Out Of The Cellar: Jordan interviews Warrant and Black N' Blue singer Jaime St. James
Warrant in 2007: Erik Turner, Jerry Dixon, Jaime St. James, Joey Allen, Steven Sweet
This month I interviewed the lead singer from one of my favourite early 80s L.A. bands; Mr. Jaime St. James of Black N' Blue. Although it's probably his work with BNB he's most famous for followers of The Saint (as he likes to be called) will also know he's currently the man behind Warrant's microphone. KISS fans might also get a kick out of this interview cuz as you'll know ex-Black N' Blue guitarist Tommy Thayer is currently in the band and you bet I asked Jaime all about him and the projects they've taken on together since BNB. I won't say anything else except that if you've never heard Black N' Blue and want to explore the roots of Glam Metal they're about the best of the early '80s Los Angeles bands. Basically if you "want it all and you want it now" read the interview and then buy the self titled debut album and Nasty Nasty!
Jordan: So first off, you’ve just got back from touring with Warrant. Do you feel that you’re accepted by diehard fans of the band as the new vocalist?
Jamie St. James: Yes it's going really well at this point. I have been in the band for 3 years now and as long as I give it my all the older Warrant fans love me. I'm feeling very comfortable with the set these days.
Jordan: As Warrant vocalist do you play any Black N’ Blue songs?
Jamie: Yes we do "Hold On To 18" but for 2007 I think we might work up a new one!
Jordan: Black N’ Blue were one of the first ever Los Angeles based bands of the 1980s to get signed, did you feel at the time that the scene was going to take off in the way it did?
Jamie: Yeah I knew something was happening. Motley Crue was the biggest band in town at that time and I just knew they were gonna break big. I thought we had a good chance since we were packing them in at all the LA clubs and we were signed to Geffen just after Motley and Quiet Riot were signed to their labels.
Jordan: Just before this, and possibly the reason you were signed is the demo you recorded produced by Don Dokken and Michael Wagener, how was it working with those two and what songs were on the demo?
Jamie: Don saw us play live and thought we were great. He brought Micheal Wagener in and we did a demo. That , along with our live performances got us signed. Songs were "Violent Kid" "Hold On To 18" "Wicked Bitch" Sign in Blood"
Jordan: In the early days of Black N’ Blue you managed to go out on tour supporting Aerosmith at their most out of control and hectic time? What can you tell us about this tour?
Jamie: They were great even though they were still getting high. Steven had all the lyrics taped down on the stage and he got pretty wasted but still he was fucking great!
Jordan: You and Tommy Thayer have an extensive history together now he’s in one of the biggest bands in the world; KISS, do you still keep in touch with him?
Jamie: I see and talk to him all the time. We are best friends and we live by each other. I just went to his wedding and hung out with Gene for a while and said "hello" to Paul.
Jordan: During the 90s you and Tommy along with Chris McLearnon played in a KISS tribute band called Cold Gin in which you played Peter Criss. Why would accomplished musicians want to play in a tribute band?
Jamie: We did it for fun. We didn't know it would take off like it did. We toured America and Japan. You have to remember that there were not very many tribute bands back then and KISS was not wearing the make up. We knew we would not want to do it forever, we just had some fun.
Jordan: Okay back to Warrant, you’re obviously very proud of the album Born Again you’ve written and recorded with the band but do you apply the same methods to writing and recorded now as you did in the 1980s with Black N’ Blue?
Jamie: I only wrote or co-wrote half of the songs on Born Again. In Black N' Blue I had a hand in every song. It's fun writing with these guys and we are already writing for the next one! Today it's different with pro-tools and computers. We send ideas via the internet and work them out that way.
Jordan: Freight Train Jane was your band after the split of Black N’ Blue. At the time it must’ve been quite frustrating that it didn’t get hardly any recognition. Is this the reason it was such a short lived outfit?
Jamie: The band was good but the time was wrong. It was 1994 and Grunge ruled the earth.
Jordan: That just about wraps it up thanks for your time Jaime, keep on rockin’! Just one more question… Is there any news on Black N’ Blue, reunion tours, new material, old concert footage, anything at all?
Jamie: I want to finish the new studio CD "Hell Yeah" and that might happen this year. If we do a short reunion tour might happen... ya never know!!
For more information on Jamie St. James and Warrant check outWarrantweb.net and Warrant on Myspace.
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