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I
met up with an old friend Josh Todd, lead singer
of Buckcherry after his sound check at The Whisky-a-Go-Go,
in Hollywood. We both grew up in Orange County,
California, both of us singing in bands and working
at a pizza delivery shop. I have watched Josh over
the years become a successful rock musician in Buckcherry
and as a solo artist. Buckcherry has played shows
all over the world and their first release the self-titled
“Buckcherry” went Gold in the US. Here
is what transpired during our interview.
So
are you guys playing the whole month here at the
Whiskey?
No,
we just did three weeks every Tuesday, this is our
last one.
And
that is it, are you going on tour?
We
have been on tour. We have already been to Japan
twice, and we just finished a whole Canadian Northeast,
Northwest Tour.
Nice.
Of all the places, you have played what’s
your favorite place to play?
Japan.
Japan,
Why is that?
The
fans are great, they are really loyal, they stick
by your side even if you don’t have a big
commercial record in the states. They are really
there for you.
What
is the worst thing about touring?
The
worst thing? Being away from loved ones.
What
is the best thing?
Being
onstage.
So
“15” obviously you made that in 15 days.
Yeah,
we recorded it in 15 days you know, we spent a lot
longer writing it of course, um yeah, you know it
wasn’t really planned that way we got really
focused we rehearsed really hard, we knew the songs
and the arrangements and we went in there and did
it you know. We basically utilized every moment
in the studio for doing something you know and we
came out in 15 days and we had this amazing record
and we just thought it sounded so good we should
just title it “15” because we thought
nobody would believe it.
Did
you and Keith write most of the tunes or were they
written as a band?
Um,
we wrote them as a band but Keith and I always write
the majority of the material that’s kind of
the way its been even with the other line up as
well. But, uh yeah, like um songs like “Out
Of Line” was kind of Jimmy came in with the
bass riff and I always write all the lyrics you
know, Keith writes the majority of the music and
then we all put it together as a band.
Compared
to the other two Buckcherry albums what was different
about this one, just the recording time, the amount
of preparation?
Well
the reason why this record is so good, I think,
is because the band, were really a solid band unit
you know and um since Keith and I had time apart
it really helped with everything you know. I think
we just appreciate what we are doing a lot more
since we had a little time to look back in retrospect
we were always very passionate about Buckcherry
and didn’t want it to go the way it went but
you have to just kind of take it as it comes. Its
hard to keep a band together for a long time.
Fuck
yeah, ah what’s your favorite song on this
new album?
My
favorite song is “Onset”.
Are
you playing that tonight?
Um,
yeah.
So
“Crazy Bitch” that was the single that
you guys decided to go with. That was something
you guys wrote a few years ago were you just like,
this is something that never made it to “Time
Bomb”?
No,
no, we actually wrote it when we got home from Time
Bomb and three of the band members had quit and
it was just Keith and I. We wrote about 30 songs
for the third record before we split up and “Crazy
Bitch” was one of them.
Did
you keep any of those 30 songs for this album or
scratch em?
Just
“Crazy Bitch”.
Wow,
Did you track those other 29?
Yeah,
we have them all on demos.
Nice.
Are you happier now that you are not on Dreamworks
like on a major and you get to kind of call the
shots more on this new set up?
You
know what, there’s pros and cons of majors
and there’s pros and cons of independent labels,
so um right now I think its working to our advantage.
You know because um just the way the music industry
is set up right now a lot more people going the
way we are going which is, the great thing is we
have a brand you know and so we got on this independent
and it makes being on an independent better. Its
like if you’re a baby band though you don’t
have a brand its better to be on a major I think
because you get more money to get exposed and sometimes
baby bands don’t have really good direction
and sometimes the label is instrumental like an
A&R guy as far as telling the band to steer
in the right direction so that they can have some
kind of success so they can keep going.
So
you feel that you are in control more now, I would
think you would…
Oh
definitely. But, we have always been really hands
on even when we were on a major that’s what
was kind of a struggle on the major you know was
everybody wants to feel like their apart of it and
by that they want you to kind of explore their direction.
At times it just doesn’t make any sense and
you want to keep them happy, you want to keep everybody
happy, but maintain your integrity but its hard
sometimes on a major.
