NAMM 2017 INTERVIEW: Warrant talks about Dean Markley Strings endorsement, new album and more

**Warrant** guitarist Erik Turner (left) and vocalist Robert Mason at NAMM 2017 in Anaheim, California. (Photo provided by: Warrant)

When you see the name Warrant, the first song on the fans lips is Cherry Pie. Formed by guitarist Erik Turner in 1984 during the heyday of the music scene in Hollywood California. Their popularity soared with vocalist Jani Lane and the release of Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich with hit singles Heaven, Down Boys and Sometimes She Cries in 1989. The momentum continued with their second release, Cherry Pie, in 1990. Although the band had its share of member changes, the passing of Jani Lane, they continued releasing nine studio albums. Fast forwarding to 2008, phenomenal vocalist Robert Mason formally of Lynch Mob, made Warrant his home. With Mason they released Rockaholic in 2011 and continue to entertain the masses.

Being a fan of Warrant, past and present, I had the honor of interviewing founder/guitarist Erik Turner and phenomenal vocalist Robert Mason at NAMM 2017 (National Association of Music Merchants) about their Dean Markley strings endorsement, interests outside of music and their upcoming album.

Hello, very nice to meet you.

Robert Mason: How’s it going?

Erik Turner: Well, how are you?

I’m doing good, thank you. We are here at NAMM 2017 talking about your endorsement with Dean Markley strings. Can you tell us a little bit about your endorsement with this company?

Robert: One string company is the entire, I think, of our collective careers. Since the late eighties through this afternoon it’s a comfort to have one company then and you go, “Hey I need guitar strings.” It’s the coolest thing in the world.

Erik: I think it’s a testament to the strings that we never even thought about changing string company. They’re just great strings They sound great. Rarely break. Great company to work with. Dean Markley, we love them.

Robert: It’s the product and the people.

And everyone uses them?

Erik: Everybody.

Robert, you play the guitar a bit too?

Robert: A little bit, I can do that.

Erik: He is a really good guitar player.

A great vocalist too!

Robert: I just really have good guitar players in my band so when we play live I’m like, “I don’t want to waste my time doing this. I want to sing dude.”

Erik: In the new album Robert plays a couple guitar solos, the people can hear plenty of guitar.

Robert: I pay them a lot of money to do that.

I must ask you about Dan Lawrence and GMP guitars.

Erik: Of course we love GMP …

Robert: Another one of our favorites.

They’re beautiful guitars I love ‘Red’ I love to photograph that guitar, how did you come about that partnership with GMP?

Robert: These guys worked with Danny a long time. Danny’s got a long history if you know what he’s done, he’s an artist, painter — way before the GMP moniker.

Erik: Joey and Dan used to work together at Charvel Jackson, I think starting in 1985… I met Dan in 1987 when he was working at BC Rich Guitar. We’ve been friends and he’s been working on our guitars and building us guitars on and off for the last twenty-five years or more. I just like to stop at twenty-five years.

Yeah, that’s okay. I’m good with that.

Erik: I haven’t known anybody more than twenty-five years.

Robert: I was seven.

(Laughter)

Erik you’re a wine connoisseur?

Erik: No, I’m not. I’m a wine enthusiast.

Enthusiast, okay… (laughing)

Erik: I’m a wine drinker.

Anything new this year?

Erik: Nothing new right now. If anybody is interested in the Wine, you can go to www.southcoastwinery.com / www.store.wineresort.com check them out. They’re all available at their online store, we have all kinds. We have Chardonnay, Syrah, Merlot and special blends.

Robert, I understand you’re a chef. Am I correct?

Robert: No, I like to cook with wine and sometimes I even spill some in the food. I like to cook with alcohol. I like to cook with tequila too.

Erik: I like to cook and spill wine in my mouth.

(Laughing) There you go!

Rockaholic was released in 2011. Love the album.

Robert: Thank you.

It didn’t seem to receive the accolades it deserved. How does this affect you when you’re writing your new album or it does it? Do you do anything different?

Erik: You know what, through the social media your fans can respond directly to you and stuff. Maybe in the big music business picture a world that didn’t sell millions but nobody sells millions anymore. You’ve got a ton of love from our fans. We got ton of love when we play this stuff live. We play the songs live some of them and you’ll see people out in the audience singing along the words and it’s like wow that’s pretty cool. You expect that for a song like Cherry Pie. Something like Rockaholic it’s really cool.

Speaking of new album, I understand you’ve been in the studio What can you tell us?

Erik: What can we tell you? Robert. Robert spent a lot of time in the studio this week.

Robert: The record is going to be called Louder, Harder, Faster. It was a lot of fun to make. It was produced by a guy named Jeffrey Pilson. Jeff who just so happens to have been a bass player in Dokken and also the bass player in Foreigner. He’s not a really good multi tasker from what he says, so we had to do one thing at a time.

Erik: Jeff was awesome to work with. I think people are going to dig the record. Like the title of the record I think it’s a little harder, a little faster than we’ve done in the past.

Robert: You have to play it a little louder when you buy it.

You must play it loud!

Robert: Honestly, I think we worked really hard, all of us together, to have something come out that was — I always wanted to have a record because I was a big fan of… I was a fan! My band opened for Warrant in early nineties so we got to be friends back then. I wanted a record that sounded like it would have come out that had a little bit of Cherry Pie and little bit of Dog Eat Dog but might have been like that fourth record.

In sequence.

Robert: It’s not really crafted that way. I just wanted that essence of — I still wanted it heavy but still wanted to have like the big stuff that the band is known for. That’s what we hoped we did.

Is this a band collaboration?

Erik: Oh yeah.

Robert: Everybody does their thing. It becomes a Warrant record no matter who comes up with the song idea. Everybody puts their stamp on it in the studio and makes it their own. I guess we must play a couple of these songs live and I’m …

Oh, yeah it always sounds good live.

Robert: I’ll never get bored of that except the piano ballad. I don’t think I’m going to have a piano dropped down from the ceiling like Elton John style.

Erik: But we do shows with Fire House you can borrow CJ’s piano.

Robert: I’m going to steal CJ’s electric piano that’s about… yeah!

Erik: There you go. I’m telling ya.

Robert: Dude, you’ve got that scene. There you go.

I don’t want to keep you much longer, what other endorsement do you have?

Erik: We mentioned GMP and Dean Markley, Hughes and Kettner, In Tune guitar picks. Who else I’m I forgetting? Wornstar Clothing, Dillon Optics Sunglasses.

Robert: I’m working on Bullock Bourbon. But that’s just for tonight.

Erik: We’re using Kettner AMPs if I didn’t mention that.

Being at NAMM we’re trying to get all your endorsements in.

Erik: My Star Sound

Robert: Yes, My Star Sound.

Erik: www.mystarsound.com. Check them out. Best audio cables in America

I appreciate this very much, is there’s anything else you would like to say?

Erik: Warrantrocks.com

Robert: There you go.

Yes… Warrant does Rock!

Erik: Follow us or follow Robert

Robert: Follow me, but not too closely.