Page 19 - Black Velvet Issue 91

BV91 pg16,17,18,19 sixxam alternative_BV91 pg19 19/12/2016 05:07 Page 4

BlackVelvetMagazine.Com - 19
sings, looking back to that dark period in The US tour supporting Five Finger sings in the final song.
his life. He says that opening up about Death Punch and Shinedown seemed like He tells us, “When it came time to
personal issues is something that a particularly long and grueling one, with choose how to end Volume 2, the way I
Sixx:A.M. has done since the beginning. even Five Finger Death Punch frontman was approaching it as a producer, as a
“It started with ‘The Heroin Diaries Sound- Ivan Moody having to leave the tour, with mixer, was that we were ending both
track’ and we were talking about heroin All That Remains frontman Phil Labonte records. This was the final chapter for
addiction and the recovery process and standing in for him. James has loved both albums, not just Volume 2. So I
the triumphs of overcoming that, so it’s being on tour though, especially as he wanted to have a song that felt that it, in a
nothing new for Sixx:A.M. to address very was a singer/songwriter/musician prior to way, went off into the sunset. I rode off
personal matters that a lot of people may becoming a producer. James himself re- into the sunset and I wanted there to be
find uncomfortable to deal with. But that leased a solo CD entitled ‘Inhale’ back this moment where you definitely felt the
really is our comfort zone, taking on is- around the turn of the century and had completion of this long journey that
sues like that, so yeah, a song like ‘Maybe been in bands before choosing to do pro- started with Volume 1 and ‘Helicopters’
It’s Time’, which to me, is one of my duction work for a living, only returning to was actually this song that I wrote about
favourite Sixx:A.M. songs we’ve ever the road when Sixx:A.M. decided to go 15 years ago, so it’s been around for a
done, because it is so personal and it ad- out on tour. “It is a dream come true. I’m long time. We’ve tried to put it on other
dresses an inner struggle that I think very grateful that I’m having these expe- records and it just didn’t seem right but
many, many people deal with. Not just riences, but I’m more grateful that I’m hav- this just seemed like the perfect opportu-
with addiction but when you reach that ing them now as opposed to earlier in my nity to have this beautiful, soaring, almost
point in your life where you look at how life because I’m old enough now to have gospel-like experience to wind down this
you’re behaving and what you’re doing, a real appreciation for how difficult this journey that you’ve just been on that re-
and you have to assess the things that are music industry is. It can really send you ally, for all practical purposes, started
working and the things that aren’t work- down the wrong path. Success can be a with the song ‘Rise’ at the beginning of
ing. I think that all of us reach a point in very dangerous thing. When I look at how Volume 1.
our lives where we look at how life has some of these young pop stars are being “I guess there is a mournfulness to
been up until now and then we figure out affected by sudden success and how it the final few songs on Volume 2 but I think
what needs to change. We start taking ef- can really, really mess with your head and that happens kind of naturally. To me, I be-
forts to change it. We dealt with that a lit- affect everything moving forward in your lieve it winds down gracefully, because it
tle bit with the song ‘Better Man’ off life, so I’m grateful that I was able to build has been quite a journey. In the first few
Volume 1, but I think ‘Maybe It’s Time’ is a a career that was not so much based songs of Volume 2, there’s such an en-
song that really addresses that very mo- upon being in the public eye. I’ve been a ergy and such an aggression and a pas-
ment where the decision is made. To me, behind-the-scenes person most of my sion to those songs. Songs like
that’s just a heroic moment in any per- adult life and that’s where my comfort ‘Barbarians’ and ‘We Will Not Go Quietly’,
son’s life where they decide, ‘OK, I can zone was and where I felt I always did my ‘Wolf At Your Door’, I think that the transi-
still change. I can still improve myself. I best work. So to have this opportunity tion to winding it down had to happen
can fix the things that aren’t working come along at this stage in my career; No. kind of gradually, so you’ll notice that the
about my life. That’s a beautiful moment. 1, it is absolutely still a dream come true, record does gradually slow down. These
It’s something that hopefully everyone I’m having the time of my life, but I’m also emotions start to settle in a little bit so by
can experience in their life, when they re- very grateful that I’m able to handle it the time you get to the end with songs like
alize that they are capable of making from a maturity standpoint. I don’t know ‘Suffocate’ and ‘Helicopters’ you’re ready
changes for the better in their personal if I could have handled it in my 20s. But for this thing to unwind and come to a
lives.” believe me when I tell you, I’m living out close. That’s something that I really loved
my dream every day.” about the pacing of these records; that it
nother song that is deeply reveal- One specific dream he lived out re- really does take you on a journey from be-
Aing is ‘Wolf At Your Door’. James cently was getting to play for the troops ginning to end.”
