Pete RG

At the core of Pete RG’s rustic yet soulful sound is a voice that reflects on the passing of time. “The fleeting preciousness of it is always my biggest lyrical inspiration,” reveals the singer-songwriter. “We all seem to find a way to waste time away, and it really frustrates me.” It’s a revelation that’s present within each song off of Pete RG’s latest effort, Lightning Strikes, to be released on February 10. Recorded and mixed primarily at RG’s personal studio in Santa Monica, CA, additional tracking and mixing was done by renowned engineer Brian Scheuble (U2, Elton John, Sheryl Crow).

Helping further bring Lightning Strikes to life was multi-instrumentalist/co-producer Brina Kabler, who RG refers to as his, “musical Swiss Army Knife,” and a massive influence, musically. Yet it was the two’s personal bond that directly inspired the track, “Still Here.” “In a close-to-heart sense, it’s an allusion to the early days of my personal relationship with Brina. We had to go through our share of struggles. But, we made it through,” reveals RG. “One evening while we were having dinner, I was messing around on guitar and stumbled on the chorus lyrics and melody. Brina immediately joined in with her haunting background vocal and boom, the song was there. In many ways, that moment defined us. The bigger-picture theme of ‘Still Here’ is about sincerely listening to another person; the purpose being to understand and communicate with them in spite of our knee-jerk fears and reactions.”

Getting his start in music as the frontman of L.A. indie pop/Americana outfit Last December, RG wasted no time finding his own voice as a solo artist, with a debut full-length (2013’s New Eyes) and a slew of singles under his belt. However, Pete RG’s solo efforts have proven to be an even stronger collaborative effort, working closely with drummer Scotty Kormos and bassist Adam Kury along with Kabler. “I wanted Last December to capture all the feelings and subtleties that I felt when I played the songs by myself,” recalls RG. “Now, I want to reveal as little as possible about myself while working with a band. I want Scotty and Adam to run as far as they can and take me somewhere else. It’s a much more fun and rewarding process than the earlier days.”

RG will be touring extensively in the U.S. in support of the EP with Kabler, Kury and Noah Lebenzon on lead guitar. While Kormos won’t be able to join RG on the road due to previous commitments, filling in will be Pearl Jam’s original drummer Dave Krusen. Regarding what fans can expect from the band in a live setting, RG explains “It’s a certainty that every song will be somewhat different every night. The changes aren’t planned, they’re just felt. It could be the venue that sways us one way and the atmosphere of the crowd that sways us another. Whichever way, nothing’s ever quite the same. That’s the most fun part about it for us; it’s always a little adventure."