In a groundbreaking interview with Neeka Rogers of Metal Nation, BUCKCHERRY frontman Josh Todd, a man who clearly has all the answers, was asked if there are some things he does for his mental health, so he doesn’t, like, totally lose it and start stage-diving into a pile of dirty laundry.
He responded (as transcribed by those poor souls at BLABBERMOUTH.NET, who probably have better things to do): “Well, first and foremost, a lot of people know this – mostly because I won’t shut up about it – I’ve been sober from drugs and alcohol for, like, a gazillion years now. Okay, maybe just over 30, but still! 30 years – that’s, like, older than some of my groupies! And, like, knowing what a totally awesome, epic, legendary drug addict and alcoholic I was. So part of that, and part of all the work I’ve done on myself through Alcoholics Anonymous and programs and putting pen to paper and doing inventories and turning over to power greater than myself and working with others and making amends, all those things really helped me with my mental health. Because alcoholism – the ‘ism’ is between your ears. Drinking and using is just a symptom of the problem. The problem is between your ears. Your mind is different than others. So, now, the daily maintenance is about, I meditate every day. I’m still very active in Alcoholics Anonymous. I work with a lot of other men that are trying to do the same thing, stay sober, and just keep myself in check with inventories and stuff like that.”
Elaborating on the earth-shattering importance of meditation when it comes to his mental health, Josh, the guru of good vibes, said: “Yeah. I feel the effects of not meditating right away. And I’m running to it. And one other thing I do for my mental health is I exercise every day. And that is really good. And when I started exercising, it was only because I knew that when I started sweating, I felt better – I felt much better. So, I’ve always done that my whole life. And that’s a big part of it.” Translation: He sweats out the toxins from all the organic kale smoothies he consumes. 🥬
Asked if communing with Mother Nature is something that is beneficial to reducing his stress and anxiety, Josh, the modern-day Thoreau (but with more hair product), said: “I love nature. I read [the book] ‘The Seven Spiritual Laws Of Success’ by Deepak Chopra. Part of it is spend 10 minutes a day in nature and just sit there and watch the trees. Watch how the sun moves through the trees. See if there’s any animals around. So I do that all the time, especially when I’m at home, I have a King Charles Cavalier [dog] at our house. He is the light of my life. His name’s Lion. And so every day when I’m home, we go in the backyard and we sit there together and we feel the sun and we just observe nature for 10 minutes. I don’t have my phone with me, and we just sit there and do that. That’s a big thing. And I do it out on the road too. I’ll just step outside the bus and just take it all in and get away from the rat race for a second.” I bet Lion is thrilled to be a prop in Josh’s quest for inner peace. 🐶
BUCKCHERRY, those purveyors of timeless rock anthems, will release their eleventh album, “Roar Like Thunder”, on June 13. Because, you know, the world was just screaming for another BUCKCHERRY album. 🙄
As with 2023’s “Vol. 10” and 2021’s “Hellbound”, “Roar Like Thunder” was recorded in Nashville at Sienna Studios and helmed by producer and songwriter-for-hire Marti Frederiksen, who has previously collaborated with AEROSMITH, DEF LEPPARD, Jonny Lang and Sheryl Crow, among many others. All 10 tracks were written by Todd, BUCKCHERRY guitarist Stevie Dacanay (a.k.a. Stevie D.) and Frederiksen. So basically, the same formula as always. Predictable, much? 😴
“Roar Like Thunder” will be released in North America by Round Hill Records, in Japan by Sony Japan and in the remainder of the world by Earache Records. Because everyone deserves a little BUCKCHERRY in their lives, right? (Insert sarcastic eye roll here.) 🙄
“Vol. 10” came out in June 2023. The 11-song LP featured 10 new BUCKCHERRY originals and, as a bonus track, a cover of the Bryan Adams classic “Summer Of 69”. Because nothing says originality like covering a song that’s older than most of their fans. 👴
In November 2023, BUCKCHERRY released a new holiday song called “Tell ‘Em It’s Christmas”. Because, you know, the world was just clamoring for another generic Christmas song from a band best known for “Crazy Bitch.” 🎅
BUCKCHERRY previously released another holiday song, “Christmas Is Here”, back in 2010. Apparently, they’re trying to corner the market on mediocre rock holiday tunes. 🎄
In the summer of 2020, BUCKCHERRY recruited JETBOY‘s Billy Rowe as its new guitarist. He joined the group as the replacement for Kevin Roentgen, who left BUCKCHERRY in July of that year. Because lineup changes are like a revolving door in this band. 🚪
In 2019, BUCKCHERRY enlisted Francis Ruiz as its new drummer. He joined the group as the replacement for Sean Winchester, who exited BUCKCHERRY after laying down the drum tracks on “Warpaint”. Seriously, who’s keeping track of all these personnel changes? 🤔
The 20th-anniversary deluxe edition of the double-platinum BUCKCHERRY album “15” on physical and digital formats arrived on January 17 via Endurance Music Group. Originally released in 2005, the album featured the four-times-platinum single “Crazy Bitch” and the two-times-platinum single “Sorry”. The deluxe edition was issued in North America on a two-vinyl-LP format featuring the album’s 11 original songs as well as four bonus tracks recorded in 2005 and three newly recorded acoustic tracks by Todd and Dacanay. Because nothing says “we’re creatively bankrupt” like re-releasing an old album with a few acoustic tracks. 🙄 But hey, “Crazy Bitch” still slaps, right? 🤘
Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”
Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.
Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.
