Starships Mickey Thomas To Release New Studio LP Today

Starship is back with its first new studio album in more than 20 years, Loveless Fascination.  The 10-track collection, which hits stores on Tuesday, finds frontman Mickey Thomas and his group mixing more rocking material with the band’s classic melodic pop.

Thomas says “the up-tempo, harder-edged things” on the album are his favorites.

“[One of] the ones that I’m really proud of on this record is ‘Technicolor, Black and White,’ which is a real ass-kicking rocker,” the singer declares.  Other tunes Mickey singles out include the lead track, “It’s Not the Same as Love,” which he describes as “a real quintessential kind of a classic-rock song,” and “Where Did We Go Wrong,” which he says “has a real biting, hard edge to it.”

Thomas adds that fans of Starship’s classic hits still will find at least couple of songs on Loveless Fascination that hearken back to the band’s commercial heyday.  Among them is “Nothin’ Can Keep Me from You,” a duet Mickey sings with Starship vocalist Stephanie Calvert that he maintains is “more in line with the sort of ’80s Starship sound.”

Overall, however, Thomas says Loveless Fascination “sounds more like a ’70s album than an ’80s album.  It’s got a little more kind of an organic feel to it.”

Starship undoubtedly will be introducing some of the new songs on their upcoming tour dates, but Thomas points out that his band’s concerts showcase material from throughout his entire career, including the hits he sang with his band’s predecessor group Jefferson Starship.

“I try to touch all the bases, Everything is included from ‘Jane’ and ‘Find Your Way Back’ to ‘Layin’ It on the Line’ and ‘No Way Out’ and ‘We Built This City’ and ‘Sara,’ ‘Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us,’ ‘It’s Not Enough.’”

He adds, “I also include ‘Fooled Around and Fell In Love,’ which…I had a hit with back with the Elvin Bishop Band back in the ’70s.”  In addition, Mickey says, he and Calvert pay tribute to the history of Starship by performing a medley of Jefferson Airplane and early Jefferson Starship tunes.

Here is a list of all of Starship’s upcoming 2013 tour dates, according to the band’s official website:

9/22 — Bakersfield, CA, Kern County Fair
9/27 — Lake Buena Vista, FL, Walt Disney World America Gardens Theater
9/28 — Lake Buena Vista, FL, Walt Disney World America Gardens Theater
9/29 — Lake Buena Vista, FL, Walt Disney World America Gardens Theater
10/11 — New Albany, IN, Harvest Homecoming Festival
10/12 — Rising Sun, IN, Rising Sun Navy Bean Fall Festival
11/5 — Friant, CA, Table Mountain Casino
11/8 — San Diego, CA, San Diego Air & Space Museum Event Pavilion