Crosson: 'Ideas can come from anywhere.'

It's my pleasure to have this interview for Crosson! What are your feelings about your latest studio album, "Rock n' Roll Love Affair"? Did the album have the success you were expecting?

'Thank you for the invitation and thank you for your kind words.

After the predecessor of Rock 'n Roll Love Affair (2018's Invincible) and the huge response it got, we knew our next album had to be better. Both in terms of songwriting and production, so there was pressure to pull it off. I really believe we did. The songs were stronger, the videos more compelling, and the production was taken to a new level. The album received excellent reviews all around the world: "10/10" (Metal Temple) "5/5" (Battle Helm) to name a few.'

You've also released the live album CROSSON "Live at the Orpheum". What was your motivation for this album? How did the album do? Are you satisfied with the final result and the fans' response?

'We had released 3 studio albums, one every 2 years since 2016 ( Spreading The Rock N Roll Disease, Invincible and Rock N Roll Love Affair) and we wanted to put something out in 2021. An Australian promoter told us "Guys, you need some live material." Always taking things to extremes, instead of filming one or two songs, we decided to film an entire show and release it as a BluRay / CD box set. We'll be releasing a new album this year and a new stage show will follow along with it. So Live At The Orpheum captures a period in the band's history that we might never revisit.'

'When we got booked to play at the Orpheum Theater we found out it had a massive projector screen behind us. So we were able to use it to present our multimedia show.'

'We had 6 cameras and captured the live footage straight from the console. Then the film was edited and the music was mixed by Lord Tim (of Lord) who did an amazing job. The band was super tight, the girls were fabulous as always, and we fed off the electricity coming from the crowd.

Nothing beats the live, in-person experience of being in the crowd, however, "Live At The Orpheum" is definitely the next best thing to being at a live Crossonshow. The album received excellent reviews all around the world, which left us very pleased.'

Why did you choose to cover Queen and ABBA songs on the live album "Live at the Orpheum" instead of covering one of the many classic glam bands?

'Great question. People have told me so many times "You should do a Motley Crue or KISS cover," but that would be way too predictable. Everyone knows "We Will Rock You," but not everyone knows the fast, heavy version. By the time we get to the chorus, the whole theater is singing. Money Money Money, on the other hand, is a song everyone knows and loves, but you wouldn't expect to hear it at a rock concert. It's also a highlight of the show when the girls come out in red 1920s flapper outfits.'

What's the story of Crosson so far? Let's introduce the band to the readers, from the very first rehearsals up to now.

'There's almost 20 years of history to cover in this question and it would take a whole book to fit it all in. That said, right now we have a producer putting together a documentary on the band's history that will cover the whole story of the group.'

'After years of writing songs, recording demos and playing live to literally tiny crowds, our first album came out in 2004. Still, it took years of trial and error to bring our sound, image and stage show up to the level it's at today. It was only when our album "Spreading The Rock N Roll Disease" came out in 2016, where we brought in Duane Baron (Motley Crue, Poison, Alice Cooper etc.) as our sound engineer, that we started getting recognized internationally.'

With every album released since then, our profile keeps growing with the help of our great promo team.

'At the end of the day, it's important to do something you're passionate about and do it as well as you possibly can. In the years to come, I want to look back at what we've created and be able to hold my head up high knowing I did my best.'

As for today, the current lineup of Crosson is:

• Jason Crosson – Vocals / Guitar
• Libby Thirsk – Choreography / Backing vocals
• Olivia Scanlan – Choreography / Backing vocals
• Marco Rado – Lead & Rhythm Guitar
• Kyle Barr – Drums
• Jack Barret – Bass

Some say glam is a retro musical offshoot. What would you say to that?

'In the '80s, this kind of music was mainstream with bands like Bon Jovi, Poison, Motley Crue etc. selling millions of records. Many of those bands are bigger today than they were in their heyday and keep playing arenas all around the world. The music that teenagers listened to in the '80s has passed down to their kids, who keep the music and the genre alive.

