April of 2008 - RAG Magazine

SEVENDUST WILL BE APPEARING LIVE APRIL 9TH AT THE MOJO ROOM
wanted to take notice of Sevendust. We were this
band that was heavy. But we were very blessed to
have those guys come aboard and show us. It’s
always been a brotherhood, and we always wanted
the opportunity to tour together.” And then, there’s
the voice of Lajon Witherspoon, his variety of
influences can be heard every time you take a
listen. With Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow,
Witherspoon has crafted what is undoubtedly
Sevendust’s most lyrically honest, and confessional,
album yet. Lajon admits, “When I grew up, my
dad was my biggest influence. He was in a disco
era band, and while going to rehearsals with him, I
always felt that music was magic, and I still say
music is magic. The feeling that I had being around
instruments: the big bass cabinets and drums sets,
it was all to me about the music part; it gave me
that feeling, that excitement, and from that day on
as a child, I knew it was something I wanted to be
a part of.”
There wasn’t just one form of reference that
followed Lajon throughout his existence; it was a
variety of generations that seeped their way into
his subconscious, paving the way for his successful
and innovative career in music. “It wasn’t just R&B
growing up…,” asserts Lajon, “It was country music and
rock and roll amongst my family in the house, because
we always loved music, period. It was never to just listen
to one thing, because that’s not why you’re supposed to
listen; you listen to all music because it’s beautiful.”
Throughout all of the changes in music, Sevendust have
evolved with many other bands. But one thing has stayed
the same; Sevendust haven’t lost touch with the core of
their sound, and that makes all the difference. “It would
be selling ourselves short if we made everything sound
the same,” says Lajon. “The venue that we’re able to take,
having our own label, has definitely broadened us to be
able to explore and paint a different picture on these
canvasses that I fill.”
And out of all people, American Idol’s Chris Daughtry
surfaced on the CD. Since enjoying great success with
American Idol, and with his band Daughtry, no one would
have ever expected Chris, himself, to appear, and with
such a different style, but it meshed really well with
Sevendust; it worked. “The Chris Daughtry thing was a
great excellent project too,” asserts Lajon. “Before we
knew anything, we found out how much of a big fan he
was of Sevendust, and I was a fan of his from the show.
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