Peter Frampton has recently released a new instruemental cover album “Frampton Forgets His Words”. The album arrived on the 23 April.
The record features tribute covers to such icons like Stevie Wonder, David Bowie, George Harrison and Radiohead as well as others.
The tracks on the album include David Bowie’s “Loving The Alien”, Radiohead’s “Reckoner”, “One More Heartache” by Marvin Gaye, George Harrison’s “Isn’t It A Pity” and Stevie Wonder’s “I Don’t Know Why”.
You can also download the album here.
Frampton also detailed the effect that Stevie Wonder’s songwritiing had on him.
“Again, it hit my emotion button”, he said. “Because it starts very quietly and begins with a clarinet part. Then it gradually builds and builds and he’s screaming at the end with all this emotion. It’s obviously a love song about someone very important to him. I’ve always wanted to do that one”.
The guitarist also spoke about his friendship with David Bowie. “I grew up with David Bowie as Dave Jones, we went to school together. David was always a very generous man”, Frampton said.
Frampton also explained that David Bowie asked him to join him on his Glass Spider Tour in 1987.
“He (Bowie) said, “I just heard your album, can you come and do some of that guitar playing on my next record?” I said, “I think so. It’s been about time!” So, he flies me to Switzerland, and we do the Never Let Me Down record in 1987. Then he asked me one night if I would join him on his Glass Spider tour and showed me the model of the spider”.
“It reintroduced me as a guitar player, and as a musician”, Peter added. “It’s the biggest gift career-wise anyone’s ever given me, and I’ve never stopped thanking him”.
Find out more about that story here.
“Better than Yesterday”
Peter Frampton explained that he has had to slow down his touring having been diagnosed with a degenerative muscle disease.
Frampton said, “The reason I chose the instrumental record of covers was that I had just been diagnosed with my muscle disease, IBM (inclusion body myositis)”.
“I had no idea how long it would be feasible for me to play. So, I wanted to get as much recorded as possible. If I would have written all these songs, it would have taken a lot longer, and we wouldn’t have got them done before we went on our finale tour, which started in May of 2019″, he added.
“All of these songs are tributes to these artists that have written these incredible songs”.
“I just don’t feel I’m good enough”, Frampton aslo admitted. “I’ve got to be better than yesterday. And that’s been my MO from when I was 12-years-old to today, that I don’t feel good about myself unless I’ve either come up with a brand-new chord sequence or a solo on something that’s really exciting”.
