Everlast was always close to my heart. Back in the 90s House of Pain was one of my first and almost only hip hop bands I dig, still, they second album “Same as It Ever Was” from 1994 is probably the best hip hop release ever and after the band’s split in ’97, and Danny Boy founded an art company, DJ Lethal became a member of Limp Bizkit, Everlast kick out a blooming solo career and achieved multi-platinum with his 98’s album “Whitey Ford Sings the Blues.”
The mixture of blues, country and hip hop, Everlast delivering since is quite fresh and tasty. Erik Francis Schrody (aka Whitey Ford), but better known by his stage name Everlast, reinvented himself singing the blues merged with rap, but saying facts right into your face. And I appreciated his style and honesty.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYAa9HAl2f8&w=545&h=399]
Crossing genres, delivering largely acoustic, smooth acoustic layers and hip-hop-flavored rhythms, Everlast is one of his kind.
“Whitey Ford Sings the Blues” sold more than 3 million copies.
Everlast followed-up this success by collaborating with Santana on the track “Put Your Lights On” on Santana’s 1999 album “Supernatural.” The song charted at #118 on the pop chart, but did considerably better with rock radio airplay, peaking at #8 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. “Put Your Lights On” won Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 2000 Grammy Awards.
Everlast’s follow-up album, Eat at Whitey’s in 2000 “only” certified gold.
After the sale of the Tommy Boy Records’ catalog of master tapes to Warner Bros. Records, Everlast signed with Island/Def Jam in 2003. “White Trash Beautiful” in 2004, was subsequently released after almost a four-year hiatus. The album had an almost country-rap feel, received mixed reviews and was a commercial failure and Everlast was released from his contract.
Released by Martyr Inc., Everlast’s own record label, the 2008’s “Love, War and the Ghost of Whitey Ford” featured also a cover of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues”.
“Songs Of The Ungrateful Living” have the same glowing spirit of “Whitey Ford Sings the Blues” and incorporates also the country-rap spirit of “the Ghost of Whitey Ford”. Everlast is the hip hop’s Johnny Cash? Not necessarily, but Everlast delivering the same kind of intense, honest and tasty music in different “package”. And I love his lyrics.
Tracklist:
01. Long At All
02. Gone For Good
03. I Get By Everlast
04. Little Miss America
05. My House Everlast
06. Long Time
07. Friday The 13th
08. The Crown
09. Sixty-Five Roses
10. Moneymaker
11. The Rain
12. Some Of Us Pray
13. I’ll Be There For You
14. Even God Don’t Know
15. A Change Is Gonna Come
Danny Boy in early 2006 founded La Coka Nostra reunited him, Everlast and DJ Lethal, and it was officially announced on August 10, 2010, that House of Pain had reunited and performed their first show in a decade at the second annual Epicenter Music Festival in Fontana, California. Meanwhile they toured and they are working on a new album.
Everlast – Official Site
Everlast @ MySpace
Everlast @ Facebook
