Foo Fighters’ guitarist Chris Shiflett has released his new single, “Long, Long Year,” from a forthcoming solo album. Shiflett’s latest solo album will arrive in 2023. A second single will be released in early September.
His previous solo album, Hard Lessons, was released in 2019.
“Long, Long Year” is a reflection of a lost-love tale that took place during the desolate year of the COVID lockdown. Shiflett questions in the track’s first line, “Ya ever feel like we’ve been had? / Baby how’d it ever get this bad?” before admitting that his crush on her began in March 2020.
“I spent a lot of time alone at my studio in L.A. during the first part of the lockdown just woodshedding tunes,” Shiflett said in a statement. “The line ‘It’s been a long, long year’ was rattling around my head for obvious reasons, but I framed it as a love song.”
The new single was tracked during a trip Shiflett took to Nashville, where he performed alongside and was inspired by rock and roots musicians well-versed in blending genres. They included bassist Jack Lawrence (Jack White, Wanda Jackson), drummer Julian Doro (Eagles of Death Metal, The Whigs), keyboardist Mike Webb, steel guitarist Luke Schneider and mandolinist/harmony vocalist Sierra Hull. It was produced by Grammy-winner Vance Powell (Jack White, the Dead Weather).
Shiflett and his Foo Fighters bandmates will return to the stage to salute drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died on March 25, at two tribute concerts in September in London and Los Angeles.
