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Everyone knows how huge the Atlanta, Georgia based band Sevendust has gotten over the past few years. Their first self-titled album hit the streets in 1997 with raw, angry, energetic and just plain in your face metal that took the metal community my surprise! The band’s Sophomore album, “Home” came out in 1999, followed by “Animosity” in 2001, and 2003 brought “Seasons.”
October 2005, and two years later as always, Sevendust released their latest and fifth studio album titled, “NEXT,” which is getting huge success as we speak! The band’s hit single titled “Ugly” is getting more popular by the minute, as is “Pieces,” which will be heard in the new movie “Saw II.”
Aside from the many tours the band has been on, and the kick ass music that Sevendust is known for putting out, “NEXT” brings some change and new life to the band. Old friend, and ex-Snot guitarist Sonny Mayo replaced Clint Lowery, and is now officially the new guitarist for Sevendust. The band also decided to change labels for the first time ever, and take more control over their massive metal organization. Which I like to refer to as their MMO!
GlamMetal.com is pumped to bring you this exclusive interview with frontman, LaJon Witherspoon! LaJon is not only a kick ass singer, performer and songwriter, but he’s smart, funny, and one of the coolest artists I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. So, without further ado, here is the man himself to talk about what’s going on in his world, and the world of his band, SEVENDUST! Enjoy!
LaJon Witherspoon, How are you man?
It’s going good! They got us out here working man!
You’re a Southern boy, how do you like the weather here in Maine?
It is freezing! I haven’t even been out of the bus yet. I just got up, and I am freezing!
You guys are out on the “Master Of Horror Tour” with Mudvayne. How’s the tour going so far?
This is probably the best tour we’ve been on in a long time as far as matching bands. We have great fun with the guys and we love em, they love us, and it’s just exciting! This is a tour where the people can come out and just enjoy it, and leave going, “Goddamn, that show kicked ass!” That’s the tour we like to do.
Have you toured with Mudvayne before, and did you know any of the guys prior to this tour?
Years ago we used to tour with Mudvayne, doing a few shows here and there at the beginning, and it was always fun. For them call us back up, and say “Hey, come on back guys,” is just great man, and we should have done this a long time ago, but everything happens for a reason, so you know.
I hear that Sevendust plans to tour in January. Is that true, and if so, where will this tour take you guys?
True! That tour will be our headlining tour, and it will take us all over the United States of America, before we get ready to hit Europe.
Sevendust currently has a new guitarist Sonny Mayo, who replaced Clint Lowery. How well is Sonny fitting in with the band, and how well of a response is he getting with the fans?
Sonny is incredible man! When we called Sonny up, it wasn’t anything new, because he’s an old friend, and we knew that he would fit in. It’s great man, his magic came in, and he was very focused on being in a new organization anyways, so it really fits good, and it put fire under our asses, and also made us realize that we got something good going on here, because this guys really excited. After a while, you get kinda jaded with everything that goes on. We didn’t have a record deal when Sonny came into the project, so it’s all good. He’s excited, we’re all excited, it’s like a new energy to the band.
Speaking of Clint, what was the reason for his departure from the band, and are you guys still friends?
I’m gonna be honest with you Doobie, Clint left the band over a year ago, and a few weeks later was signed to a new record deal with the band that he was working with, that he said he was just ghost writing for, which is his brothers band...
Dark New Day?
Yeah. We know all the guys, loved em, and wish him the best, but I haven’t talked to Clint in a long time man. I mean...think about it like this Doobie... I’m a grown man, I have a family, and there’s ways to handle things, especially after you’ve been involved with someone for eleven years, and for him to just leave that way, wasn’t cool. I don’t necessarily say I’m mad, but I wouldn’t have done it that way. I wouldn’t have left any organization that way, and still been able to sleep at night. I wouldn’t personally.
I hear that man! Lets move on to something more uplifting like your new record which is quite fittingly titled “Next.”It kicks fucking ass! I have to be honest, I was wondering how it would sound without Clint playing on it, but the wondering is over, it sounds amazing! Sonny does a great job. Are you happy with the way it turned out LaJon?
Oh thanks man! Yeah, I’m definitely happy with “NEXT” man. We weren’t writing the album for anyone, so we went in with noone looking over our shoulders, and it was really fun. We packed up in the house, and there really wasn’t anything to do except music, so you go to bed doing music, you wake up doing music, if you wake up in the middle of the night thinking about music, you get up and do it. (Laughs) It was very easy, and no pressure at all. So, you work well without pressure, and sometimes you work well under pressure, but this time, after always being under pressure for so many years with labels, or whatever, it was good. It was easy, it was very natural, and we’re ready to start writing the next album. The next album to “NEXT!” (Laughs)
You guys went with a different label this time around. What was the reason for the label change, and are you happy with the switch?
