Jack White and company knocked out their first album as the Dead Weather during three weeks in January, and there may be even more to listen to when “Horehound” is released on June 16.
Guitarist Dean Fertita tells Billboard.com that the group was recently in the studio recording some additional covers, including Them’s “You Just Can’t Win” and “Outside” by the Downliner Set.” There are also a couple of original songs worked on during the “Horehound” sessions, and Fertita, whose “day job” is in Queens of the Stone Age, says the quartet is eyeballing some more recording time in May or June before it hits the road to support the album.
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“We still feel very much in the creative mode,” Fertita says. “We don’t feel like we’re ready to stop. I think we’re going to try to maybe get a jump on…I don’t know if it’ll be a second record or singles to release throughout the year or stuff like that. There are a few things floating around, and there will be more soon, too.”
Fertita says tour plans for the group — which also includes the Kills’ Alison Mosshart and bassist Jack Lawrence (the Raconteurs, the Greenhornes, Blanche) — are “being formed right now.” He expects to be on the road by mid-June, primarily in North America but possibly in Europe as well. “We know June through August we’ll be doing a lot. We plan to keep going through the fall and possibly beyond. We just aren’t sure. Everybody’s got so much stuff going on, we’re just trying to fill every open spot we can.”
Fertita has also recorded a solo album, “Hello Fire,” that he plans to release this year and features help from the Raconteurs’ Brendan Benson and QOTSA bandmates Troy Van Leeuwen, Joey Castillo and Michael Shuman. He says QOTSA leader Josh Homme has been “very encouraging” about his involvement in the Dead Weather, especially since it’s been down time for that group.
“I think it’s only going to bring more to the table when we all reconvene to do a Queens record,” Fertita says. And when might that be? “It’s hard to say. I know Joey has been touring with Eagles of Death Metal and Troy and Mikey both have things going on. I’m hoping (QOTSA) starts working on stuff this year. If not I’m sure it will be some time early next year.”