Lajon: Morgan put this band together; we were all in other bands. Like I had this band called "Body & Soul" on the scene, eighteen years old, fresh. We were opening up for other bands. And Morgan broke us all up and let’s just have a bunch of guys that all hang out. We weren’t even looking for a record deal. We were basically at the wrong place at the right time. The label that gave us the deal, TVT, were actually looking for a strip club…it’s been a beautiful story ever since.

VOX: Where did the name Sevendust come from?

Lajon: Well we used to be called Crawlspace. A cat here from LA, California called us up and said, ‘Hey I got fourteen albums out and I’m an acoustic guitar player and my name is Crawlspace.' He said, ‘ You don’t have enough money to buy it [the name] from me.’ So it was a real stressful situation for us. Our album was about to be printed and our bass player Vinny came in and said he brainstormed. Everyone was thinking of names from "Hurt Circle" to "Pop…" just everything that you can imagine! And, Sevendust really stuck. And I really feel since the building of this band, seven has been a heavenly and good luck number. It’s something that has molded and changed our lives. So I am standing behind it…plus I feel that we were all created from dust from the beginning so it’s a beautiful thing that it stands for now.

VOX: So it has biblical meaning to it…

Lajon: Yeah that's right. Me and my mom talk about that! A lot of guys think it's 'cause I smoke weed, but me and mom talk about that in biblical terms!

VOX: What was the Atlanta scene like for you guys starting out?

Lajon: I always felt there wasn’t a lot of unity in Atlanta. Even more so now. Cause Atlanta wasn’t one of those towns that gets behind a local scene. You know it’s the Black Crowes, REM, Collective Soul. You know, ‘It our team.’ So a place like Seattle that took on a movement, that shows more unity. But it was a pleasure to grow up in Atlanta 'cause we got to meet people like LaFace and the R&B scene. There’s so much music there. As far for the local scene there’s not much of it. For Sevendust, I feel at the level that we are we can help those people and make that unity happen now.

VOX: What do you think of LA?

Lajon: LA has always been strange but it’s really cool. Everyone knows a star. The shows are always different here cause they’re might not be any kids, just industry people! It’s a beautiful place here, lots of energy, a magical place.

VOX: You guys have been compared to other groups…

Lajon: Like who?

VOX: Corey Glover's old band, Living Colour…

Lajon: Is it cause we have a black guy?

VOX: Uh...no, because you have similar voices…

Lajon: [Laughs] That’s a compliment man, you know I have met Corey a couple of times and I love him. Thank you very much, that’s the utmost compliment.

VOX: So you don't mind the comparisons?

Lajon: We never thought we’d be selling albums and being successful, if that’s what you want to call it. So to compare us to anyone in the music biz, who has been in the public eye wow, what more can you ask for

VOX: Where do you see rock music heading?

Lajon: You know what I think about our genre of music, it has always been there and it has never not been there. It can’t be ignored right now. You have Fred Durst, he’s great. You have the Oz Festival, to the Warped Tour, where they are not afraid to have Pennywise, to Sevendust to Eminem. And you just have this movement of rock, and different things blending together. It’s always been there but you can’t ignore it now. Cause you have MTV and all these other guys that are making this stuff more accessible. Now the kids, who before wouldn’t be able to see guys like us and now they can see us. Something you can’t ignore.

VOX: "Bitch" is a great song, with lots of connotations…

Lajon: Thank you. I can tell you a lot about this song. The song "Bitch" – is about a female woman – but I can call anyone that. A man can be a bitch, but whatever. It was a roommate situation, and I felt this person stole my friend's soul. And I yelled at her once from the top of the stairs and said, "You bitch!" And she said, "What did you called me." And I said, "Bitch." I never really use that word. And I just wrote the song that day. And now I look back and see how this was so negative and it has grown into something so positive now. I look at it like a learning experience and I’m like thank you. Everyone around the world sings that song cause of [her] negativity and it turned into something beautiful.

VOX: What’s the creative process like with Sevendust?

Lajon: Well it depends. Sevendust to get our magic, we have to be off the road, in a secluded place; where we don’t have to worry about the outside stuff cause the main focus is the music. We light the candles. You know the House of Blues would be a great place to record our next album. The energy, the vibe – it’s all about the vibe.

VOX: What can we expect from Sevendust live?

Lajon: Soul, energy…A bunch of guys breaking their necks to make sure they give the best show they possibly can. You never know how long it will last; it’s been such a beautiful experience to tour the world. People listen to your music and appreciate you as a musician. Not the guy that used to work at Felini's pizza or Merry-Go-Round clothing.

VOX: Thanks for your time…