Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Not singing the blues: Perez has no regrets as once-meteoric career levels off

The disc features slick, professional production by a studio wiz who has worked with Aerosmith and Ringo Starr. And it is loaded with rootsy rockers and lovesick ballads that might appeal to fans of everyone from the Black Crowes to Steve Earle. But apart from the occasional passenger in Perez's vehicle, it's quite unlikely that anyone will ever get to hear those tunes.

What was supposed to be the Las Vegas native's breakthrough second release for Atlantic Records subsidiary Lava instead turned out to be his parting gift from the label. As in, "Here are your masters. Feel free to shop them elsewhere."

For Perez, it marked the end of a more than five-year relationship with Lava that saw him earn a spot in VH1's video rotation, open for such touring giants as ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd and jam with ex-Beatle legend Starr.

But you won't find the 29-year-old musician and songwriter expressing bitterness about his brush with fame and fortune. Far from it, Perez sounds content with the newest phase of his career, one that officially begins tonight with a show at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay.

"When I was at Lava there were high hopes for big (sales) numbers, and it ended up not happening. But that time was great. And I know if I want to, I can do that again," Perez said Monday.

"Right now, I'm concentrating more on being a better entertainer, a better songwriter and a better artist. That's where I find my happiness."

Perez opens for Southern California-based Celtic group Gaelic Storm, with doors set to open at 7:30 p.m.

The 1994 Bonanza High School graduate promises a "rockin' set" sprinkled with his usual share of cover songs, along with original material from 2003 debut album "Poor Man's Son" and soon-to-be unveiled follow-up, "My 4th of July."

Perez recorded the latter over a two-week span in his home studio, and is working with Nashville-based management agency ROAR to secure a distribution deal.

In the meantime, he's making copies available directly through his Web site, www.franky-perez.com.

"It's a great-sounding record, and to me it's some of the best music I've ever written," he said.

The stripped-back, self-produced approach on "My 4th of July" is a marked contrast to the ambitious, layered sound of Perez's scrapped second Lava album, a disc he enjoyed making but surmised would never fly.

"Lava thought they were going to receive one type of record, and (producer) Mark Hudson made a completely different type of record, so when we delivered it, Lava just didn't get it," Perez said.

"It had lots of production ... 'Pet Sounds' background vocals ... I even sang a song with Oliver from the Temptations ...," Perez said. "It's grandiose. And you can't deny that it was good. It just wasn't marketable, and it didn't make sense with who I am."

Perez, who said his relationship with Lava ended amicably, culled two tracks from those sessions for "My 4th of July." The rest of the disc is entirely new.

Keith Nelson, a regular in Lon Bronson's All Star Band, plays bass on the album, while Ed Harsch of the Black Crowes contributes the keyboard parts. Perez handles vocals and drums.

Tonight's show will also mark the debut of Perez's new band, comprised of three Vegas scene veterans: guitarist Jason Tanzer, bassist Adam Taylor and drummer Johnny Fedevich.

That trio steps in for the Highway Saints, Perez's longtime backing band, which called it quits before he started work on his second Lava album.

Perez also performed with local outfit Left Standing (Perez produced the band's debut album) during a three-month run of Thursday night shows this year at the Suncoast Showroom.

He said he is in talks with Station Casinos about bringing a similar series to Sunset Station's Club Madrid.

While Perez pursues his own career as a performer and recording artist, he has also been busy establishing himself as a working songwriter.

He has spent one week a month for the past six months in Nashville, Tenn., teaming with other writers to craft tunes available for other artists to record.

Perez said he and his wife, Julie, his high school sweetheart, are even considering leaving their longtime home of Las Vegas and moving their family -- which also includes son Presley, 4, and daughter Emma, 3 -- to Nashville full-time.

It's a lot to look forward to for a musician who doesn't give in to regrets about his past, even if he does pull out that lost Lava album from time to time.

"I wouldn't change anything for the world," Perez said. "If it happens again, great, and if not, I'm just happy writing my own songs."

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