Interviews: LOCKJAW

We have had the opportunity to interview the Metal band LOCKJAW from the USA. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that?

I actually joined Lockjaw in 2004, a few years after it was already established. I don’t know the actual backstory on how they came up with the name, but knowing the founding members Jason Morris and Jeff Ogle, they definitely probably had a crazy night to come up with it.

2.Why did you want to play this genre?

My parents were very young when they had me in the early 80s, so as I was growing up, they were listening to bands like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Journey, Metallica, etc., and that style of music really grabbed me. I was always into the heavier types of metal back then, like Metallica, Pantera, Slayer, Anthrax, etc., and over the years, the music started getting heavier, but with melodies and what not that really caught my attention and I started listening to bands like Killswitch Engage, All that Remains, As I lay Dying, Parkway Drive, to name a few.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

I did not know any of the guys at the time that the band was formed. I actually met them when I was in another band called Legion, where we put on a show together with them called Halloween Hellfest at Benbrook Lake in Fort Worth, Tx. I was around 16 or 17 when this show happened, so I was definitely younger than these guys. We hit it off well from the get-go, so we have been friends ever since. 

4. Each band member's favorite band?

As I lay Dying-Scott

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Of course, my musical influences play a huge part in that. If it wasn’t for the style of music that they put out, the direction might be all over the place. Jeff and I have worked well together since I joined the band in 2004, and that helps a lot when we are writing songs because we can feed off of each other and be very creative.

6. Where was your last gig?

Our last show was back in October of 2019 at a place called Three Links in Dallas with our friends Bury Your Dead, whom we have played a few shows with. We started writing new music pretty shortly after that show, then Covid hit putting a stop to any shows we were wanting to play the last few years. We decided just to keep writing as many songs as possible so when Covid started to die off, we would be ready for a whole new catalog of music. 

7. Where would you like to act?

I would love to be able to play some of the huge festivals over in Europe that many of my favorite bands have played at. Seeing how many people they get to play in front of is amazing! Would definitely be a check off on the bucket list.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

I would love to play with any of my favorite bands mentioned earlier, but I think if we were to be able to play with Metallica, that would be life changing!

9. Whom not?

I honestly would play with anyone as long as everyone got along and there were no egos, but that is impossible sometimes.

10. Any of you has ever suffered from stage fright? Any tip for beginners on how to beat that?

I actually still have stage fright, but definitely not as bad as it used to be. That’s just one of those things that always sticks with you because you are worried about messing up or someone not liking what you are playing.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Metallica, Pantera, As I Lay Dying, Parkway Drive, Bullet for My Valentine, Killswitch Engage.

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

My signature on her ass cheek so that she could go get it tattooed. She was completely wasted so not sure that she ever went to get it.

13. What do you think of your fans?

I love them! If we didn’t have fans, there would really be no point in doing this. Fans are what drives bands like us to keep writing music after seeing what reactions we get from the songs being released.

14. What do you think of our site?

I think it’s awesome! We really appreciate people like you giving us the opportunity to put ourselves out there!

15. Something to add?

We just want to think everyone who has been listening and supporting us over the last 20 years, and are very grateful for the new listeners and supporters who have given us a chance to blast through their speakers!