Aaron Lee Tasjan has released the new single “The Drugs Did Me” ahead of his upcoming album, Stellar Evolution, which is set to arrive on April 12 via Blue Élan. The song features Tasjan tapping into a lower register than he normally occupies, embodying the glam-rock equivalent of DJ Screw’s chopped ‘n’ screwed method of vocal delivery. Tasjan sings: “Woke up face down in the rug / I did the drugs ’til the drugs did me.” It’s equally infectious and horrifying, clever and cautionary, in only the way Tasjan can conjure.
Regarding the track, Aaron says, “I had the whole song demoed as a sort of Nick Lowe/Rockpile type ’80s rock song and it was producer Gregory Lattimer’s idea to take it into 808 kick drum world and bring the song into the more modern production style of the rest of the record which I’m really glad we did. It was one of those moments where after you hear it for the first time you think, ‘Of course! It should have always been this way!’ I really liked the idea of adding some organic elements to the track such as the acoustic slide guitar which I played with a Bic lighter ’cause we couldn’t find a slide in the studio when we were tracking ‘Drugs.’”
Tasjan continues, “Creating music that isn’t tied to just one genre is something a lot of my favorite artists have done, from Wes Montgomery’s Bumpin‘ on Sunset to Beyoncé’s Renaissance. I always feel inspired to create when I hear masterful musicians go beyond genre in their work to end up with something unique. They become their own genre over time.”
He also adds, “On a more personal note, I just want to say that the lyrics in this song came from a place of wanting to become a healthier, more present person for myself, everyone whom I love and for my music. I hope this song can be inspiring to anyone who makes the conscious choice to affect change in their own life.”
Check out the visual for the track below, view Aaron Lee Tasjan’s upcoming tour dates here, and pre-order Stellar Evolution now.