So
you don’t have to, I mean, this is going to
be a loaded question but are you happier with the
guys you got in your band now than when you were
with like Yogi and all those guys?
JT:
Absolutely, much happier. Not that I don’t
like those guys we, we uh had some good times you
know but um I am just a lot more connected to these
guys. These guys are, I think, we all collectively
as a group are all in the same spot as men you know,
all in the same spot as um people as far as our
experiences in the music business so um we just
get along really well you know and everybody’s
out for Buckcherry, their not out for themselves.
How
long has this current line up been together, when
did you guys form was it 2005, 2004?
Beginning
of 2005.
You
guys put this together in pretty much less than
a year huh?
Yeah
pretty much, but we worked really hard. I mean you
know I’m a workaholic so once we decided to
be a band it was like non stop writing and I write
really fast so does everybody else and uh we compiled
a lot of songs before making a decision to like
get a body of work and put it on a record.
So
how many songs did you write for this one?
30,
30 is usually the mark. There’s so many B-sides
we were talking about that today Keith and I, we
could make three records of B-sides.
So
the guys in your band now, you knew them but you
never worked with them or played with them?
No,
we all, I mean I knew Stevie D. the guitar player.
He is a long time friend of mine we were actually
roommates when I first moved to Hollywood we just
stayed in touch he’s a great guitar player
great friend and the timing was just never right
too, he was always in a band or I was doing something
so it just all worked out. And then uh, Xavier the
drummer was Keith’s longtime friend and roommate
and same thing the timing just wasn’t right.
Keith just met Jimmy like two years ago the bass
player he’s just one of those guys when you
meet him, you connect you know it’s like you’ve
known him your whole life. So um and he’s
been in a lot of great bands to.
Yeah
I read his bio, he’s got some pretty serious
stuff. What is it that you want the BandNation readers
to know about Buckcherry?
Uh,
what would I want them to know about Buckcherry?
That we have three records out, starting April 11th
our third record comes out “15” and
that will be three records and if you haven’t
checked out Buckcherry check it out, we got a lot
of material and just to get involved and go to Buckcherry.com
and come down to a show and see for yourself and
hopefully we can convert you to big fans, its high
energy low IQ (smiles).
(Laughs)
when you got nominated for a Grammy how did that
make you feel was that like holy shit, Jesus Christ
I’m fucking nominated for a Grammy?
It
was amazing, really amazing and you know of course
my competitive spirit I wanted to win but my next
thought like OK I want to bring it home now but
um, I was pretty blown away. I was going through
a lot at that time, my Grandfather passed away so
I was in Oklahoma. I remember I was in Oklahoma
at his funeral and I was going to miss the Grammy’s
because I was at my Grandfather’s funeral
but it just happened that I could make it back in
time and I wish we really would have won. But it
was great to be nominated, but I want to win one.
Yeah
that’s a major fucking deal.
Yeah.
Just
a couple of more questions. In regards to all your
ink, do you have a regular tattoo artist here in
LA that you use?
Yes,
his name is Kevin Quinn, he’s tattooed most
of my stuff and Keith too. That’s actually
how we met Keith and I.
Where
is his shop? (Coincidently Kevin Quinn plays guitar
in the band American Pearl).
He
doesn’t have a shop anymore, he’s worked
everywhere. He started at Sunset Tattoo, and then
he worked at Hanky Panky in Holland, and then he
had his own shop here where I got most of my work
done, which was right across the street from Guitar
Center on Sunset. He his own little studio up top
he rented out, this little space really good vibe
up there. Now he just tattoos out of his house and
sometimes he tattoos um couple days a week at True
Tattoo off La Brea.
So
you still do the Dice and Morrison imitations?
(Laughs)
uh huh, yeah.
Remember
those, you used to do them all the time (laughing).
(Laughs)
Well, my penis song (referring to the sound check
song) was kind of Morrisonish.
That’s
fucking great. So if you didn’t become Josh
Todd the rock star what would you probably being
doing now at 34 years of age?
Fuck
man that’s a good question. Um, I don’t
know I’m a boxing fanatic so um I’d
probably be trying to get into the promotional side
of boxing.
Like
UFC or just regular boxing?
No
regular boxing.
Nice.
I
mean you know, that would be fun.
Alright
bro, sweet, I’m glad to see you doing well.
Interview
By: Jim Viviano
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