By James Wood

After nearly two decades together, Sevendust remain one of few bands to come out of the ’90s with all five original members — John Connolly (guitar), Clint Lowery (guitar), Lajon Witherspoon (vocals), Vince Hornsby (bass) and Morgan Rose (drums) — fully intact.

It’s a testament to the friendship and musicianship the band brings to their fans and each other night after night, album after album.

Sevendust’s ninth studio album, Black Out The Sun (available March 26), is a much grittier, darker release. By using their instincts and taking the second guessing out of the recording process, they’ve produced a melodic, creative effort, a hybrid of earlier Sevendust albums that fans old and new can appreciate.

I spoke with Connolly and Lowery about Black Out The Sun, guitars and the band’s longevity and legacy.

REVOLVER: Black Out The Sun has a different sound for you guys. How would you describe it?

Connolly: It has a totally different vibe about it. It’s darker, but with a little bit of hope. There’s always that light at the end of the tunnel. When I listen to it, it’s almost like a greatest-hits record of songs you’ve never heard before. There’s an album that every one of those songs could potentially live on. There’s some stuff that sounds like it might belong on Home, some that sounds like Seasons. Then there are some Alpha moments as well.

Lowery: We didn’t over-think the record. It has a spontaneous feel. It has the spirit of our older records, but it’s evolved as well. If you’re already a fan, it caters to the elements you’ve always liked. We’re proud of this album.

What approach was used for writing songs for the album?

Lowery: It usually comes from an idea or a riff that John or I start. It’s us coming up with beats and constructing the skeletal idea of the song from there. Then we’d get the band together to play it with everyone. By that point we’d start arranging it, and vocals are the last thing.

Connolly: There was definitely no shortage of ideas. For this record, we had a writing area behind the live drums in the studio. Whenever someone was in the studio working on parts, any number of us would gather in this writing station and map things out right there on the spot. This was one of those albums where on Monday “Decay” didn’t exist and by the end of Tuesday night, it was there.

What amps do you use to get your killer guitar tone?

Connolly: I was always a Marshall guy. I have a 1971 Super Tremolo that’s been modded and is by far the best guitar sound I’ve had. I used to use that to death and quite a bit on the last record. For this album, I decided to give it a break and take the EVH in and see what it could do. We played around with it for about five minutes and we were done. It’s such a usable amp. There’s so much blue and cohesiveness and clarity in the tone. I was originally one of the early naysayers about it and went in with a real piss poor attitude. But, we opened up the box and I haven’t turned it off since. [futureusgallerylaughs]

Lowery: For playing live, we use EVH heads and I use a GCX and run my pedals through that. It’s a pretty cut-and-dry sound. We’re not like the Edge from U2 using every amp (although I think that’s great). For us, it’s more of a meat-and-potatoes kind of approach.

Let’s discuss how you got started playing guitar.

Lowery: I’ve been playing from an early age. My dad played guitar and my whole family was into music. I quickly found myself gravitating toward the more progressive players like Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen and Paul Gilbert. I also loved the pioneers like Van Halen and Randy Rhoads. The guys who could rip the fretboard but could also write killer grooves. Dimebag Darrell was the guy. He could throw down and shred with the best of them, but he also wrote the most amazing monster riffs.

Connolly: I spent the beginning of my life playing drums. When I got to college, I was a percussion major, which is a very loose term of saying you can play the drums occasionally [futureusgallerylaughs]. I was actually a marimba major, believe it or not. One thing that sucked about being a drummer in a band back then was that drummers didn’t write a lot and didn’t get much respect, so I made the switch.

Dave Grohl actually beat me to the punch by a year and half. I said, “If he can do it, I can do it!” I wasn’t even trying to be the singer; I just wanted to write songs. I initially approached the instrument as just a tool just to write, but somewhere along the way fell in love with it.

How did you both approach practicing the instrument back then?

Lowery: I learned a lot of fundamental scales, but wood-shedded for the most part. I was always playing and building my technique with legato and alternate picking. Anything I could do to help increase my speed and accuracy. I’ve always felt that the more you hold the guitar the better your percentages are for coming up with something cool. The more you play, the more you discover.