Well, we needed to leave, because the avenue that we ran with TVT had ended a longtime ago. They got us to a very good point I feel, but we kinda had to promote ourselves, and we decided to take the reigns and take charge of our own career and destiny. It was just time for a change man. We’re happy with our decision. I guess it’s like this Doobie, when a guy works for someone for his whole life, and then all of a sudden he says, “I should have been working for myself this whole time,” that’s kinda how it is. (Laughs)
(Laughs) Cool man! Just like clock work, you guys put out a new studio album every two years, which is awesome. I’m curious, Is that because of record company contracts, or is it just the fact that you guys don’t like to leave your fans waiting over two years, or what?
I like it when a band is able to tour for a while before they have one single that’s on MTV or whatever, and then a week later, you don’t see the band anymore, and you don’t hear anything about the album, so you gotta go into the studio. I like Sevendust being able to continue to kick ass around town, and also having an album that lasts longer than four months, you know?
What’s a couple of your favorite songs on the new record?
“Silence,” and “Shadows in Red.”
Do you have an all-time favorite Sevendust record?
I think this one is my all-time favorite right now. Maybe cause it’s so new. (Laughs) We had so much dirty laundry on that other stuff man, that I look at it now, and I look at the past, and this is definitely the most heartfelt, well rounded album we’ve done, so put it that way. Noone stepped on anyone’s toes, so this is my favorite.
What’s the writing process like in Sevendust, LaJon?
We all write. I’ve always said that in this organization that it’s ridiculous for it to just come from one persons point of view man. If you got something to write man, you bring it to the table, that’s like therapy. Everyone writes, and if it sounds like shit, we’ll tell you man, but if you got something to say, and you got it on your heart, we’re gonna let it go man.
Of all the bands that Sevendust has toured with, which is a ton of bands, do you have a particular favorite tour?
Man I’ve played with everybody from Nickelback, to Creed, to Fuel, to Slipknot. I mean...that’s one thing I like about my band to, is we’re able to bust out a catalog to tour with Staind, and then turn around and show up for a show with Slipknot, and say ok, we’re getting ready to unload on this to! That’s just very cool, you know?
Dude, that is very cool! Of the many tours you’ve been on, what’s one of the most bizarre things you’ve witnessed on the road?
A lot of crazy, nasty things man.
Something that really comes to mind. It doesn’t have to be crazy or nasty, but what sticks out in your mind man?
I’ll tell you what, it was the most fun in the world for me, and I’m probably sure any man in the world, to go out on a tour with the Cutty Girls when they had their own tour bus, and they toured the whole tour with us man. Awesome! It was like girls gone wild, but being a guy! (Laughs) Awesome!
(Laughs)You lucky fucker you! Do you have a favorite stop while on tour?
Any place by the water. I love Maine, love lobsters and stuff like that. I just love places that are beautiful man, and so many places are. Where ever I’m at, and I’m alive, and I’m kicking it, and I can sing today, I’m loving it!
You love Maine Lobster huh?
Oh yeah man! I can’t wait! Our bus will be smelling like some seafood house around six o’clock this evening man! (Laughs)
Sevendust recently did an interview for Tattoo Magazine. Who usually does your work, and have you decided on what your next tat will be?
I’ve done so much work all over the place man. Miami Tattoo is a great place, Filip Leu is a famous artist that did my chest, there’s so many, and ah...I have to be mentally ready before I go back in for a tattoo, when there’s been so much stuff going on. I really haven’t been focused enough lately to do it, but it’s about time man. Probably after Christmas I’ll start thinking of something that really means a lot to me. I am addicted to tattoos. (Laughs) It’s weird, I haven’t had a tattoo in about four years man.
Dude, if you want to get some great work done, check out Venom Ink out of Sanford, Maine. The artist’s name is Chad Chase, and he does some of the best work on the globe man. He’s clean, he’s an award winning artist, he’s cool as hell, and also really digs Sevendust, so I’m sure he’d be totally honored to ink you. I’d be happy to hook you up if you’d like man.
Yeah, sounds great, introduce him to me.
I definitely will! At what age did you start getting into music, and who were your biggest influences musically?
My dad, church...I had to go to church every Sunday anyway.
Do you still attend church services every Sunday?
