MIke: Jamie it's a honor to speak with you once again! I wanted to tell you, last year when we spoke, you said to go to the show with a open mind, its a family reunion!, the next thing you know you will be at another show with paint on your face!" You where right on the money, the only thing that was missing was some picnic tables and folks cooking out!
Jamie: You got it man, I'm tellin you! Its kind of neat because some people take it to the level like the tailgating , like it was a football game. It's really a great time! They come on as teens, and the next thing you know they are young adults and they are parents, and they have to get someone to watch thier kids because they are going out tonight, TWIZTID is in town. "Screw that mom, you are watching the kids , we are doing it up tonight." That's until the kids are old enough to come with them, and its like "OH MY GOD!"
Mike: Both you and Monoxide must be so proud of your fans! Despite what the media may say about a show like that, your fans prove them wrong! I have been pushed and hurt way more at a metal show then I have been at your show. Your fans are respectful of each other and do not stop anyone from enjoying the show and being a part of it. The chanting that starts before you are even on stage sent chills over me.
Jamie: There is no question, proud like parents in some regards! It's a great feeling. I know exactly what you mean about chills! Anytime people are channeling that much energy in a positive way, it's going to radiate off and it's going to send chills, that's just how it is, there is no doubt about it! If it was negative, it would give you the creeps! It did not give you the creeps it gave you the chills, so there had to be something spiritual about it! You know what I mean?
Mike: I have to say that even my two boys like TWIZTID now! I can put the music in and you hear the Whoop Whoop! from the back seat!
Jamie: That's awesome and you see what I mean, there is something that can be said about that. It's cool, not only is it fun to listen to, it is even something that they can do with their kids. Provided they are of a certain age and you show them. I believe we have become more conscious over the years. Believe it or not, either we are conscious to it or we are not, but sometimes we will listen and say, "There are no cuss words in this". It's crazy but it's cool! Sometimes you don't even need that. Sometimes people blatantly gravitate to cuss words because they think it makes it "Hard Core" That's just not right, I mean if you are harcore, your hardcore, you don't need any cuss words!
Mike: So let us talk about "The Darkness" ...Absolutely insane album !
Jamie: Thank you brother!
Mike: The Darkness has been hugely successful with your fans. Can you tell me a bit about how the album came together and more importantly what do you want your fans to take away from the album?
Jamie: We talked about it and we were going to do, "The moment you all have been waiting for", which is something we actually promoted in "The New Nightmare", one of our first releases when we ventured out on our own. We made the decision to hold off on that and we started talking about it and that we had not done a concept album. When you put it on, from start to finish, it has a vibe, it has a certain magic to it, like it or hate it, you get it! So when we got into that mind set and got in the studio, we had some sessions where we lit some candles and got a little creepy. We tried to capture that old school vibe that we used to have back in the day. It's important to not lose where you came from, your core. Trust me I am a fan of (pauses) you would never believe the shit I am a fan of! (LAUGHS) I watch some of my greatest favorites, be it a solo artist, a band, a rapper an R&B singer, what ever. I watched these people that I admire, sometimes not all the time, but sometimes lose themselves so incredibly bad and sometimes it's a good thing and other times, it's a absolute train wreck. What I don't like about it is, that's something that I never want to happen to us. Monoxide doesnt want that to happen to us! We just want to have fun! I mean we always have fun, but I mean go into the studio and literally have the concept of " lets make a concept record, and lets have fun!" "Lets get spooky and lets get in to it" and before you knew it a song was recorded, then another song was recorded. Then we had five songs and we started listening