Today, the acclaimed American hard rock band TESLA is proud to release their new album, ‘Homage,’ out now via Frontiers Music Srl. Marking a full-circle moment in their storied career, the album finds the band returning to their roots with a collection of covers honoring some of rock’s most timeless hits.
To celebrate the announcement, the band shares their rendition of The Temptations‘ 1967 classic, “I Wish It Would Rain.” The track arrives alongside an official music video, available below.
Brian Wheat comments:
“‘I Wish It Would Rain’ is a nod to one of the greatest singers of all time, David Ruffin. It’s a great song, and I’ve always loved it. One of the things I’m most proud of about TESLA‘s version is that I think David Ruffin would be proud to hear Jeff sing it. He did an amazing job on this one. As far as the band goes, there are lots of bands that can play. I’m proud that TESLA has developed the maturity to know when not to play. With a song like this, it could’ve easily gone the other way. We could’ve overplayed it and added all kinds of extra parts that would’ve been too much. Instead, we stayed true to the original arrangement, with five guys playing very sparsely and letting Jeff‘s vocal carry the song.”
Watch the Official Music Video for “I Wish It Would Rain”
t is remarkable to reflect on the more than 40 years since TESLA began as a cover band performing in California nightclubs before going on to write and record original material and sell millions of albums.
Much like their musical heroes — The Beatles and The Rolling Stones—artists who honed their craft by performing songs from those who came before them, TESLA followed a similar path in their early years and continues to embrace the tradition of paying tribute through cover songs today.
‘Homage,’ the band’s new album, not only honors legendary artists but also provides an opportunity to showcase lead singer Jeff Keith‘s vocal diversity. The album stands as a thank-you expressed through music, an offering to the iconic voices and songs that shaped the band’s influences and, ultimately, their own songwriting.
‘Homage’ is not about imitation, but acknowledgment, tracing the line from influence to identity, from listening to becoming. The project also arrives more than 20 years after the ‘Real to Reel’ series, a release that helped inspire the creation of a new original TESLA song, “Never Alone.”
The selected songs on ‘Homage’ were chosen for a variety of reasons, primarily representing some of the greatest vocalists of all time, including Elvis Presley, Freddie Mercury, Sam Cooke, David Ruffin, Etta James, and James Brown. Additional selections reflect songs the band grew up hearing on the radio and on their turntables.
On the new album, TESLA shares:
“Our new album ‘Homage‘ is a thank-you note written in sound. An offering to the great singers and songs that shaped the music we grew up listening to, and the songs we would eventually write. We hope you all enjoy this as much as we did making it. Thank you for all the years – Keep it Real and Keep On Rockin’!”
TESLA is excited to be hitting the road this summer on The Return of the Carnival of Sins Tour with Motley Crue and Extreme. The tour begins tonight in Burgettstown, PA, and winds its way through the United States before concluding in Ridgefield, WA on September 26th. For a full list of dates, please see below.
In addition, TESLA will be making an appearance at The Sound Garden in Syracuse, NY, on July 23 at 6:00 PM, signing copies of ‘Homage.’
TESLA Live:
The Return of the Carnival of Sins Tour
w/ Motley Crue and Extreme
Jul 17 – Burgettstown, PA @ The Pavilion at Star Lake
Jul 18 – Buffalo, NY @ Darien Lake Amphitheater
Jul 20 – Clarkson, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theatre
Jul 22 – Toronto, ON @ RBC Amphitheatre
Jul 24 – Gilford, NH @ BankNH Pavilion
Jul 25 – Bangor, ME @ Maine Savings Amphitheater
Jul 27 – Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
Jul 29 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Jul 31 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
Aug 1 – Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center
Aug 3 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live
Aug 12 – Alpharetta, GA @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
Aug 14 – West Palm Beach, FL @ iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
Aug 15 – Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
Aug 17 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion
Aug 19 – St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
Aug 21 – Shakopee, MN @ Mystic Lake Amphitheater
Aug 22 – Tinley Park, IL @ Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
Aug 24 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center
Aug 25 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
Aug 27 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Acrisure Amphitheater
Aug 28 – Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center
Sep 8 – Kansas City, MO @ Morton Amphitheater
Sep 10 – Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion
Sep 11 – Houston, TX @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Sep 13 – Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheater
Sep 16 – Phoenix, AZ @ Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
Sep 18 – Chula Vista, CA @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
Sep 19 – Long Beach, CA @ Long Beach Amphitheater
Sep 21 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
Sep 23 – Wheatland, CA @ Toyota Amphitheatre
Sep 24 – Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheater
Sep 26 – Ridgefield, WA @ Cascades Amphitheater
