Former Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers drummer Stan Lynch is back with a new band, The Speaker Wars. The group, which Lynch formed with Texas singer/songwriter Jon Christopher Davis, will release it self-titled debut album on May 30.
Lynch was introduced to Davis while both were writing songs in Nashville. Davis initially had intended to record a solo album, but, instead, he and Lynch decided to put a band together to play the new material they’d written.
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Rounding out The Speaker Wars are guitarist Jay Michael Smith, bassist Brian Patterson, percussionist Steve Ritter, and keyboardist Jay Brown.
The album’s first track, “You Make Every Lie Come True,” has been released as its lead single. A music video for the upbeat, catchy roots-rock tune has debuted on the Frontiers Music label’s official YouTube channel. The clip features footage of the band performing the song on a stage.
The Speaker Wars’ debut album can be pre-ordered now.
Lynch Discusses His Excitement About the New Band
Lynch joined Petty and the Heartbreakers as a founding member in 1976. He played drums on the band’s first eight studio albums, and also contributed backing vocals to many tracks.
During his years with Petty and the Heartbreakers, Stan also became an in-demand session drummer. He also began writing or co-writing songs for various well-known artists, including Don Henely and Ringo Starr. Lynch left Petty and the Heartbreakers in 1994 because of personal conflicts with Tom.
After his departure from the group, Lynch focused mainly on writing songs for and producing other artists. The Speaker Wars marks Lynch’s return to a band situation.
“After my 20-year tenure with the Heartbreakers, I got a second act writing and producing,” Stan noted in a statement. “It was educational beyond measure to learn how to create music from the other side of the glass. Around this time, I met Jon Christopher Davis in Nashville who casually mentioned that we should start a band[.] [S]o here I am … in The Speaker Wars[,] and it’s good to have my old job back. The guys in our new band know how to make great music, and I’m looking forward to another round.”
More About Lynch
Lynch was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with Petty and the Heartbreakers in 2002.
In 2022, Stan filled in on drums at several shows by Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell’s current band The Dirty Knobs. At that time, Stan told Rolling Stone that he’d be open to playing again with all the surviving Heartbreakers at some point.
The Speaker Wars Track List:
- “You Make Every Lie Come True”
- “It Ain’t Easy”
- “Taste of Heaven”
- “Never Ready to Go”
- “The Forgiveness Tree”
- “When the Moon Cries Wolf”
- “Trader’s South”
- “Leave Him”
- “Sit with My Soul”
- “I Wish You Peace”
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