Rex Brown just released the details for his highly anticipated solo album, Smoke on This. Before he shared the news with the world, he offered Loudwire the first interview about his new direction, going in-depth on how passionate he feels about Smoke On This.

Smoke On This showcases a side of Rex Brown rarely experience by fans, since the former Pantera / Down bassist is both singing and playing guitar. After touring relentlessly for decades, Rex found joy in playing music again by exploring a fresh sound. “The songs are where I wanna go, man,” Rex told us. “I’ve done my share of the metal thing. I think I’ve got a lot more talent than just sitting around and [heavy strumming].”

“It’s been a labor of love, man. I’m just letting the wind blow,” says Rex. “That’s all you can do these days. I’ve had a magnificent career, but man, I’m still young. I’ve still got a lot of fire and f—king hell in my ass.”

When we asked Rex who is major influences were for Smoke On This, the musician actually brought up his late Pantera bandmate Dimebag Darrell. “Being around Dime and the way he played… he would just do the one note but he’d do the whammy bar with it and made up his own style, it was insane. Being around that, he certainly had an influence on me.”

Rex Brown just premiered his first single, “Crossing Lines,” exclusively on Loudwire, so be sure to take a listen! Smoke On This will see a July 28 release date, so make sure to pre-order the album.

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