RIVAL SONS
Like a gang of tried-and-true mavericks, Rival Sons march to the beat of their own drum. Right when you think you’ve got them figured out, the Los Angeles quartet—Jay Buchanan [vocals, acoustic guitar], Scott Holiday [lead guitar], Mike Miley [drums], and Dave Beste [bass]—will flip the script and surprise you once more. Their very emergence is inexplicable in the best way. They never fit into any era or category, yet their uncompromising spirit might be more necessary today than ever. A sense of panache, a dash of mystery, and an unapologetic commitment to the craft of rock ‘n’ roll underscore their deep catalog highlighted by the likes of Pressure & Time [2011], Great Western Valkyrie [2014], and Feral Roots [2019], which garnered two GRAMMY® Award nominations in the categories of “Best Rock Album” and “Best Rock Performance” for the single “Too Bad.” Meanwhile, the Rock Radio #1 hit “Do Your Worst” has reeled in 70 million streams and counting. At the same time, hand picked by Black Sabbath for their final tour, they’ve held their own on stage with the greats like The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses, and Lenny Kravitz in addition to blowing the roof off television staples such as The Late Late Show with James Corden, Jools Holland and Jimmy Kimmel.

In 2023, they continued to subvert expectations with two full-length LPs—DARKFIGHTER and LIGHTBRINGER [Low Country Sound/Atlantic Records]. Though the genesis of these albums is intertwined, they also speak to the band’s perpetual progression forward.

“When you do two albums back-to-back like that, there are a lot of things to think about,” says Scott. “The first record has to pack enough of a punch and tell enough of a story for the second half to have an even bigger impact. We balanced them out with energy and meaning, but the follow-up always needed to deliver a bigger blow. I think LIGHTBRINGER provides this,” he grins.

“DARKFIGHTER is a new Rival Sons, and LIGHTBRINGER is the clear definition of what we are now,” adds Jay. “We broke ground on DARKFIGHTER, but LIGHTBRINGER is a step beyond the personal innovation and exploration. It goes a little further. We really took everything into our own hands and pushed to see how far we could go. It was a self-exploration to see who we were and who we’ll be now. We had more friction and compromise than ever, because we isolated the bare essence of where we needed to go—and then we went there.”

“The first album pulls you into a deep place,” Scott goes on. “It illustrates our frailties and our struggles. When you get to LIGHTBRINGER, it’s a release from the tension. Right out of the gate, we’re going to tell you a story on the track ‘DARKFIGHTER’ in long-form. It’s like nothing we’ve ever done.”

In the end, Rival Sons are still paving their own path into the light, and we’re all basking in the glow.

“More than ever, we sound like our own band,” Scott leaves off. “There’s still a fight in the music. We’re still trying to break out of the box. I still have excitement and inspiration in this group of guys—and I’m proud of them!  “We made something important to us. Hopefully we’ve created something the fans can embrace. Ultimately though, our goal was to create something we could embrace, something that revealed a deeper more vulnerable side of the band that we wanted to share.” 

“I’m just trying to figure out who I am and illuminate things in myself,” Jay concludes. “It just so happens I’m doing so in front of a crowd every night. It’s my hope people relate and feel less alone in their despair or joy. Music is communal. At heart, I want to be part of the solution as a DARKFIGHTER or LIGHTBRINGER. It’s a lofty goal. With my art and life, I just want to leave things better than how I found them.”

Rival Sons embody everything a modern rock band should be and so much more.

Support from CREEPING JEAN

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