Funk Drunk is my 3rd solo album and is truly birthed from 420 Love.
Seattle’s 420 Love was led by the groovy bass lines of Blake Micheletto, the soulful vocals of Carl Smith and the beats of your truly. This ’90s funk project leaned on the interplay of rhythms between Blake, Carl and myself, and put zero limits on our creativity with the ultimate goal of giving people no choice but to move and groove.
Originally, I had hoped to bring us all back together, but distance and life got in the way. So this is my take on the evolution of 420 Love and my nod to the masters of funk. All 15 tracks were written, performed and recorded inside GTown Studio. Ben Barron of Red Hot Empty added guitar on Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah and Now Hear This. Final mixing and mastered was completed by Jack Endino, while Greg Oler lended his amazing artist talent in creating the cover artwork.
It is my hope that this 15-song beat drop makes you wanna move, groove and dance…and gives you a reason to enjoy the day. Funk Drunk officially releases everywhere March 6, 2026, but listen early and often on Bandcamp, where you can also pre-order the 180-gram 12″ Hot Pink vinyl!
I thought it was fitting that a quote from Lionel Hampton on drumming kicks off the album. It is on a pillow that my Mom made for me.
And with that Funk Drunk is off and running with I Was Here. On top of the beat I layered piano, trumpet, Djembe and clave.
Gimme What Ya Got is that old style synthesizer funk backed by a variety of percussion, included a vibraslap. I rounded it out with some vocals overtop.
Crack It Open is the first song I’ve recorded with my own guitar part. I played this on my mom’s Martin. I used the break near the end to record an opening of a beer can followed by the fizz of the beer. I had to open 4 beer cans to get a recording I was happy with…oh damn! Ha!
Rolling is a recording of rudiments, mostly 6-stroke roll variations, that became musical in how it was orchestrated around the kit. It’s a great warm-up too!
Trader of Fours started with the bass part played on my son’s double bass. All bass parts on Funk Drunk were played on that acoustic upright bass. As I was writing the bass part, I loved having the open section for the traditional “trading fours” for solos. The drums and piano solo against each other in those sections.
The title track, Funk Drunk, is a beat I sat down and started playing one day. It felt like I was gonna lose it any second as I played around with how 1 was accented. To me it gave that feel of losing yourself in the moment by being drunk on the funk.
Get Your Groove On is a chill groove with smooth vocals and that warm acoustic bass.
In my mind, Send In The Toms is a marching band type groove featuring the drumline. I think the whistle gives it that Friday Night Lights feel.
In Thirds started with the drum part that by itself seems scattered. But the bass and piano tie everything together musically. The piano and bass make a rhythmic drum beat seem relaxing and calming.
Drum Break harks back to the traditional drum breaks of the funk era. A straight-ahead funk beat drop with some subtle changes to keep everything moving and groovy.
Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah started out with a jazzy acoustic walking bass part, and every layer after that completely changed the original direction. When I tracked the drums, it gave it a prog feel with double bass licks. The vocals emphasized the hardcore punk side. But the cream on top is the guitar by Ben for the dramatic, theatrical rock feel. The lyrics plainly state what we all deal with related to the onslaught of the 24-hour news cycle, social media, AI and phone/text spam along with anyone else taking up your precious time on this earth with nonsense.
Rolling Redux is another take on how you can make the 6-stroke rolls musical.
Now Hear This features Ben’s masterful acoustic guitar work. I love again how a beautiful melody over the top of syncopated drums can totally change the vibe.
Shake It Up just grooves!
Sound The Alarm is your new favorite song to wake up to. Set it for your alarm. Wake On Up! Get On Up! This one started as a bell melody on the glockenspiel that I backed up with a funky groove. The gong at the end emphasizes it is time to wake up, wake up…be it politically, mentally or literally.