Released 22/05/2012
FAMOUS FOR KILLING EACH OTHER came into being while Modern West was touring Europe. I was using my off time to prepare for my part in the mini-series HATFIELDS & MCCOYS which I was to begin filming as soon as the tour ended. I would be playing Devil Anse Hatfield in this legendary story, and I would regularly read passages that I was having to memorize to the guys while on the bus traveling from country to country. They would be asking me question after question about the families and the feud as well as the realities of the time, and eventually I encouraged them to read the complete story for themselves. One night, when preparing for my role and thinking about the characters, I began an impromptu monologue of something I had been writing and Teddy Morgan picked up my guitar and started providing a mood setting support. At one point I stoppedtalking and began to hum and eventually sing a melody line along with Teddys guitar riff. I sang the words I know these hills for the first time. It was a moment that signaled the beginning of a musical journey that we could not have anticipated. Nineteen songs later, a musical picture of time and place has emerged in both lyrical and instrumental compositions that detail the feelings of the characters with a musical soul centered in the hills of Appalachia. The surprise was that the record ever happened. The pleasure was in going as deep as we did into this blood feud. The thing that makes this record special to me is that Park, Teddy and John were all able to add their voices to different songs. Sara Beck, who regularly travels and sings with us, is featured; and so is Lily Costner, who composed and sings Oh, Malley-Mae. My hope is that this record is able to transport you back in time and you can perhaps begin to feel the excitement, the danger and the tragedy that I felt while making this epic story HATFIELDS & MCCOYS. -Kevin Costner