DRIGS, Idaho — The euphoric vibe of Neal Francis will kick off the 20th season of Music on Main this Thursday. Describing himself equal parts heady and hedonistic, pensive and euphoric, the Tetons better stretch the night before because there’s not much room for standing still at a Neal Francis show.
With deep-rooted psych-rock sensibilities and a lifelong affinity for classic funk, Neal Francis is a must-see for fans of Freddie Mercury, Billy Joel, Dr. John and any music fan who enjoys getting entangled in the timeless rock & roll and ’70s-era dance music, merging supremely heavy guitar riffs with lush and pulsating grooves—all constructed sans digital programming, in keeping with his devotion to all things analog.
“I’ve always been intrigued by music that toes the line between funk and rock,” notes Francis.
The latest album from Neal Francis, “Return To Zero” emerged from the kind of visionary fever dream that only the most masterful and inventive artists are capable of bringing to life. Amid a grueling tour schedule that found him playing nearly 400 shows from 2021 to 2024, the Chicago-based singer/songwriter/pianist immersed himself in creating a beautifully strange entangling of timeless rock & roll and ’70s-era dance music, merging supremely heavy guitar riffs with lush and pulsating grooves—all constructed sans digital programming, in keeping with his devotion to all things analog. Worlds away from the glitzy fantasia of archetypal disco, “Return To Zero” inhabits a far moodier atmosphere and ultimately makes for the most thrilling manifestation of Francis’ peerless musicality yet.
“I was cutting a lot of the vocals at home, using a hybrid process where I’d bounce the tracks from my computer to a tape machine and then record the vocals to tape,” Francis explains.
“I’d be in my vocal booth in the closet with all our winter coats, and every time I needed to start over I’d press this button that says ‘RTZ,’ which stands for ‘Return To Zero.’ I was doing take after take and pressing that button over and over—it was a huge pain, but it also linked up with what I’ve learned in my meditation practice: no matter how frustrated you get, just remain calm and take inventory, and then begin again.”
Although executing “Return To Zero” highly elaborate arrangements often involved a very time-intensive trial-and-error approach, the album-opening “Need You Again” surfaced from an immediate burst of inspiration after Francis attended a DJ set by Derrick Carter (a Chicago house legend who created a 12-inch remix of “BNYLV” from In Plain Sight). “My girlfriend and I went out to a queer dance party called Queen! and stayed till about four in the morning, and Derrick played a track that was a big rock riff over a funk beat,” he recalls.
“The next day I went into the studio on very little sleep and started working on the demo for ‘Need You Again,’ and after I finished I couldn’t stop listening to it.” Featuring a guest spot from Grammy-winning guitarist Eric Krasno (Soulive, Lettuce), the result is a glorious entry point into the album’s groove-heavy soundscape, unfolding in sinewy riffs and larger-than-life rhythms as Francis narrates a tale of ruinous infatuation.
“It’s a song about a love affair, and the experience of projecting magical qualities onto another person and feeling almost addicted or beholden to them.”
The Music on Main venue opens at 5 p.m. Sister Karee and The Other Brothers will open the evening with a local brew of funk and fun. The concert series is free to attend but TVF hopes concertgoers will make the suggested $5 donation to help keep the concerts free and accessible to all members of the community. Other ways to support Music on Main include volunteering and buying tickets for the weekly raffle—this week’s prize is Taylor GS Mini guitar! Visit TetonValleyFoundation.org for more information about this summer’s artists and shuttle schedules.
