Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs Announce New Album ‘External Combustion’ & Share Single

Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs will release their sophomore studio album, External Combustion, through BMG on March 4. The band led by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers/Fleetwood Mac guitarist Mike Campbell previewed the 11-song LP by unveiling lead single and opening track “Wicked Mind” along with an accompanying video.

Mike Campbell co-produced the follow-up to 2020’s Wreckless Abandon with George Drakoulias. Recorded last summer at Campbell’s home studio in Los Angeles, Hocus Pocus Recorders, the album features guest appearances from Margo Price and Ian Hunter (of Mott the Hoople). Additionally, the guitarist and bandmates Jason Sinay (guitar), bassist Lance Morrison and drummer Matt Laug are joined by Campbell’s fellow Heartbreakers co-founding member Benmont Tench on piano for the track “Lightning Boogie.”

“The band became this spontaneous type of combustion—to borrow a word,” stated Campbell in a press release regarding the group’s evolution. “The longer we played, the more intuitive it got.” While most of the material on External Combustion was penned by Mike Campbell during the past year, the album also features two songs written in the 1990’s that the guitarist rediscovered in his vast cache of unreleased compositions.

Watch the video for Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs’ “Wicked Mind” directed by George Mays below:

The band will embark on an extensive tour starting in Tampa on March 9. Dates in Gainesville follow on March 11 and 12 before the group hits Nashville, Philadelphia, Boston, New York City, Derry (New Hampshire), Ridgefield (Connecticut), Alexandria (Virginia) and Indianapolis over the remainder of March. April dates include stops in Chicago, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boulder, Denver, Dallas, Houston and Austin.

Campbell & The Dirty Knobs spend June opening for Chris Stapleton at arenas and amphitheaters in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, California, Utah and Denver. The quartet also is among support for Stapleton’s Wrigley Field show in Chicago on July 23.

External Combustion Tracklist

1. Wicked Mind
2. Brigitte Bardot
3. Cheap Talk
4. External Combustion
5. Dirty Job (feat. Ian Hunter)
6. State of Mind (feat. Margo Price)
7. Lightning Boogie
8. Rat City
9. In this Lifetime
10. It is Written
11. Electric Gypsy