"It's about time someone recognized Crossbone Skully,” says Alice Cooper. “Skully and I go way back. Crossbone Skully has written a galactic masterpiece about one of the most mysterious characters of the cosmos. Is he a villain or a hero? I don't know. Maybe a little of both. All I know is don't cross Crossbone Skully. This album rocks every galaxy out there."
Nikki Sixx says, "I'm thrilled to be involved in the Crossbone Skully project. The music is hard hitting and real as it aligns with an original concept. To be part of this project with this group of legends is inspirational and I know it's gonna kick ass!"
The two rock legends are talking about the debut album from Crossbone Skully, due out on Better Noise Music in 2023. It’s an exciting multi-dimensional project that was launched last Friday (November 18) with the album’s first single, the blazing “Evil World Machine”.
This Saturday (November 26), the video, directed and animated by Riley Donahue (“Saturday Night Live”), will premiere live at the San Francisco Fan Expo, followed by a YouTube premiere at 7 PM, ET. Fans will get their first look at Tommy Henriksen’s carefully crafted character “Crossbone Skully”, and the character’s world, which inspired its own upcoming graphic novel and animated film, “Thing #1.”
“Evil World Machine” is now available to stream and download here. Listen below.
Crossbone Skully is an avenging superhero, beginning his journey to rescue humanity on “Evil World Machine.” Legendary producer Mutt Lange (AC/DC, Def Leppard), emerged from retirement to serve as executive producer on the album which was written by Tommy Henriksen and Tommy Denander, the song talks about the evil currency of the world.
Tommy Henriksen (Alice Cooper/Hollywood Vampires) serves as lead vocalist and bassist on the album, with additional voiceovers on “Thing #1” by Hollywood A-lister Johnny Depp (The Evil Sorcerer), and an impressive list of rock royalty including Alice Cooper (The Bringer of Light), Joe Perry (The Big Bad Bone Crusher), Nikki Sixx (The Crooked Crow), Kane Roberts (The Alpha Watchman), to name a few in the short, animated film. Rounding out the band’s lineup are Tommy Denander (Alice Cooper), keyboardist Jamie Muhoberac (My Chemical Romance, John Mayer, Seal), bassist Chris Wyse (Hollywood Vampires, Ace Frehley, The Cult, Ozzy Osbourne), drummer Glen Sobel (Alice Cooper, Hollywood Vampires), the late UFO bassist Pete Way and producer/mixer Mike Plotnikoff (AC/DC, Cher, Aerosmith).
“This has been an amazing journey,” says Henriksen, who began the project with Denander almost four years ago. “If you had told me back then that I’d be working with the greatest producer who ever lived, I wouldn’t have believed it.”
Crossbone Skully will be engaging fans with more music from the album, which delivers a powerful message in today’s global climate, inviting people of all backgrounds to coexist and break down oppressive barriers. Additionally, Tommy Henriksen’s vision for Crossbone Skully will continue to unfold, culminating in the release of the band’s debut album in 2023.
Crossbone Skully is an avenging superhero from outer space, returning to earth to save the world and reconnect with his lost deity love Piper and Kid, the son he never knew he had. Evil World Machine is a rock concept album that echoes similar dystopian visions such as Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars and Diamond Dogs. The project, influenced by larger-than-life bands such as AC/DC, Alice Cooper, KISS, Iron Maiden and even the Sex Pistols, is the work of a collaborative team headed by veteran rock session bassist Tommy Henriksen and Tommy Denander alongside the legendary Mutt Lange, who emerged from retirement to executive produce the project.
With a long history that stretches back to stints in Warlock with Doro Pesch and his own punk-rock band POL (Parade of Losers) as Da Skunk, Henriksen has also had a successful side career as a producer/mixer/arranger and songwriter for the likes of Lady Gaga, Meat Loaf, Lou Reed, Halestorm, Kesha and Daughtry. His metamorphosis into Crossbone Skully and the Alien Nation started when Alice Cooper’s lighting man, who used to work for AC/DC, heard him singing like Bon Scott and successor Brian Johnson during a sound check – and suggested he build a solo project around it.
The sterling group of supporting musicians includes guitarist Tommy Denander (who introduced him to Mutt Lange after collaborating on Alice Cooper’s 2017 album Paranormal with Bob Ezrin), keyboardist Jamie Muhoberac (My Chemical Romance, John Mayer, Seal), bassist Chris Wyse (Hollywood Vampires, Ace Frehley, the Cult, Ozzy Osbourne) and drummer Glen Sobel (Alice Cooper, Hollywood Vampires), the late UFO bassist Pete Way and producer/mixer Mike Plotnikoff (AC/DC, Cher, Aerosmith), who helped get him noticed by Allen Kovac’s Better Noise Records. Making spoken-word appearances are Johnny Depp as the voice of “The Evil Sorcerer,” along with Alice Cooper as “The Bringer of Light,” Joe Perry as “The Big Bad Bone Crusher” and Nikki Sixx as “The Crooked Crow,” with Kane Roberts as “The Alpha Watchman” among other guests. Henriksen developed the voice of Crossbone Skully with a vocal app that makes him sound like a disembodied Stephen Hawkins. Iconic creative/art director Mark Wilkinson, who designed for Iron Maiden, Marillion, Judas Priest and The Darkness, created the Crossbone Skully album cover.
