Rambling Man's Interview: Category 7 Frontman John Bush "I think it’s riff mania with some big hooks and explosive rhythms played by some talented veterans"

 Interview by Anselm Anderson

The Rambling Man grabbed an opportunity to speak with veteran metal vocalist John Bush, best known for his stint with Anthrax and Armored Saint, who discusses his new band Category 7, and their upcoming debut album, due out on July 26th via Metal Blade Records. Category 7  is a supergroup, which features ex-members of Machine Head, Adrenaline Mob and Anthrax. Click below to read the full article.

Congratulations on your upcoming self-titled debut album, due on July 26th. How are preparations going for the release? 

Great! Doing interviews. two videos were released. Good buzz out there.

Category 7 is a relatively new band featuring ex-members of Anthrax, Machine
Head, Adrenaline Mob and Overkill. That is an impressive C.V. for a new band. What can you tell me about how you formed? 

Phil contacted me about this project he was working on. He asked if I would be interested in working on it, so I said send some stuff to me. There’s only one way to know: to listen to it. Once I heard a couple ideas I said this sounds pretty damn killer. Let’s see what I can do with it. I wrote lyrics and vocals for a couple tunes and the dam burst. Next thing I knew we had enough for a record.

What can you tell me about the album and Long-term fans of your previous bands
can expect from this release? 

I think it’s riff mania with some big hooks and explosive rhythms played by some talented veterans. I can’t imagine fans from all the bands the guys play with wouldn’t love it.

When you were putting the band together, was there any idea or plan on how you
wanted the band to sound? 

I can’t speak for the guys who wrote the music. however, regarding the lyrics and vocals, I just took the approach of embellishing the powerful music with powerful vocals and thought-provoking themes. Let it develop naturally. 

You released your debut single ‘In Stitches’ last month. It reminds me of the old
NWOBHM crossed with bands like Overkill with thrash riffs and colossal vocals,
could you tell me about the meaning behind the track? 

I read an article about a homeless woman who called herself "Stitches'' who lived on the streets of Los Angeles. It inspired me so I used that as the lyrical theme. It always felt like it should be the opening track and hence it also became the first video.

 

What can you tell me about the other tracks on the album, compared to ‘In Stitches’?

Well, there are nine others including an instrumental song. The second video is called "Exhausted", which has a killer riff, and a giant chorus and is a song about sleep deprivation. There’s also a song called "Land" I used to love which tackles the ongoing and developing differences between people in the U.S. and in Europe and South America. You’re gonna have to wait to hear the others.

You have featured with some notable bands like Anthrax and Armored Saint. How
does this project compare to them? 

Well, it’s comparable by being heavy metal. That being said it’s different people and that means different styles, and different approaches to writing. Different backgrounds. 

Do you feel you had to alter your singing stance in any way for this release? 

My main goal is to try and do things I’ve never done before. Not repeat things. Melodies, lyrics. My voice is my voice. I wish I could be like Mike Patton and be able to change it in crazy ways but I’m not quite that talented.

What was the writing process behind the album like? 

Mike would send me musical ideas. I would come up with melodies and write lyrics to it. I would do a demo and send it back to him. It’s how a lot of bands with members who live in different cities do it these days. 

Mike Orlando recorded this at Sonic Stomp Studios. Orlando is a former guitarist
with Adrenaline Mob and currently with Category 7 What can you tell me about the recording process, and what is it like to have a fellow bandmate behind the
recording desk? 

We ended up keeping a lot of the original demo vocals I did. However, I did go to Staten Island where Mike lives and touched up some vocals and re-sang some parts. Mike is an awesome engineer and has an incredible studio in the basement of his parent’s house where he grew up. We got to know each other cause we had never met prior to this. It was a very similar situation that I had with Joey Vera in Saint.

What can you tell me about signing with Metal Blade Records with Category 7? What do you perceive the future holds with the label for the band? 

Signing with MB was a no-brainer for me. That’s where Armored Saint lives and my relationship with Brian & Tracy is family. I believe in them and the staff there worldwide and know I’m in good hands. 

And finally, do you plan on going on tour with Category 7? 

We certainly would like to play some live shows. We’ve never played together live which is kind of strange and funny. It’s all been in the studio and making videos.