David Hasselhoff covers Whitesnake and David Bowie classics on new album
David Hasselhoff has drafted in an array of guest musicians to appear on his upcoming new studio album ‘Open Your Eyes’.
The 67-year-old actor, who has enjoyed considerable commercial success as a singer in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, will release his first studio album in seven years, ‘Open Your Eyes’, on CD and limited-edition red vinyl on Friday 27th September via Cleopatra Records.
Featuring 13 songs, the album consists predominately of covers and features a guest musician on every track except closer ‘That’s Life’.
Hasselhoff’s version of Whitesnake’s seminal anthem ‘Here I Go Again’ features L.A. Guns’ Tracii Guns, while Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen performs on The Hoff’s cover of Neil Diamond’s ‘Sweet Caroline’.
Todd Rundgren appears on Hasselhoff’s new version of Ted Mulry Gang’s ‘Jump in My Car’. A previous Hasselhoff cover of the track dented the UK charts at number three in January 2006 following a viral campaign.
> > > View this post on Instagram > > Don’t Hassel the Hoff!! Buck Satan meets the Knight Rider!! Al Jourgensen recently teamed up with DJ Swamp to remix David Hasselhoff’s cover of Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.’ #MinistryBand #WeAreMinistry #Ministry #AlJourgensen #DavidHasselhoff #knightrider #bucksatan #DJSwamp #NeilDiamond #sweetcaroline #MinistryHistory > > A post shared by Ministry (@weareministry) on Oct 24, 2018 at 10:45pm PDT
Elsewhere, Billy Idol and Deadland Ritual axeman Steve Stevens guests on a cover of Modern English’s ‘I Melt With You’, Tyler Bates features on a unique version of David Bowie’s ‘Heroes’ and A Flock of Seagulls join forces on his take on Echo & The Bunnymen’s ‘Lips Like Sugar’.
A press release promoting ‘Open Your Eyes’ reads: _“_Platinum selling recording artist and star of the sand and screen, David Hasselhoff, celebrates a truly historical moment with this monumental new studio album!
“Marking the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany, Hasselhoff bridges several musical cultures including the UK, Germany, and the US!
"Packaged in a deluxe 6-panel wallet, album highlights include The Hoff's fantastic take on The Lords Of The New Church's "Open Your Eyes," Modern English's "I Melt With You," Echo & The Bunnymen's "Lips Like Sugar," Bowie's "'Heroes'" (with verses sung in German) and many more!
“Features an incredible cast of diverse supporting acts including Todd Rundgren, The Stooges' James Williamson, country legend Charlie Daniels, industrial pioneers Ministry, The Cars' Elliot Easton and more!”
Speaking to the German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur earlier this year, Hasselhoff said he was recording "a couple of heavy metal songs" for the album. Asked why, he humbly commented: "Why not? Because I can. Because I want to."
The ‘Open Your Eyes’ track-listing and artwork is as follows:
1. Open Your Eyes (ft. James Williamson)
2. Head On (ft. Elliot Easton)
3. I Melt With You (ft. Steve Stevens)
4. Lips Like Sugar (ft. A Flock of Seagulls)
5. Heroes (ft. Tyler Bates)
6. Here I Go Again (ft. Tracii Guns)
7. Jump in My Car (ft. Todd Rundgren)
8. Rhinestone Cowboy (ft. Charlie Daniels)
9. If You Could Read My Mind (ft. Ava Cherry)
10. Sugar, Sugar (ft. Steve Cropper)
11. Mit 66 Jahren (ft. Patrick Moraz) CD Only
12. Sweet Caroline (ft. Ministry)
13. That’s Life