Hailing from Kansas City, Missouri, singer-songwriter Sebastian James proudly crafts “feel good music.”
The KC native’s latest offering, “American Made,” taken from his soon-to-be released solo LP, Old School Cool [Tungsten Records], mastered by Grammy Award winning engineer Dave Collins [Black Sabbath, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, Metallica], is only a small glimpse of what all the future actually holds for this superstar…still in the making.
First things first, let’s hop into this lead single / video, “American Made” — Tell me about this particular track; how did it come to fruition?
This was maybe the third or fourth song into the record. It was a title I had been kicking around for quite some time, but it finally just came to me one day. The verses came quickly, but I got stuck on the chorus for a while. I was actually out running during a family trip to Disney World when what ended up being the final chorus popped into my head.
Of course “American Made” comes courtesy of your forthcoming LP, Old School Cool — Conceptually, what does this title represent both to and for you?
Old School Cool is really just a reflection of what I strive to be as an artist. I’ve been told quite often that I am an old soul, so it kind of stems from that in a way. I feel like the quality of things back in the ‘70’s and prior was much greater than it is today, whether it is music, cars, or just the quality of life that people were living.
…Ironically, this idea came on the same trip I mentioned above to Disney World. My dad, son, and I just got off Space Mountain, which is one of their classic rides, although it is not quite as thrilling as some of the newer coasters. As we were exiting the ride, I looked over to them and said, “man, that isn’t Tron, but it’s still got that old school cool factor.” We all kind of looked at each other and were like, “man, that should be the name of a song, and possibly the record.”
When you sit down to pen your lyrics, where do you draw inspiration from?
I write directly from the life I have lived and what I have witnessed those around me going through over the years. Most of these songs are about my life experiences in one way or another, or they are about those close to me, like the track, “Tennessee,” which is based on my Grandpa Clete’s journey through life, but told in first person.
Tell me your whole inception into music -- When did you first become interested in it? And, how did it all begin for Sebastian James?
As a young kid, it was all about sports and motorcycles for me. Both of those are still very prevalent in my life to this day; however, at about 12 years I really got the itch to start performing so I picked up a set of drumsticks. I was a drummer full-time from then until about 20 or so when I stopped touring with Nigel Dupree. After that, I knew that I wanted to be out front so I started honing my skills as a singer and frontman. I sang a lot in the club and quickly started my group, The Rock Gods, where I was fronting full-time. During that time, I started to write the lyrics and storylines for some of the material that would eventually make it onto this record. The game changer though was a conversation that I had with my partner Ryan at Tungsten Records. Though the label didn’t exist at the time, he really was the one that pushed and encouraged me to make this project happen.
Now you’re from Kansas City, MO, correct? So growing up in KC, who all did / do you consider to be your strongest musical influences?
That is correct! I would say the strongest influence in the area was my dad, which is probably true for a lot of the up-and-coming singers over the last 20 years or so from here. Of course I always loved the ‘80’s guys like Sebastian Bach, who is my namesake, and one of my early idols as a singer. More recently though, I really got into everything from the Eagles and took a lot from Don Henley specifically…besides him, I really only listened to Billy Squier during the writing of this record. Not sure why exactly, but those two guys constantly kept giving me ideas for songs and melodies.
In having said that, how do you classify your overall sound and / or style?
Well, it’s Old School Cool really. It’s definitely reminiscent of the guys above in aspects, but also pulls a lot from groups like The Black Crowes, Aerosmith, Kid Rock, and many other southern rock groups as well.
Switching gears here, what exactly do you want people to get from your music?
I hope they are able to take them to heart and walk away with some-thing that they can grab onto throughout this roller coaster ride that is life.
If you could collaborate with any one artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?
Man, I don’t know how it would even work, but I would love to collaborate with Eminem. I know people probably wouldn’t expect that, but in third grade I took my Best Buy gift cards up to the store and bought two records, The Marshall Mathers LP and Kiss’s Double Platinum. I still have both and would bet that to this day, Eminem is still my most listened to artist. One line from him can inspire an entire song.
