Kenny Olson shakes up the Rock-N-Roll Cocktail with The Flask

It’s called the “Rock and Roll Rollercoaster,” and every musician that has visions of “making it” in the music industry rides it. For some the ride is short, for others it never ends, and still others who tire of the same ride, change coasters along the way.
Traverse City’s Kenny Olson enjoyed an 11-year ride on the Kid Rock Rollercoaster. He played guitar on the major stages of the world, performed at the Super Bowl and the Woodstock Reunion, and shared the stage with many legends (Aerosmith, ZZ Top, Chaka Kahn and Jimi Hendrix bandmates to name a few). Olson’s guitar work has appeared on several albums that collectively have sold close to 40 million copies worldwide.
He stepped off the Kid Rock ride with no regrets and finds himself where he started his journey 20 years ago-on the Union Street Station stage (which has been named after him). Olson isn’t getting off the Rock and Roll Rollercoaster; instead he is just getting on a new ride. He will debut his new band The Flask to northern Michigan-Friday, June 23.
Olson’s departure from Kid Rock in many ways is no different than when an author completes a book or an artist finishes a painting. Olson felt he had accomplished everything he could creatively with Kid Rock and Twisted Brown Trucker and it was time to pull out a new easel and start the creative process again.
“It was a great run with Rock, we are brothers, but it is time for me to move on and do something else,” said Olson. “There are things that I want to do musically, and starting a new band will allow for that.”
Rumors of Olson’s departure began nearly two years ago when he formed a side project “Pack of Wolves,” and was involved in several other projects, including working with the Hendrix family on a tribute album.
“I formed Pack of Wolves to fulfill some contractual obligations with Gibson Guitars and Tribal Motorworks. That sound had a harder edge to it and it fit the bill for the shows I needed at the time, but was never something that I planned to take national,” said Olson.
With The Flask he believes he has that “right sound” to appeal to a national rock and roll audience. Warner Brothers agrees and will release the band’s debut album “Match In The Gas Tank,” September 12 of this year. Last week the label made three songs available for digital download at popular sites such as iTunes.
“The industry has taken on a different approach and I think for the better,” said Olson. “Instead of going a million dollars into debt to the label to record this album, modern technology has made things so much easier and affordable. Plus the market is different now. While I am old school and want to hold onto packaging, kids and even adults are buying less CDs; they want to download.”
Olson’s reputation has opened many doors for the band. Besides the major label deal, the band landed Eddie Kramer to mix the album at his studio in California. Kramer is the renowned producer and engineer of Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. He also worked for some other notables including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Peter Frampton, KISS and David Bowie.
Kramer and Olson became friends as a result of Olson being called upon regularly by the Hendrix family to perform at tribute concerts. The legendary producer told Olson that he wanted “first right of refusal” on any solo project Olson might pursue.
“We sent him the disc not knowing what to expect,” said Olson. “He called us and told us ‘to get out here.’ It was an honor to work with Eddie.”
Joining Olson in The Flask is former Howlin’ Diablos drummer Shannon Boone, who co-produced the album with Olson. Bass player Jason Price holds down the rhythm section. Boone and Price are seasoned musicians who are both musically skillful on stage and in the studio.
Rounding out The Flask is vocalist Brent Grunow, a Saginaw native who has resided in New York in recent years. Olson and Grunow met when the singer’s manager contacted Olson to have him produce Grunow. Olson was immediately impressed with Grunow.
“He was exactly what I was looking for in a vocalist for the band I have been envisioning for some time,” said Olson. “Brent has a great range and he has been compared to so many of the legendary old school rock singers. For me the clincher was that when I met him, he was listening to Tom Waits.”
Grunow brings to The Flask the complete package. He has that rock star aura about him and looks like a young version of Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler. Vocally Grunow appears to have inherited a range that spans across classic rock’s royalty. If Robert Plant, Mick Jagger, Iggy Pop and David Bowie were all put into a martini shaker and poured onto the stage, their collective sound would be what Brent Grunow belts out with relative ease.
While Olson’s name and reputation are opening doors, the guitarist sees this as a band of equals.
“We have great chemistry. I grew up appreciating great rock bands,” said Olson. “It is important to me that we create that old school band feel.”
His bandmates agree and appreciate Olson’s humble approach and the fact that everyone is a part of the process.
“All of us have come from situations where others have been controlling our destiny,” said Jason Price. “With this band we are collectively in control of destiny. It is great. We could have easily been called the Kenny Olson Band and put his name out front.”
So where did the name The Flask come from?
“I have a collection of flasks and we all liked the name,” said Olson. “When you open a flask and take a shot it creates a warming sensation and gives you a kick in the ass. Well, when you get a shot of The Flask it will quench that thirst for a true rock and roll sound, and we definitely will give you a kick in the ass.”
So when The Flask takes the Kenny Olson Stage at Union Street Station, expect to travel back into time. Back when the rock and roll sound was raw and infectious. The Flask has an old school sound to them, blending the touches of teh blues and R&B sounds with the high octane late sixties, early seventies detroit rock reverberation.
For those looking at having a pre-concert sip of The Flask, a three song EP is available for download that includes “Shuck ‘N Jive,”  “Holy Roller” and “Gold Rush,”; the latter features a four-minute Olson guitar solo. These songs represent the group’s harder rock side. But while The Flask is sometimes filled with a Jack Daniels sound, they also fill themselves with tequila tunes like “Killer In A Cadillac,” and Drambuie sipping songs like “Dark Moon” and “Aero Park.”
The Flask will make three Northern Michigan appearances before taking the month of July to return to the rehearsal studio to prepare for a tour. In August they will hop onto of the Govt’ Mule tour for a few dates before heading out on a major tour (they will tour with a major act to be announced at summers end) to support the September release of their album.
But that is all down the road, and for now, Olson is looking forward to returning to Union Street.
“I have played all over the world but there is no place like home,” said Olson. “Our label wanted us to go west to film our video, but we wanted to do it here. So we will shoot our video at Union Street and it will appear on MTV and VH1 later this year.”
 
Thirsty for some old-school rock and roll? Then sip from The Flask this weekend at the band’s northern Michigan debut, June 23 at Union Street Station in Traverse City. Advance tickets are suggested and limited and may be purchased by calling
(231) 941-1930. On Saturday, June 24 they will play WKLT’s Bikestock in Gaylord, and then next week headline Torch Fest on Torch Lake.
To learn more about The Flask or download the three song EP  “Shuck ‘N Jive” visit
www.theflask.com
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