I know my own kids can recite songs by Dokken, KISS, and Skid Row word for word. There's also a new wave of bands like Crazy Lixx, H.E.A.T, Eclipse, Kissin' Dynamite etc., who deliver catchy, melodic rock songs and are the next generation of glam rock warriors.'

What makes Crosson's glam rock stand out? What sets you apart from other glam bands?

'First of all, Crosson definitely doesn't look like any other band. I don't know of any rock band that has two dancers front and center on stage performing choreography. Not to mention the band itself puts on a theatrical performance from start to finish of the show. As for the music, our goal is to deliver exciting rock songs. Songs you can sing along to that get stuck in your head and won't leave.'

Which bands have influenced Crosson?

'Well, my first love as a little kid was ABBA, and to this day, when I write songs, I'll try to add contrasting melodies like Benny and Bjorn.

That said, if KISS hadn't existed, then Crosson definitely wouldn't exist either. Crosson. At the end of the day, I'm an '80s rock kid. As such, I've been influenced by a whole bunch of '80s bands like Motley Crue, Scorpions, Def Leppard, Dokken, Iron Maiden, Dio, Stryper, Vandenberg, Cheap Trick, Ozzy, Poison, WASP (and the list goes on!!!)'

How is Crosson doing so far in Australia in terms of popularity and sales? Is it perhaps time to conquer the rest of the world too? Are there any plans for a European or worldwide tour? And by the way, do you prefer touring or playing live in small venues?

'Actually we get more press and coverage and sell more CDs in Europe than in Australia. That said, more and more people are starting to come out to our shows and we've managed to land some great support slots.'

'We're waiting for the invitation to come play in Greece and the rest of Europe. Any promoter reading this??!!'

'In terms of a strategy built around growing our profile, I prefer being an opening act and playing to bigger crowds. There, our goal is to win over the headliners' fans. That said, nothing beats the electricity and energy of a small, packed club full of people going completely nuts.'

What does Crosson mean? Why did you choose this name and who created your logo?

'I'm a Greek born in Australia and my last name is Crosson which is a translation of the Greek surname Stavropoulos, meaning "Son of the Cross."

When I was in high school, I designed the logo we use today, although we only started using it in 2018 with the Invincible album.'

'Until then, I wasn't happy with the logo we were using. After digging through some old school stuff, I found a copy of the logo design I made in my senior year of high school and adapted it into what you see today. I guess even back then I knew that one day I'd have a band called CROSSON, even though when I was forming the band and thinking of a name, it was one of the girls who said "You should just name the band Crosson».’

What's your typical songwriting process? What's more important to you: the music, the lyrics, the image or the show?

'Ideas can come from anywhere, anytime. I might be driving my car and an idea will just pop into my head. I'll hit record on my phone and start singing something. I'm sure the people in the other cars think I'm crazy.'

'Other times I might be at the piano or guitar in the studio and think of something and start from there.

I usually start working on an album 2 years in advance. In about a month or so, I'll start writing for a 2024 release and I'll start locking myself in the studio at night for a good chunk of the next 12 months.'

'Music is perhaps the most important element and you really need to have great songs. A band with a great image and terrible songs is just a band with crappy songs!!

Image and stage show matter, but they're just the visuals on top of the soundtrack.'

When can we expect a new Crosson album and what will it be like?

'We just finished recording the new album, which is currently being mixed in the US by Duane Baron. The album will be titled "Ready Aim Rock" and will come out around mid to late 2022. The first weekend of May we'll be shooting the music videos for the album and right now we're in pre-production.'

'"Ready Aim Rock" is a huge leap forward in songwriting and production. We'll still have CROSSON's catchy rock anthems, but on a few tracks I've dug deeper into my love for Jim Steinman's (Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler) songwriting style, so you can expect a few epic tracks in that vein as well.'

Thank you so much for the interview! We love Crosson and we hope to see you live in Greece soon! Wrap up the interview with your contact info and ways to order your merch, plus anything you'd like to say to your Greek fans.

'Thank you for the invitation. As a Greek born in Australia, Greece holds a very special place in my heart and we can't wait to come to the motherland in the near future and see you all!!'