It is rare that I genuinely like a band right off the bat but it is hard not to like these guys. With undeniable and unrivaled passion, Blackwater stamps a new sound on rock and roll. Hailing from Nashville, the city that simultaneously chews up bands and pumps out talent by the vat, Blackwater James infuses classic rock, metal, and modern rock and molds it into something fresh and exciting. With enough attitude to fill up a stadium and the balls to think they can accomplish that feat, Blackwater James is undoubtedly one of the next big bands to hit the big times.

Their story is the quintessential Nashville story-- struggling to differentiate their sound amidst the pool of talent that surrounds them, Blackwater James hammered out their niche in countless bars across the city and neighboring towns. They have succeeded effortlessly in imprinting their uniquely blended sound on rock and roll.

antiMusic stalked the band and was able to catch up with Christopher James, lead singer and guitarist for the group. Interviewing Chris was such a pleasure; he has an openness and honesty about him that makes him both charming and sexy. Which works well for the band and compliments the sexiness of Deanna, the bands lead guitarist. Having a woman in the band has many merits as you will discover in the interview.

antiMusic: What's the story behind the name Blackwater James? Tell me about how you came to form this particular band line-up?

Christopher James: Most of the band has known each other for quite some time. Chris and Todd were actually in a metal band from 2000 to 2003. This was their first taste of the rock world. Then Chris bounced around from band to band until about 2007 when he met Josh in a retro-rock outfit based at Belmont University. Chris & Josh left that band in 2009 wanting something a little different. So Chris recruited old friend Todd and Josh to record his solo blues EP. Two songs into the project it was apparent what they had created was not blues, but something more reminiscent of classic rock with all the attitude of the 80's. At this point the band was called 'Chris James & Blackwater'. Chris, Josh, and Todd rehearsed for about 2 weeks and realized a trio was sonically thin and wasn't cutting it. So they searched Nashville for a second guitarist, looking for someone who could write, had attitude, and could basically just hang out and be apart of the family. We talked to quite a few and just as we were getting frustrated we found Deanna. Within one practice it was clear that she finalized the sound and was hella fun to work with. With line-up complete we changed the name from 'Chris James & Blackwater' to the more cohesive name 'Blackwater James'. We wanted a name that was unique, showed off some attitude, and reflected where we're from.

antiMusic: Do you find having a female guitarists helps you with your fan base? How?
Chris: Absolutely!!! It's by no means the reason she's in the band, but I'm not going to sit here and lie and say that it doesn't help. Deanna is an amazing guitarist and that's obvious, and not mention easy on the eyes. So when you're playing a rock show, which are usually dude-fests with a bunch of hairy, sweaty, wookies on stage, it's nice to see some female relief. We get a lot of female fans that are simply pumped to see another woman doing what she is, and she brings in the guys because�well�.I think you know why. Although, I love it when other guitarists write her off before she gets on stage, then they see her play and she melts their faces off, and then they feel ashamed and refuse to talk to us after the gig. Deanna is such a bad ass!!!!

antiMusic: Tell me about a specific time you played out that left a lasting impression on you?

Chris: We did a show in Nashville about a month ago at one of the cities newer venues called 'Rock Bar'. It holds around 150 � 200 people and it was the best hometown crowd we've ever had! The place was packed out, the crowd was right there with us, and the sound was great. Coming from Nashville it's extremely difficult to get a crowd moving with you.

antiMusic: Hailing from Nashville can add all sorts of pressure on a band. How does your hometown help or hinder your progress?

Chris: Having our home base in Nashville is a double-edged sword in many ways. We are centrally located for touring, so we can get to many major cities within a few hours drive, and of course Nashville is a major hub for the music industry. On the other hand Nashville is so heavily inundated with musicians (both amazing and horrible) it's hard to make some noise and get yourself noticed. Everybody is in a band, everybody is a guitarist, everybody is a songwriter, and a lot people are bull s***ters. Nashville doesn't put much pressure on as much as it just annoys us. There are a set number of rock and roll fans and you're competing for their love and admiration with 150 other bands�you do the math.

antiMusic: Your bio on your website says you have created a "new brand of rock music" explain?

Chris: We haven't created a new brand of rock music so much as we've modernized an old sound of rock n' roll. We've taken 3 parts classic rock, 2 parts 80's metal, and one part modernized straight up rock and wrapped it in a thin southern-rock package.

antiMusic: Where is your dream venue to play and why?

Chris: Probably the Ryman Auditorium here in Nashville. It's got so much history and all the greats have played there. Also wouldn't mind playing the O2 Arena in the UK. Just to say that we packed a place that huge would have to stand for something right?

antiMusic: Where is your favorite place to play?

Chris: The band's favorite venue in town is probably The Rutledge. It has the best sound and coolest vibe by far. In Columbia, MO there is a small club downtown called The Blue Fugue and that place rocked!!! They hooked us up with some killer Chartreuse, that was apparently very rare and brewed by French monks�.now those guys are rock stars!

antiMusic: What has been your favorite experience with the band so far?