Connolly: I went through a period where I was just nuts about playing. There were days where I’d play a minimum of three to four hours, and that was on a “light” day. When we took the off time and did side projects, there was a lot more songwriting and experimentation going on, so the whole idea of practicing guitar that intensely went out the window.

What do you like the most and least about touring?

Connolly: The thing that’s most difficult is missing the time at home. We all have families. So it’s nice to take breaks. Having said that, for the 18 years we’ve been together, we’ve met a lot of really great people from all over the world. That’s the cool thing; getting to reconnect with them. We’ve met a lot of fans and made a lot of friends.

Lowery: The ultimate dream is playing and connecting with the fans. I still get a high from it. The hard part is leaving the family. So there’s a trade-off. You have the amazing beauty of being on stage and having the fans sing back your every word, but there’s a price for it; missing out on milestone family events. You miss a lot. We’re all connected to our families.

What’s the secret to the band’s longevity?

Lowery: The concept originally was to put together a band with guys you actually enjoyed hanging out with. You have to live with these people on a bus so you need to have mutual respect and consideration for each other.

Connolly: We have a lot of friends in this business, but I don’t know too many bands that have all the same five original guys. People see us eating at a Chili’s on an off day and they flip out. But the thing that excites them the most is the fact that it’s actually all five of us eating at the same table together. [futureusgallerylaughs]

Any advice you can give to aspiring guitarists?

Lowery: I know this may sound cliché to say but, practice makes perfect. Also, if you learn something, try to play the same thing a little bit differently and add your own flavor to it. If you’re influenced by Dimebag, try to take it what he did a little further. Always try to expand on what artists have put out there so that one day you can be the person that inspires the next kid that comes along.

James Wood is a writer, musician and self-proclaimed metalhead who maintains his own website, GoJimmyGo.net. His articles and interviews are written on a variety of topics with passion and humor. You can follow him on Twitter @JimEWood.

By James Wood

After tracking songs for what was once to become a new Lynch Mob album, drummer Brian Tichy proposed the idea of bringing together George Lynch, Jeff Pilson and Mick Brown (the “Big Three” of Dokken) for a project similar to what Heaven & Hell was to Black Sabbath.

The result is T&N, and a new album, Slave to the Empire.

The album is packed with melodic, thought-provoking music that captures the spirit and magic of the classic metal genre. Featuring seven original songs (with Pilson on vocals) as well as five re-recorded Dokken classics with vocal performances by Tim “Ripper” Owens, Doug Pinnick (Kings X), Sebastian Bach and Robert Mason (Warrant), Slave to the Empire also adds to the mix the hard-hitting, multi-talented drumming of Brian Tichy.

A second album of new material and classic Dokken songs is slated for next year that will also coincide with a tour.

I spoke with Lynch to get his thoughts on Slave to the Empire as well as his other passion: the documentary Shadow Train.

REVOLVER: What’s the genesis of the T&N project?

Initially, Jeff [futureusgalleryPilson] and I were writing for what we thought would be the new Lynch Mob record, but it turned out not to be a “Lynch Mob” kind of album. Instead, we decided to turn lemons into lemonade and do our own record. One of things we wanted to do was make a concerted effort to make the connection between our Dokken legacy and our newer writing efforts by combining classic Dokken songs alongside our newer compositions.

Was there ever thought given to an all original Dokken reunion?

There’s always been talk of it, but it went nowhere, obviously.

What was it like revisiting the Dokken material again?

It was a little surreal recording those songs again with the same guys. It was also a lot of fun. We were so comfortable with the material, having all been playing it on and off for years. We felt that we could liven the music up and bring new life to it.

How do you come up with your riffs?

I can’t really say how it works. I think that after listening to all of the music I grew up with, a creative synthesis occurs and something just flows through me. As long as I’ve got a good sound, I just plug-in and with the magic of the studio, inspiration hits. It’s an adventure. The thing is, you never know what’s going to happen when you plug-in and get together with a group of guys and start creating.

Does Slave to the Empire have a message?

Absolutely. The whole record’s a message. On the surface, people might say that it’s a political one, but I prefer to call it an exploration into truth and human nature. That’s really the job of the arts and music specifically; to convey a message beyond what the music might imply. Historically, that’s how it was done in the past, especially during the late ’60s and early ’70s. Rock and roll music was a catalyst and vehicle for change and we felt the need to take up that torch and continue to do that as best we can.

