BRIAN SETZER will release GOTTA HAVE THE RUMBLE, his first solo album in 7 years, August 27 on Surfdog Records physically (CD) and digitally, with the vinyl out this fall (TBA). Today (June 25), the iconic guitarist, songwriter, vocalist and 3-time Grammy award-winner shared the first single/video, “Checkered Flag,” off the 11-track all-original album. Watch the animated music video depicting a classic hot rod race created by graphic artist Juan Pinto here and listen to the song here. Pre-save and pre-add the album here.

Produced by Julian Raymond (Glen Campbell and Cheap Trick), GOTTA HAVE THE RUMBLE contains songs, all written or co-written by Setzer, and was recorded in Minneapolis (Setzer’s adopted hometown) and Nashville. GOTTA HAVE THE RUMBLE is a red-hot album from start to finish--American music amped up to 10--with songs that are full of dynamism and bravado. Highlights include “Checkered Flag,” “Smash Up On Highway One,” “Drip Drop,” “The Cat with 9 Wives,” “One Bad Habit” and “Rockabilly Banjo.” The track listing is below.

“Obviously, it’s a reference to my motorcycles and hot rods, something that hasn’t changed since I was 15 years old,” says SETZER about the album title GOTTA HAVE THE RUMBLE. “I still have the same passion for going fast and adrenaline. But it’s also about my hearing problem with tinnitus--the ringing of the ear. It was pretty bad, and I realized that I couldn’t play the way I wanted to. As I recovered, standing in front of a small amplifier just didn’t cut it. The sound from my big amp makes the guitar rumble. Which is a big part of my sound. I was really despondent for a while because I thought I wouldn’t be able to do that again. So, ‘Gotta Have The Rumble’ refers to both of those things.”

The track listing for GOTTA HAVE THE RUMBLE is:

1.                 Checkered Flag

Written by Brian Setzer and James McDonnell

2.                 Smash Up On Highway One

Written by Brian Setzer and Mike Himelstein

3.                 Stack My Money

Written by Brian Setzer and Mike Himelstein

4.                 The Wrong Side Of The Tracks

Written by Brian Setzer and Mike Himelstein

5.                 Drip Drop

Written by Brian Setzer

6.                 The Cat With 9 Wives

Written by Brian Setzer and Mike Himelstein

7.                 Turn You On, Turn Me On

Written by Brian Setzer

8.                 Rockabilly Riot

Written by Brian Setzer and Mike Himelstein

9.                 Off Your Rocker

Written by Brian Setzer and Stephen “Dibbs” Preston

10.               One Bad Habit

Written by Brian Setzer and Mike Himelstein

11.               Rockabilly Banjo

Written by Brian Setzer and Stephen “Dibbs" Preston