Black Rebel Motorcylce Club Ready Fifth Album With New Drummer

When Black Rebel Motorcycle Club drop their fifth studio album, 'Beat the Devil's Tattoo,' on March 9, 2010, it will be their first with new drummer Leah Shapiro. "She played on the album, she helped write, so as far as I'm concerned she is [in the band]," BRMC vocalist/guitarist Peter Hayes tells Spinner.

Shapiro stepped into the drummer's seat of the three-piece for lengthy bouts of touring, beginning in 2008 after original sticksman Nick Jago left the group. Shapiro, who previously toured with the Raveonettes, contributed artistically to BRMC as the band traveled to Philadelphia to write new songs last year.

"I don't know if there's some piece of paper that needs to be signed for [her to be in the band]," Hayes chuckles. "That's up to her. Official and temporary -- you know Nick was official and at the same time temporary, I guess."

While writing, the trio lived together in a house and spent their days composing in a studio owned by fellow rockers, the Cobbs. The atmosphere -- away from expensive spaces in their home base of Los Angeles -- gave the outfit a chance to indulge themselves in the songwriting process.

"It was just the opportunity of not having the stress of coming back to Los Angeles and sitting in a rehearsal studio paying through the nose by the hour," Hayes says. "We could all live together and write together. We owe [The Cobbs] ... but hopefully when the album comes out we'll be able to pay them rent."

With the record done and just the artwork to be completed, Hayes might be freed up to watch some of the group's new two-DVD, one-CD set, 'Live,' which was released last month. He admits he hasn't watched it in full, but having lived the moments -- on tour in places like Glasgow, Dublin and Berlin in 2007 in support of the group's 'Baby 81' album -- he's familiar with what's on it, including peeks at Hayes and Levon Been in the midst of songwriting.

"That's not even close to the amount of work that goes into a song," he says of footage from the Dublin soundcheck. "As far as songwriting goes, there are songs that will be in the process for years, so something that you see in a five-minute clip at the most is nowhere near the actual [amount of time it takes]."

And there could be another DVD release in the group's future, if anyone manages to find the time to put it together.

"A good friend of ours, he's got a bunch of footage from when we were doing our first van tours around the US, so from day one we were documenting stuff happening," Hayes says. "I'm not even sure where those tapes are. Someone would have to sit down and actually compile all that, so the idea has been in the works for a while."