Warrant Guitarist Erik Turner Talks Rockaholic

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by Deb Rao
Staff Writer

During the MTV heyday 80’s genre WARRANT ruled the video era with hits including “Cherry Pie”, “Heaven”, and “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” Over the years, Warrant has consistently released quality music. Comprised of top notch musicians guitarist Erik Turner, bassist Jerry Dixon, drummer Steve Sweet, guitarist Joey Allen and singer Robert Mason formerly of the Lynch Mob, Warrant is getting ready to reclaim their crown in rock history. On May 17th via Frontiers Records, Warrant will release their seventh studio album ROCKAHOLIC.

Over the years, Warrant has gone through major line-up changes with the departure of Jani Lane. In 2004, Jaime St. James joined the band replacing Jani Lane. Well they say third time is the charm and with the 2008 enlistment of singer Robert Mason, Warrant is ready to roar again with their upcoming release. ROCKAHOLIC finds the band returning to their 80’s roots with a modern day twist enthused with catchy guitar riffs, great lyrics, and melodies that represent the signature sound that Warrant are noted for.

Warrant Guitarist Erik Turner Talks ROCKAHOLIC on Hardrock Haven.

HRH: The seventh studio album by Warrant entitled Rockaholic will be released on May 17th via Frontiers. Tell us about the writing process for the album. Over how long a time period did it take for you to write Rockaholic?

Erik: It took a good two years from start to finish. Jerry Dixon was the driving force behind this new CD, he just kept throwing songs at us and pushed for us all to make this record hard. We all wanted to make a new CD. That was something we all agreed on. How we went about it was a bit of a debate, no fights, we all just wanted to make a great Warrant CD and had to find a musical path that worked for all five us, which we eventually did obviously Jerry and Robert did the lion’s share of the writing. I contributed to a few songs. I had many more ideas I through in the hat that didn’t make the CD, but its all good. It’s not about me, myself or I or any one band member, it’s about making the best ‘WARRANT’ CD we possible could at this stage in our careers. Music we believe in and the band can be very proud of and tour behind.

HRH: In retrospect, would you say that Rockaholic captures all of your influences but also reflects a more modern day sound of Warrant?

Erik: ROCKAHOLIC is a sinfully beautiful marriage of WARRANT’S song writing style, trademark sound & the influences our rock hero’s had on us growing up. There had to be at least 20 + songs written for this CD and we all voted on what we thought sounded WARRANT. The plan was, if I remember correctly, to take 15 songs to pre-production rehearsals and from there, after getting Keith Olsen’s input we would narrow it down to 12 songs. We ended up recording 14 for the CD! Keith did a great job on many different levels, but in regards to your question, Keith helped us find that sweet spot where we stayed true to our roots, but added a little modern day sound/flavor as well. I guess I could have just answered YES!

HRH: The signature sound of Warrant is surely captured on “Life’s A Song” with the catchy guitar riffs and lyrics. Would you say that this song kind of reflects the bands attitude and legacy?

Erik: I would say “Life’s A Song” captures that commercial WARRANT Pop Rock sound from the early 80’s and 90’s more than any other on the CD, which is very cool and hard to do. We haven’t put a song and video out like this one since the Cherry Pie CD. The ballad “Home” in my opinion has that same feel as well and turned out really good.

HRH: What was it like working with legendary producer Keith Olsen?

Erik: I answered some of that earlier, oops! Keith created a great atmosphere to work in and got the best out of each of us as musicians and the band as a whole. When you look at the records he has produced and the sales figures and awards that go with them, it will blow your mind if you’re a Muso like me? The band really loved what he did with our songs and I would like to work with him again.

HRH: Who designed the album cover and does the album title Rockaholic have a special meaning to you?

Erik: Robert’s brother Glenn Mason did an amazing job with the CD booklet, the cover is cool, but it all comes together with a great concept when you read the liner notes and see the photos in the booklet. It’s about this ROCKAHOLIC who is seeing a therapist in hopes of finding a cure for his addiction to rock music and a lifestyle of debauchery that is burning his soul and torturing those who love him. We have all the song titles and notes that go with each visit to his therapist in the CD booklet. This therapist is trying to find a cure for the unashamed ROCKAHOLIC and his dangerous lifestyle or something to that effect ha! It really is interesting to read & then listen to each song, for me anyways.

HRH: As a guitarist, what were you striving to accomplish on Rockaholic?

Erik: Play my parts killer and quickly with as much fan fare as possible … Look at me! I Rock … ha!

