JEFF SCOTT SOTO doesn't think third SONS OF APOLLO album will arrive before 2025
30-01-2023
In a new interview with Ibagenscast, vocalist Jeff Scott Soto was asked if fans can expect new music soon from SONS OF APOLLO, his project with bassist Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG, THE WINERY DOGS), former DREAM THEATER members Mike Portnoy (drums; also of THE WINERY DOGS) and Derek Sherinian (keyboards; also of BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION), along with Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (guitar; ex-GUNS N’ ROSES).
He responded: “I wish I had an answer for that. SONS OF APOLLO has always been a band that had to go in stages, in windows of open time schedules. And the reason why we were able to do a second album so quickly — and that’s quick for this band — three years after 2017’s ‘Psychotic Symphony’, is because there was no pandemic.
The pandemic stopped us in our tracks for an entire year and a half. So, basically, you have to think if the ‘MMXX’ (pronounced ‘2020’) album came out in the end of ’21, beginning of ’22, that’s when the real cycle begins with everything else that we have to wait for. So, in reality, if we do a SONS OF APOLLO record, it’s not gonna be till ’25 — maybe ’24, if we’re lucky — only because THE WINERY DOGS; MR. BIG is planning to go back out; BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, they’re planning a new thing. Bumblefoot, he’s not really touring and doing anything outside anymore; he really wants to concentrate on things that he wants to do on his level. So he’s pretty open. But I’m busy, everybody’s busy, so to try to find that, ‘Okay, guys, let’s keep this window time open. This is when we’re gonna do it.’ But that discussion hasn’t been made yet.”
SONS OF APOLLO completed a South American tour last August. Sheehan was unable to join his bandmates on the trek due to COVID-19 vaccine-related travel restrictions. His replacement on the tour was ANGRA‘s Felipe Andreoli.
“MMXX” was released in January 2020 via InsideOut Music/Sony.
About five years ago, Portnoy told Let’s Rock about SONS OF APOLLO‘s chemistry: “I’d like to say that I was surprised by how easy it came together, but, to be honest, I kind of expected that. That wasn’t really a surprise. I knew it would work. I knew it would be easy once once we started playing just because I know the guys involved. So, I can’t really say there were many surprises. Everything kind of went according to plan. Everybody was kind of chosen for the band because I knew their personalities. And Jeff and Bumblefoot in particular are the two most easy-going guys, and [laughs] that’s very rare for a guitar player and a singer. But in this case, you couldn’t ask for two sweeter guys. That’s a huge part of [the] importance in picking band chemistry. A lot of times, it’s well beyond the music. It’s more about the personalities and in this case, it’s a great group of guys.”
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