Billy Price

Random Madness

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Billy Price’s Random Madness, the follow-up to 2024’s Person of Interest, is once again produced by Grammy-winning producer and drummer Tony Braunagel. The album contains eleven new songs co-written by Price and longtime songwriting partner, keyboardist Jim Britton. It was recorded at The Vault Recording Studio in Price’s hometown of Pittsburgh.

Joining Price and Britton are bassist Tom Valentine and drummer Dave Dodd, both of whom have been with Price since the late 1970s. Featured guitarists Ian Arthurs and Steve Delach add depth throughout the record. The veteran horn section of Joe Herndon on trumpet, Eric Spaulding on saxophone, and Reggie Watkins on trombone complete the ensemble, while trumpet great Sean Jones also makes a guest appearance. Gospel-inflected backing vocals provide added richness throughout.

Billy Price was born William Pollak in 1949 in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. In the 1970s, he moved to Pittsburgh, where he worked for Carnegie Mellon University. Price first gained wider recognition as Roy Buchanan’s vocalist, appearing on Buchanan’s 1973 release That’s What I’m Here For and 1975’s Live Stock. He later formed his own group, The Keystone Rhythm Band, and released four albums between 1979 and 1988. In 2015, Price recorded This Time for Real with Otis Clay, earning a 2016 Blues Music Award for Soul Blues Album of the Year. He followed that with 2017’s Alive & Strange. Overall, Price has now recorded eleven albums under his own name.

The album opens with “I Was a Fool,” written by Price and Britton, as Price sings, “When my tongue starts moving, I just make things worse, verbal proficiency is not a blessing, it’s a curse, I empty everything out of my head, I was a fool for the things that I said, the things that I said.”

On “I Got That Dog in Me,” also written by Price and Britton, Price groans, “When you’re walking with me down the street, remember I got that dog in me, you better keep me on a real short leash, keep a close eye on me, I’m always sniffin’, I’m always on guard, yeah I’m looking for a poodle in every backyard, yes I am, I got that dog.”

“Hungry Ghost,” written by Price, Britton, and Braunagel, finds Price moaning, “Deny and impersonate, it don’t feel great, going through the motions like a mechanical man, unrequited love leaves a residue, it’s haunting you, something’s been missing since the day you began, tied yourself to a whipping post, now you wander through the bardo like a hungry ghost.”

On “I Said What I Said,” Price delivers the lyric, “I said what I said, no holding back, it don’t matter to me how you react, I keep it to myself it felt good to let it out, time somebody let you know what you’re all about.”

“Curiosity,” written by Price, Jon Tiven, Sally Tiven, and Braunagel, features Price chanting, “You and your curiosity, that’s all I ever see, you put me on display and examine me, interrogate me closely, dig inside my brain, slice me on the table, ’til I feel the pain, seems you never tire of pulling me apart, show a little mercy, have a little heart.”

On “Rent Free,” another Price/Britton collaboration, Price cries, “In the years since we parted, I never think about what used to be, I have no regrets, canceled all the debts, but you’re still living in my mind, rent free.”

“Creature of Habit” features Price declaring, “I always try in everything I do to be kind to other people, steadfast, honest and true, but when I lose my temper, I can be a little rude, I’m a creature of habit, with a negative attitude.”

On “Exit Strategy,” written by Price, Fred Chapellier, and Braunagel, Price belts, “Always have it ready, right there in your pocket, you may not think you need one now, but ’til you do, don’t knock it, always keep it close at hand, right there by your side, when you’re up against the wall, your hands will not be tied, if you have an exit strategy.”

“Dirty Knee Revelation,” written by Price, Britton, and Jackie Ondrik, finds Price pleading, “I made my last move, told my last lie, lifted my head, looked to the sky, burned all my bridges, ran out of hope, searching for an answer at the end of my rope, dirty knee revelation, please set me free, with empty hands, I make my plea.”

On “Stickers on My Suitcase,” Price whines, “What’cha doin’? How’s your day? If y’ain’t got nothing else goin’ on, come out to play, unless these stickers on my suitcase scare you away.”

The atmospheric closing title track, “Random Madness,” featuring Sean Jones on trumpet, has Price crooning, “You gotta survive, so you look the other way, what do we got to eat? What should I wear today? Then something comes along to hijack your day, random madness… A rock through a window, somebody with a gun, hopeless diagnosis, who’ll be the next chosen one?”

Listeners of Random Madness will enjoy performances rooted in a variety of related styles including soul, R&B, jazz, blues-rock, and soul-blues. Anchored by Billy Price’s distinctive voice and backed by the stellar musicians of the Billy Price Band, this is another strong and deeply satisfying chapter in his long and respected career.

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