Interview with Jonas Roxx

What got you into hard rock in the first place?

 

Roxx..

At the age of 14 I snuck into my first big rock show with Ozzy in Copenhagen...I was immediatly hooked!!! I was blown away the second that the backdrop light came shining through Zakk Wylde's signature stance from the early days. After that day I took up guitar, but found that my real passion was in singing. The whole idea of being the crazy frontman taking control of the stage was just the thing for me! I was now inspired by Motley Crue and Skid Row. The showmanship and bad ass looks of both Vince Neil and Sebastian Bach was right up my alley and made me into the frontman I am today.

 

 

What was your first real band ?

 

Roxx..

My first real band was Sticky Sweet.. Me and my long time friend Dennis Develin wanted to put together a real kick ass live band after seeing bands like Kiss and Motley Crue. We actually started out as a Motley cover band, but soon after started to write our own songs and merged into Sticky Sweet.. I miss those times.. everybody just wanted to rock...we were a gang and didn't care about anything else... girls were in the picture...but "care" may be pushing it a little...good times...

 

 

Who are your biggest influences?

 

Roxx..

My biggest heroes are: Vince Neil - David Lee Roth - Zakk Wylde and Nikki Sixx...They're all pure rock gods ! Under normal circumstances Sebastian Bach would have made this list,,,but these days I don't even know if he likes Rock'N'Roll anymore with all his country-hip hop-broadway appearences and releases...not to mention his appearences on a teen girl tv show... Right now I am also crazy about all the sleaze bands coming out of Sweden! They must have something in the water up there!

 

 

What are some of the bands you've played with in USA when you was with Midnight Angel?

 

Roxx..

When I was over there there were crazy many awsome rock bars, concert halls where we gave some wicked shows, but the guys in the big leagues that we supported were; Motley, Ratt and Dokken just to name a few... It was big times for a dude out of little Denmark.

 

 

Why the sudden change of style to the much heavier Club Hell..and why did you change to guitar for that ?

 

Roxx..

Me and Mr. Develin teamed up once again after working on some different things...and at the time were very inspired by the macho, heavy sounding bands, but still very melodical like Drowning Pool, Metallica, Saliva ect... my voice didn't fit this style but my Zakk Wylde inspired guitars did...So I trained my guitar skills during our search for wild man Steff Gunn and hard hitter Mr. Josua to complete the line-up. Club Hell was a lot of fun while it lasted...but as it died out I have turned back to my passion of singing for some sleazy rock music.

 

 

Why do you think bands don't seem to last these days ?

 

Roxx..

I wish I knew man...Band politics are a huge issue these days...everyone holds a grudge...in the old days there were some definate problems, but they still stuck together...music is what they lived for, where these days everyone just wants to make it big and I guess it's just easier to run off and skip from band to band or going solo instead of sticking it out and getting stronger and better as a band...

 

 

Name 3 "older" bands and 3 "newer" bands you would recommend.

 

Roxx..

Older bands would be.. Motley Crue (they're never gonna be matched !), early skid row and Ozzy.. Those guys were the real deal.. New bands.. hmmm. I gotta say that just like most other sleaze fans I'm really impressed with the swedish rock scene at the moment.. Hardcore Superstar is probably the best band to come out in a decade and CrashDiet are almost there despite their problems keeping the band together and then the American hardrockers EndEverAfter (more classic rock).. I saw them for the first time on last years Motley Cruise and they really kicked ass.

 

Is a reunion of Sticky Sweet possible ?

 

Roxx..

I would love that man.. Sticky Sweet's got a special place in my heart.. There has been talks about it, but for now I seem to be the only one with any "real" interest in doing it..but you never know

 

 

Has "Jonas Roxx" ever considered a solo project ?

 

Roxx..

Nope !!! not for a minute.. The thing that turns me on about playing Rock N Roll is the idea about being a band (a gang).. creating and having something together that others can't be a part of... Having that magic as a band... it's about a group of guys working together doing what they love...and enjoying every minute of it! My songwriting and desire comes from writing and working with the band to then play our songs on stage....and record them as a band. I also help others with their solo projects, but the sitting at home making my own cd's to feed my ego has nothing to do with the kind of gig I want to be a part of.

 

 

What are your plans for the future?

 

Roxx..

Ï'm really wanting to either put together or join a bad ass sleaze band ! Kick the danish sleazemetal fans in the ass ! And give the Swedes a run for the money...But I'm looking for the REAL thing!!! A real band where we stick together and do what we love...as a wise man once said "Create Musical Fusion" Get on stage and Rock!!! CHEERS !!!