From “You Can Do Magic” to “Winning” and many more, songwriting legend Russ Ballard has penned some of rock’s most beloved tunes. With his latest album, he delivers new songs and fresh takes on his catalog of classics.
You may not know the name Russ Ballard, but if you are even a casual fan of classic rock ’n’ roll, you know the singer/songwriter/artist’s work. Starting as the lead singer of the band Argent, he sang the anthem “Hold Your Head Up.” His association with Kiss saw the band recording his song “God Gave Rock ’n’ Roll to You” and Ace Frehley taking on “New York Groove.” Over the decades, his songs have been recorded by everyone from Santana (“Winning”) to America (“You Can Do Magic”) and dozens more.
HUSTLERMagazine.com caught up with Russ Ballard from his home outside of London in advance of the release of his new double album, Songs From the Warehouse / The Hits Rewired to talk about his timeless hits and the golden age of ’70s groupies.
HUSTLERMagazine.com: Are you okay being interviewed by us?
Russ Ballard: Yes, it’s cool.
Do you have any history with HUSTLER or Larry Flynt?
I remember HUSTLER [from] years ago when I was touring. We used to pick it up when I was in a band at the airport to read on the plane. In an era before the internet.
