Sevendust's John Connolly Black's Out the Sun

Sevendust's twenty year run has been a successful one, having had name changes, album releases, and relentlessly touring the band themselves couldn't be happier with how far they have come. Their latest effort "Black Out The Sun" was in fact their ninth release thus far into their career and guitarist John Connolly discusses the band's process on just how far and how much further they plan to take themselves.

1. This album is your ninth album to date did you ever think this day would come?

John: I mean you always hope that you would have a career that would last that long, we've always been lucky to have some records but had no idea we'd be doing this 20 years down the road. We're always having positive feedback whenever we release a record it's been really cool.

2. The title of the album "Black Out the Sun" was based on a dream, what was it about that dream that made it stand out and decide to become the title?

John: Well no I can't because it wasn't my dream. It was a phrase that came to LJ, he had a dream then  took that idea making it more on the experience of losing his dad last year so it played into it. So that was something that came to him one night.

3. This album is being compared to your earlier material, why go back in this direction?

John: We didn't we just ended up there. We don't decide okay this is how it is going to go. We just make music and I hear a lot of different things from all over our catalog. It just happens that some moments of being back together in the studio you take those basic steps having it end up sounding like something we've previously done. We just take what our sound is and evolve it.

4. Cold Day Memory was a sizable critical success. Did you feel any pressure to follow it up?

John: No not really. After you do it eight times you come to realize you're making this for a reason. That album did do well but others have done better. At the end of the day we just make the best record we can make that's the goal. There are 5 of us and it's how we want it to feel and sound when it's put down so as long as we're proud of it and happy with it, we're always hoping that people will like it and react positive to it, so it's cool to have it happen. This time around we did better since there was a concept but it does get harder and harder with the internet, but it's cool that we're still able to sell CDs.

5. It's been three years since the release of Cold Day Memory. Why such a long time period between albums?

John: It's not really a long gap but we usually do a 2 year tour, then hit the studio, and tour again. This time we did a 2 year tour, and a year off, I consider it a major success to take a year off and make a record. We've been touring for 16 years so there gets a point where everything needed a break.  By the summer time it was time for us to get back in the studio so it got us excited again.

6. Are you satisfied with how everything turned out on it?

John: Yeah production went well we finished the record in the first week of November so we've been sitting on it for six months so there was a lot of stuff you don't have control over. It's going to do what it does, so we paid attention of where everything went and how it's moving. It some ways it's an old record and in some ways it's a new record it's a mixed emotional thing for us but been great so far.

7. Were there any songs that didn't make the cut but we'll see in the future?

John: Nope not one song we used everything we had. Being in the studio for 31 days we took 1 week off so that was actually 27 days or so, but there are basic demos here or there we did, but we used it all. There was nothing that wasn't finished. We got the thirteen songs in, getting nothing really left but demos.

8. What are your expectations for this release?

John: I don't have any really, I hope it does well, and that our fans love it and make some new fans along the way. On the touring itself I hope it takes us around the states a few times and even other places like Europe or Australia. We're going to be out there for a while.

9. Can you tell me how the band got its name and what does it mean?

John: No, no meaning really just two words put together, there's some pest solution from the South that had dust substance, so we thought of Sevendust put those two words together and went with it.

10. What can the fans expect to see from you in the future?

John: A lot of shows everyone asking me when this day is happening, so for anyone asking go check out our Facebook and website pages we're going be touring for a while.

11. What do you hope for 2013?

John: Cheaper gas prices and higher ticket sales haha! Naw just enjoying the shows this is a year for Sevendust so we're excited to be back at it that's for sure.