Oh yeck yeah man. I was that kid that fell asleep in church and stuff. (Laughs) My dad was like, “I told you shouldn’t have watched Saturday Night Live last night,” and I was like, “Yeah dad, you’re right.” I hated going to bed at 9:30 on Saturday night, because we had to get up early if you stayed at my godmothers house to go to church, and then you sit beside her, she was in the choir, and then be freaked out because you knew the lord was going to touch her at any moment, and it was off man, it was happening! (Laughs) Who would get embarrassed, it was LJ, me! Her legs would start trembling, and look out, she’d screech man oh! (Laughs) All the Deacons got save her, because she’s running around the church. So yeah, I grew up in church. I had a very interesting childhood man, and I wouldn’t change anything, but I definitely know that after the way that I grew up, it was definitely kind of a shock to look back then, to where I’m at now. I mean, I hid my tattoos from my mom, she thought I was crazy for years. (Laughs) It’s a beautiful thing to really realize that how music has kinda molded a lot of people towards us who would normally never even give us a chance, you know?
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Do your parents support your music and everything?
My dad called me up the other day, and he was like, “ You need to call Aaron, because me and a couple of friends are going up to see Staind in Miami, and also make sure you get me some passes, and let me pull the car back behind the busses.” (Laughs) I was like, “Well cool, have a good time.” (Laughs) So yeah, they’re really into it man. You go to the house, and you see pictures of Kid Rock with them, and all the guys that we’ve been on tour with. I remember one time, we were playing out with Creed, and we were in Florida somewhere, and I look down, and there was this cool dude looking at me and waiving down there, and this lady that looked really familiar, and I was like, you know what, that’s my mom and dad! They were on Creeds guest list, goddamn! (Laughs) So they are definitely into it man!
It’s nice to have family support for sure!
Family is incredible, and they love everybody. My mom cooks dinner for us, and stuff, you know? It’s fun man, and family is really important.
What do you like to do when you aren’t working or touring LaJon?
I have show horses, and I’ve got some motorcycles and things like that. I like to play. My little daughter has a go-cart, and her and daddy just hang out and have a good time.
What’s a couple of your all-time favorite Glam-Metal bands from the 80's or early 90's?
Remember Pantera before they started taking over? Lets let them know that in the paper, even though those guys are kick ass, they had some spandex on at one time! (Laughs) Oh man, I like em all really. We were in LA not to long ago, and we went out to see Metal Skool, who were incredible, and when they came out, I noticed I was standing beside Jani Lane! I was like, “No way, you’re awesome, I saw you on fat club, and you were awesome dude!” He was so cool man, we were hanging out and stuff man. He’s a rock star man! I mean, he’s seen it, and done it man, you know? I have nothing but respect for that man.
Yeah, Jani’s cool. I just did an interview with him not long ago man.
Tell him I said what’s up. I wish I could have talked with him longer. He’s actually good friends with one of my managers, Eddie Gowan.
Any newer bands out there that you really dig?
I like so many bands. There’s a band I’ve been listening to called the Sound And The Fury out of Kansas that I really like a lot. I like so many bands man.
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians trying to make it in this business today?
Never give up, and keep working hard, and also, try to be business smart. I don’t know how genuine you can tell people are in the music industry. Always stay true to your art and your form, and just good luck. Everyone knows that it’s a lot of luck as well, I mean you pray everyday that something happens man. Keep true to yourself and your music, and keep playing out, because you never know who’s gonna see you.
Anything you’d like to say to all of the Sevendust fans out there LaJon?
We love the Sevendust fans! We don’t like to say fans, we like to think of them as family. They’ve been with us from the beginning, and they are family and friends man...Period! We love y’all, and keep on coming back, because we’ve grown up together. I’m getting old y’all! (Laughs)
Thanks so much for hanging with us here at Glam-Metal tonight LaJon, and good luck with the new record and the tour man.
No problem, and thank you man! I look forward to seeing you tonight.
You can check out more on Sevendust at www.sevendust.com And their official band website at www.sevendust.info And Check out Doobie’s Sevendust show review here!!!
I have to address something again, because I get many questions about it. Although we at GlamMetal.com interview and review more bands from the 80's and 90's, doesn’t necessarily mean ONLY Glam-Metal. We interview and review bands like Jethro Tull, to Sevendust, and everything in between. We are everywhere musically, and even interview porn stars! So, whether it’s Rock, Pop, Death Metal, Speed Metal, Heavy Metal, or Glam Metal, we’re all over it. I hope this answers many of the questions I personally get. Thanks, and ROCK ON!
-Wayne “Doobie” Dubay
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