Fans of Phil X fronting The Drills or playing guitar for Bon Jovi are all in luck because there’s loads of new music coming from both camps.

For starters, this session player turned star is “Right On The Money” with the lead single off his band’s upcoming Golden Robot Records long player “Stupid Good Lookings Vol. 2,” which alongside bassist  Daniel Spree and beat keeper Brent Fitz, promises an entirely different all-star drummer guesting on every track.

And then of course there’s the delayed but now expanded “2020” album by the New Jersey institution, who perhaps now more than ever is emboldening legions of listeners to “Keep The Faith” while “Livin’ On A Prayer.”

The guitar hero spoke to Chicago Concert Reviews about each endeavor and what it’s like to switch hats from the intimacy of rock clubs with a personal creation to serving as the official axe-man for the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers in spacious stadiums.

Tell me about the track and the whole idea surrounding “Right On The Money.”

Phil X: It’s funny because I think I do my finest work driving around. I don’t listen to music because I want to hear what’s in my head. This one particular time about two years ago, I was driving around Vegas and this “Right On The Money” thing came to me. I think I had the riff in my head first. People ask “do you come up with lyrics or music first?” I’m not a formula type of creator. Whatever hits me, hits me and I build on that. [In this case the riff came first]. Seeing that I’m a positive mode kind of person, I just made it “Right On The Money.” I’m always telling people to stay positive and look on the bright side. That’s my personality, so I thought it was time to put it in a song.

Then at the same time, Chris Lord Alge, who mixed “Stupid Good Lookings Vol. 1,” called me to see if I wanted The Drills to go into the Capitol Studios to be his subject recording a live band off the floor. “Are they kidding me? Are you Santa Claus, cause this is a gift?” I hadn’t finished the song, but it put a fire under my hat to finish, so we went in, we played two other songs, and then I said “I’ve got this idea…” My favorite part of the experience was that we didn’t change a thing. What you hear is what we did on that floor that day and I love that. I think it brings a sense of urgency to the entire performance and sound of the song.

You’ve got a second installment of “Stupid Good Lookings” coming out. Was that a planned decision or was there such an overgrowth of songs that you decided to split it up?

X: Right on the nose! Bingo, number two. The whole thing started in 2014. When you’re in L.A. in a band and you have a kick a– drummer, chances are he’s playing with ten bands. “We’re playing at the Whiskey next Friday.” “I’m not cause I’ve got another gig.” Then we go to drummer number two and he’s busy. Drummer number three’s busy and then you get to drummer number seven. He’s not your first or second, but he can do it, and I feel like I’m strong enough as a front guy that I can probably navigate through any drummer staying on top of it. If he pays attention, we can get through the night.

To get back to the record, we wanted the “Good Lookings” to be ten drummers on ten songs, but that turned into 12 songs and 12 drummers, and then 13, and then 15, and it just kept growing. I’m a true believer that fans want content, but not a whole lot at once, so that’s why we created two volumes.

This drummer idea is just wild and you’ve got some humongous names. Who are some of your dream players on this project?

X: Nine of these drummers out of the collection, I already recorded with on other artists’ records. Abe Laboriel Jr. [Paul McCartney], Matt Chamberlain [David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen], Kenny Aronoff [John Mellencamp, John Fogerty] and I have played on a ton of records together, so the list goes on. When you work together in that scenario, you create a camaraderie. You’re playing, then you’re having lunch, then you’re playing again, so there’s that relationship. “Hey, I’m doing a record and I want a different drummer on every song.” Everybody was like “yeah, man, what are we doing?” It was so exciting to think about, not just seeing drummers behind the drums, but seeing drummers away from the drums and their personalities. That came when we started developing this [into] “we’ve got to get this on camera.”

You can just see, for instance, Kenny Aronoff is such a professional. He walks in, brings ten or 12 snares, he’s got the song written out and he’s ready to go. You get on the floor, you’ve got 90 minutes to work out the arrangement, fine tune it, lay down three takes, [he says] “see you man” and then somebody else walks in on the same kit.

I’ll give you another example, like Taylor Hawkins [Foo Fighters] for instance. Taylor and I hadn’t worked together before. We met through a friend. He came in looking like a beach bum with flip flops, a pair of sticks and a bag of burgers from Jack In The Box. So he sat down, kicked off his flip flops and said “so how we doing this? What do you want to do?” We started playing and he said, “I think we should try to do this over the last chorus” and I’m like “awesome, just at the end I need you freak out.” That’s the song “Too Much For My Own Good…”

I had played on every Tommy Lee [Mötley Crüe] solo record since “Methods Of Mayhem in 1999,” so we already had a bond. It was more of a freak out for Dan than me because I had already recorded with him. I think the bottom line, the common denominator is Dan’s bass is incredible. Not only is he an incredible bass player, but his feel is so locked in, I call him the glue between me and any drummer…It’s unbelievable. I’m so happy with how everything came about. Tommy’s on it, the drummer from Korn, Ray Luzier, is on it, Liberty Devitto [Billy Joel], who I met during the “Hired Gun” sessions for a documentary, is on it…

The insane part is not only who’s on it, and the songs that I created around these drummers, but we’re also on Golden Robot Records with this release, as well as “Right On The Money” as the stand-alone single. It’s an exciting time!

