Black Swan was initiated by bassist/producer/engineer Jeff Pilson, and he soon recruited a stellar line up to realize his goal of creating a killer classic hard rock album. Along with Pilson (Dokken, Foreigner) the band features Reb Beach (Winger, Whitesnake), Robin McAuley (MSG, Survivor), and Matt Starr (Mr. Big, Ace Frehley). Even with this roster, the total is still greater than the sum of its parts.

Black Swan’s debut album Shake the World, was released on February 14th and is already enjoying tremendous reviews. I spoke with lead singer Robin McAuley to discuss the making of this record, how he has maintained his vocal chops over the years, and why January 20th is a cool birthday!