The Millions

 Like Cheap Trick if they were produced by Butch Walker, The Millions are led by Johnny Million, a man with a refreshing penchant for certain NWOBHM bands. They will surely find favour with pop rock fans who loved the recent 40ft Ringo album, American HiFi's debut and Supermint. They have an independently released album available, entitled 'Million Dollar Rock' . And they do indeed rock. And then some.

Comprising the aforementioned Million alongside fellow guitarist Dan 'The Fox' Edwards, bassist  Christopher Grey and drummer Larry 'Crash' Bow, the release of 'Million Dollar Rock' has sent their popularity on the hard rock underground scene sky-high. So who better to get on the phone one night recently than Mr Million himself to find out more?

"The band has been together for three years," explains the amiable frontman on the line from Chicago. "I first met Dan Edwards many years ago though. We were both big Kiss fans playing in local bands. Both imploded at the same time. I'd actually substituted in his band and was going to be his bass player.

"Incidentally, we've recently got a new drummer in Kip Serena. Turns out I went to college with the guy, but we never met!! He's a really great rock 'n' roll drummer."

So, what happened to Larry?

"It was an amicable parting. He just felt he needed to do something else."

When did you decide to do an album?

"A year in. We pulled together some songs that we had lying around and added a few new ones. It was originally going to be an EP, but due to the great collection of songs we had we got really excited about it and did a full blown album instead. Actually, the place we recorded the drums in had such a low ceiling, I had to duck all the time. Needless to say, I also hit my head a lot! A lot of blood, sweat and tears went in to making this record! Quite literally!

Were you involved in anything of note before The Millions?

"I was on the first two Big Hello albums. I was on the 'Apple' and 'Orange' albums. They re-issued the records without my songs. I re-recorded them for The Millions."

How popular are you since the release of the record then?

"It's weird." Johnny laughs. " We have a following in Europe because of the press but we can't get arrested in the States beyond the fans we've picked up in Detroit! Although we are picking up little pockets of fans in places like Milwaukee and St. Louis."

Interestingly, you owe it all to your love of all things Saxon?!

"Absolutely! It's really funny. It was through being a Saxon fan and communicating with other fans on the message boards that led to The Millions being picked up upon in the UK. I started trading bootlegs, especially from the 'Crusader' tour. I sent one of the guys a copy of the album just after it had been mixed and mastered. He e-mailed me back and said it was the best thing he'd heard in ages. We then started getting loads of hits on our website from Europe and the sales of the album then started to rise.

Were you influenced by the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal as a kid?

"I wish I was that hip to have gotten into music with the NWOBHM! My first experience of music was actually an Elvis Presley cassette I got from my mom when I was seven years old! The first album I bought though was Gene Simmons' solo album. Then I bought the first Cheap Trick album.

"I actually bought that record because I wanted to be more like my cool cousin. But my cousin was actually into Styx! I got the band names mixed up!!! Still, my love of Kiss and Cheap Trick led me to the delights of AC/DC then Van Halen. The discovery of Judas Priest then led me to picking up on Saxon.

"I started playing guitar after I progressed from looking at myself in a mirror with a tennis racket miming to Kiss' 'Let Me Go Rock 'n' Roll'. I was 10 at the time. I didn't actually get a guitar until I was 14 though."

How did you learn your chops?

"Oh, I ordered those 'Metal Primer' and 'Metal Licks' cassettes. And that Doug Marks stuff advertised in 'Hit Parader' and 'Circus'. They filled in the gaps I didn't know about guitar playing!"

At this point we have a long discussion about liking certain bands and forms of music others seem to think we should feel extreme shame for admitting. To which Johnny succinctly concludes: "Man, I got past the point of being ashamed of what I liked a long time ago!"

Which brings us to the talking point in British rock music of the moment.....

"I like The Darkness.", Johnny eagerly offers. "I bought the CD and it was one of those records that I couldn't keep as merely background music. I couldn't believe he (Justin Hawkins) was singing the way he was, so I sat down and really listened to it. He's singing some unbelievable stuff on there and, musically, it came across like Queen meets Aerosmith meets Thin Lizzy. Fox lost his mind over it! I think they are going to do really well in the States."

So, what of The Millions success? Can they rise to similar heights?

"Since we can't get the attention of a US label, we're keeping this thing on a very grass roots level. We lose money, but we do get out to the likes of Milwaukee, St. Louis and clubs in Iowa. We keep going back to those places and we're getting a better reaction every time.

"We've done well with the album through www.cdbaby.com and www.notlame.com, but it's interesting that most of the sales are to overseas customers."

The album has since been released in Japan through Egging Records and was picked up for European release by Z Records off-shoot Stealth. But back home do they need to relocate to get signed? Thought about moving to Los Angeles?

"Thought about it, but it's like a double edged sword. Like, what would we have to sacrifice to do it?"

More, clearly, than blood, sweat and tears.

Look out for The Millions on Not Lame's tribute record to The Cars with a cover of 'You're All I've Got Tonight'.

Pictures by Adam Kmieo and courtesy of Johnny Million at www.millionsrock.com