The names you already know, however there was one thing slightly extra necessary to Armored Saint singer John Bush when it got here to becoming a member of the new supergroup Category7. The singer informed Full Metal Jackie for her weekend radio present that the guitar duo of Phil Demmel and Mike Orlando definitely made the potential of the band engaging, however he explains, “I think those two guys are really the giant source of this whole project because their playing is amazing. They’re incredible riff maniacs. But the amazing thing is that there’s still really awesome song structure. So that combination, I think, was just kind of undeniable. And that’s why I wanted to work on it.”

Bush discusses the journey of becoming a member of the group, having the ability to put his stamp on the lyrical content material and why he is actually proud of the lyrics on the new document. Plus he discusses an early band accolade from Metallica’s James Hetfield and gives some perception into what’s on the horizon for Armored Saint in addition to one other band he is working with known as Electric Spaghetti.

Get all the particulars and take a look at the chat under.

It’s Full Metal Jackie and I’m so excited to deliver again to the present this week John Bush. You know him, of course, from his time in Anthrax and Armored Saint as nicely. But he is now fronting the all star group, Category7, with Phil Demmel, Mike Orlando, Jack Gibson and Jason Bittner.

What an incredible lineup for this group. What was your preliminary response on listening to what the guys had been engaged on. And how a lot of a stamp had been you in a position to placed on the music?

That’s a good way of placing it. The music that these guys despatched me, Phil and I’ve a background taking part in along with the Metal Allegiance venture. We’ve finished some reveals. We really did Rock in Rio in Brazil, which was wonderful. And we performed loads of reveals and type of developed a friendship by that. He despatched me these concepts telling me that that is some actually cool stuff and would you have an interest? I stated, yeah, you have to ship it to me. Let me take heed to it. So then he did, and I used to be fairly blown away.

There’s some wonderful riff mania between him and Mike and superior rhythms from Jason and Jack. And the key element was whether or not or not I may really contribute some actually cool vocal concepts and melodies and lyrics. So I set to work, and it was fairly superior.

John, as the frontman, you are the voice that relays the message. A tune like “In Stitches,” for instance, Is coming from a darker perspective. What was inspiring you whereas engaged on the lyrical facet of Category7’s music?

What I say is it is loads of social commentary. It’s not possible to get up each morning and never go searching you at the world and see all the new developments occurring every day in numerous methods. It’s not simply what’s precisely happening in the political spectrum, however simply the developments and loads of dissension that is creating. It could be not possible to not acknowledge that.

But my perspective is at all times one of not likely wanting to inform the listener how you can assume, however extra of simply placing stuff on the market for individuals to ponder and simply form of make them assume on their very own phrases and skim between the traces. So I do not actually have some main big agenda with the material. I feel it is simply form of trying life and letting it run by the lyrics. Sometimes I similar to to jot down phrases down after which let’s examine how they form of develop, see how they rhyme, see how the story form of occurs by itself. But there was some actually cool stuff.

I’m actually proud of loads of the lyrics on these information. And “In Stitches” was a tune based mostly off an article I learn in the paper a few lady who had that identify and was homeless. This girl, she was pregnant and it was only a heavy story and her. I did not write a biography per se, nevertheless it form of motivated me to run with the entire philosophy of the struggles in the unhoused group and the way that is a giant, a giant drawback proper now, not solely in Los Angeles and San Francisco, however all by the nation.

Category7, “In Stitches”

John, you might have performed with some nice guitarists over the years. What are your ideas on having Mike Orlando and Phil Demmel flanking you, and the place do they rank amongst the musicians you have labored with?

Well, I feel these two guys are actually the big supply of this entire venture as a result of their taking part in is wonderful. They’re unbelievable riff maniacs. But the wonderful factor is that there is nonetheless actually superior tune construction. So that mixture, I feel, was simply form of simple. And that is why I needed to work on it.

Mike is … I did not even know Mike. I obtained to know Mike actually by the music. We had by no means met, and so we form of developed this friendship by the writing of the songs, which was really actually thrilling and type of completely different. It wasn’t like, let’s develop out and make all this. We’re all fairly seasoned veteran musicians, so we will make this nice band. But it wasn’t that in any respect. It was like, here is the music. I do not even know you, however that is simple. Let’s write songs collectively. And that is how the friendship developed.

Phil is an superior participant as nicely. And Jack and Jason, of course. Everybody is simply an unbelievable musician. But what I inform individuals is which you can have that on paper, however it would not essentially transcend to an computerized win. You should nonetheless mesh and issues should nonetheless mix and the songs should nonetheless be there. I feel that we did that. Playing with these guys is wonderful. I marvel at their guitar taking part in, taking part in their licks. It’s fairly enjoyable to observe.

John, this new band, there’s been loads of speak that in spite of the collective resumes, this group has allowed the members to department out past what they’re identified for, working in some of their influences. Is there a tune on this Category7 album that the majority displays your influences and enter on the music?

Well, I feel that my vocal fashion is one the place it is at all times going to simply form of be based mostly on heavy metallic, however blues and slightly onerous rock and soul. That’s simply at all times going to be the manner my voice, the manner I deal with it so far as how I strategy singing and writing, for that matter. This is not any completely different from that.

Category7 is a metallic band and clearly, so is Armored Sain, and so is Anthrax from again in the day. So it is proper alongside the similar traces of what I’m usually used to doing. What I at all times say is, for me, the necessary factor is to form of join with the musicians that I’m taking part in with and let these guys deliver one thing else, presumably out of my very own fashion and approach. And I hope that occurs.

