With influences like Frank Sinatra, Klaus Meine, and Garth Brooks, it's not hard to imagine that the Missouri-bred songster performing as, Derek Randall, could serenade anyone with the drop of a hat. And we'd be right.
His infatuation methods rely on the touchstones he collects from Rock 'n' Roll, but the after-glow he adorns us when his tenor reaches our ears could only be found in the best of Country Music's talents. When it comes to the mid-western Crooner's ethos, Derrek has explained, "I play music for the connection, especially at live events," and it's been a massive factor as to the trajectory of his music's success thus far.
On his latest Country and Rock amalgamating free-ride—"Light The Night Up,"—Derek exudes gooey enthusiasm over the opening lines, "get the Jack, get the gin, get the chasers, tell the girls to swing by later." He swoons over his Country drawl as he gussies-up the Rock 'n' Roll backdrop that swoops in behind him. It features hurling reverberated snares, saturated low-ends, chunky riffing guitars, and surprisingly, a stringy banjo that sits fittingly in the mix; almost seeming non-existent over the overwhelming carriage of Derrek's sultry western tonalities. When it comes to the playback experience: it's a simple-enough narrative over the verses, with mentions of flip-cup and Friday night cold-ones. But when the top-line hook washes over us—like the wall of sound experience that it is—there's an incredible provoking of the headbanging persuasions we get when exposed to the Alternative-rock sounds of the 90s. The scintillating guitar solos that festoon each choruses' climax follow suit with each distinctly clever turnaround acting as a simple refresher as an audience. Before we have a moment to recollect ourselves, Derrek brings us down into a smooth swaying group chant over the Mantra of this party anthem. It makes us feel like the Missouri songster has his formula shaken down to a perfect mix of Alt-Rock 'n' Roll and Country spice.
As Derrek Randall salutes farewell over the final swooshes of "Light The Night Up," we're already reaching for the replay button.
Where did you draw your inspirations from for the portions of "Light The Night Up," that pays homage to the sound of Rock and Roll? Are there any Artists, new or old, that come to mind?
I wasn’t even thinking about paying homage to any Artists. When I create music, I’m just trying to recapture a moment in my life and put it into a song. If my influences shine through a bit then that’s pretty cool but not intentional. I think Jonesy, who plays lead guitar, does a great job with his leads and solos in the song. And those parts really connect us with our high energy rock roots. He gets a lot of inspiration from artists like Slash and John Petrucci.
Do you feel like Missouri has played a considerable part in the success you find in amalgamating the sound of Rock and Western Country over your latest singles?
I think so. Missouri is a place where West meets East, and North meets South. It is a melting pot of music and culture. Especially in the St Louis area where I’m from. I was drawn towards country and rock most, but I definitely remember listening to the hip hop that was coming out of St Louis growing up too. Local artists like Nelly and Chingy were very popular. And you can’t talk about St Louis Rock without mentioning Story of The Year. I strive to have the energy of their live shows.
Where do you picture people listening to "Light Up The Night," and what sorts of sentiments and emotions would you hope they would be feeling during its playback?
I hope people listen to it everywhere. If I had to imagine it though, I’d say with friends and loved ones. I would hope that it brings people together. Or maybe its a nostalgic feeling and it reminds them of the times they’ve shared with family and friends.
Can you tell us about any Milestone you've been working towards as an artist this year? What are some of the steps you've been taking every day to inch closer toward that goal?
Our very first milestone was to get a song released and introduce ourselves to the world. Essentially launching our career. Everyone on our team works really hard to maximize each opportunity. From our management Madi Cooper (Misguided Management) to our Producer Brother Joe (DB Studios) everyone really puts in the extra effort. We also have a great Creative Manager we just teamed up within Justin Mayotte (Squeeks on Tour). It is so humbling to have so many great people behind you. It has taken quite a bit longer than we had planned, but all things considered with this year, we are very happy with how it’s going so far.
What has been keeping you inspired in 2020?
I think having a great team and band is huge! I have an amazingly talented band. Dustin Taberski on drums, Jonesy and Jesse Benton on guitars, and Nicky Page on bass. I’m surrounded by their talent constantly and it pushes me to be better every day. My Nashville based team is always looking for creative ways to push forward and connect with fans. Even when there are no shows happening. I think the positive culture that is created from everyone moving towards a common goal while being enthusiastic about the possibilities, is the number one driving force behind everything we’ve done so far in 2020.
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