Nickelback’s latest record, Get Rollin’, is a testament to the vast listening patterns of the group. Everything from country twang to alt-rock flavors can be found on the 11-track record.
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According to frontman Chad Kroeger, that eclecticism was born out of the group having “so much in [them] musically.” Instead of genre-bending being a conscious effort, the group felt it was second nature.
Exactly what songs inspired the group in their latest pursuit? Kroeger and drummer Daniel Adair recently revealed a slew of their favorite songs to American Songwriter. Check out the list and an exclusive video, below.
1. “Red Barchetta” by Rush
“One of them is going to be a Rush song,” Adair said of his first pick. “I’m heavily influenced by Neil Peart.”
“Red Barchetta” was released on Rush’s 1981 record Moving Pictures. The song was inspired by the futuristic short story, A Nice Morning Drive by Richard Foster. In Foster’s version of the future, car manufacturing has become intensely safety oriented – the drivers, less so. Those with the new and improved “safety vehicles” make a sport out of aggressively ramming older cars. In the same vein, Rush’s song acts as a cautionary tale to the follies of innovation.
2. “Harvester of Sorrow” by Metallica
For his first pick, Kroeger chose Metallica’s “Harvester of Sorrow.” In typical Metallica fare, this song is about a man who suffers abuse during his childhood. The trauma descends him into madness and prompts him to murder his family. Kroeger has tapped into similar themes in the past while writing for Nickelback.
“If I wrote a song about domestic violence – like I did on “Never Again” – everyone thinks that my dad beat my mother,” Kroeger recently told American Songwriter. “It’s not the case. They’re sitting there formulating an opinion about what they think my father is. Sometimes it gets a little heavy, but all for the sake of art.”
3. “Have a Drink on Me” by AC/DC
“This song just grabs me,” Kroeger said of “Have a Drink on Me” by AC/DC. “If I’m in a bar and I’m in second gear and this comes on…I’m going straight into five, probably without even using a clutch. I have the hardest time not screaming along.”
4. “Mr. D.C.” by John McLaughlin
For his second pick, Adair picked “Mr. D.C.” by John McLaughlin.
“I was heavily influenced by Dennis Chambers,” Adair said of the song (Chambers played on the track). “If you don’t know who he is, look him up. I grew up on rock drummers, and then I wanted to get even better, so I started getting into jazz fusion. There’s a whole other level of musicians up there. I can hear it in my solos – the influence.”
5. “Zarabeth” by Allan Holdsworth
Lastly, Kroeger picked “Zarabeth” by Allan Holdsworth. Yet another instrumental, Kroeger summed up his love for the expansive rock number. “Zarabeth by Alan Holdsworth,” he said. “Stick that in your pipe and smoke it.”
Exclusive Video
For the full rundown on Nickelback’s favorite songs, check out our exclusive interview with the band below.
Photo by Maya Sarin / R&CPMK