What I inform individuals is that the connection, of course, is my voice. And that is the factor that I made the joke that I may sing on bluegrass, journey hop, R&B document, and it is nonetheless going to sound like John Bush as a result of that is the connection, is my voice and the sound of it.

So this isn’t any completely different from that. It’s me taking part in in a heavy metallic band and utilizing my fashion and my aggression and my sure strategy to singing in the similar manner. But hopefully there’s one thing that sounds slightly completely different and I feel loads of that’s linked to the musicians that I’m taking part in with.

READ MORE: The New Band Metallica’s James Hatfield Is Excited About

One of the band’s first accolades got here from James Hetfield, who shouted out the group as one of his new favorites. You’ve had an extended historical past with Hetfield and Metallica. What has his continued help meant to you all through your profession? And have you ever gotten extra particular suggestions from him about the new document?

I have never really. I had the similar response, most likely that most individuals did when James stated that, simply form of like a humbling smile and I nearly most likely blushed or one thing as a result of, you already know, he is the king. And the band is the kings. That’s the backside line is Metallica is the king of metallic. And they’ve been and so they most likely at all times might be. And to have James say one thing with these sorts of accolades are, like I stated, it is simply nearly humbling.

But I feel that there is this connection, of course, that goes again to once we did the Metallica W.A.S.P. Armored Saint tour again in 1985. When we toured collectively, we had the similar administration. We had been with Q Prime administration, who Metallica nonetheless should this present day. And by the years, even when {our relationships} obtained distant, they might at all times form of come again collectively. We performed the thirtieth anniversary present at the Fillmore in San Francisco and the band performed the 4 nights and so they had a complete numerous individuals taking part in with them from Lou Reed to King Diamond to Rob Halford to Mary Ann Faithful. And so it was actually an honor to be half of that.

Armored Saint opened one of the reveals after which of course I sang “The Four Horsemen” with them throughout their efficiency, form of as how this may possibly would have sounded if John Bush had joined the band. So it was fairly humorous and has a cool description of the state of affairs there. Those guys have simply at all times been supportive.

So even when our relationships form of get slightly distance, I do know that there is at all times going to be this reference to not solely James and Lars, Kirk and Robert, however simply with the followers themselves. Metallica, Armored Saint and now in Category7. So it is actually cool.

John, we might be remiss if we did not additionally discuss some Armored Saint stuff. And what else you might have happening? I noticed that there is going to be some reissues, some particular editions from Armored Saint information coming.

Yeah, actual cool. We’re re-releasing the La Raza and Revelation information that got here out in 2010 and in addition 2000. That was the Revelation document was one which I form of obtained reacquainted after I had been in Anthrax for about eight years and we had taken slightly break. So then Armored Saint form of reconvened, if you’ll, and made the Revelation document.

It’s a killer album that also feels like classic singing. And I really like La Raza. I feel it was form of a step into slightly completely different path for us. That one got here out in 2010, so Metal Blade is at all times doing actually cool issues with packaging and re-releasing information.

So we’re enthusiastic about that. Plus, we put out the video for the tune “One Chain (Don’t Make No Prison)” that got here out a few month or so again. And it is Armored Saint taking part in a Four Tops tune, which is music that we had been form of … that is some of our roots. As a lot as we love metallic, we had been at all times massive followers of old fashioned soul and artists like the Four Tops and Earth, Wind and Fire and Stevie Wonder. Here we’re carrying our fits in honor of these teams again in the day. And it was actual enjoyable to do this.

So Armored Saint is at all times keen to stay our necks out and check out various things. We form of really feel like we will do something. It’s form of broadened our fashion and we hold pushing ourselves, and that is one of the beauties of the band. It makes it actual enjoyable to jot down music, which we’re additionally doing for a document that hopefully will come out in 2025 and performing and taking part in and only a strong friendship that goes again 50 years, which is insane.

Armored Saint, “One Chain (Don’t Make No Prison)”

That’s wonderful. Not many individuals get to say that anymore about their bandmates.

No, no, not many individuals can say that ever. Maybe the Stones.

Well, what else is on the horizon for you and in your to do checklist at the second?

Well, at this level. I obtained myself fairly busy now placing myself in one other band. I even have this enjoyable blues nation band that I fashioned with one other buddy of mine. And he really recorded loads of the vocals that I carried out on the Category7 document. So that is like a neighborhood band right here in Los Angeles known as Electric Spaghetti, which is only a enjoyable factor. It’s actually cool although. There’s some nice tunes. And it is me form of sticking my neck out of my regular consolation zone, which is basically at all times a difficult factor for a musician and author.

I feel that is a very good factor. So that is loads of enjoyable. I’m fairly busy. It’s most likely a busier time than I’ve ever been in the final 20 years with music. So that is a very good factor. Probably much more dates, much more interviews and I’m grateful for that. You’re at all times placing me on, Jackie. I actually respect that.

Oh, thanks a lot, John. I’m an enormous, longtime fan of yours and I’m very excited for all issues to come back. And of course, this nice Category7 document. Thank you a lot.

Thanks to John Bush for the interview. You can get the new self-titled Category7 album in bodily, obtain and streaming choices. Stay updated with the band by their web site, Facebook, X, Instagram and Spotify accounts. Find out the place you may hear Full Metal Jackie’s weekend radio present right here.