Californian hard rock hitmakers Tesla have announced a new record deal with Frontiers Music, and have said that new music is on its way.
The band have been quiet for the last seven years since releasing their ‘Shock’ album pre-COVID. They have released a couple singles and an EP, ‘All About Love’ (2024) since, but have been absent where albums are concerned. That seems likely to end in the coming months, with the label announcing in the press release that “new music” is “coming soon”.
This year was already showing signs of an uptick in Tesla’s activity. In January, they commenced their ‘Still Keepin’ It Real’ tour of the States, and in March they are supporting Poison frontman Bret Michaels for a few dates in Florida. However, the year really kicks into gear for Tesla in July, when they head out on the road supporting Motley Crue on their ‘The Return of Carnival of Sins’ tour, which blasts its way across the US from 17 July to 26 September on a mammoth thirty three date run. Extreme also has a slot on those dates, below Tesla on the bill.
Tesla are known for the iron commitment to touring. Founded in 1981, they walked a different path to many of the other bands of the hair metal era, determined to stay a down to earth and distinctly working class band. The sound they embraced was an interesting mix of said ‘80s rock and blues, giving them hits such as ‘Modern Day Cowboy’ and the anthemic ballad ‘Love Song’, which went to number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1989, with stadium rock at its apex. This distinctly music-first approach inspired their decision on their previous album to embrace a traditional rock production style and not cave to the modern sound, being produced by Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen.
Surprisingly for a band of their age and genre, Tesla have remained largely consistent with their lineup since the release of their first album, 1986’s ‘Mechanical Resonance’. Singer Jeff Keith, whose Steve Tyler-esque looks and tones gave the band their radio friendly feel, remains, alongside guitarist Frank Hannon and Brian Wheat. Hannon has gone on to have a noteworthy solo career with his blues feel, releasing his most recent album, ‘Reflections’, last year. Drummer Troy Luccketta was a touring member of the band until 2021, when he announced he was taking “a little time from the road”, being replaced by Steve Brown.
Frontiers, an Italian label founded in 1996, has become an institution in the rock world and signed some seminal bands, like Blue Öyster Cult, Dokken, Whitesnake, Megadeth and Yes. The addition of Tesla to the list will place them as one of the legacy bands which Frontiers have had such form in restoring to prominence in recent decades.
