TESLA bassist Brian Wheat, who is promoting his just-released autobiography, “Son Of A Milkman: My Crazy Life With Tesla”, was asked in a new interview with Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio if the band has been using the coronavirus downtime to work on new music. He responded (hear audio below): “No, no. We haven’t really even seen each other. I mean, I see Jeff [Keith, TESLA singer] every once in a while when I come to Sacramento to do some work in my studio. But I haven’t seen Frank [Hannon, guitar], I haven’t seen Dave [Rude, guitar], and I’ve seen Troy [Luccketta, drums] once since February of last year. So, we haven’t been together due to travel restrictions. We all have families and kids and elderly parents, so everyone’s kind of freaked out about COVID. So, no, there’s nothing new in the works for me to talk about as we speak. I think the first thing we’ll do is get back together and play some concerts when we’re allowed to.”
In June, the members of TESLA got together — virtually — to jam out a quarantined version of “Breakin’ Free” as part of their online series “Home To Home”.
The original recording of “Breakin’ Free” appeared on TESLA‘s 2008 album “Forever More”.
“Son Of A Milkman: My Crazy Life With Tesla” arrived on December 15 via Post Hill Press. In this 304-page hardcover book, Wheat lifts the lid on living the rock ‘n’ roll life while struggling with anxiety, depression and other issues seldom discussed by musicians.
“Son Of A Milkman” features a foreword by DEF LEPPARD vocalist Joe Elliott, and was co-written with award-winning journalist and author Chris Epting, whose titles include “Adrenalized” (co-written with DEF LEPPARD‘s Phil Collen) and “Change Of Seasons” (co-written with John Oates).
Wheat co-founded TESLA, which became one of the biggest bands of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Brian owns a recording studio by the name of J Street Recorders in Sacramento, California. PAPA ROACH, TESLA, PAT TRAVERS, DEFTONES, KODIAK JACK, FLASHFIRES and many others have recorded there.
TESLA spent most of last year touring in support of its latest album, “Shock”, which was released in March 2019 via UMe. The follow-up to 2014’s “Simplicity” was produced by DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen.
