Sevendust have been going strong for more than a quarter century, with the same core lineup pretty much in place throughout their run. After celebrating one of their classic albums (Animosity) on tour this year, the hard-rocking band has a new LP in the works.
Heavy Consequence caught up with Sevendust singer Lajon Witherspoon at the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, where he offered a brief tease of what to expect on the band’s upcoming album, while also reflecting on the hard-rock act’s legacy.
As far as the new album, Witherspoon told us in the video interview above, “It’s heavy, it’s Sevendust. We kind of go outside the box a little bit. I just feel like we’ve grown as artists. You know, we’re 50-year-old men now, so it’s really cool to still be relevant in this industry, if that’s the word to say.”
He continued, “I’m very happy with it. … and we can’t wait for everyone to hear it. A lot of good things coming up.” Regarding the timeline, the singer said to expect the album “sometime next year.”
While the band toured in support of the belated 20th anniversary of Animosity this past year, 2022 also marks the 25th anniversary of Sevendust’s self-titled debut album.
As for his memories of releasing that first album in 1997, Witherspoon remarked, “We were so excited. It was a different time. It was a time when we were kids and we signed a record deal, and we were in a van, and we left our homes for a year … and all of a sudden we got to do a second record, and realized that, ‘Man, we’re in the game a little bit.'”
Sevendust’s lineup — Witherspoon, bassist Vince Hornsby, drummer Morgan Rose and guitarists John Connolly and Clint Lowery — has remained consistent since 1994, save for a few years when Lowery left in 2004 before returning in 2008. Witherspoon credits the camaraderie among the members for the long-running stability within the band.
“We’re family, we’re brothers,” explained Witherspoon of Sevendust’s longevity. “You can be the best artists in the world, the best players, and the best singer, but a lot of times you’re just a group. There’s a difference between a band and a group. I feel like Sevendust, we’re a band. We’ve been through it all … from teenage years up until we’re 50 years old, with kids, and wives, and divorces … and we’ve stuck together.”
Witherspoon also offered the latest on his long-in-works solo album, enthusiastically telling fans to “be ready” when it finally arrives.
Watch our full video interview with Lajon Witherspoon above, and pick up tickets to Sevendust’s run of Midwest holiday shows at the end of this month via Ticketmaster and the band’s official website.
Trouble viewing the video interview above? Watch on YouTube.
