Nancy Wilson is starting over. Again. But this time, the tour bus is smaller, the budget is tighter, and post-show meals mostly consist of pizza—lots and lots of pizza. “We’re still trying to figure out the part about how we get dinner,” she says, laughing. “There’s no real food inside.”
Road Case Royale is Wilson’s new band, a collaboration that pairs her legendary rock pedigree with the powerhouse vocals of Liv Warfield and the guitar heroics of Ryan Waters—both protégés of Prince. “It’s kind of like we’re on a honeymoon,” Wilson says. “It’s a bit of a lifesaver for me.”
The group has been opening for Bob Seger, and if there was ever a way to gauge a crowd’s approval, it’s whether or not they actually show up for the opener. “By the second or third song, the place is pretty full,” she says. “By the end of our set, they’re standing up.” She knocks on wood. “I’m hoping it continues like this.”
Wilson knows she’s got name recognition on her side—being “Nancy Wilson of Heart” doesn’t hurt—but she’s still putting in the work, proving herself all over again. “It’s like we’re at the beginner’s start line,” she admits. “We’ve got one tour bus, no truck, we’re pulling a trailer… all ten of us crammed in.” It’s a far cry from Heart’s arena-sized operation, but she’s relishing the challenge.
Musically, Road Case Royale is a different beast. “It’s rock and soul,” she explains. “Ryan’s got these amazing bluesy, Zeppelin-y riffs, and Liv’s got this funk and R&B thing going on.” It’s a broader palette than Heart, and Wilson is thriving in the new creative space. “Heart was usually two or three people writing,” she says. “This? It’s a garden. Everybody’s growing something, and everybody else wants it.”
And when the band does tap into social issues, they don’t hold back. Get Loud is a full-throttle anthem, born out of the women’s marches and co-written with longtime collaborator Sue Ennis. “It’s like the next step from Even It Up,” Wilson says. “Songs can be like life rafts sometimes. The least we can do is give people something to hold onto.”
Then there’s The Dragon, a song Wilson started writing for Layne Staley, but one that took on new meaning after Chris Cornell’s passing. “I wrote it for one person, but now it’s for way more than one,” she says. “Addiction is always right around the corner. It’s a cautionary song, to try and help someone before they’re taken.”
Still, Wilson doesn’t want to dwell too long on the heavy stuff. She’s having too much fun. “Right now, we’re in the honeymoon phase,” she says. “We’ve got weeks to go, so we’ll see how it turns out after six more weeks of pizza on the bus.” She pauses. “Hopefully, the diet improves a little.”
Listen to the interview above and then check out "Get Loud" and "Not Giving Up" below.
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