Mark Tremonti has pretty unorthodox taste for a heavy metal guy. The founding guitarist of Creed, lead axeman in Alter Bridge and the head honcho of his titular heavy metal band, Tremonti, is not only a devout yacht rock fan, but a massive Frank Sinatra lover. In fact, he's so fond of the American big band figurehead that he took it upon himself to link with surviving members of Sinatra's orchestra and record an album's worth of Ol' Blue Eyes' gems, from certified classics to undersung deep cuts.
Beyond carrying out the project for his own enjoyment, Tremonti had a purpose — to donate 100% of the album's proceeds to the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), an idea he got after he and his wife welcomed their first daughter into the world last year, who was born with Down syndrome.
While the intentions are incredibly noble and many listeners have clearly taken to the singles he's released so far, Tremonti realizes that many of his heavy music-loving fans might not be familiar with Sinatra's dense back catalog. Therefore, we had him pick five Sinatra essentials that are particularly geared toward metal and hard-rock-minded ears.
"There are so many incredible Frank Sinatra songs and there is no shortage of absolute classics that everyone knows, but I want to keep it more like some people might not have heard," Tremonti says of his choices.
Head to TremontiSingsSinatra.com to pre-order the record and/or donate to the NDSS, and below, see Tremonti's Sinatra picks for uninitiated heshers.
"The World We Knew (Over and Over)"
When I first heard "The World We Knew (Over and Over)," it was striking. It sounded like there was an electric guitar in the beginning of that song. It even could be. It is an epic, moody and anthemic song. It is one of the many songs of Frank's that I absolutely love.
"Begin The Beguine"
I think "Begin the Beguine" is a good choice because a lot of us hard rock/metalheads like more sophisticated arrangements. "Begin The Beguine" is one of those songs. It definitely has a lot going on and a lot to take in. It is definitely a nice complicated arrangement for people that appreciate that type of music.
"Wave"
"Wave," to me, is one of the coolest Frank Sinatra songs I've ever heard. He hits some low notes on that track that really highlight how great of a singer he was especially in his lower registers. Most people don't talk about that, but I love it and "Wave" is a great example of the depth of Frank's range.
"Send in the Clowns"
"Send In The Clowns" to me is such a moody, atmospheric song. I think it's something that a lot of fans of heavier music can get behind. I think a lot of metal bands and metal fans will love this song because of that dark atmospheric vibe. I know I love it.
"This Town"
"This Town" is one of Frank Sinatra's edgier takes and song choice. It's about fighting for survival in a tough town. He sings about this being a "make or break you" town. It is about a place that will knock you down if you're not strong enough. It's a song about facing adversity and not a topic than Frank typically would sing about. It has become one of my favorites.
