After Alter Bridge launched their debut album in the fall of 2004, the last thing that Myles Kennedy, Mark Tremonti, Scott Phillips, and Brian Marshall could have expected was the need to start over yet again. Believing that their label did not share the same vision, the band determined their only recourse was to ask to be released from Wind-Up.

Much of 2006 was spent writing new material and interviewing with potential labels. After growing tired of waiting, they again dipped into their personal funds to create the album that they wanted and needed to make. It was now just about Alter Bridge and their music.

The band's focus and determination was rewarded in June 2007, when they finally signed with Universal Republic Records. Out of the chaos, tumult, and uncertainty, Blackbird, Alter Bridge's sophomore album, was born.

Musically," Myles says, "Mark and I really complement one another. We make a fantastic team." Lyrically, the album touches on many themes.

Alter Bridge's efforts will culminated in the fall of 2007 when Blackbird was released and the band eagerly returned to the road. "First and foremost, we're a live band," Mark exclaims. "We give it our all every single night no matter how many people we're playing for." Mark concludes that because of ownership rights and the transition between labels, "there were no Alter Bridge sites, or MySpace sites, so what sustained our fan base was our fan sites. What sustained us was our fans. Our fans took over and carried us through these tough times. So to our fans, we say 'Thank You!'"