What it was like to go from a session musician behind the scenes, to fronting to your own group, to joining a band? At this point, you’ve seen every aspect from all sides of the guitar.

X: I love how you put that. It is every aspect. I could do a Drills gig on Monday, do sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and then play a stadium on Friday with Bon Jovi. That could be a week that isn’t subject to the virus and I love all aspects of it. Coming out of a session, you’re not a songwriter, but you can embellish a song. You get to take the song to another level with your guitar parts, playing and sounds with the artist or with the producer to create a landscape, so to me, that feels like an amazing opportunity.

Playing with The Drills and fronting my own thing, that feels like me telling the story. And then when I jump on the stage with Bon Jovi, it’s Jon telling the story and I’m kind of in the background, a windmill, but it’s an incredible feeling to have that connection with fans. I’m looking at an audience, if it’s Bon Jovi, you’re seeing 82,000 people at Wembley [Stadium] singing all the lyrics. That fills your heart in a different way than being on stage with The Drills [when] you see the entire front row singing all the lyrics to “Air Hockey Champion Of The World.” It fills your heart in a completely different way. My heart’s whole.

The best part of not being on tour right now is being home. I’m still doing remote sessions. I [get] sent a session in an email, I go in my studio, I lay down the guitars, I Dropbox my guitars, he PayPals me money and we move on. So it’s a weird world in a lot of ways, but [touring] has completely come to a halt…

The plan [was] to do a bunch of Drills shows, traveling in a van, sharing hotel rooms and playing clubs. Then in June, I was going to be back to arenas and jets with Bon Jovi. It does sound like a joke, but at the same time, it’s a blessing to do both as an artist. I have two canvases and two different sets of paints and brushes. You just do your thing. But it’s like I’m an artist and somebody gives you canvases, paint and brushes, then says “wait, you can’t paint until next year.” That’s heartbreaking. I believe everybody that I talk to is feeling the same kind of emotional distress of not doing what we do.

Can you give us a sneak preview of the Bon Jovi “2020” album that was put on hold?

X: It’s funny because I’m a guy sitting in the background going “why has this been delayed?” If there was a time that people need something new and something to embrace, it’s now. But at the same time, Jon wrote two new songs. We just recorded these new songs a couple months ago and he wanted to include them on this record. Then one thing that goes hand in hand with the release in a mega-band like Bon Jovi is touring and supporting that record, which nobody knows when that’s going to happen. That may explain the delay for two reasons.

I think Jon’s always been a visionary, but I really saw it come together with this record. This record was the first record that I was involved in from the ground up. We were in Nashville last March for 11 days and we laid down all the band tracks. Then Jon picked his favorite ten and those songs were [given] vocals, more guitar, more piano, keys and percussion. We’re all singing backgrounds. It was a really amazing process to be a witness to. The solo in “Beautiful Drug” is my 16 seconds of danger (laughs) amongst Jon’s vision. He had a lot to say lyrically and he had a lot to exude emotionally. You know how everybody says “I wish I could be a fly on the wall?” I was a fly on the wall that put down a killer solo (laughs).

No matter the band, do you have any visits to Chicago that stand out?

X: I love Chicago, let’s just start there. I have friends in Chicago. The last time I was in Chicago was when I went with my wife and my two young ones. I have an older one too, but he’s a bigger dude now. “I’m not going to Chicago. I’ll just wait till you play L.A.” My two young kids, me and my girl, a nanny and a stroller are walking down the main drag by the hotel. My wife and the kids always [watch me perform from] stage left on my side just below the stage. My wife’s Bon Jovi jam is “Born To Be My Baby,” so I always look over when we’re playing that song and we’re like singing to each other. [On that walk], I look over [in the same direction as I would look from stage] and my son’s on my wife’s shoulders and my daughter’s in the stroller. That’s my favorite moment in Chicago.

I [also] had a band in the 2000s, from like 2000 to 2010-ish, called Powder and we had a huge gay following because of our singer. She was amazing, was a fantastic persona and looked like a fembot. We also had fembots in the show that did whatever she choreographed and we played [the Northalsted Market Days] in Boystown. We always had a great following and great shows. For some reason, the promoter just loved us and kept bringing us back. One year, we opened for A Flock Of Seagulls in a 7-Eleven parking lot and I just heard the singer go “how are we supposed to follow that?” So it was pretty awesome (laughs)…[And] I love the United Center [where Bon Jovi played in 2017 and 2018]. I love Chicago!

Do you have a message you’d like to leave with fans in that “Livin’ On A Prayer” lane of keeping going in difficult times?

X: That’s my whole point with “Right On The Money”…I remember writing it [and thinking] “no matter what happens, you keep your head on straight, you go through whatever comes your way and roll with the punches cause [the punches have certainty come this year]. That’s my positive message and what I’d like to share. And the whole “Livin’ On A Prayer” thing, it’s never been truer. There’s never been such a [perfect] statement in a time like this.

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For additional information on Phil X & The Drills, visit Facebook.com/TheRealPhilX.