Myles Kennedy on His Jazz Days, Rocking With Slash + Future Plans for Alter Bridge

Alter Bridge singer and guitarist Myles Kennedy has been really busy with his project and Slash’s second solo record ‘Apocalyptic Love.’ Slash with Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators recently performed at this year’s Revolver Golden Gods Awards and when Loudwire got to chat with Kennedy he talked all about his days with jazz band Citizen Swing, sharing the stage with Slash, upcoming Alter Bridge and much more.

Some people may know you from Alter Bridge, some even from Mayfield Four, but I’m going to go way back to your Citizen Swing days.

Wow. It’s funny I thought Citizen Swing, it was kind of like my first learning experience and it’s weird with the internet now, twenty years later there it is - somebody started posting live footage.

I swear that wasn’t me. How do you think you’ve developed as an artist since Citizen Swing or even Mayfield Four?

It’s slowly but surely. [Laughs] I mean that’s the goal to try and grow somewhat. For me playing in this band it’s about trying to become more of a frontman, I started as a guitar player and always had that security blanket. So I’m getting more comfortable with that and it’s also been good just to help me to grow as a vocalist and a writer and blah blah blah. [Laughs]

When did Slash contact you to collaborate with you? How did this come to be?

That happened fall of 2009. It was pretty wild he was doing the solo record and asked if I’d be interested in being a part of that and that’s really where it came from.

How is it sharing the stage with him?

It’s awesome. As a player I love it because the emotion he conveys it’s so from the heart and anybody that can do that the way he does is inspiring.

Your album release party is in New York , what are you looking forward the most to that experience?

I don’t know, I don’t even know what to expect, that’s a good question. I’m trying to think if we have anything cool planned, it’s just going to be good to get it out, it’s kind of like having a baby [Laughs] okay that seems bad. It’s like you immediately create something, you’re apart of creating a record and to put it out, it’s a big moment. It’s kind of nerve-racking to be honest but good.

How have you found the fan reaction to the new material?

In a live context, so far so good - I kind of live in a little bubble so I’m not sure what the overall consensus is but when we played it a few weeks ago, it seemed to go pretty well.

What is the next step for Alter Bridge?

We just put out the ‘Live at Wembley’ DVD and next year the plan is to try and get back in the studio and make a new record, it keeps goin’.

Have you been writing for the new record?

Chipping away here and there, we’ve been focused on this so it’s just whenever you have a guitar and an idea comes, you record it and set it aside and see what ends up happening.