by Kenneth Morton

Stuck Mojo from Atlanta, GA has been on the forefront of the rap rock and metal movement since their inception in 1989, and continue to release compelling and innovative albums to this day. The Great Revival is their sixth studio recording to date, now available through the fine folks at Napalm Records. We recently interviewed vocalist Lord Nelson to catch up with the latest happenings of the mighty Mojo??

How did you wind up meeting Rich Ward and becoming a member of Stuck Mojo? Had you heard of the band from before?
I was introduced to the Duke by my good friend Bonz back when Pigwalk was released. I attended a show at Rockafellas in Columbia, South Carolina and I was blown away. At that time I let Bonz know that if they ever needed an M.C. for any reason to keep me in mind. A few years later I was blessed with that phone call that changed my life. I was asked by Bonz to do some guest work for the band. I said just tell me when and where and I was on my way to Atlanta. I followed them religiously after Pigwalk.

How well did you know the previous singer Bonz?
Bonz and I attended school together. We actually graduated together.

Were you involved with any other bands prior to Stuck Mojo?
Yes, a local group called 1st Platoon. We had a small amount of success.

Describe the first live show you did as the frontman for Stuck Mojo and what was going on through your mind?
The first show was awesome! It was in Macon, GA and we were received with open arms. That entire day I rehearsed in my mind over and over again each and every song of the set. I was so anxious to get on stage and get the first one under my belt. It was amazing that before the show I met this cat named Jeff Porter, his sister and two more of their friends. They asked ?Are you Lord Nelson?? I said ?Yes I am.? They then approached me and gave me nothing but love. They told me they had driven from Ohio to see the show. I was humbled by their support of Stuck Mojo. They welcomed me to the band unconditionally. I will never forget that moment. When we hit that stage it was such a rush, this was a whole new vibe for me and I loved it. It was also so beautiful to see my family and friends right up front enjoying every moment of it. The crowd was great. The feeling was like a family reunion in there.

How does The Great Revival compare to the previous Stuck Mojo releases?
The Great Revival is a great album to us. It is not as hard or in your face as previous releases but it still rocks. We wanted to give the Stuck Mojo family out there an album that was metal enough to bang heads to and mental enough to make you think. We know we succeeded in this. We love this album.

Is there any story or concept behind the CD title?
To me it's a Great Revival of the mind. It's like get yourself together because no one is Promised Tomorrow. Realizing that we have choices, decisions and consequences to deal with. We believe these songs deal with many of the issues each of us go through everyday.

Tell me the ideas behind the lyrics of Superstar Pt 1 & 2.
Superstar 1 and 2 just speak the truth. Simple as that. We write from the heart. Rich and I discussed this while on tour. When you hear us speak about people or situations in these songs, they are actually somebody we know or someone a close friend knows. These songs are truthful and insightful. We all know people like the ones we sing and rap about.

Whose idea was it to cover Take Me Home, Country Roads and what do you think of the original John Denver song?
It was the Dukes idea. Rich wanted to do this song for a while. It really means a lot to him. It also means a lot to me. This song speaks to the love we have for our Mothers. It's from the heart. The original is a great song. I remember singing it in music class when I was a kid. The Duke did an awesome job expressing his viewpoint on this classic.

Is Rich still working with Fozzy and would the two bands ever want to tour together?
Yes, Rich is still working with Fozzy. As far as touring together goes something may be in the works. I think it would be awesome to tour together.

Any chance that we?ll see a Stuck Mojo tour here in the States sometime soon?
Great question Ken. I'm hoping that management and the label work out a fantastic tour here in the U.S. We would love to make it happen. We need to connect with our U.S. family. Show that Southern Pride, so we can keep on Rising.

What CD would someone be very surprised to find in your collection?
Spellbound by Joe Sample. When I want to go to my own private space and time this album relaxes me.

Any messages for fans here in the Los Angeles area?
To all the Stuck Mojo fans old and new in Los Angeles I would like you to know that you are family to us and we appreciate you. I hope that we are able to come your way and rock with you. Thank you for your support. Demand that we come out west and I promise you we will give you a show you won't forget. We! Do! Work! Peace?

STUCK MOJO links

STUCK MOJO: The Official Home Page for STUCK MOJO!
The Highwire Daze Home Page: Return to the Main Page!

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