As a rhythm guitar player, that is what I mostly do. I am always looking for maybe an alternate little guitar part that goes with Joey’s part or a different interesting chord voicing that will compliment the song. I look at Keith; blurry-eyed first in the afternoon with Starbucks in both hands and say, what do you hear for this song? This is what I am thinking and then we press record and I start trying different things, some work, some don’t. It is a little more complicated than that, but that is it in a nutshell. Have fun and at the end of the day walk out a proud Mutha Fugger I guess?

HRH: Would you say that the band comes full circle on the upcoming release Rockaholic?

Erik: I would say we have started a new chapter in our musical life or have ‘Found’ a new path on our WARRANT journey, depending on how philosophical you want to get about? I would like to think and hope and plan on this to be just a new beginning, a foundation made from authentic Stonehenge granite for us to build on and do more music in the future. The glass is half full right now. Please feel free to check twitter (WarrantRocks) for updates each day on that glass ha!

HRH: Do you have any favorite songs on Rockaholic that hold a special meaning in your life?

Erik: The entire ROCKAHOLIC CD has special meaning for me. There is no one song at this time. But I reserve the right to change my mind in the future!

HRH: What are the bands future touring plans this summer? Will you be performing a lot of the new songs live?

Erik: We will definitely be performing new songs in the set, how many depends on, if we are the opener on a show or the headliner. We have been playing “Sex Ain’t Love” already for the last year. Sometimes we will play two new ROCKAHOLIC songs in the set and the CD isn’t even out yet. I love all the hits from the past and the special meaning they have to us and a lot of our fans, but we are also really fired up about the new music and want to share it, pass it around the crowd and let everybody enjoy! We have about 40 shows booked so far this year and I imagine there will be at least another 10 to 20 added. Check our website WarrantRocks.com for tour updates. We have different shows booked with Poison, Whitesnake and Cinderella just to name a few so far this year.

HRH: We wish you the best with your upcoming release Rockaholic. What do you say is the secret to Warrant’s longevity in the music business? Over 20 years of great music and the band is still going strong.

Erik: Thank You! There have a been a few bumps in the road, but we wouldn’t be a rock n roll band and we wouldn’t have anything to write about if a little shit didn’t happen once in awhile. Over all, we have had a hell of a lot more good times than bad, thank God! We don’t look backwards when a set back happens, we wipe off our shoes and we find the best solution to the problem we can at the time and move forward, Phuck the past, it’s gone and who cares. Where are we rocking tomorrow? That is all I want to talk about and do! Keep on Keeping on…

Track By Track Rockaholic with Erik Turner on Hardrock Haven:

”Sex Ain’t Love” – “The first song on the CD and the first song we started playing live a year ago or so.
Straight up like a cold shot of Rock n Roll!”

”Innocence Gone” – “Up tempo rock song, sounds to me like it could have come right of DRFSR!

”Snake” – “Love this groove, nobody else would think this but me, reminds me of Lynyrd Skynyrd for some reason. Bad Ass riff comes to mind.”

”Dusty’s Revenge” – “The baby, the first song born, where we all went, hell yes! This is good, we might have something here!”

”Home” – “A damn fine Warrant ballad in the truest of WARRANT traditions, get me a Kleenex.” J

”What Love Can Do” – “Commercial pop hook from hell, then it rocks a bit my friends, LOOK OUT!”

”Life’s A Song” – “Old School WARRANT sounding to my ears, see answer above.” J

”Show Must Go On” – “Hello there, answer your phone Mason! This song started out as a ring tone on RM’s phone. High energy, the beginning stabs remind me of Riot for some reason, you might find that strange… I know I do!”

”Cocaine Freight Train” – “Pedal to the Metal song all the way to the killer breakdown section, old style 70’s rock with harp and everything! Ha!”

”Found Forever” – “Nice modern feel to me, ballad with lots of tender undertones, goes well with WARRANT RED Wine.” J

”Candy Man ”- “Big Rock Riff… that jumps into Zep meets WARRANT meets I don’t know what… Kool!”

”Sunshine” – “Stony Bridge over water, modern drop D tuning that rocks Warrant style. Heavy at times and I like it”!

”Tears In The City ”- “This one is dark and emotional and beautiful all at the same time.”

”The Last Straw” – “This is a great way to finish the CD. I am angry and feeling good about it Biatch!
Fast hard rock song in a classic early 80’s style… Horns Up!”