-Your latest album did well in the Billboard Charts. Were you pleased with the reception to that album?
Stevie: Absolutely. Black Butterfly and All Night Long debuted in the Top 10. All these albums...every year we release something, it seems like the market place changes drastically.

For it to do what it did, and what it's doing now...like I said, we're really lucky to get to do what we do. Especially with the style of music, and the way record sales are right now.

Xavier: Most of the places we play, like we just did South America for the first time, and down there there's no record sales. There's no MTV, no VH1, there's nothing.

There's literally only the net. When we went down there and played there were thousands of people singing along. So, you have to go...ok, it has an advantage. For them to sing a song off the record we just did is pretty awesome.

-There is a trend with album sales declining. Is that much of a problem for this band?
Stevie: Well, with most rock bands, the whole thing is based on touring and merchandise. Of course, we would like to keep selling millions of records. We've already gone platinum, and that, even for rock bands, has diminished.
Xavier: I think everybody feels it. The only way for us to really get out there is to get out there.

-Is there a bigger emphasis on touring, then?
Stevie: Yeah, but that's always been there.

-Has work started on All Night Long's follow-up yet?
Stevie: We're taking a break around September. We're going to do a few dates from there, but that's when we start the writing process.

We have a studio at Keith's place called the Bastard Ranch and that's where we get all the work done. That's where the magic happens.

Xavier: We need a little break so Stevie and Jimmy could get together and write some stuff and rehearse some songs. We're not the kind of band that writes on the road. We get in a room together and bash some stuff out, and see what happens.

-So, it's more of a cycle rather than touring and writing?
Stevie: Yeah. Well, there's a little bit of it but it's usually touring, go home, start the writing, record, release, start touring again.

-Does that make it easier, being able to go home in between tours rather than constantly being on the road?
Stevie: Yeah, but it does feel like, for the past few years, that it's been non-stop working. I mean, even though we might not be out there we're still working all the time.
Xavier: We're still in the studio at noonish, we work until 6 or 7. We go home, be with the family, get up and do it again the next day.

We've been consistently non-stop since August '05. We've written, we've recorded, we've tour. We went back, we wrote, recorded, toured. It's been a crazy seven years!

-What are your plans for the remainder of the year then?
Stevie: We're going to finish up touring. Actually, when we get back from Europe we're going to be doing some Stateside touring with Papa Roach.

We take a break from that and do some recording. We should have a new release by April or May next year. That's what I was told to say!

Xavier: That's the plan so far, but things are subject to change.

-To round off, what final message can you give to our readers at Female First?
Stevie: Thanks for reading this.
Xavier: Check the music out, we think you'll dig it. It's why we're here.
Stevie: Be kind to others!

Female First - Alistair McGeorge

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