has said that it is about depression – and in Japan a few months ago. Well, the journey to the end of our in-
that he himself suffers from severe de- “I certainly dreamed about it,” he terview is nearly over, so we’re curious
pression. It’s a song that a lot of fans will says. “I think it’s always been an exciting about when we can expect to see
be able to relate to and one that offers prospect for me, to be able to go over to Sixx:A.M. in concert again, especially in
comfort with lyrics such as ‘You’re not Japan and be on US military bases over the UK and Europe.
alone anymore, I’ll be right by your side there and meet those young men and “I’m not sure what our tour plans are
when the wolf is at your door’. We ask women that we have held up as heroes going to be. We are going to be in the stu-
James how touring affects his own de- from afar for so long, but to be there and dio a lot next year and as you know we’ve
pression. shake their hands and look in their eyes been on the road a lot this year. I think it’s
James answers, “It’s an ongoing and talk to them and hear their stories and been about six months total of being on
struggle and certainly has been most of realize that yes, these people are truly the road this year, so we’re very excited
my adult life. Touring in a way is very heroic but they’re also human beings with that we were able to get out and play so
helpful for that, as I’m able to live in a families and they miss their families and many shows. We also know we’ve got to
very, very regimented routine out here on they’re doing incredible work and they’re get back in the studio and write more
the road. It’s almost like Groundhog Day risking their lives… it was just an incred- music. So I think that 2017 is going to be
where you really do get into this routine ibly powerful experience to spend time mostly in the studio but we’re already
that is almost the same from day to day with them and be given the honour to starting to talk about what our next route
and I find that very helpful because I can have the chance to entertain them. I actu- of touring is going to look like. There’s
stay very focused on certain things and ally befriended a colonel on the base nothing on the books yet but it’s certainly
there’s always a task in hand. There’s al- there. We went out and we spent the day something that we’re working on very ag-
ways a schedule that you have to deal golfing together and I really felt like I gressively.”
with. For me personally, that’s very help- made some real friends there. It was an While Sixx:A.M. always create amaz-
ful, but it’s always been a struggle. I find experience that I will remember for the ing works of art while in the studio and we
that when I’m not on the road, and I’m in rest of my life and be very proud of and look forward to even more new music
the studio, creating, that’s when the grateful that I had the opportunity.” from them, after hearing that James can
demons are really going full-force and it’s struggle in the studio we hope the band
usually quite a struggle to get through etting back to the double album, aren’t there too long and do get back out
some of those times. So I’m grateful for GJames says that he sees Volume on the road sooner rather than later. We
the routine, I’m grateful for the intense 1 and 2 as one big story. As Volume 2 also hope that James knows that if the
passion and focus that not only I, but my nears its end, the album winds down, but wolf is at his door we’d all be right by his
bandmates have on this band. Getting up we, the listener, feel a sense of sadness side.
every day and being able to perform from songs such as ‘Suffocate’, Riot In Visit www.sixxammusic.com for more
Sixx:A.M. music is about the most thera- My Head’ and ‘Helicopters’. It seems as if info.
peutic thing I could ever have imagined a relationship has reached its end. ‘You Words & Live Photo By Shari Black Velvet
being able to do.” left me here all alone to suffer,’ James
Band Photo By Dustin Jack
SIXX:A.M.