Published: August 17, 2026 · 3:22 AM EDT
The Spin Doctors co-founder previews upcoming solo album Ten Smiles with a new rock single co-written by Mountain drummer and “Mississippi Queen” co-writer Corky Laing
Eric Schenkman, guitarist and co-founder of Spin Doctors, has released the official video for his new single “Hit On Me,” the latest preview of his upcoming solo album Ten Smiles.
Released on August 14, 2026, the song follows July single “Recipe” and was co-written with longtime Schenkman collaborator Corky Laing, the drummer best known for his work with Mountain.
“Hit On Me” combines rock with pop and R&B elements around a straightforward idea: offering another possibility to someone emerging from a failed relationship.
“The song describes a scenario where a girl is getting dumped out of a bad relationship,” Schenkman explains. “The message is ‘don’t walk away, hit on me instead, I’m right here.’”
The song developed from an idea Schenkman shared with Laing, built initially around the concept of “hitting” a drum before evolving into the title and relationship theme of “Hit On Me.”
Laing’s connection gives the collaboration its own piece of rock history. The Canadian drummer was a longtime member of Mountain and shares songwriting credit on the band’s 1970 classic “Mississippi Queen” alongside Leslie West, Felix Pappalardi and David Rea.
Schenkman and Laing’s musical relationship also stretches back decades. They previously worked together in Cork, a project that also included former Jimi Hendrix Experience bassist Noel Redding.
For many listeners, Schenkman remains immediately recognizable as the guitarist behind Spin Doctors and their early-'90s breakthrough.
He was part of the classic lineup behind “Two Princes”, playing electric guitar on the hit and sharing songwriting credit with Chris Barron, Aaron Comess and Mark White.
“Two Princes” became one of the defining songs from 1991’s Pocket Full of Kryptonite, while tracks including “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” helped establish the band internationally.
Schenkman remains a member of Spin Doctors while continuing his solo work. His official biography describes him as an American-Canadian guitarist and producer who grew up in Toronto before co-founding the New York band.
“Hit On Me” will appear on Schenkman’s upcoming album Ten Smiles.
The record contains 10 original songs and features Al Cross on drums and Stan Miczek on bass. Experience Vinyl currently lists a 180-gram vinyl edition with an expected release in September 2026.
The album also includes “Recipe,” “Avocado Eldorado” and the six-minute-plus “The Buffalo Song.”
TEN SMILES TRACKLIST
1. Recipe
2. Avocado Eldorado
3. Hit On Me
4. The Buffalo Song
5. I Get the Picture
6. Can I Change My Mind?
7. Cold Little Feelings
8. Some Other Man
9. Christina
10. The Drop
“Hit On Me” connects two different pieces of rock history without functioning as a nostalgia exercise.
Schenkman brings the guitar background associated with Spin Doctors and “Two Princes,” while his songwriting collaboration with Corky Laing links the new material to a musician whose career stretches back to Mountain and “Mississippi Queen.”
At the same time, Ten Smiles keeps the focus on Schenkman’s current work rather than simply revisiting his 1990s catalog.
Through “Hit On Me,” Eric Schenkman continues the rollout of Ten Smiles with a song rooted in a long-running musical friendship with Corky Laing. More than three decades after “Two Princes” helped make Spin Doctors an international name, Schenkman remains active both with the band and through his own guitar-driven material.
Written by Gino Alache – Music Journalist
IMAGE CREDIT: Courtesy of Slammin Media
Watch Eric Schenkman’s official video for “Hit On Me” below:
