When we set out to record “STARS” we all had a feeling that it could likely end up as the opening track on the record so it was very important to us that it sounded like a new chapter in Sixx:AM’s story. DJ felt that the opening guitar line should have a “sound” that couldn’t be achieved by just plugging into a couple of effects pedals. He has been developing extremely unique and beautiful guitar tones over the years, harkening all the way back to his days in Beautiful Creatures where he discovered a way to attack the guitar strings with the edge of a razorblade, giving it an incredibly unique, percussive character. This was the starting point for the guitar sound to which we layered octaves and harmonies creating a hauntingly unusual tone.

We recorded Nikki’s bass on “STARS” the same day that we wrote the song, which was exciting for us because we were in such a creative headspace and we wanted that energy and inspiration to be the driving force in the track. Typically there is a long time (sometimes months or years) between writing the song and recording it, but in this case, we really wanted to capture the urgency of the music and the lyric as it happened.

What I really love about the lyric on “STARS” is how it captures the reckless abandon that you feel when you meet the right person and it changes you forever. Suddenly all of the tangible things in life feel incidental and the world no longer seems big enough to contain you. This is expressed unabashedly in the opening line “Do you want to go to heaven tonight, leave the evidence far behind...” and “Nothing matters ever since the day you pulled the pin on my heart like a hand grenade”.

As I was recording my vocal for “STARS”, I resisted the instinct to sing the verses intimately (like a ballad) because even though at it’s heart it is a love song, we wanted the entire track to have a very “stadium rock” feel to it even at the beginning where there is just one guitar and vocal.

We approached the sequencing of this record as though it was a vinyl album, so choosing which song goes where was crucial to the overall flow. We found that the heart pounding chorus at the end of “STARS” transitioned beautifully into the “vintage” choir sound that opens up “Gotta Get It Right”. Ultimately those two songs together set the course for the dramatic musical journey that “Modern Vintage” will take you on!

Hopefully this gives you a little glimpse into what Nikki, DJ and I have been up to. We are SO excited to share the entire “Modern Vintage” record with all of you!

-James Michael