Are there plans to tour with T&N?

We’re not going to tour together as a band most likely until next fall, upon the release of the second record. The next record is about half done. All of the Dokken material has been recorded. We just have to finish writing the new original material.

What Dokken songs can fans expect on the next album?

Songs like “When Heaven Comes Down,” “Til The Livin’ End” and “Just Got Lucky.” “Just Got Lucky” actually ended up being insane. The latest plan is to have Sass Jordan, a wonderful Canadian female vocalist, singing it. She has a very soulful and gritty voice. It’s just beautiful. A wonderful rendition of the song.

Have you ever considered writing a book about your life and experiences?

I’m not really a big fan of the rock biography. I think they’re more self-indulgent and full of a lot of self-congratulatory stuff. Throwing a bunch of people under the bus and throwing a lot of dirt out there. I’m more consumed with the work at hand and moving on. Affecting change through music. The music actually serves the same purpose as the book. I get to tell stories in the context of the song.

What other projects are you working on?

Right now, I’m working on a record with the drummer from Korn [futureusgalleryRay Luzier] and the singer from Kings X [futureusgalleryDoug Pinnick]. A still-unnamed project, but we’ve started writing and will be working on that through the middle of December.

The other thing that consumes most of my time is my movie project (and band) called Shadow Train. We’re doing a lot of filming, playing and working on a soundtrack/record. The film deals with a lot of political and human nature issues and history. I’m working with a lot of really great people, including Mark McLaughlin (a producer from PBS and The Documentary Channel) and Vincent Nicastro, who made another Native American themed documentary called The Blue-Eyed Indian. There are a lot of guests on it: street poets, political thinkers and speakers. People from the native community including medicine men and shamans. It’s a powerful, nerve hitting film. We’re all driven by passion.

Is there a tentative release date for the film?

We’re hoping fall 2013, but that might be wishful thinking. Making a film is much more difficult than making a record, which is difficult enough. [futureusgallerylaughs]

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Dokken hit “Dream Warriors” from Nightmare on Elm Street. How did that song come about?

It’s kind of interesting that you ask me about that because I was actually just over Jeff’s last week doing some T&N photo shoots and interviews for Japan. We were in his studio and he had the original recording machine that we used to track that song. It was an old Akai Beta Recorder; an obsolete machine that’s just a monster. Jeff still has it. It was interesting to see that again because I do remember the process of writing and recording that song and it took me back.

We were commissioned to write the song specifically for the film. Jeff and I were familiar with the first movie and already had an idea of what we were writing. We knew the name of the song and the premise and concept of the movie. We just fed off of that.
It’s a beautiful moment whenever Jeff, Mick and I get together.

Keep up with T&N at slavetotheempire.com. Visit the official Shadow Train website at shadowtrain.com.

James Wood is a writer, musician and self-proclaimed metalhead who maintains his own website, GoJimmyGo.net. His articles and interviews are written on a variety of topics with passion and humor. You can follow him on Twitter @JimEWood.

By James Wood

Late last year, In This Moment guitarist Chris Howorth and vocalist Maria Brink received news that original members Blake Bunzel and Jeff Fabb were leaving the group in order to join American Idol alum James Durbin’s touring band.

As a one-two punch, the duo also was informed that the band was being dropped by their manager. The news came as somewhat of a shock, but rather than wallow in the negative, the band instead armed themselves with a new-found sense of direction and channeled that energy into their latest release, Blood, an album that has become their most successful to date.

Having reunited again with producer Kevin Churko (who also worked with the band on their previous albums, The Dream and A Star-Crossed Wasteland) the combination of Howorth’s guitars and Brink’s infectious vocals make Blood a must have album for both die-hard and new fans alike.

I had the opportunity to speak with Howorth about Blood and what lies ahead for In This Moment. In speaking with him, you not only get a sense of the band’s adversity, but you also understand that the best is yet to come.

GUITAR WORLD: The new album, Blood, is a lot harder than your previous albums. Did you set out to record it that way?

