BRET MICHAELS – Jammin’ With Friends (2013)

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After pushed back release dates and name changes (originally titled ‘Get Your Rock On’ and then ‘Good Songs & Great Friends’) the new solo album from Poison frontman BRET MICHAELS is finally released today as “Jammin’ With Friends”.
And indeed, the good ol’ Bret brings together the friends that has made along the way with some of the songs that have shaped all of that success.

Featuring collaborations with artists from a variety of styles and generations, this album contains a cover of “Sweet Home Alabama” with Gary Rossington, Rickey Medlocke and Peter Keys from Lynyrd Skynyrd playing on the track, a live duet with Jimmy Buffett (“Margaritaville”), remixes from Bret’s solo albums and new versions of some of Poison’s biggest hits including a remake of “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” with country-music singer Loretta Lynn (which isn’t that far from the original).

“Jammin’ With Friends” is a genre-bending album… but not so much. Some Classic Rock / Americana, Country and a very few modern elements (as the questionable “You Know You Want It”) are added to Michaels’ music here, but mostly this is a rock album, quite hard rockin’ if you ask me.
Musical greats such as Phil Collen (Def Leppard), Joe Perry (Aerosmith), Michael Anthony of Van Halen / Chickenfoot, Eric Brittingham (Cinderella), Frank Hannon (Tesla), Hugh McDonald (Bon Jovi), ex- Kiss Ace Frehley, Bobby Capps (38 Special), Leslie West of Mountain, C.C. Deville (Poison) and many more rock stars appear on this record, so expect mostly guitar-to-the-amp oriented songs.

Bret Michaels may have lost his front-head hair (note he is using hats and bandana all the time) and flirting with Americana lately, but his penchant for party-rock is still intact.
Two new songs are included on the CD; the rocker “Get Your Rock On” featuring Phil Collen on guitars & backing vocals which indeed sounds like modern Def Lepp or Collen’s side band Manraze, and the other is the ode to social media “The App Song”. Additionally, the former has been re-worked and re-titled as “Get Your Ride On” for the US Supercross Championships and also included here.

The good thing about this cocktail named “Jammin’ With Friends” is that the tracks rarely exceed the three minute mark avoiding boredom. Only the classics such as “Nothin’ But A Good Time”, “Something To Believe In” or “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” are longer, and the re-workings are well done.
It’s up to you if this bunch of songs (old & new) will be of your interest… I have enjoyed most of it, well arranged, recorded and executed.
Fun stuff.

01. Nothin’ But A Good Time
(feat. Michael Anthony, Lil Jon & Ace Frehley)

02. Sweet Home Alabama
(feat. Rickey Medlocke, Gary Rossington, Bobby Capps & Peter Keys)

03. Talk Dirty To Me
(feat. Mark McGrath & Scot Coogan)

04. Get Your Rock On
(feat. Phil Collen & Sal Costa)

05. Unskinny Bop
(feat. The Shields Brothers, Bobby Capps, Frank Hannon & Robert Mason)

06. The App Song
(feat. Brian Nutter, Jimmy Buffett & Bobby Capps)

07. Every Rose Has Its Thorn
(feat. Loretta Lynn, Bobby Capps, Joe Perry & Hugh McDonald)

08. Raine
(feat. Edwin McCain)

09. Driven [Rock Mix]
(feat. Leslie West, Jeffrey Steele & Eric Brittingham)

10. Nothing to Lose
(feat. Miley Cyrus)

11. What I Got
(feat. Jaret Reddick)

12. Go That Far [Hybrid Mix]
(feat. Jason Miller)

13. Fallen
(feat. Jimmy McGorman)

14. Party Rock Band
(feat. C.C. DeVille & Randy Castillo)

15. You Know You Want It
(feat. Peter Keys)

16. Margaritaville [Live in Detroit]
(feat. Jimmy Buffett)

17. Every Rose Has Its Thorn [Country Version]
(feat. Mark Wills, Chris Cagle & Brad Arnold)

18. Something To Believe In

19. Nothin’ But A Good Time [Classic Rock Version]
(feat. Ace Frehley, Michael Anthony & The Shields Brothers)

20. Get Your Ride On
(feat. Phil Collen & Sal Costa)

Bret Michaels – vocals, guitar
Pete Evick – backing vocals, guitar, drum programming
Bart Harris – backing vocals
Jamie Laritz – guitar, dobro, mandolin, keyboards, drums
Cliff Calabro – guitar, drums
Gary Smallwood – acoustic guitar, bass
Ian Lafferty – dobro, mandolin, bass, keyboards, percussion
Renee Truex – violin
Rob Jozwiak, Jeremy Rubolino – keyboards
Shawn Hughes, Chuck Fanslau, Dave Allen, Matt Green – drums
Ray Madonna – percussion

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