Joe Grushecky ends an era with 'Fingerprints'

Joe Grushecky has been playing music in Pittsburgh for so long, it's hard for him to step outside his own lengthy shadow. There's his songwriting, which always has been informed by his blue-collar work ethic, and his music, the guitar-oriented, no-frills rock 'n' roll that made him and his band, the Houserockers, so popular in the region and cult favorites on the East Coast and in Europe.

Then there's Grushecky's voice - rough-hewn, expressive, even raspy at times - but perfect for his milieu.

Trying to change that formula after so many years would be akin to altering the course of Pittsburgh's three rivers. Can't do it, especially in western Pennsylvania, which disavows change as much as it loves the Steelers.

Yet, while preparing the demos for his new album, Grushecky knew there was a different quality to his writing. "Fingerprints" will be released tonight at a party at Nick's Fat City, South Side.

"I knew at some point I wanted to step outside the circle of what I'd done," he says. "A lot of the songs I had written weren't Houserocker type of songs."

Grushecky turned to Rick Witkowski, who worked as a producer on previous Houserocker efforts. Listening to the demos, Witkowski quickly heard new elements in Grushecky's songs.

A decision was made to record the album as a solo project, Grushecky's first without the Houserockers. And while "Fingerprints" has an air of familiarity to it, especially lyrically, there's also another side to Grushecky that might surprise longtime fans.

"Fingerprints" is not a radical departure. But like his friend Bruce Springsteen, who released the albums "Lucky Town" and "Human Touch" in 1992 sans the E Street Band, the album gives Grushecky an opportunity to explore other facets of his music. Witkowski was especially helpful, Grushecky says, in that "he's one of those guys who likes the Beatles, the melodic stuff, and I like the Stones and Dylan and the blues."

So where did the two meet, musically• In the heartland of America, with a soulful, rhythm-and-blues approach to much of the material.

"There is that," Grushecky says, "certainly with the ballads. There's more soulful vocals - Ricky and I do write white soul music. And of course, 'Lucky Man' is a tribute to every soul song I ever heard."

But it's "Rainy Day in Pittsburgh" that will surprise most fans. Grushecky calls it his tribute to songwriter Jimmy Webb, and it recalls Elvis Costello's collaboration with Burt Bacharach on "Painted From Memory."

"That's a song that goes places Joe has never been before," Witkowski says of the dreamy, melancholic tune. "It almost borders on being schmaltzy, but it's really a good, retro piece."

There are songs that have a Houserockers feel, notably the album's opening songs, "You and Tonight" and "I Remember It." But working with drummer Tony Mora, bassists Ed Brown and Tom Belin, Hermie Granati and Jamie Peck on keyboards, and Witkowski, who played guitar and bass, allowed Grushecky to experiment a bit.

"It started to sound more like a band thing half the way through," Grushecky says. "What happened was, I had strong ideas for the feel of the songs, and the way the guys were playing dictated the final outcome."

"From day one, when I heard the songs, I knew this was going to special," Witkowski says. "This music speaks to my soul. It makes me feel good."

"Fingerprints" also marks the debut of another generation of the Grushecky family. His son, Johnny, 13, plays drums on "Talk is Cheap," a song that is perhaps the album's most radical departure, with a distorted vocal intro and a frantic, near-alternative cadence.

"Johnny grew up playing drums along to King Curtis and Elvis Presley," says his father. "He was always into the music in my collection. But he's also into stuff like Blink-182, and he loves the Clarks and the Clash."

Grushecky notes that "Fingerprints" marks the closing of a chapter in his career as a musician. He's documented his live shows with 1999's "Down the Road Apiece," and satisfied his yen to explore other musical interests with the new album.

What's next• It's back to his mainstays, the Houserockers, of course. Grushecky says he feels rejuvenated by "Fingerprints," and can't wait to record more material with his longtime band.

"It's the end of an era," Grushecky says. "That's the way we're looking at this. This is not a new start, but a fresh start."