(Classic Rock) Carlos Santana says the reunion of his early 1970s lineup provides a second chance for the band after 45 years apart. The guitar icon reconnected with lead vocalist and keyboardist Gregg Rolie, guitarist Neal Schon, percussionist Michael Carabello and drummer Michael Shrieve in 2013 to begin work on the recently issued Santana IV.
Led by the track Anywhere You Want To Go, the project brings most of the classic Santana lineup together on record following a performance at their 1998 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony and after a series of random encounters that provided Schon with an opportunity to convince Carlos that it was time to regroup.
Schon tells Rolling Stone: "I kept running into Carlos in the Bay Area. I said to him, 'If you really want to turn everybody's head around, we should get the original band back together.'"
The guitarist - who joined Santana in 1971 at the age of 17 and left with Rolie to form Journey in 1973 - eventually wore Carlos down. Carlos explains: "It seemed like everywhere I go, this cat is there. His eyes became very vulnerable, very ego-less."
The lineup eventually hooked up at Santana's rehearsal space in Las Vegas for what Schon thought was a meeting about a possible reunion. Read more here.
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