Chosen by Monk

For those of us of a certain generation, the Eighties most definitely provided the soundtrack to our lives, and it is one which lingers long, and affectionately, in our memories, as my latest selection evinces:

Speaking about the single, the latest to be taken from the band’s upcoming fourth album, which will see them share their #FavouriteDrug next month, frontman John Diva took time out from necking tequila on Venice Beach to tell me:

With ‘Soundtrack Of My Life’, we wanted to dive headfirst into the decade of big hair, bigger dreams and even bigger anthems. From the keyboard line to the hard-hitting guitars, the whole song is packed with the sounds and references we grew up loving – ‘Sweet Dreams’, ‘Talk Dirty To Me’, ‘Flesh For Fantasy’, ‘Every Breath You Take’, ‘Dancing In The Dark’ and plenty more. At the heart of it is that chorus: ‘Welcome to the Eighties / To the soundtrack of my life’. It’s our celebration of the excess, glamour and escapism of a time when rock anthems were built to last.

The song is really about climbing straight back into that world rather than looking at it nostalgically from a distance. It’s sex, drugs, rock ’n’ roll, one-night stands, romance and the endless pursuit of the next thrill – all wrapped up in a big, unapologetic Eighties anthem.

And when CJ steps up for the guitar solo, there’s definitely a little nod to that legendary moment when Michael Jackson met Van Halen. For us, ‘Soundtrack Of My Life’ doesn’t simply sound like the Eighties – it sounds like the Eighties refusing to die!

Speaking about the album as a whole, he told me:

We wanted to achieve absolute focus and intensity – and in the production, working together with Hannes, to be extremely efficient. What sounds like hard work (which it was) – this sharpening of focus – brought us a lot of joy. It can be fun to keep hammering away at a raw diamond until it sparkles and shines. This time, there’s less emphasis on experimentation (like on ‘American Amadeus’ for example) – though the album is still experimental in the sense that everything unnecessary has been stripped away.

When I think about making this album, there’s a very personal layer to it. We recorded in southern Germany, where my family is from, and I stayed with relatives during the sessions. It brought back a lot of great memories, so I went into the studio with a double sense of joy – giving everything to the record while reconnecting with my roots.

‘Your Favorite Drug’ was a trip in the cleanest sense – we stayed completely sober, but worked in a real frenzy. Writing, recording, and finishing the album happened fast, and by the fourth record you know exactly what you want – and how to get it. There’s a lot of spontaneity in it too: the title track came together in just a few hours, and songs like ‘Bigger Than America’ evolved into something bigger and bolder than we first imagined.