The Dead Daisies Give John Lee Hooker's 'Boom Boom' A Thunderous Makeover

04-25-2025

(PPR) The Dead Daisies are turning up the heat with the release of their latest single, "Boom Boom"-a gritty, hard-hitting take on the John Lee Hooker classic.

The track is the latest single off the band's upcoming blues album Lookin' For Trouble, arriving May 30th. Steeped in the raw energy and rebellious spirit that shaped rock 'n' roll, the album finds the band reimagining blues standards with the same firepower that has fueled their decade-long run.

"Boom Boom" channels the swagger and soul of Hooker's original, inspired by his time at Detroit's Apex Bar, where the bartender Willa would famously scold him, "Boom boom, you late again!" The phrase sparked one of his biggest crossover hits, and now The Dead Daisies bring that same playful edge and infectious rhythm to their high-octane version. "He thought it was a great title and wrote the song," says frontman John Corabi.

"He recorded it with the legendary Motown session band The Funk Brothers, and we couldn't pass up the opportunity to put our spin on it!!!" The result is a riff-heavy, blues-drenched anthem that pays tribute while making it unmistakably their own.

From the moment they stepped into FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, the band-John Corabi (Motley Crue, The Scream), David Lowy (Red Phoenix, Mink), Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake, Dio), Michael Devin (Whitesnake, Lynch Mob), and Sarah Tomek (Steven Tyler Band, Samantha Fish)-felt the weight of history around them. The iconic space, where legends like Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, and Etta James once recorded, inspired a late-night jam session that quickly became something much bigger. Producer Marti Frederiksen pressed record, and what started as impromptu fun turned into a full-fledged album-one that captures the blues in its purest, most electrifying form.

Across ten powerhouse tracks, Lookin' For Trouble breathes new life into legendary songs, with The Dead Daisies putting their own stamp on each one. The band's high-voltage take on Robert Johnson's "Crossroads"-the song that gave rise to blues mythology-kicked off the album rollout with a scorching tribute to the Delta blues legend.

"'Crossroads' by Delta bluesman Robert Johnson has created a myth so large that it's been etched into the very foundation of rock 'n' roll lore," says bassist Michael Devin. "Many bands have covered 'Crossroads' over the years, now we've covered it in our own way."

The band's rendition has already been met with praise, with Raised by Cassettes calling it "a high-energy, soul-drenched performance that bridges past and present."

Elsewhere on the album, the band tears through classics like "Going Down" (Freddie King) and "Black Betty" (Lead Belly), putting their own hard-hitting spin on these blues staples. The setlist also includes smoldering renditions of "Born Under A Bad Sign" (Albert King), "Sweet Home Chicago" (Robert Johnson), and "The Thrill Is Gone" (B.B. King), each one injected with The Dead Daisies' signature grit and intensity.