We didn’t really go into the project with the idea of making an album that was “harder.” We kept saying, “Let’s be darker.” That was the phrase Maria kept using. She wouldn’t say things like, “Let’s have heavier guitars or be different.” She would say she wanted it to be darker or more haunting. We went in with the idea of everything being “not happy,” and that sort of lent itself to making the album as a whole sound much heavier and meaner.

You also lost a few members of the band prior to recording this album. Did you feel like you had something to prove as well?

Definitely. Right before we really started working on the record, Maria and I had been writing quite a bit. Then we got the call from those guys (Bunzel and Fabb) saying they were leaving. Around that same time, our manager also dropped us. It felt like everyone had kind of given up on us. Everyone was bailing and thought that we were finished. To us though, we weren’t done. We had the fire in our bellies the entire time we were recording this record, just wanting to show everyone what we could do. That wasn’t the whole point of it, but it was definitely a driving force behind us.

Blood reunited you once again with producer Kevin Churko. What was the process like this time?

Kevin had worked with us on the past few albums and was another driving force in getting this one done too. He wasn’t worried at all about the band members leaving or our management situation; he just wanted to help us make a great record.

What guitars did you use for this project?

I’m endorsed by Schecter. I use them exclusively along with EMG pickups for touring. In the studio, I used the Schecter and EMG for rhythm and occasionally would use a Les Paul or Strat for some of my solos.

The title track of the album is much different than anything you’ve ever done before. How did the song come about?

Blood popped out of a weird situation. Maria and I were working on some songs with Kevin and his son, Kane. They had written a rough version of Blood with the same groove for the chorus but with a completely different verse. Maria and I took what they had written and came up with our own version of it. Then we all got together and hashed it out and it became what it is.

Once it was finished, we really didn’t know what we had. It was something that we had never done before. But our outlook has always been, “Let’s just go for it! If it’s cool, then let’s do it!” It felt so fresh and so different that we just rolled with it. It sparked the whole record.

A lot of the lyrics that you and Maria write are so profound. I especially liked the line, “Let me tell you something, baby … you love me for everything you hate me for” from the song “Whore.”

Maria came up with that line pretty quickly. That entire song came together fast. Maria was listening to the music and just started skit-skatting a couple of different patterns and almost instantly began singing “Let me tell you something baby …” It was so catchy. The meaning behind it is what also makes it so cool.

Is that the way a lot of your songs are written?

That’s how Maria writes most of her melodies. We’ll work on a few musical passages and before we even begin to write lyrics, she’ll hum along to them and skit-skat a bunch of different voices and ideas for a verse or chorus. Then, we’ll go through them with Kevin and pick out which style we like best for the song and use that rough match to go back and write lyrics with.

Who were some of your early guitar influences?

I was an ’80s dude. I love Kiss, Van Halen and Mötley Crüe. And I’ve always been a follower of great players like George Lynch, Warren DeMartini and the Shrapnel Records guys. People like Marty Friedman and Jason Becker. They’ve all influenced my lead style.

What are the band’s plan for the future?

We’re going to be finishing out the year on a tour with Halestorm and are beginning to make plans to headline next year. We’re going to do it right. We have a lot of good opportunities ahead of us and Maria and I are putting all of our energy into that.

Keep up with This Moment on Facebook and at their official website.

James Wood is a writer, musician and self-proclaimed metalhead who maintains his own website, GoJimmyGo.net. His articles and interviews are written on a variety of topics with passion and humor. You can follow him on Twitter @JimEWood.

Photo: Robert John Kley

By James Wood

Bangles’ guitarist Vicki Peterson is no stranger to royalty. The stunning beauty has rubbed elbows and played alongside some of the giants of rock and pop over the course of her career.

Her tasty guitar work, soulful vocals and songwriting prowess continues to be an inspiration to male and female musicians.

The Bangles’ latest album, 2011′s Sweetheart of The Sun (Buy on iTunes), pays homage to their ’60s-era music roots and proves they’re still a force to be reckoned with.

With a catalog of hits, catchy guitar riffs and the crystalline harmonies of Vicki, sister Debbi Peterson and Susanna Hoff, the eternal flame The Bangles lit 30 years ago shows no indication of ever going out.

