Grammy Award-winner and 5x Native American Music Awards Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement-winner, Micki Free, and Santana vocalist, Ray Greene, take viewers inside the Neon Boneyard in Las Vegas to illuminate the newly unveiled video for “When The Devil’s At Your Door”. Watch below.
Free’s incendiary guitar lines and Greene’s soulful vocals light up this wickedly groove-laden track from Micki’s new EP Dreamcatcher via Bungalo Records / Universal Music Group. The Jack Banks-directed video was filmed in Las Vegas, NV, where Micki resides, at the acclaimed Neon Boneyard - an outdoor exhibition space which contains more than 250 reilluminated iconic neon signs from Vegas’ dazzling past.
“We chose the Neon Boneyard as it references Las Vegas…Sin City,” states Micki. “With all the temptation in Vegas I thought it was perfect for the song. Even when you’re trying to toe the line, the devil’s always at your door.”
“‘When The Devil’s At Your Door’ is a reflection on past things I may have done in my life,” says Micki, “knowing that if I wanted to ‘soar with the angels’ I need to make atonement for my past deeds.” He elaborates. “It’s like saying what you reap, you will sow...but I wanted the groove to be sinfully suggestive, so I added killer vocals from Ray Greene, the lead singer of Santana.”
Micki shared how he came to enlist Greene, saying: “While at dinner with Cindy & Carlos (Santana), we were discussing who I should get to play bass on my EP. Carlos suggested Benny, his bassist in Santana, and Cindy agreed. After Benny was on board, I reached out to Ray Greene, Santana’s lead vocalist, and asked him to perform on ‘When The Devil’s At Your Door’ and he was on board as well! I'm so happy with the outcome of this project and my friendship with Carlos Santana, and his band...his guidance and advice were truly inspiring.”
Written, produced, and arranged by Micki (who performed all guitars, lead and background vocals, and Native American flute), Dreamcatcher was recorded between Rio Grande Studios in New Mexico with producer Ken Riley and Studio A Las Vegas with producer Myles Martin (The Weeknd, SZA, Travis Scott). For the studio sessions, Micki enlisted members of Santana’s band including Cindy Blackman Santana (drums), Benny Rietveld (bass) and Ray Greene (vocals). The EP also includes guest appearances from bassist Rhonda Smith (Prince, Jeff Beck) and Mark “Muggie Do” Leach on Hammond organ and piano.
Micki’s monthly residency at Backstage Bar & Billiards in downtown Vegas - “An Evening With Micki Free: Songs and Stories From A Life In Music” - will take place on Thursday, September 26.
