The Rides is the project of two time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Stephen Stills, five time Grammy nominated guitar great Kenny Wayne Shepherd and celebrated Chicago rock/blues keyboardist Barry Goldberg.

The Rides: Barry Goldberg, Stephen Stills, Kenny Wayne Shepherd (Official Photo)

“Kick Out of It,” the lead track off of The Rides’ sophomore album Pierced Arrow (out May 6 on 429 Records), is premiering now via The Huffington Post. Listen to it here. 

Pierced Arrow Cover

“Shepherd points out to the Huffington Post, “This song is authentic rock and roll at its best. This is the first song we wrote together for this record and it really set the tone for the entire album. It’s vintage Stephen Stills; the song idea was conceived decades ago and was finished with The Rides.”

“Pierced Arrow, the album title referencing the 1920s classic American car, follows the group’s chart-topping 2013 record Can’t Get Enough (#1 on the Billboard, Amazon and iTunes Blues Charts and a top 40 Billboard debut). The new record, which also includes performances by Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble drummer Chris Layton, features more original material from Stills, Shepherd and Goldberg.

The group will celebrate the album’s release with a 16-date U.S. tour, kicking off May 2 in Minneapolis. Please see below for a complete list of dates.

For Stills, Shepherd and Goldberg, the process of writing songs from scratch and touring behind their first album opened an exciting new feeling of intimacy that fueled the creative process of writing and recordingPierced Arrow.

“We had so much fun playing on stage, we had to do it more,” explains Stills. “Lots of freedom. Kenny and I found a wonderfully exciting knack for playing lead at the same time without a real ‘arrangement,’ just sort of instinctive guessing, from watching each other’s hands. Neil Young and I used to do this with Buffalo Springfield. And the grooves are always right on the money, never rushed or jittery.”

Shepherd adds, “For me, it’s a liberating dynamic that’s different from my live solo band because I’m sharing the vocals and guitar playing with Stephen. I love being part of a unit where everyone weighs in with thoughts and opinions.”

Goldberg also notes, “It’s so great to be back recording and playing live on this high level again with Stephen and Kenny Wayne, and we’re really excited about the music on Pierced Arrow. The chemistry is just so good between the three of us. We all have so much respect for each other.”

A passion for rock and the blues isn’t the only thing The Rides have in common. Stills and Shepherd share a mutual love of classic cars which inspired both the band’s and the new record’s name. Pierced Arrow is a riff on the famed Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company, a maker of luxury cars in the first four decades of the 20^thCentury; it served as the ultimate musician’s mode of transportation in the ‘20s and ‘30s.