If you could play any venue in the world, which one would you choose and why?
I would love to play Arrowhead Stadium. That’s probably the Holy Grail to me. As a lifelong Kansas Citian and Chiefs Season Tickets holder, that place has always felt like home to me.
On a more serious note, are you happy with the current state of music?
I can’t say that I am, but I try to be positive. All I can control is my music. That being said, I do love it when guys like Eminem take the time to call out some of the songs and artists that somehow make it onto the radio today.
What do you feel has (thus far) and will continue to be the key to your longevity?
To me, it’s all about being active. I love running, biking, and lifting weights. That is what not only keeps my mind right, but what keeps my cardiovascular system and ultimately my voice at the level needed to sing my songs and perform in the fashion that I do.
Do you have any other outside / additional (future) aspirations, maybe even completely away from music?
Most people don’t know, but I was able to obtain my MBA back in 2018, so I like to utilize that as much as I can. At the end of the day, it’s just a piece of paper but it’s what I’m able to do with the knowledge that I acquired in going to school. That being said, I am an entrepreneur at heart so plan to continue starting many new businesses over the years. I think a rock ‘n’ roll diner could be fun sometime.
To date, what has been your biggest career moment(s), at least thus far anyway?
As a drummer, probably playing at the Full Throttle Saloon during the height of that television show. As a 19-year-old kid that was pretty epic.
…As a singer, probably playing at Sandstone Amphitheater in my hometown of Kansas City [currently called Azura]. It’s about an 18,000 cap outdoor venue so hearing people sing back to you in that capacity is something you will remember forever. It’s truly electrifying.
What’s an average day like for you?
During the week I work remotely for an architecture firm so that takes up most of my mornings and afternoons. Once I’m off, I usually try to get in a run and play with the kids as much as possible. During the course of recording this record, I have pretty much just been singing and writing every night after the kids go to bed and then wake up the next day to do it all again. We have confined all of the events typically to Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays so on those days it’s all about the live events.
Please discuss how you interact with and respond to fans...
I love them all! You can ask anyone who knows me, I am the first one at a venue, shaking hands, and the last one at the merch booth, taking photos and listening to stories. They are the ones taking time out of their days and money out of their pocketbooks to support my dream and that is worth more than anything to me.
What is your favorite part about this line of work? Your least favorite? And, why?
My favorite part is from the second I walk onto the stage up until the second I leave the merch booth. Everything else is business.
…My least favorite part is just having to deal with and operate inside of an industry that has been run so incorrectly for most of the last half of the century. As someone who specializes in business and operations, it is tough to accept the way things are so I find myself trying (to) knock down some of the walls and overcome the daily obstacles that musicians, specifically independent artists face daily.
What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
I have given the same advice for about a decade now. Always have a back up plan. I literally finalized my coursework in the back of the van while on tour playing some of the biggest shows of my life and I am glad I did. Look at what happened to the industry during Covid or similarly during recessions. Think about that and then add children and responsibilities into the mix and you will always thank me later. Aside from that, I encourage artists to capitalize on playing covers. Don’t be too cool. It is beneficial both financial and to your skills as an artist and performer.
Looking ahead, say five or maybe even ten years from now, where do you see yourself?
I see myself putting out my third or fourth record. I hope to be mentoring up-and-coming artists and running a variety of different businesses. Most importantly, I hope that I have as much free time as possible to spend with my children.
As for the immediate, what's next for you, Sebastian?
We’ve got the next single releasing (soon). It is probably the best track on the record and has the most crossover potential so I’m very excited to see what comes of it. We have a pretty big campaign prepared around that. The song is called “When We Were Young.”
Is there anything I left out or just plain forgot to mention?
I think we hit everything!
Lastly, any “parting” words for our readers?
I just want to say thank you to the outlet for thinking of me and also to the fans. If you find your calling, spend as much time and effort as possible chasing it. But don’t forget, always have a Plan B.
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