Darius Rucker, Mills and Gorman form Howl Owl Howl, debuting November

Darius Rucker, R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills and former Black Crowes drummer Steve Gorman have formed a supergroup called Howl Owl Howl and will debut live in November, the trio announced on Instagram Wednesday. The band will release its first single, My Cologne, on Oct. 31 and begins a short East Coast tour Nov. 3 at The Vogue in Indianapolis, with further stops including Chicago, Washington, D.C., Asbury Park, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Athens, Georgia, and Atlanta. Tickets go on sale Friday, Sept. 26, the group said.

The collaboration traces back to a 2019 benefit concert in Nashville where Gorman first brought Mills and Rucker together. The three friends began writing and recording together in 2021 and decided to formalize the project after several years of informal sessions. Rucker said the new material has allowed him to return to rock in a way that is different from his work with Hootie and the Blowfish and his solo country career. "It feels great to be singing with a rock band again," he said. "It's like buddies getting together, but also getting to play with your idols." Mills highlighted the chemistry among the musicians. "You never can explain band chemistry,"...