Chris: Probably the day we found out we were in Classic Rock Magazine. It kind of signified that our hard work was starting to pay off. I went to eat dinner with Todd and all we could do was smile and laugh. I even pulled the waiter aside and showed him the magazine, of course he had no idea what was going on and I'm sure he thought we were psychotic, but I really didn't care.

antiMusic:Talk a little bit about your new EP. How is this different or similar to previously released efforts?

Chris: Well actually it's a full-length album with 11 songs and its Blackwater James' debut CD. The band finished tracking on Christmas Eve 2008 and mixing/mastering was completed 3 months later. Since May we've been pushing the album internationally selling out CDBABY multiple times and solidifying foreign distribution. We tracked the entire record on our own with no outside help financial or otherwise. Mixing was conducted by myself and close friend Steve Miller. We've all done countless other projects, but we all feel that this is the first one we can full-heartedly stamp our names on. We put a lot of energy and soul into this record and hopefully it shows.

antiMusic: My bad, thanks for clarifying. Where did the name of the album come from? Do you have any plans for a follow-up or are you going to focus on tour support for the album?

Chris: Since we are a new band, and up to the point of naming the record we didn't have much recognition, so self-titling the record seemed like a smart move. No frills, no fancy packaging, and no pretentious album title�..just the logo and our music.

antiMusic: Talk about a song on your record that has a personal meaning for you?

Chris: The song that means the most to me on the record is probable 'Wake Me'. It's definitely a standout track on the record, but still that doesn't deter its impact for me. It's about a very dark in my life that each of the other members elaborated and added onto with their own personal experiences. Its essentially about the aftermath of emotional devastation and finding your way out of it, but understanding that bad things do happen and they will most certainly happen again.

antiMusic: What is your favorite track on the new album?

Chris: My personal favorite is by far 'Rock Steady'. Its grooving, its funky, its mean and aggressive, and its got that killer gang-vocal chorus. We normally end our set with that tune cause its soooooo high energy. It just kicks you right in the ass from the get go and doesn't stop or let up. All of us have our favorites and believe me they change from month to month, but currently 'Rock Steady' is my tune dejour.

antiMusic:: In case everyone doesn't know, "dejour" means of the day in French. Seems like you have a thing for Frenchness. What song off of the new album do you like to play live?

Chris: I'm going to have to say 'Midnight Train'. When we play it live Deanna and I trade solos and do this killer pick-slide on each other's guitar and it gets the crowd super hype. We like to interact a lot with each other on stage and 'Midnight Train' gives us plenty of opportunities to do so. It's also at the perfect head-bang body thrust tempo.

antiMusic: What do you hope people take away from your music?

Chris: We are all about having a good time and we really hope our music portrays that. Rock music today is way too serious and emotionally bloated. I mean don't get me wrong I'm all about deep lyrics but there is only so much a man can hate his life or be pissed off at his parents. Life isn't always fair and s*** happens, we want our music to counteract those feelings and bring people up, not keep them down. We just want to give people an excuse to drink, have a good time, and rock out.

antiMusic: How do you blow off steam or handle "creative differences' with each other?

Chris: We are together a lot. Everything we do as a band is split as evenly as possible and that includes creative control and writing. That can make things really difficult and time consuming but by the end of a creative discussion everybody has their say, gets their input, and everyone is happy. We don't put our stamp on anything if each of us isn't behind it. We are really good friends so it is one big family, we forgive and forget exceptionally quickly.

antiMusic: What other musician would you like to work with or perform with?

Chris: That list is a mile long for each of us. I know for a fact Todd and I would love to work with any members from Buckcherry, Black Stone Cherry, and especially Nick Perri from the late & great Silvertide. I'm sure Deanna would love to rock out with Joe Perry and/or Steven Tyler, and Josh with Chris Cornell, Paul McCartney, or Chicago. I personally would love to work with Velvet Revolver, Jerry Cantrell, and The Black Crowes. As a band I'm sure all of us could agree on JET.

antiMusic: Those are all great artists. Do you have any favorite producers you would like to tap into for future projects?

Chris: I don't really go out on a limb with producers. I like the ones who make huge sounding raw and powerful records the way I would like our records to sound. On that note I would like to work with Rick Rubin, Bob Rock, and Mutt Lange. Rick Rubin knocked it out of the ballpark with Chili Peppers and especially Johnny Cash. He made Johnny sound like Johnny should be; stripped down, emotionally vulnerable, and the records sounded like he was sitting next to you singing them directly to you. I still cry every time I here his version of 'Hurt'. Bob Rock is like the hard-rock metal gods. He's done my favorite albums from Metallica, Motley Crue, and The Cult. That man set the bar when it comes to drum sounds. And then there's good ole Mutt. His records were the sound track to my childhood. His records are the reason I love rock n' roll. AC-DC's 'Highway to Hell' and Def Leppard's 'Hysteria' are perfect rock records yet they sound completely different. He takes the best things about the bands and amplifies it.

antiMusic: next is my classic question. What would you be doing for a thrill if you were not playing music?

