"The new album, Familiar Stranger, all came about when I started listening to songs, looking for something different," Wills relates. "Sometimes you get pigeon-holed as to what you can do or what is expected of you. I heard several things that were unique sounding and noticed Brett James was the writer on all of them and that he was the producer on them too. I basically went to him and groveled: 'Dude, I love this sound! This is the band sound I grew up with.' And I asked him to work with me."

When performing in concert, music doesn't always need to be perfect and sterilized. It's that natural energy and emotion during a show that an audience connects with that makes live shows so exciting. That's the philosophy I took into the recording studio this time when recording my new record.

I want players who aren't afraid to step outside of the normal studio pattern.

Most importantly I want them to have fun with it. I want them to have a sense of ownership about this sound.