Tim Armstrong plans free solo album, new Rancid full length in 2007

Hellcat Records has announced that Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong will be releasing his solo album titled A Poet's Life and will be available for free download on the internet starting October 7th, 2006.

Tim has posted the first track from the album online. He recorded the track with the Aggrolites and you can check it out here.

Tim also had a lengthy statement, including:

I've been in the studio, recording songs and decided to put them out as a solo record. This album is going to be different from the rest, mainly because we're going to give it away for free on the internet. It's our way of saying thanks to everyone, for all the support over the years.

The next record I'll be working on is Rancid's seventh album. We're recording it as soon as we get off the road in December. Our plan is to jump into the studio right after tour, that's when our playing and singing is the strongest.

You can check out the video via this page.

For the entirety of Tim's statement, you can click Read More

Tim Armstrong also made this statement:

The Rancid Punx have a streak. It’s been brought to my attention that since 2000, Rancid or members of , have put out a record every year.

Here’s a break down of the past six years. In 2000 there was RANCID V.
In 2001, the release of Lars’ solo record, LARS FREDERIKSEN AND THE BASTARDS. 2002, the Transplants dropped our first album.

Rancid’s INDESTRUCTIBLE was put out in 2003. Lars’ second solo record, THE VIKING, was released in 2004. Travis, Rob, and I went back into the studio to work on the Transplants’ 2nd album, HAUNTED CITIES, which dropped in 2005. And for 2007, Rancid will have out our seventh record.

This year 2006, we’re going to keep the streak going. I’ve been in the studio, recording songs and decided to put them out as a solo record.

This album is going to be different from the rest, mainly because we’re going to give it away for free on the internet. It’s our way of saying thanks to everyone, for all the support over the years.

The next record I’ll be working on is Rancid’s seventh album. We’re recording it as soon as we get off the road in December. Our plan is to jump into the studio right after tour, that’s when our playing and singing is the strongest.

In the upcoming years, I hope to make another Transplants album. I love recording with those guys. We’re not sure if we’re going to make another Bastards record. But you never know because the last one came about kind of organically after the Rancid Japan 2004 tour. Lars and I went into a studio in Tokyo, and demoed a handful of songs that ended up becoming the VIKING.

The first song and video off my solo record is called Hold On. It was recorded with the Aggrolites in Los Angeles. This track has an old school sound. We put one mic on the drums and everything was played live, keeping it real raw. The video was shot in one night wth a group of friends. Lars even flew down from SF to hang out and be in it. In the months to come I plan on dropping the rest of the record for free on the internet, one track at a time.