Chris: Not much. I would probably be practicing law or be an accountant or something. Nah, I'm just kidding. I absolutely love fighting, and I mean that in the pugilist sense of the term. I'm a sucker for a good boxing match and actually fought for a short time. I would like to hope I might have been able to that for a living if I didn't play guitar. You have no idea how sore and swollen your hands get after beating a bag or sparring for a few hours. Needless to say it's difficult to hold a guitar.

antiMusic: The question everyone dreads but I ask anyway cause I'm supposed to. Where do you see yourself in 3/6/12 months?

Chris: On the road with the best bunch of musicians I've ever met. As a band all we want to do is play live, and play live for anybody and everybody that will listen. So I guess in three months we would like to be touring the country. In six months we would like to be touring the continent, and in one year the world!!!! I mean selling some records would be nice, and wining some awards, and gracing the cover of magazines wouldn't hurt either but all we want to do is perform for a crowd.

antiMusic: This I ask everyone because I am building a decent iPod list. What is your favorite album of all time? Why?

Chris: That is such a difficult question to answer. I know it's probably a real common answer but the one record that never leaves my car stereo or iPod is Guns N' Roses 'Appetite for Destruction. To me, that album encompasses everything that is rock and roll. It's dirty, its loud, its sexy, its fast, and I never leave home without it. I've been listening to that record for the last 12 years and I hear something new every time I sit down and listen. The guitars are phenomenal and the band's performance is spot on. I don't think they or any band since has captured what they did on that record. Even the song writing is amazing. The structure of those songs and their direction is like nothing I've ever heard. They take you places you wouldn't expect a typical rock song to go. Every member of that band had a voice and was a star, and that came through on their performances. If you took one part away it would all fall apart, which it ultimately did but I digress. 'Appetite for Destruction' is by far my favorite album with JET's 'Shine On', Buckcherry's '15', and Silvertide's 'Show & Tell' receiving honorable mention.

antiMusic: What is the most challenging moment you have experienced with this project?

Chris: To be perfectly honest the only challenge was having to stop. We started this record with the goal of completing just three songs. Then one song in we decided to make a five song EP. From that point we decided to add two more, and in-between tracking sessions we would write four more songs and thought, "What the hell!!!! Lets just make a full length record!" We are writing machines and love coming up with new material and want to lay it down as soon as we can. I guess it's a great habit to have but it become a pain in the ass when you have people that are waiting on product and want to get things moving.

antiMusic: Would you do anything differently with this project?

Chris: This is just the tech nerd inside of me coming out, but the only thing I think we would have done differently would be to spend a little extra money and have access to better A/D converters for our recording rig. Maybe get some better mics and pre-amps. I feel like our limited budget really started to rear its ugly head towards the end of the project and it limited us on some things we really wanted to do. Then again I've heard that limits are liberating so maybe that barrier just saved us from recording some overproduced and overblown piece of s*** that wouldn't be an honest representation of who we are as band. We make mistakes, I mean listen to the album and they are all over the place, but I am proud this record mistake and all.

antiMusic: What sort of advice would you give other musicians just starting out?

Chris: First off I would say don't move to Nashville. Stay away, there are enough musicians here and we don't need any more competition. Second of all I would say to work your ass off. I've seen plenty of bands that had great songs, with a great record, an awesome look, perfect live show, but they had no drive and didn't want to work for their success. All the talent in the world wont get your CD's in the hands of people that make decisions. You have to bust ass and hustle. Being in a band is a full time job and you have to treat it like one. Every member in our band works on band related matters at least 4 � 5 hours a day, and that's not including practice or our normal 40 hour a week day jobs. If you want to succeed and you're starting out the first thing to do is find like-minded people who have just as much drive as you do. Then get some sort of recorded music and give it (not sell it) to anyone who will take it. Send out press kits everyday to every magazine, newspaper, e-zine, pod-cast, or local radio-show you can think of. Get loads of reviews and tons of spins and get your name out as much as possible. The one thing above all else is play live! No matter what anybody tells you, play whenever, wherever, to whomever. You never know who is listening and one gig will always lead to another. Every contact or connection we've had that yielded something positive has come from a live show. Bottom line is work, work, work! Think of every band you've ever idolized and ask yourself these questions, "Did they sit on their ass and procrastinate about flyering, booking a show, or getting merch.? Did they get scared and back out of playing live? Did they show up late to practice or b*tch about not having enough time to do other things?" If you think those huge bands sat on their ass and got discovered by their sheer artistic visions then you're dead wrong and should go back to writing meaningful ballads in your parent's basement and get out of the way of the people who will fight for what they want.

antiMusic: Anything else I left out that you want to say?