Metal Sludge — Kicking down the doors of 2022 is an unexpected release from multifaceted rock musician Michael Thomas.

Thomas is best known for his position as lead guitarist for the Steven Adler band (Guns N’ Roses) but on this new single, he handles lead vocals in addition to playing all of the instruments.

Thomas has released a new solo track “What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy)” a cover of the 1988 hit from Information Society.

Thomas also created and edited the video for the new single as well.

Thomas had previously fronted a solo project called FASTBACK, who released their debut “The Pain of Beauty” in 2004.

Like this new single, Thomas also sang lead vocals and performed most of the instruments on the FASTBACK 10 song debut with the exception of bass guitar.

In addition to playing guitar for the former Guns N’ Roses drummer on and off for more than 15 years, Thomas has also performed, recorded and toured with the likes of Faster Pussycat, Beautiful Creatures and Engines of Aggression among others.

Read the full press release and see the video below.

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Steven Adler Axeman Releases New Music Video
For Immediate Release – 1/28/22

Michael Thomas (ex-Faster Pussycat, Beautiful Creatures, Engines of Aggression), best known to rock fans as the guitarist for Steven Adler (Guns N Roses), has released a new animated lyric video for What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy), originally recorded by American new wave band Information Society. Thomas penned the track Alive for Adler’s New York Times Best Selling autobiography My Appetite For Destruction, which made its world premiere on The Howard Stern Show, and was featured on ESPN, MTV and VH1 among others. In addition to his work with Adler, Thomas has collaborated with an array of artists from Snoop Dogg to members of American Idol and The Voice. This latest offering showcases his dynamic diversity between tackling instruments and vocals, breathing new life into the notable hit. “I’ve loved this song since I was a kid,” comments Thomas. “It has a timeless 80’s light-hearted electric/pop vibe that I thought would be fun to reimagine with a heavier and more aggressive tone”. 

The video premiered exclusively on Screamer Magazine (see video below)

This melodic single pack’s emotional vocals and transcendent sound, with a modern rock n’ roll feel. “I wanted to pay homage to the original, but give it my own spin,” says Thomas. “So, the guitars were key in making that happen. One thing I was big on in the production of this track was substituting some of the more futuristic keyboard melodies with modern guitar lines. I also replicated the more digital staccato synth progressions with little guitar killswitch tricks to emulate the melody with a new twist. Bringing in that feel of “real” playing and stepping away from the fully “programmed” sound gave the track a cool new flavor. Deviating the vocal was another important element. You’ll hear this right at the top of the track, it resonates as familiar but is very different from the original.”

The video infuses a punched-up sonic scape, set to a futuristic backdrop that tells his interpretation of this 80’s classic. “I always felt that this song ultimately conveyed a message of hopeless optimism mixed with an undercurrent of loneliness,” Thomas comments. “The music is upbeat and energetic, but the lyrics paint a picture of a gap, a rift, two people not connecting…an inner monologue that goes unanswered. The vastness of space seemed like the perfect silhouette to set the stage for the sound with its darkness, its beauty, its unpredictable violence, and its hope for the future.“

In between recording and touring duties, Thomas plans on releasing original music on the heels of this track. “When our shows were put on hold last year it gave me the opportunity to fall back into my creative space and realize how much I missed the cathartic process of writing music for myself,” Thomas reflects. “Sometimes you get caught up working for other artists and taking the time to focus on your personal outlets gets blurred in the hustle and pushed to the side. You always need to remind yourself to fix them on the horizon and keep moving forward – unpredictably and hopelessly optimistic. Just like the song.”  

Promo Photo By: Emma Jaye / HeyEmmaJaye

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