STUCK MOJO Guitarist: New Album Will Be 'Risky, Honest, But 100% MOJO'

STUCK MOJO guitarist Rich Ward has defended the band's decision to utilize several guest guest vocalists — including female singer Christie Cook (MySpace.com page) — on the band's upcoming CD, which is currently being recorded at Backstage Studios in Derbyshire, U.K. with producer Andy Sneap (NEVERMORE, ARCH ENEMY, MACHINE HEAD, EXODUS).

In a posting on Ward's official forum, a fan by the name of "Z.A.C." questioned the logic in using Cook's vocals on the CD, writing, "She's not bad or anything but on a MOJO record? Why? MOJO's not LACUNA COIL or EVANESCENCE or whoever, SEETHER with Amy Lee. I really am having a hard time seeing the point."

A short time later, Ward responded with the following: "You may hate this record! It is the best vocal performance of Bonz' life, it's the best songwriting of any of the previous records and it's shaping up to be the best-sounding as well. The fact is that ALL of us in the band LOVE this record and we hope that you will too. But.... some of the tracks are a departure and take the risk of making some MOJO fans ask WHY? Anyone who has followed us through the 17 years that we have been making music, has seen us start off as a funk rock band and then spend each album experimenting. With every record we release, someone always liked the last one we did better. That's the risk any musician takes by trying to evolve, always moving, so as to not have moss grow on you. Think about the huge changes from 'Snappin' Necks' to 'Pigwalk' to 'Rising', then to 'Declaration of a Headhunter'. All tremendously different albums, but all MOJO albums. 'Southern Born Killers' will be no different. Risky, honest, but 100% MOJO.

"Christie Cook has an amazing voice and her parts I wrote specifically for her. I always had Donnie [Hamby, DOUBLEDRIVE] sing on our albums because I'm a fan of his. The same goes for Christie. She is brilliant on the record, it may not be your cup of tea, but nonetheless brilliant. My hope is that you and every MOJO fan will like the record, but you and many others may not. Remember that in ten or twenty years, you and I may not be pals, but I will still look back of the record I made in 2006, as a statement of who I was at that moment. That's why they call them records. With us, what you see is what you get. Hopefully, that's why you're here. No fad jumping, no fashion show, no wannabees, no get rich quick bandwagon jumping. You get our record, the one WE, STUCK MOJO, wanted to make."

Joining Ward and rapper/frontman Bonz in STUCK MOJO's current lineup are FOZZY/DUKE bassist Sean Delson and the band's latest addition, drummer Eric Sanders.

"Southern Born Killers" projected track listing (in no particular order):

01. I'm Back
02. Southern Born Killers
03. Metal Is Dead
04. Born For This Moment
05. Friends
06. The Sky Is Falling
07. That's When I Burn
08. The Fear Is All Around Me
09. Open Season
10. In My Mind
11. Home
12. Invincible
13. Rhythm and Bullshit

Upcoming STUCK MOJO shows:

Apr. 15 - Columbus, GA @ The Loft
Apr. 21 - Macon, GA @ Paradise Bar and Grill
May 04 - Bradenton, FL @ Rockerfeller's
May 05 - Lakeland, FL @ Lillian's Music Store
May 06 - Jacksonville, FL @ Jack Rabbits
May 07 - New Port Richey, FL @ Bourbon Street
May 19 - Jonesboro, GA @ Breakers Music Hall
Jun. 02 - Spartanburg, SC @ Ground Zero
Jun. 03 - Charlotte, NC @ Tremont Music Hall
Jun. 04 - Winston Salem, NC @ Ziggy's
Jun. 05 - Raleigh, NC @ The Brewery
Jun. 06 - Charleston, SC @ The Pour House
Jun. 08 - Columbia, SC @ Headliners
Jun. 09 - Fayetteville, NC @ Jester's Pub