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10 Questions with ... Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust
September 15, 2020
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. We were originally called Crawlspace and then found out someone else had that name so we had change it. Vinny came in with a bottle of Sevin Dust (a gardening product) and for some reason or another, it just had a cool sound to it. So, we changed up the wording and decided on Sevendust.
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1. Where does this interview find the band right now?
In the middle of a terrible pandemic trying to figure out how life and touring will work in the future. Always creating new music. Trying to find new ways to survive in this business.
2. Let’s start at the beginning. Give us the scoop on when, where and how the band formed?
3. Atlanta, GA in 1994. Morgan, John and Vinny sought me out and we got together and just jammed. We couldn’t deny that we loved the sound that was being formed, that we were creating.
3. Why the name Sevendust?
We were originally called Crawlspace and then found out someone else had that name so we had change it. We were having a hard time trying to come up with a name for the longest time, we went through many different ones. Vinny came in with a bottle of Sevin Dust (a gardening product) and for some reason or another, it just had a cool sound to it. So, we changed up the wording and decided on Sevendust.
4. What bands have inspired you and you’d list as major influences?
-Prince and The Revolution
-Jimi Hendrix Experience
-Black Sabbath5. Now let’s talk about your latest single….an awesome remake of Soundgarden’s classic “The Day I Tried To Live.” What made you guys decide to cover that song?
We all loved Soundgarden since day one and always knew we wanted to eventually do a cover. Our producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette came to us during recording and mentioned the idea of “The Day I Tried To Live”… really any Soundgarden song would of been fine to me. We had so many ideas so it was hard to choose, but we thought “The Day I Tried To Live” had a lot of significance to today’s world.
Sevendust members Left to Right: Morgan Rose (Drums), Clint Lowery (Lead Guitar),
Lajon Witherspoon (Lead Vocals), Vince Hornsby (Bass), John Connolly (Guitar)6. Your new LP “Blood & Stone” is coming out on October 23rd. What can you tell us about it?
Personally, I think it’s a great album that highlights how much we have grown as a band in the last 20+ years…and it touches all elements of Sevendust.
7. Lots of Rock Radio guys love Sevendust. What’s your take on Rock Radio?
I love it and love the fact that it continues to help spread the word of our music and other great new artist out there. We have a lot of friends in rock radio.
8. With the state of the world now during the Coronavirus pandemic, tours have been put on the back burner for the time being. What are your future tour plans at this point?
I’m up in the air. We are waiting on the world to get right again and that is the most important thing. It may take a long time, but we need to get it right.
9. I’ve asked this question many times to Rock artists. There’s a definite difference between making a record and going out and playing it live in front of an audience. Many feel that the real work is making the record, and the fun part is playing it live. What’s your take on both of these processes?
I feel like both are real work and feel like both are fun but different kinds of fun.
10. Finally, what do you and other members of your band like to do for fun (hobbies etc.) when you’re not in “Rock Band” mode?
11. I love being with my family and love being a daddy and husband. I picked up gardening during this pandemic, which is enjoyable. I always loved gardening but never really had time cause I always was on the road during spring and summer. I’m also working on new material for a solo project. To be continued…
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