The “Boom,” In American Bombshell,
a personal interview with Steve Boyle, Jason Carr and Jay Cee
by Jet Pace
April 7, 2018

After getting blasted off Earth by American Bombshell at Slippery Noodle Inn in their hometown of Indy, I landed a table for a stellar interview with members, Jay Cee, Steve Boyles and Jason Carr.

Bit About the Band,

Meet American Bombshell’s Steve Boyles and Andy Nixon Guitar, Jason Carr Drums, Jay Cee Vocals and Dustin Green Bass. Officially formed in 2014, they’ve gained rapid popularity creating REAL live original old school style Rock-n-Roll tunes for crowds dissatisfied with newer and digital sounds. In 2016 American Bombshell devastated 4.000 competing bands at the Grammy Amplifier Contest when celebrity judges chose them as one of three winners.. Ushered out to L.A., they blew the doors off of the world famous Whiskey A Go Go. Wait, … it gets better, while in L..A. they recorded their single My Drug with renowned producer Mike Clink at EastWest studio and opened SXSW at Stubb’s. A Savage twist on Rock-n-Roll, they call out the wild rebel playing to crowds at home in Indiana and throughout the Midwest in Ohio, Chicago, Michigan, Wisconsin as far up as Greenbay and more.

LET’S ROCK

What’s your starting story as a band; did you all just suddenly decide to get together?

Jay Cee: No no … we were all playing in different bands” when this began. It took a few years before we finally came together in 2014.

Were those bands similar and you suddenly decided to leave them to start your own?

Steve Boyles: We pretty much came from three separate metal bands – Jason and I were together in one, Dustin and Andy together in another and Jay Cee in a third. (Each delivering different sounds)

What? … so, how’d you get beyond those different sounds to even decide on playing together?

Jay Cee: Really, it all started with Steve messing around writing his own stuff. He and Jason were getting together as a personal project creating and playing what Steve wrote with no plans to start a band. Later, Steve pulled me in to throw some lyrics on what he and Jason were doing. Dustin was the fourth to join, and finally Andy checked it out and jumped on board to finalize the line-up. When we all got together, the combined energy was great and everything just started to flow.

So there were no lyrics, you weren’t just singing what Steve wrote?

Jay Cee: Jason and Steve had music for a handful of songs, but no lyrics. As the rest of us got on board, we all started to contribute to the music and sound. It was a combined effort. No one was telling anyone what to do. We were all contributing. It was a natural fit.”

So which songs do you play now that were Steve’s originals.

Jay Cee: There are 2 or 3 songs on the album that were mostly finished when we completed the line up, possibly changing a little when lyrics and solos were added, but the rest came from all of us writing as a 5 piece.

And that was okay, nobody had a problem with that?

Jay Cee: Yep. The original ideas of those few songs were what got the rest of us interested in joining. Coming together as a complete band though, the songs became bigger, badder and better. We create with the idea of “If It Rocks, Go With It.

And how do you decide what ROCKS, do you all agree?

Jay Cee: Well, (laughing) it’s weird. We all like different music. We all have totally different influences – Steve likes 80’s Glam, Jason and I like 70’s Rock, Jason and Andy like Norwegian Black Metal, and Dusty likes Extreme Metal – we’re kind of all over the map, but it all filters into what you hear and somehow works. The bottom line is we try to base our sound on old school Rock-n-Roll. There’s a thread that runs through what we do. It all works when we put it together and play off of each other. It’s our wild twist on Rock n Roll.

What’s your message as a band, is there anything you feel deeply about that you express in your music?

Jay Cee: Our mission was basic; to revive Rock-n-Roll. We looked around and noticed that there was a huge group of people like us who weren’t feeling the new digitally produced music out there. It lacks in power and spirit.

Like it doesn’t reach into your soul and move you?

Jay Cee: Exactly, people are starved for real basic Rock-n-Roll but no one is saying anything. Rock Radio is stagnant with the same 40-50 songs they have been playing for over 30 years.

Kinda like having to smile while choking down something nasty, like … great aunt Mildred’s Bourbon pickle custard pie?

Jay Cee: Yeah, … we were like “fuck this … we’re not taking it.” We knew people wanted it but no one was doing it.

You write the lyrics, right? So tell me what inspires you.

Jay Cee: Well, I write about characters or situations that are extreme. I mean look me, I’m all tattooed up and I’ve been through some real shit. To me, Extreme Rebel is the basic feel of R-n-R. Going back years … living on the edge, no responsibility. … that feeling is what inspires me and well, ya know (smiling) … drugs, sex and Rock n Roll.

So you’re into living on the edge, doing whatever you want, whenever to the extreme?

Jay Cee: No, it’s more like … controlled chaos.” I’m not a wild teen anymore, I’m a performer. Music is that release. It’s all in balance with family and priorities. it’s controlled chaos.

That makes sense. It’s obvious you guys are really tight with what you deliver. Clearly you’re not just up there causally throwing it together. You’re all very talented, producing a powerful riveting sound and bold presence. Not one minute of the show lagged. Achieving that takes a lot of effort and commitment.

Steve Boyle: Yes, we’re all about the live show. If you love what you’re doing, then it comes through in your performance. We hear that a lot, people expressing how tight and full of energy our live shows are. We’re a family, on and off stage, and it shines through live.

So really you guys value taking care of your lives way beyond living on the edge?

Jason Carr: It’s a different world now – the days of the Hollywood strip, living in the gutter and climbing out to play shows are long gone. Days of getting a record deal where a label will develop you are long gone. We’re realistic about expectations when it comes to being a band these days. We just keep doing what we do, and people are quickly catching on, so we’ll see where it takes us.

So what songs do you think really move the crowd best?

Steve, Jason and Jay Cee: My Drug produced with Mike Clink at EastWest Studios, No Regrets and Tatoos and Booze. Crowds get really riled up with these.

In closing Steve, Jason and Jay Cee relay that together, as American Bombshell, they have accomplished many things since 2014. Out of 4.000 competing bands, American Bombshell was one of three who celebrities chose to win the Grammy Amplifier Contest. Steve mentions appreciating the time industry vets took to advise them while in L.A. as part of the contest. Jason shared cutting their song My Drug with Mike Clink at EastWest studios as the grand prize, and Jay Cee recalls playing the world famous Whisky A Go Go.