Silver Patron Saints - The Songs Of Jesse Malin due 20.09.24 3xLP | digital
Silver Patron Saints, a star-studded tribute and benefit album for musician and songwriter Jesse Malin, is set for release 20.09.24 on 3xLP | digital via Glassnote Records. As a taster for the set Bleachers aka Jack Antonoff (Taylor Swift, Lana Del Ray, Kendrick Lamar, Lorde etc) recently released a cover of Jesse’s ‘Prisoners of Paradise’. Jesse suffered a rare spinal stroke in May 2023 that left him paralysed from the waist down. All proceeds for Silver Patron Saints will go to Malin’s Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. More about Jesse Malin, Silver Patron Saints and the impressive range of musicians involved in the record follows:
“As always in my songs, the themes are all there - transcendence, positivity and global unity through music,” says American rock musician Jesse Malin, who suffered a rare spinal stroke in May 2023 that left him paralysed from the waist down. “This is what I love to do, and I’m going to do everything I can to keep doing it.” ‘Silver Patron Saints: The Songs of Jesse Malin’ is both a tribute and benefit album, with all proceeds going to to Malin’s Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.
“This record is also a dynamite and long-overdue awareness project, non-stop star time in vigorously personal twists on behalf of a great rock & roll songbook,” states Rolling Stone magazine editor David Fricke, a longtime fan.
Often a contributor to other people’s causes, Malin is grateful to all the musicians who have rallied around him, including Bruce Springsteen, Billie Joe Armstrong, Lucinda Williams and Elvis Costello, The Hold Steady, Tommy Stinson, Alison Mosshart (with the late Wayne Kramer), Tom Morello, Counting Crows, Dinosaur Jr., The Wallflowers, Spoon, Susanna Hoffs, Frank Turner, Rancid and many more.
The first single from the album is ‘Prisoners of Paradise’ by Bleachers (aka writer/prducer Jack Antonoff), who have recently enjoyed Top 5 chart success in the UK with a self-titled album. Originally included on Malin’s 2007 album ‘Glitter in the Gutter’, Antonoff takes the song “through tunnel-of-love reverb like Suicide's ‘Dream Baby Dream’ cut after hours at Sun Records in Memphis,” writes Fricke in the liner notes of the 3xLP package, which is available for pre-order HERE.
“There’s a feeling of liberation that comes with this, but I don’t want to keep repeating myself either,” explains Malin. “My whole process since I started making music at 13 has been to progress, evolve and challenge myself on each record. I really hope people in all parts of the world can relate to these songs, just the spectrum of emotions, overcoming by celebrating life through music and art.”
Malin revealed to Rolling Stone in late 2023 that “I have a lot of anxiety and insomnia. Your mind goes into some dark places. But I just have to keep a positive outlook and believe.” He is now undergoing a strict daily regimen with physical therapy and stem-cell treatments. "I am getting some strength back in my legs, but it moves a lot slower than I would like. I don’t want to portray it like I'm ready to do the James Brown splits onstage. I definitely have a long way to go, but I'm blessed and so grateful for the amazing fans and friends that I have.”
Fricke adds: “Jesse Malin knows about scars, from his youth, observation and more. They all carry tales, and he's not done telling them. ‘Silver Patron Saints’ is the gang back at the bar, coming to the stage to toast the composer and his story so far.”
The full tracklisting for ‘Silver Patron Saints: The Songs Of Jesse Malin’ will be announced in late July.
On a personal note I was lucky enough to catch Jesse on his last UK visit at The Garage in London. The show was amongst the best I’ve seen and I’ve seen a fair few over the years. Jesse is one of those artists who’ve built a special bond with the fans, via his talent, hard work and coming over as a nice guy. We wish him the very best on his road to recovery.
The Garage in London’s Highbury area is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary, and there are few better places to see a live band in the capital. Originally a Temperance Billiard Hall, the venue supposedly served great pies but was typical of such establishments back in the day attracted an interestingly varied clientele (In my head, I’m picturing a scene from Get Carter or The Krays). It became a venue in 1993, hence the anniversary, with Pulp as one of the first big-name acts to appear. On my arrival, a decent-sized, yet orderly, queue is snaking its way down the street, but I’m still able to get in for an unfathomable, to me, early start to find Trapper Schoepp is already in full swing. I’d forgotten how good The Garage was until this evening, as it’s been a few years since we’ve crossed paths, but with friendly door staff and clear as a bell sound, things are definitely looking good.