George Styles’ “How Will I Ever Know” comes with a story that’s almost as intriguing as the song itself. The track was written amid a period of creative uncertainty. Still, it would provide the trigger for a remarkable reunion, bringing Styles back together with drummer and old bandmate Tommy Street.
The song started when the track was just half done and unsure of its next direction. That was one alteration in Street's message that allowed Styles to rekindle a musical connection that had been a big part of his creative life.
Styles and Street cut their teeth together in the music business for four years before their 25-year hiatus from recording. So their return to the studio is rich in history, but “How Will I Ever Know” isn’t just a walk down memory lane. It’s what may happen when long-standing creative chemistry finds its way back into the present. The track also featured Massachusetts bassist Jeff Gilman of Gilmania Productions. Styles knew they needed a base groove to hold up Street’s thunderous drumming, which led to the connection with Gilman and helped form the melodic foundation of the new release.
That mix of old creative partnerships and a new collaborative aspect makes for a different story in “How Will I Ever Know.” What started as a stuck piece of music became a chance to renew a partnership that had been inactive for decades.