Former WHITESNAKE Guitarist BERNIE MARSDEN To Release 'Chess' Album In November

October 7, 2021

Conquest Music has set a November 26 release date for "Chess", the follow-up album to Bernie Marsden's "Kings" album.

"Kings" reached No. 1 in the Amazon Blues chart, No. 18 in the U.K. album sales chart and gained fantastic reviews and accolades following its release in July this year.

The forthcoming 12-track LP will be available on all digital platforms along with a special limited edition digipak CD accompanied by a 16-page booklet.

"Chess" is the second album in Marsden's "Inspiration" series, where he chooses and crafts his own interpretation of the iconic artists and songs that helped inspire and shape his own musical style and taste. Like the previous release in the series, "Chess" marks another collaboration between Conquest Music and Marsden's Little House Music.

Listen to each of the "Inspirations" series albums and you'll find more than a carefully curated homage to music that means much to Bernie. You'll hear his own, nuanced guitar virtuosity and his heartfelt vocals, along with the wonderful synergy with the top-tier musicians he's brought together for the project.

Many will know Marsden for being a founder member of WHITESNAKE, co- writing the iconic global smash "Here I Go Again".

He is undeniably one of Britain's premier blues guitarists, praised by B.B. King for both his musicianship and innate understanding of the soul and feel of the blues. Bernie has written and recorded with some of the biggest names in the industry and also composed music for film and TV. He's also a best-selling author, an in-demand writer and producer and has amassed a priceless collection of guitars.

Bernie created the "Inspirations" series — a concept sparked by a backstage conversation with ZZ TOP's Billy Gibbons about influences and heroes — to showcase the rich veins of music of those who inspired him during his formative years. In "Kings", Bernie turned the spotlight on Freddie, Albert and B.B King; in "Chess", he moves focus to tracks and artists on the fabled Chess label. The album features 10 tracks that were originally released on Chess by greats such as Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters and Elmore James. What's more, two Marsden-penned instrumentals appear as bonus tracks on the album.

"Chess" was recorded "the old way": with a band of truly gifted musicians, all in one room, over a handful of days. It's led to a subtle, tasteful and a superbly delivered reimagining of these classic songs.

Guitar, Vocals: Bernie Marsden
Bass: John Gordon
Drums: Jim Russell
Keyboards: Bob Haddrell
Harmonica: Alan Glen

Not one to hang around, Bernie has begun sessions for the next "Inspirations" album, which will be out in 2022.

Photo credit: Fabio Gianardi

Find more on Whitesnake
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • reddit
  • email

Comments Disclaimer And Information

BLABBERMOUTH.NET uses the Facebook Comments plugin to let people comment on content on the site using their Facebook account. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. Once you're logged in, you will be able to comment. User comments or postings do not reflect the viewpoint of BLABBERMOUTH.NET and BLABBERMOUTH.NET does not endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of, any user comment. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. BLABBERMOUTH.NET reserves the right to "hide" comments that may be considered offensive, illegal or inappropriate and to "ban" users that violate the site's Terms Of Service. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. If a new comment is published from a "banned" user or contains a blacklisted word, this comment will automatically have limited visibility (the "banned" user's comments will only be visible to the user and the user's Facebook friends).