Collaborative magic: The Black Keys on Noel Gallagher's appearance on 'Ohio Players' album

Ohio Players was originally the funk band behind the hit songs "Fire" and "Love Rollercoaster." However, now it's also the latest album from The Black Keys, which has finally hit the physical and digital shelves. It boasts the talents of none other than Noel Gallagher, who lends his skills to three tracks. In this musical rendezvous, frontman Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney of the rock duo have been buzzing with anticipation ever since they embarked on this project alongside the former Oasis guitarist.

Gallagher's unmistakable touch graces the tracks "On The Game" (British slang for "working as a prostitute"), "Only Love Matters," and "You’ll Pay." Thom Donovan of American Songwriter even called "On The Game" The Black Keys’ "best song of their career." Though typically more straight-ahead fare than concept albums by someone like David Bowie, the band has offered surprises in the past, including a rap-rock record titled Blakroc back in 2009.

Here's a good song from the latest album:

Reflecting on the collaborative journey with Gallagher, whom Carney affectionately dubs 'The Chord Lord', Auerbach enthusiastically shares his experience in the latest edition of Guitar Player magazine. He recounts the electrifying atmosphere of creative synergy as they penned songs together in the intimate confines of Toe Rag Studios. Auerbach vividly describes the scene: "We wrote those songs together in a room, and Noel had his [1963] Gretsch [6210 Chet Atkins], I had a guitar and a bass, Leon [Michels] was on keyboard and Pat was playing drums...We would patiently sit back and let him do his thing, and it was amazing to watch his wheels turn in real time."

Dan Auerbach on The Black Keys' ease of collaborating with Noel Gallagher

Among the album's highlights for Auerbach is"On The Game," a track that effortlessly came to life during a live performance session with Gallagher. Despite the adage cautioning against meeting one's idols, Auerbach reveals that both he and Carney have long admired Gallagher's work. In the GP interview, Auerbach delves into Gallagher's creative process, emphasizing the guitarist's unwavering dedication to his craft:

"Y’know, Noel’s process is purely guitar. He’s just so in love with the chords, and he was just cycling through and through and through, and that’s how he would find his melodies. He wouldn’t stop until he was satisfied. It never sounded right to him until it did, and that’s when we would move on. But we couldn’t move on until he got that good feeling." Oasis is currently being considered for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (though Liam Gallagher is too cool to care about that).

Ohio Players is now available, inviting listeners to immerse themselves in the collaborative magic of The Black Keys and Noel Gallagher. The album also features Beck, someone who influenced and helped The Black Keys early on in their career, as stated in the interview below: