Verra Cruz is here to rock your faces off with some sweet blues! Give these guys some love and let’s see what they have to say!
First off, What’s up with your name? Is there a story behind it?
The Name Verra Cruz we saw on a t shirt that our drummer Jimmy’s wife brought back from a trip to Brazil. It looked great on a shirt! So that was it, nothing super deep on that one!
Tell us about your musical past, would you tell us about your early years?
I always loved music, we had a record player at home and my parents would have the music playing, from the Beatles to Simon and Garfuncle, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Stevie Wonder, Sting. They also had a lot of guitar records, my Mum loved the classical guitar especially Julian Bream and John williams.
I began playing guitar at 12 years old and I knew it was all I wanted to do. My parents brought me an electric guitar for Christmas.. best present ever.
I was into all things rock, when ever I heard the guitar I was fascinated by the sound and the emotion that I heard.
I Played in a few local bands mainly playing thrash metal, and then at the age of 19 met Jimmy in our local venue “The Horn” and we had a “conversation” about wanting to do music that was spiritual as well as high voltage, we connected on the great grunge bands. I had seen him playing and I really thought he had a great feel. We’ve been playing together ever since, with a few different bass players.
How would you describe your sound?
We are a three piece straight ahead rock band with a heavy grunge influence and a twist of blues. We write our own songs about all kinds of stuff! Things changed for us when I came across an old 1930s lap steel guitar in a second hand guitar shop on a trip to Memphis, it was like God stepped down and said “play the blues kid!!”
Which artists have the biggest influence on your sound?
Pearl Jam, Hendrix, Ben Harper, Bob Dylan, Robert Johnson, the Wallflowers
What’s the last song you listened to?
Sweet November Sun, Rudi Myntevik
What’s your source for hearing new music?
Spotify and Youtube friends
Who is your dream producer?
Brendan O’brien
If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?
Paul Macartney
What led you to music, and what motivates you to keep making it?
I started playing guitar as an escape from a painful home life. I also found that it came really naturally to me. Music has always felt sort of magical, the way it can affect your mood even though you can’t see it. Science can’t get it’s head round it but it just carries so much hope, and hope is what I need.
As far as keeping going, it’s not something you can really stop doing. Music chooses you you don’t choose music. I’ve had many chances to walk away but always the door opens just enough to keep me pressing on.
Tell us about the songwriting process. How does it all come together?
Most Cruz songs start with a jam session.. but also these days we email each other ideas and thoughts. I generally write lyrics, but Henry has a keen sense of melody and lyrics too.
We then go through a process of arranging demoing and whittling down the song, making sure it’s done!
How do you connect with your audience? What is the easiest way for them to connect with you?
The live arena is great for us! That’s where we are at our best and the magic can happen.
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Spotify
What’s next for you?
We have just signed a deal with Catbeach music, so we are working together with them to get our new material out there. We have just recorded 3 new songs at the Abbey Recording Company with producer Mark Tucker, The songs are sounding great!! Hopefully a few festivals this summer and some more gigging.
Anything else you’d like to add or let us know about?
Thanks for reading and also for all the support. Come and see us play sometime.
Thanks Marc (Verra Cruz)
Bio:
Verra Cruz form the British alt-rock infused musical project of trio Marc James (guitar/lap steel/vocals), Henry Cross (bass) & Jimmy Cooke (drums). Known for their hard-hitting anthems and signature lap steel guitar, of which they stumbled upon in a small boutique guitar shop in Memphis, TN, the three-piece band have been creating mighty, raucous tracks, laced with spiritual and personal themes. The band admits, “We’re not afraid to sing out about injustice in the world.”
