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Buckcherry adds more substance to the mix
Buckcherry likes to keep the music fresh and light, but on its latest album, "Black Butterfly," the testosterone-heavy rock band took a serious turn with the song "A Child Called 'It.'"
"It's based on a book called 'A Child Called It,' which is about child abuse," guitarist Keith Nelson said during an interview with LiveDaily. "It's the first time we've ever done a song that's [like that]. We're the rock 'n' roll party band. We like to keep it light and have a good time. But the book was pretty heavy. I read it after [singer Josh Todd] recommended it. It's a pretty heavy book.
"After reading the book, the nice thing is, even though it's a tragic story, it does have a bit of a happy ending. We had that going for us," Nelson added.
Fans didn't seem to mind the changed-up formula for the new album, debuted at No. 8 on The Billboard 200 chart. "Black Butterfly" is Buckcherry's first release since "Fifteen," the comeback album that included the hits "Crazy Bitch" and "Sorry."
"Did we feel any pressure to measure up to our most successful record ever?" Nelson asked rhetorically. "No pressure. We just wanted to make a great record. I think we're fairly confident with the fact that, if the five of us can get excited about it, chances are other people will get excited about it. We want to make records we would want to buy."
The new album includes the single "Too Drunk," a song that was leaked prior to "Black Butterfly's" release and one that almost didn't make the final cut.
"I knew it was a fun song but I thought there were other songs that should have made the record," Nelson explained. "At the end, thinking back, it really added something. It was an element that needed to be there on the record. I think it lightens the mood a little bit. After it leaked and people started running with it, I was surprised, but happy for it at the same time."
Nelson said he believes that "Black Butterfly" is Buckcherry's best album to date.
""Not because it's the latest one," he said. "I really think it's a perfect example of a rock' n' roll band still being a rock 'n' roll band but evolving without completely alienating where it came from. It's our best mix of songs.
"I didn't want to make 'Fifteen' again. There's a certain amount of expectation to do that from people that are around. After we wrote [1999's] 'Lit Up,' all the talk was, 'Where's your next "Lit Up"? Where's that song?' I don't want to write that song again. Thankfully, the only people we really had to please were ourselves."
