Bill Toms spent 19 years as the sidekick to Joe Grushecky in the Houserockers. During the end of that stay, he broke off to form Hard Rain and work as a solo artist.

Toms is releasing his sixth record, "Spirits, Chaos and a Troubadour Soul," a collection of gritty rock songs in the working-class vein of the Houserockers and the E Street Band.

What were your inspirations in making this record?

I think the state of the world is inspiration enough. I was traveling quite a bit these last few years. So the record was written with a troubadour mentality. I was seeing the results of years of neglect concerning the working class. The division between the haves and the have-nots has become wider. I am reporting what I see. Painting the picture of events that have led us to where we are and trying to figure out a better path.

Seems like the shadow of the war hangs over the record. What are your thoughts on trying to capture something so many people have written about?

I read how people during the American Civil War felt there was "No Way Out," and we were into something that we couldn't get out of. A road that had no end .... Very similar to Vietnam and Iraq. I also have images from my family's history. My uncle, who was killed during World War II, inspired the dying soldier in "The 4th of July." I wanted to make the effects of war more human than what we get. We are thrown numbers every day of people killed in Iraq. The results of a soldier's death are felt beyond the immediate family and generation.

There are some great instrumental touches on the record -- like Phil Brontz's sax solo on "Tell Her I'm Home" and the country-blues feel of "The Good Life." Is this record more fleshed out, more diverse than your past records?

Amazing musicians came together and were able to take the pictures in my head and present them in a way that conveys the feeling of discontent. I wanted to make a very "organic" record. Lots of fiddle and mandolin mixed into the lineup we had, to relay to the audience that connection from the American Civil War through the current crisis. We also pushed people to play different at times. I think if you ask Phil Brontz, he will tell you he never recorded anything like that. But it was out of this world. I think he understood this was new ground.

The Waterboys' "Fisherman's Blues" is a great song and it's a nice cover. What made you want to do it?

I loved that album for such a long time. When The Houserockers recorded the song "Coming Home," Phil Tennent produced it. He was one of the engineers on the "Fisherman's Blues" record that the Waterboys did. We had some great discussions about the record. It was a lot of fun. So Hard Rain started playing it, and it sort of became a staple at our shows. I felt that the chase for freedom theme worked well with the troubadour ideas for the "Spirits" CD. We got a great take on the first or second try, so I figure that's a good sign it works.

I still sense a lot of Joe and Bruce in your sound. Are you happy to embrace that?

This is who I am. The hardest thing an artist does is to find their voice. The way they communicate what they feel and see. I imagine the influences of all the people you work with over the years is always going to be there. And I have been blessed to have worked with some great artists. I love where I am at this point. But I also love to push the boundaries a bit. I believe this CD is much different than [my 2005 album] "The West End Kid."