Sticky-sweet pop-rock, with a twist of that southern/arena rock sound, Another Big Machine is the hottest band to come out of the south since Vertical Horizon. With their self-titled album slated for a summer release, the boys are geared up and ready to go.We were able to catch up with Justin McCoy, the band’s charismatic vocalist. He was forced to answer the questions against his will, and only agreed to do the interview because we chased him down the street for about 5-10 blocks…. This of course never happened, but Justin really did agree to do the interview amicably, here’s what he had to say:
CWG: Musically, who are your influences?
I have always been influenced by people who think and continue to think outside the box.
A few of the many are- the Beatles, Third Eye Blind, Counting Crows, Blind Melon, and Modest Mouse.
CWG: How did you land that sweet deal with Rising Storm?
Our previous manager knew Bill Richardson, the CEO of Rising Storm and introduced him to ABM. Bill really liked the project and was interested in being a part of it. We had a few meetings and talked about the future of ABM. Once the deal was on the table, Bill offered ABM an opportunity we could not pass up.
CWG: What would you be doing if you weren't in Another Big Machine?
I would be playing as much music as possible. Music is my life and I would continue to make a career playing music no matter what happened.
CWG: You all witnessed the devastation of Hurricane Katrina first-hand.
What was it like to go through a large-scale disaster like that as a band?
It's mind blowing. New Orleans is one of the greatest cities in the world. There is so much culture and vibe in that city. When a place like that suffers such a disaster, it's upsetting. It weighed on our minds for a while but I think things are slowly getting back to normal.
CWG: What's the craziest thing that's happened to you on the road, or as your bio calls it "Touring the Redneck Riviera?"
We stayed in a band house on the beach in Florida one time.
Another band was sharing the house with us and they were a bit crazy. The last night we were there these guys decided to wreck the place! It was really crazy.
CWG: You guys have been together since high school, do you ever get on each other's nerves?
Not much. We all understand each other and we all know what buttons not to push. When you're around the same group of guys all the time, you learn how to keep things civil.
CWG: Who in the band is the most competitive/sorest loser?
No one in the band has that role. We see each other as equal partners in ABM. We are a unit and if one fails, we all fail. If one succeeds, we all succeed.
