Kid Rock‘s latest album, “Born Free,” has been out barely seven months, but he’s hatching plans for its successor.
“We’ve already started writing for the next record and talking about the feel and where we want to go with it,” Rock told Billboard.com during a press conference Thursday announcing an Aug. 12 stadium show in his home town of Detroit. “I think ‘Born Free’ was kind of a transitional record with [producer] Rick Rubin and going into the rootsy, American blues/rock ‘n’ roll vibe. I’d kind of like to go back to something like maybe a ‘Cocky’ feel — that record, but knowing more now and trying to put those elements together.”
Rock says he’s particularly aiming for a blend of “some really good, fun rock songs to some of the country stuff to some of the mix of hip-hop and rock and blues and try to make a nice mix of a record. But a fun record, not serious. Rick Rubin made me a little serious.”
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Rock stressed that he’s still in the beginning stages of a next album but added that, “I’d like to get it out sooner than later — but I say that every record. I’d love to get it out for next summer. Is that gonna happen? I don’t know. I’m getting the process down where you go in with a lot of great musicians and just lay it down; there’s not all this wizardry and trickery on the computer. If that process works again, it’ll be sooner rather than later.”
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Rock has plenty of other things on his plate for the summer, of course. After a June 18 show in Atlantic City he hits the road with special guest Sheryl Crow on June 2 in Cincinnati. He’ll also be hosting the CMT Music Awards for a second consecutive year on June 8 in Nashville. “I’m happy to be asked back,” Rock said. “I thought it went pretty good last year and I kinda wanted to duck out this year, but it’s tough to say no to MTV Networks and Viacom when their ratings were good and they want you back. I definitely look forward to the performance part. We’ve got kind of a fun intro that’s either gonna be really good or really bad.”
Rock’s other future plan includes coming to terms with video footage he’s accumulated over the years and possibly making some commercially available in the near future. “It’s something I struggle with,” he acknowledged. “I’ve probably shot six DVDs, professionally, had them edited and everything. But it’s like anything; if you go see a sporting event or whatever, it’s always better live. It’s just tough to capture it on tape.”
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Nevertheless, Rock promised that “there will be something… I think for Christmas” and possibly from his recent show at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which he called “one of my best performances to date.” He added that he may also consider releasing live footage via his web site.
One thing Rock won’t be doing, however, is a Comedy Central roast that was slated for Aug. 14 at Detroit’s Fox Theatre. Rock said that the cable network wanted to switch the location, and he felt adamant that it be held in Detroit. “I’m not going to go to L.A. or Las Vegas to get teased,” he explained. “If they come to Detroit and create some commerce here… and bring their big production and they’re putting people to work, bring it on. If they come to Detroit, the roast will be on. If they don’t, no deal.”