want to hear more radical playing," says Shane. "On 'Hinge', I spent more time making the grooves and the parts speak out. When I recorded 'Primer', I was so excited about guitar and everything else that some of the demo drum takes would end up being the final track. Sometimes it works, sometimes you just don't have time to go back and re-do it. I've always felt it important to play drums for the song but this time around I wanted to give the drums more juice. It's a balance thing; I think on this one I get the best of both worlds without compromising the song."

To download several "Hinge" samples, go to this location.

On the B'Z front, Shane will once again be heading over to the Land of the Rising Sun and sit behind the drums when the Japanese superstars kick off their "Circle of Rock" tour on April 17. The tour will last through September and see the band hit a large number of mid-sized to jumbo indoor venues all over the country. As has become customary, the B'Z latest single, "Love Bomb", recently debuted at No. 1 on the national charts. The band have also struck a deal with iTunes and will for the first time make their music available in a global digital format. The street date for the new B'Z full-length, "The Circle", is April 2. Shane is featured on 11 of the 12 tracks; the recordings took place over several months at the group's Los Angeles-area compound and a Japanese facility, respectively.

Last but not least, Shane has also laid down drum tracks for fellow Crumb brother Mark Renk's forthcoming solo album and will be making on appearance on DIESEL MACHINE bassist Rich Gonzales' planned solo outing. Rich is still recovering from his near-fatal motorcycle accident a couple of years ago and is blowing everyone away with his spirit and determination to get better. On a related note, both Shane and Rich have tracked drums and bass for the long-in-the-works second DIESEL MACHINE album, which is set to include reworked versions of all four songs off the band's 2001 demo.