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All answers by Danny Rexon – Lead vocalist and main song-writer of Crazy Lixx
Hey there!
I´m Stefan from the german webzine ROCKINGBOY, it´s a pleasure to do this interview. I´m a big fan since many years and I´m really impressed of your new stunning album “New Religion” (which you can read in my CD-Reviews too). OK, let´s begin the madness
You are in line with CRASHDIET and HARDCORE SUPERSTAR the front row of the New Wave Of Swedish Sleaze. Do you think that Sleaze and Glam will conquer the world once more?
To be honest I don’t think it will be as big as it was last time but I think that has to do more with how the music industry looks today and less with how many people like this kind of music. But without the millions of dollars that record companies could put in to their bands back then I don’t think it can ever get as main stream as it once was. However, I have noticed a great increase in popularity of this genre since the time when we started with Crazy Lixx. More and more people are opening their eyes to bands like us and that’s great.
Guitarist Vic Zino left the band to be a member of HARDCORE SUPERSTAR in the future. Can you describe how this loose has changed the band? Vic also wrote some stuff on the debut...
We were not happy about it at the time but of course we did understand his decision, it was a big step up for him. As you said he also contributed with song-writing on the first album so we knew we had to find a new guitar player that could write songs as well. Now we have Andy Dawson and I think he really fits better into the band than Vic did and at the same time I think Vic has found his place in HCSS so I guess it all worked out for the better in the end.
How long did it take to write and record the new album “New Religion”? How does a CRAZY LIXX song rise, who makes lyrics and who writes the songs?
The first rough demos for songs like ”The Witching Hour” and ”Blame it on Love” were recorded in the summer of 2008, while we were still touring with our first album “Loud Minority”. We had all the songs ready in the late summer of 2009 and we went into the studio in October and recorded and mixed the album in one month. So basically it took us well over a year to get it all done. When it comes to the song-writing itself I’m still the main composer in the band. Usually I start out with a riff or a melody and most often the chorus of the song is what comes up first, then I build the song from there. I never start out with the lyrics first. Then of course there are songs that me and Andy have written together, even the lyrics but I still do most of the lyrics myself and most often when the whole song is done.
„Children Of The Cross“ is a song about kid´s violation by the church. In Germany this is extraordinary up to date at the time. You are not writing lyrics about partying only?!
No, it’s not common for us to have such serious themes in our lyrics but when I started to write that song I felt it had a kind of melancholy to it and that it had to have lyrics of a more serious nature than most of our songs.
You´ve also worked with producer Chris Laney for the second album. Can you tell me about this collaboration?
I always enjoy working with him because I think we have very similar views on how to make a good song and he has a very good way of bringing the best out of everyone in the studio. Basically what a great producer does.
I know CRAZY LIXX from a time when they spread their mp3-songs for free on their homepage to promote the music. Do you think that this was good to get known by the people?
Sure, we gave away our printed CD-demos for free back in those days too and we got a large underground following very fast. You have to get out there and get your stuff heard and that’s not just in the start of your career, it’s the most important thing for every band. Without your music you’re nobody.
What was your first band you´ve played in and which style was it like? Did you some recordings?
The first serious band that recorded material was a heavy metal band called Blindead. It was actually also with Vic Zino and Joél Cirera but at that time I was the bass player in the band.
If you have to choose with which band you are touring with, which one would it be?
Hardcore Superstar are really nice guys. H.E.A.T is another fun gang.
What was the matter you´ve left Swedmetal Records and signed to Frontiers Records?
We felt Swedmetal didn’t have the will or the resources to take us to the level we wanted to go with this second album so we knew we had to take our business elsewhere. We settled it with the label and now own the rights to all our old material. After that we started looking for new labels interested in releasing our upcoming album and our manager stumbled upon Frontiers that presented us with a deal we felt was good. And here we are now.
What are your last words for your fans in Germany?
If you book us, we will come…
I would thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions, maybe we´ll meet on the road some day, I hope you´re hitting Germany once more?!
We will definately come to Germany with this album.
Cheerz
Stefan
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