Lamb of God guitarist Mark Morton has released a cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s classic “The Needle and the Spoon,” featuring Clutch’s Neil Fallon on vocals. This rendition adds a unique edge while paying homage to Morton’s southern rock roots, shaped by Skynyrd’s influence.
Following his recent memoir Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir, Morton is expected to release new music soon.
Morton reflects:
“As a small kid in the ’70s and ’80s, southern rock bands were the soundtrack of my youth. None of them resonated any deeper with me than Lynyrd Skynyrd. Their signature guitar driven blues-rock has had a profound influence on my playing. It’s hard to pick a favorite Skynyrd song, but ‘The Needle and the Spoon’ is certainly on the list. Allen Collins’ grimy, swaggering riff paired with Ronnie Van Zant’s dark depiction of addiction are every bit as relevant and captivating today as they were when they were released 50 years ago. Having toured with Clutch for many years and having been a fan of their music for even longer, I’ve long wanted to work together with Neil. Covering ‘The Needle and the Spoon’ was something we were both excited to do together and we’re thrilled with how it turned out. I hope you dig it!”
Fallon adds:
“I was flattered when Mark asked me to sing Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘The Needle and the Spoon.’ I won’t lie, though, I was nervous, because, well…Ronnie Van Zant. No one is going to equal his delivery. But I hope I did it some measure of justice. And if that doesn’t convince you, then Mark’s guitar solo surely will. It rips!”
Watch the visualizer below:
Feature Image Photo Credit: Carly Squires
