Interview with Mitch James, Bassist for Crossfade
5-11-05
Well over a year ago, Crossfade were just another hard rock band from South Carolina with an independently recorded album sitting on the shelves of a few local music stores. Today, with over seven hundred thousand in album sales, #45 on the best selling albums charts. Two smash hit singles, #1 most played rock songs for a record 65 weeks in the top 10 active radio charts, dozens of national television appearances and hundreds of live shows later. I recently had a chance to sit down with bassist and co-founder Mitch James for a little chat. A very down to earth type of guy. And as much as they'll tell you their the same bunch of guys from the garage, the "Yeah Right" smirks on their faces will tell you otherwise. And you can't blame 'em. They're on top of the world right now.
JH: First off , give us a brief history of the band.
MJ: That the we were rival bands in high school . We played a bunch of battle of the bands together and after our other bands broke up , we kinda had an idea that we were going to work together and we decided in our senior years , that we were to get together and start a band and started writing music immediately . We decided to move to Atlanta from Columbia . And then we went to the Atlanta Institute of Music for about a year, just to try to improve our skills. And a once we realized Atlanta was not a whole lot different from Columbia, as far as what we were trying to do, we moved back home and pretty much spent the next many years writing tunes and playing out a lot . But it wasn't our main job . We all had 9-to-5 jobs . We just ended up writing music , and I think in 2001, we had finally written most of the songs for the album that's nowCrossfade . We were a band called Sugar Daddy Superstars at the time . We released an album independently, and two weeks later we got signed . We got stuck with a bunch of CDs we really didn't need. And after that point , everything really snowballed . We spent another year just getting prepared to go on the road . And ever since we've been on the road.
JH: So now the past two years , you've done opening slots , alongside bands such as Chevele, Alterbridge and Helmet .How's it now being on a headlining tour?
MJ: It's really cool , especially because were hitting the same towns again and to realize that a lot of people that were at those shows were at the shows . So , either we impressed them that time or they were there to see us that time. So it's been really cool , just having control over everything is a lot better . As far as being a headliner , you play all your stuff . You don't have to pack all your songs into a certain time. We're really enjoying it a lot.
JH: So how much stage time do you actually get?
MJ: Usually we had like 40 minutes . You know with Chevele and Shinedown and Alder Bridge, and the snow core was five bands, so we only had 30 minutes.
JH: So you use the same set of songs from night to night, or do you change things up from time to time?
MJ: We occasionally change it . Depending on how everybody feels. We may swap a song out with another song , but we almost always play everything on album except for the last song.
JH: I know I only just heard for the first time today.
MJ: Shit, i can't even think of the name of that song right now that's how retarded i am.
JH: I think it's a pretty slow one
MJ: Yeah, yeah . It's a really slow one
JH: Now you've been touring on this album for quite some time , which obviously it's doing very well. How much further do you feel you could ride this one out?
MJ: Well , actually we've already been told by the record label that they're putting out the third single on the radio right now . So we're gonna spend the next 2 1/2 or three weeks headlining and then we're going on a co-headlining tour with Seether for like three months . And they feel at that point the record will sell itself out. So we're going to take a few months off and start a new album and try to release it in February or so.
JH: So there are future plans for a new album by the end of the year.
MJ: Yeah , hopefully were gonna take a month off because we've been on the road nonstop for almost a year . We've been home maybe 25 days total . So we're actually going to take a month off, where we don't do a whole lot of anything, and then hit it really hard from their the next two months. Over November and December, and try to get as good of a product as we can get out. Without rushing anything
JH: You guys went from a garage band, you know playing small clubs to playing huge venues and tour's . How was that transition for you guys? Has it been overwelming?
MJ: You know , we expected it , only we didn't expect to have such a huge success . We knew we'd triple and exponentially just play bigger shows the bigger we got. you know it's really the same playing for 200 people or 20,000 . It's just better equipment and better sound . You know , you try to lock eyes with as many people as possible and try to communicate your message with as many of them as you can.
JH: Do you miss those small gigs?
MJ: Not terribly small, you know. We consider these small gigs now .Playing to 500-1000 people is a small gig . Yet it's still intimate. We enjoy it.
JH:Now I'm sure all bands and musicians think that their music should sell a billion copies and shoot way up on the charts right away. But did you feel that 'Cold , and So Far Away' , would do is well as they have?
MJ :No , not even. We had no clue . We were really just happy to finally be out doing this instead of working regular jobs and kinda watching the charts hoping something would happen. Once 'Cold' , started building a little bit , and we knew that the record label was behind us . We were looking forward to it , but we had no idea wether it was going to happen or not .Just those months , where we sat around and we weren't touring yet and nothing is happening yet . Those were really the trying times for us
MJ: So how are you guys doing over in Europe?