I had the chance to speak with Peterson and discuss the new Bangles album as well as her journey from garage to rock royalty; including the time the band performed at a castle opening up for Queen. She also gives words of advice to aspiring female guitarists and the story of how a Prince once told her “Manic Monday” was going to be a smash.

GUITAR WORLD: A lot of people may not know this, but The Bangles once opened for Queen back in 1986. What was that experience like?

That definitely remains one of the highlights of my career. It was a magical setting for a concert. At a castle and in a muddy, rainy meadow (It was in the afternoon and raining while we were on). From the stage, there were people for as far as the eye could see. After we played our set, which was so insane and surreal, we got to stand on the side of the stage and watch them do their thing. They were the ultimate band.

Your latest album, Sweetheart of The Sun, pays homage to the band’s shared love of ’60s-era music.

We really enjoyed the process of making that album. We worked with Matthew Sweet in his home studio and tracked most of the songs there. He is such a pure rock spirit, an enthusiast on so many levels.

Who were some of your musical influences growing up?

Artists like Paul Simon, Bonnie Raitt and The Beatles all inspired me. I was really listening a lot to what George Harrison was doing. I wasn’t the kid in the room learning the solos as much as I was just learning the song craft. In high school, I became a big fan of Joni Mitchell and still am to this day. She continues to amaze me on every level, especially with her tuning. It really gave me the sense that you can approach the guitar on many different levels creatively.

Did you find it difficult being a girl and growing up playing a sort-of “male dominated” instrument?

It didn’t feel that way to me. To me, guitar was an accompaniment. My early days were more about writing; I learned how to play to write songs. That morphed into high school and being in a band. It was an easy call for me to be a musician and an easy call to be in an all-girl band because it just made sense to me. My idols were The Beatles; I knew I wanted that.

How did you get connected with Susanna?

Debbi and I were in a band back in high school and that year, our bass player went off to London to attend school and our lead guitar player just wasn’t working out. So, it was basically just Debbi and me and through a crazy series of communications, I ended up “meeting” Susanna over the phone.

What was it like the first time you three got together?

I still remember the first time we went over to Susanna’s house. We sat down in her parents’ garage and played together, and I realized immediately how well Susanna’s voice blended with Debbi and me. Susanna has such a beautiful tone, and she also played rhythm guitar. It was just the perfect fit.

Do you have any advice for aspiring female players?

I want to encourage girls who are thinking about playing to just do it. If you’re apprehensive because the guitar feels big and scary, check out Daisy Rock guitars. We have a signature model that I play at every show. It speaks so nicely and has a great, pure tone. It’s very playable. I didn’t have that when I was nine and learning how to play. Also, don’t get discouraged. Learning to play is a process, so enjoy it. Find others to play with because that makes it more fun too!

My hope is there will come a day when no girl ever has the issue of walking into a guitar store and the guy behind the counter looks at you strangely and says, “So, what kind of strings does your boyfriend use?” That’s when you can say, “I don’t know about him, but I use light tops and heavy bottoms!” [futureusgalleryLaughs]

What’s next for The Bangles?

We have a few dates coming up in October and are planning something more expansive for next summer! In the meantime, I’m hoping to get started on writing another album. It’s an exciting time.

Tell me a good Bangles rock and roll story.

We had several encounters with Prince. He sent over the song “Manic Monday” and after we had heard it, we decided to record it.
One day, shortly before the song was released, we were in rehearsals for the tour when all of a sudden, in walks Prince. He was with Wendy [futureusgalleryMelvoin] and I remember they both just kind of walked in really quietly and sat down. We were all a bit in shock looking at each other and were like, “Oh God … Prince is at our rehearsal!” [futureusgalleryLaughs]

It was just the four of us and we didn’t have our keyboard player with us at the time. The keyboard player plays the little harpsichord riff in the song, so what I did was emulate the riff on the guitar. We played the song for him and afterwards he just looked at us, put his finger up and said “It’s a hit!” and then walked out as mysteriously as he came in. [futureusgalleryLaughs]

Keep up with The Bangles on Facebook.

James Wood is a writer, musician and self-proclaimed metalhead who maintains his own website, GoJimmyGo.net. His articles and interviews are written on a variety of topics with passion and humor. You can follow him on Twitter @JimEWood.