SONG PREMIERE: Richmond Rocker Shaun Peace Delivers Junkyard Blues & Hypnotic Rock Via “Last Call”

Mixing the rhythms of funk and vintage soul music with the guitar-driven crunch of blues and rock & roll, Shaun Peace whips up a sound that’s both fresh and familiar. It’s a musical mixing pot that nods to his influences while also pushing into bold new territory.

Raised by military parents, Peace moved between Texas, California, and Virginia during his childhood, listening to a soundtrack of classic rock legends and grungy newcomers along the way. His father was an Air Force pilot who played guitar during his time at home, and Peace eventually picked up the instrument, too, teaching himself to strum along to his favorite songs. He quickly began writing his own material.

Peace had already seen much of the country by the time he began touring during his late 20s, following a short stint as a semi-professional soccer player in London. Eager to continue the exploration, he assembled a band, bought a bus, and booked a year’s worth of shows. During their first year together, they bounced from city to city, absorbing the culture in each town while cutting their teeth as road warriors. A half-dozen years later, they continue to tour heavily, racking up as many as 200 shows annually. Although based in central Virginia, Peace spends most of his time on the road, bringing his blend of melody, movement, and guitar muscle to nightly crowds.

It was during a visit to Austin, TX, that Peace found himself in a pay-by-the-hour rehearsal room, working on new guitar riffs to send to his producer, Grammy-winning Black Keys collaborator Mark Neill. One of those riffs — a syncopated, soulful blast of electric guitar —became the foundation of “Last Call.” The song was later recorded in Neill’s studio in Valdosta, Georgia. Surrounded by vintage instruments and top-notch recording gear, Peace and his band — whose members also include drummer Blayr Alexander and bassist Christopher Hunnicut — tracked “Last Call” in a series of live takes, relying on the tight musical chemistry generated by the band’s heavy touring schedule. They later overdubbed keyboards and vocals, creating a song that’s equal parts soul-funk throwback and blues-rock rager.

“The song isn’t necessarily about a bar,” explains Peace, whose years of tireless touring have found his band opening for major-label acts ranging from Third Eye Blind to George Clinton. “It could be the end of a relationship, too. We left it open to interpretation.”

With additional songs recorded alongside producer Doug Grean (Stone Temple Pilots, Sheryl Crow, the Crystal Method) under their belts, Shaun Peace and his band continue to pack their nightly shows with new material. The touring never stops. The exploration never ends. The music lives on. Shaun Peace is nowhere near his last call.

Glide is proud to premiere “Last Call” the first of several singles that Peace plans to release ahead of his still in the works/yet to be announced LP. Peace molds together a vivacious blend of junkyard blues and hypnotic rock that creates a spellbinding large sound in line with Jack White and Cage The Elephant.