JH: They just actually released us in Sweden , and couple other small countries over their. But Sony, as big as they are , they always want to hit the United States first and milk the U.Ss first for as much as it's worth, because really it's the biggest market for music so . They have it in mind , but Europe is second after we take over the United States.
JH: When did you realize in life that music was going to be the career path for you?
MJ: I think we all knew it really early in life , you know . We saw a band that we really liked, or person in a band we liked , and I think once we got our instruments realized that it was really fun to rock out. And get all your emotions out on instruments instead of skateboarding or any other hobby that some people have. I think that's when we knew
JH: So , you guys anxious to get in the record the new album?
MJ: I think so , we've been sitting on this album for almost three years . It took the record label a lot of time to release it , and of course the product was done we got signed . So we've got a lot of songs ready to be written . And a lot partially or already mostly written , so . There's gonna be a lot of new stuff , and Just to be able to , you know , we've played close to 300 shows in the past year . So it would be nice to go out and place a new material.
JH: So we guys nervous about having to try and top this is current album?
MJ: I don't know about nervous . I know everybody says something about that sophomore jinx , but I think the fans are behind us , and I think it's going to, you know , we've really never had a lot of support from all of the critics . So were not trying to impress the critics , because this one has pretty much outshined anything that they ever thought it would so I think that's good enough for us . And I think the fans are ready to hear it as long as it's got the same hooks , and Ed's powerful voice and guitars behind it . It's not gonna be a problem.
JH: You know a lot of times , you hear about raw deals with bands and large record labels, especially young newer bands . How has Columbia been with you so far?
MJ: You know , they've treated us exceptional . They really held out for a long time , and we were really pissed at them, at first . More miffed then pissed at them.Just they had a plan in mind , they were going to follow it to a tee and they didn't care whether we liked it or not at that point . And I think hindsight , now we can't really complain about that . What they've done . Really I think with any label, any size , if you're doing great, they're going to treat you great.
JH: And if you're not doing so great . they dump your ass.
MJ: Exactly.
JH: Besides , a more positive cash flow and all the touring that goes along with it, what are you enjoy most about the success of the album?
MJ: You know , I'm just enjoying being the able to play in a band every night and do this for a living to be able to reach a lot of people with our music on the radio and the support of the label . Without them, we would not be able to do this . That's the main thing we enjoy and just knowing that we can do this forever , and not ever have to work a 9-to-5 job again . and that's plenty for us.
JH: You guys aren't burned out on touring yet?
MJ: No , I'm not and I can speak for most of the guys in the band that we're not burned out . And we're still enjoying it ,every second of this . There are trying times , you know , as with anything where one-day, like in any job , you don't feel so hot .But we never questione that this is what we want to do. If we have two stay on the road for another two years, we're willing to do it.
JH: What is your most memorable show ?
MJ: Wow , I think really our first show, once the song was released .Like two months later, we finally started touring on it. There were like two shows on the way up , but Manchester, New Hampshire there was a festival called The Sky Show . It was about this time last year , and probably our third show , you know . We've only played for like 500 people total and there were like 30,000 here . We played with Shinedown, and a bunch of other bands . It was a good first festival show for us . It was just packed , and everybody had to started hearing our music . We were fairly well accepted as early as it was.
JH: Who would you consider to be the ultimate band to tour with? If you could open for anybody or just go on the road with anybody.
MJ: Dead or alive?
JH: Both.
MJ: Well , Faith No More has always been one of my favorite bands. Soundgarden , both of them. I guess that will never happen . But uh , those two , and of course Metallica . They were the ones that Ed and I both were just, that was a band that changed our mind about everything. That would be nice . All three of them . Plus us with us headlining of course . That show would be awesome
JH: What are some of your guys day to day rituals while out on the road?
MJ: Really , just a lot of sleep . We try to do our business early in the afternoons because we know once , once the workday begins , we hit radio stations all day than we do meet and greets play the show and we're all partygoers . So as soon as the show is over , we like to have a good time . And just do it all over again. Everyday . As far as rituals , not many . You kind of go where the bus goes . You don't have a whole lot of say so . What you get to do everyday is what your parked . so you kind of do what you can to keep your mind off of the monotony of 10 people living on one bus.
JH: What are some of the bands , long-term goals?
MJ: Sell records . Mainly just to sustain our business , and really I mean , that's it to be able to tour . Create more music and enjoy what we're doing and not get sick of it . And actually have the money put aside so at some point , if you do get sick of it , you don't go crazy . You can take some time off.
JH: Well , that's about it .Anything you like to add any requests? Last words?
MJ: Uh-uh . Nothing I can think of right this second.
JH: Cool look forward to seeing that set. Thanks for the interview.
JH: Thank you.