‘Soundtrack Of My Life‘ is the latest single from German hard rock band John Diva & The Rockets Of Love, taken from the forthcoming Your Favorite Drug album, due 16th October via Frontiers Music Srl.
“We wanted to dive headfirst into the decade of big hair, bigger dreams and even bigger anthems,” said the band. “From the keyboard line to the hard-hitting guitars, the whole song is packed with the sounds and references we grew up loving: ‘Sweet Dreams‘, ‘Talk Dirty To Me‘, ‘Flesh For Fantasy‘, ‘Every Breath You Take‘, ‘Dancing In The Dark‘ and plenty more. At the heart of it is that chorus: ‘Welcome to the Eighties, to the soundtrack of my life’. It’s our celebration of the excess, glamour and escapism of a time when rock anthems were built to last.
“The song is really about climbing straight back into that world rather than looking at it nostalgically from a distance. It’s sex, drugs, rock ‘n’ roll, one-night stands, romance and the endless pursuit of the next thrill, all wrapped up in a big, unapologetic Eighties anthem. And when CJ steps up for the guitar solo, there’s definitely a little nod to that legendary moment when Michael Jackson met Van Halen. For us, ‘Soundtrack Of My Life‘ doesn’t simply sound like the Eighties, it sounds like the Eighties refusing to die,” they added.
“One of the album’s heaviest and fastest tracks,” the band said of previous single, ‘The Devil’s Got My Back‘, before continuing to espouse its virtues: “A monstrous opening riff drags listeners deep into the shadowy canyons of a dark, flickering city, where temptation and damnation wait at every corner, and where John dives headfirst with reckless abandon and devilish delight. Two blazing guitar solos from Snake Rocket and CJ Stevens, thunderous drums, and an aggressively pumping bass push the song to the very edge of heavy metal, playing with fire every step of the way.”
“Lyrically, the devil isn’t the villain here,” they added. “He’s the ultimate wingman for a night of excess, the one who’s got your back long after the little angel on your shoulder has given up. Welcome to the dark, lust-fueled engine room of the new album.”
Said to be bursting with attitude, swagger, and unapologetic energy, while delivering that full-throttle hard rock experience, Your Favorite Drug features the tracks: ‘The Devil’s Got My Back‘, ‘Bigger Than America‘, ‘No Mercy For The Teenage Heart‘, ‘Lamborghina‘, ‘Favorite Drug‘, ‘S.M.I.L.E.‘, ‘Love Is Cold‘, ‘Girls In Overdrive‘, ‘Spectacular‘ and ‘Soundtrack Of My Life‘.
The band have issued a series of rocking singles, ‘S.M.I.L.E.‘ being one, about which they said: “The single kicks the door wide open… ‘S.M.I.L.E.‘ is the kind of song you blast first thing in the morning, loud and proud, packed with sunshine and a fistful of feel-good attitude, whether you’re heading to the beach or celebrating the last day of school before summer break.
“Fueled by a massive chorus, irresistible hooks and lush Beach Boys-inspired backing vocals, ‘S.M.I.L.E.‘ lifts you up with an explosion of positive energy that will have you grinning and singing along from the very first listen. It’s the ultimate summer anthem, made for open roads, rooftop parties and endless nights under blue skies,” they continued. “Part rock ‘n’ roll manifesto, part feel-good rollercoaster, ‘S.M.I.L.E.‘ proves that life’s too short to play it safe. So crank it up, flash those pearly whites and remember, good times are only a ‘S.M.I.L.E.‘ away.”
Discussing the album as a whole, they said: “We wanted to achieve absolute focus and intensity, and in the production, working together with Hannes, to be extremely efficient. What sounds like hard work (which it was), this sharpening of focus, brought us a lot of joy. It can be fun to keep hammering away at a raw diamond until it sparkles and shines. This time, there’s less emphasis on experimentation (like on American Amadeus for example), though the album is still experimental in the sense that everything unnecessary has been stripped away.”
John Diva himself noted: “When I think about making this album, there’s a very personal layer to it. We recorded in southern Germany, where my family is from, and I stayed with relatives during the sessions. It brought back a lot of great memories, so I went into the studio with a double sense of joy: giving everything to the record while reconnecting with my roots.
“Your Favorite Drug was a trip in the cleanest sense: we stayed completely sober, but worked in a real frenzy. Writing, recording, and finishing the album happened fast, and by the fourth record you know exactly what you want, and how to get it. There’s a lot of spontaneity in it too: the title track came together in just a few hours, and songs like ‘Bigger Than America‘ evolved into something bigger and bolder than we first imagined,” he continued.
Obviously particularly proud of ‘Bigger Than America‘, the band had sent it out the door as the first single from the album, further commenting that it was: “Shaped by a powerful and irresistible hard rock riff that instantly makes you start nodding your head, everything about this song is big… Turn up your car radio, put your foot on the gas, and the grin will come all by itself. And if you want, feel free to read between the lines.”
“The line ‘bigger than America’ came to me sometime in January,” said Diva, “that time of year when it’s just cold, miserable, and all your reserves are running low. I held on to the line and paired it with a riff that Snake had originally planned for another song. Our producer Hannes Braun worked with those ideas while being on vacation in Fuerteventura and came back with something that completely blew us away. I could hardly wait to record the song, and it actually exceeded all expectations. Every time I hear this track, I’m grinning from ear to ear.”
