Page 29 - Black Velvet Issue 88

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day that you take your very last breath, there respect our differences. One of the things No. I think that goes a little bit beyond my
is this inherent struggle between good and that I’ve been concerned about with this par- personal beliefs but I do think that the indi-
evil in all of us. It’s in our lives on a very per- ticular election cycle was that you’re seeing vidual’s special interests do play a larger
sonal level every day and it’s in our lives on the deterioration of an entire political party. role in decision making and policy making
a very global level as we see every day. So The Republican party is really in disarray than they should. ‘Rise Of The Melancholy
yeah, I think both angels and demons take right now because of what’s going on, and Empire’, at its core, is taking an incredibly
on many, many forms and they’re a part of no matter what side of the spectrum you fall tragic situation like the Paris attacks, and it’s
our daily lives.” on, whether you’re a Conservative or a Lib- just going right to the core, or what should
James is now trying to better himself and eral, the truth is, we need both sides, we be the core of humanity, which is, we will
become even healthier, living a healthy need both sides to keep the other side in grow stronger from this, we will not let this
lifestyle. check. We cannot afford to have one entire defeat us. And I think now, and especially
“I eat vegan about five days a week and party disintegrate, so my whole thing is cel- these past few years, and moving forward,
I eat vegetarian the other two days of the ebrate the differences you have with other that sentiment is more important than it ever
week. Sometimes I’ll eat fish but I’m really people but find common ground so that you has been.”
trying to really expand on my clean living. can move forward as a team, that keeps the We end with a more lighthearted ques-
When you get to be at this stage of life it’s other side in balance. I think that’s the most tion. On the cover of ‘Rise’, there are three
important to give yourself every shot that important thing; realize that we’re not all red fists in the air. In the photos of the band
you’ve got, at health especially, when you’re going to disagree on everything, in fact, they have red splattered over them, like
going to get ready to go out on tour for a quite the contrary, we’re going to disagree a they’ve been in a battle or something. So out
couple of years. So yeah, I embrace the lot, but that doesn’t mean that you have to of the three of Sixx:A.M, James, Nikki or Dj,
vegan lifestyle as much as I can. It definitely come to a standstill. We have to find a way who’s the toughest? Who’d win a fight if they
works for me a lot better now than it did ten to put our differences aside, find the thing got in one?
years ago when I tried it. Restaurants and that we do agree on and move forward from “Ooh, I love this question!” replies
stores and just society in general are much there, and I think that is true whether you’re James. “I’m going to say… well, it’s not
more accepting of that now so there are a lot talking about politics or whether you’re talk- going to be me. It’s going to be either Dj or
more options to live a clean lifestyle and eat ing about personal relationships or whether Nikki. We joke about the fact that they’re kind
that way than there were ten years ago.” you’re talking about the overall health of the of the two guards on either side of me. I’m
world, on a global level.” going to go with Dj actually. Man, he can get
oing back to the single, ‘Rise’, the With the final track of the album being fired up. I wouldn’t want to be on the receiv-
Gband wrote, ‘It is our duty as citizens ‘Rise Of The Melancholy Empire’ we ask if ing end of him when he’s fired up and ready
of this world to come together, communicate James thinks our governments want to keep to fight. Then again, Nikki’s no stranger to a
with one another and rise up to demand us melancholy? Is there more melancholy in little brawl here or there! I’d be fine having
more of ourselves and our leaders’. Cur- the world nowadays? either one of them fight for me.”
rently, in the United States, there’s an elec- James replies, “I’ve never really been Pick up ‘Prayers For The Damned’ on
tion going on. James calls it an “incredibly much of a conspiracy theorist. I believe that Eleven Seven Music. Once you’ve heard it
vicious election cycle where there is more our leaders really do want to find a way to you’ll be wanting to fight for this band!
anger and hatred thrown at opposing views make the world a better place. But I think that
than I’ve ever seen in my life”. This seems they have a hard time setting aside their per- Visit www.sixxammusic.com for more
another place where we could all become sonal interests to the interests of the people info.
better people. Without meaning to get too that they represent. So do I think that they’re Words By Shari Black Velvet
political, he says, “I think a good starting trying to keep us down? Do I think that
Photos By Dustin Jack
point would be for us to find good common they’re trying to, in some way, keep this
ground, and to set our differences aside and sense of unrest so they can stay in power?