Hey will you answer a few short ?? for me?

No. I mean, yes!

How long has AC been together?
Eight long, hard, dreary, melancholy, morbid, tasteless, vulgar years.

How did you get started?
Original bass player, Joel Edwards, and I figured chicks would like us, we were wrong. Originally, I had some songs and booked our first show at the Springwater in Nashville before we even had a drummer and guitarist. Kinda threw the show together and really enjoyed it, we had no idea it would still be alive and doing well today – and even more fun than ever (although I’m still looking for a GOOD drummer and guitarist, you know any???).

Members of the band?
Steve “The Bone” Sheroan, Steve Price, Corey Boise and myself. These guys are honestly some of the baddest musicians I’ve ever met, and very good people too, which is important when you’re together way too often.

            Past members include Joel Edwards, William “I Don’t Want No” Scruggs, Matthew Stevens, “They Call Him Shea Titanium, but his real name is” Shea Gold, “Drummaster Jay” Lessert, Billy Hendrickson a.k.a. “Hillbilly 25,” Danny Hamelin, John Martin and JR Horn. I am still very good friends with ALL past AC members, many I still jam with on a regular basis.

How did you develop your sound?

Sound is very important. It has to come from YOU and no one else. I spent years not developing my sound, but avoiding trying to sounding like everyone else. I always tried to sound like someone I admired until finally I realized that I have to sound like ME! A message to all the young artists out there: BE YOURSELF!

            AC’s sound simply came from each of us dialing in the tone we like, meshing it together, arguing over parts, and playing shows. You almost have to play 100 shows before you really develop your sound. Lots of trial and error, ya know? Tone is important, but feel is also a big deal. Ten people can pick up the same exact guitar with the same settings and sound completely different. I can hit a snare drum 15 different ways, depending on what I’m trying to get out of it. You can’t be scared to try something new. Even when I play covers in CC3, I always try to interpret a song my own way. I very rarely play a song the same way twice.

Hypothetically, what would you do if a fight were to break out in front of you?
Uh… hypothetically? Fights break out in front of us all the time. A guy just got tasered at an AC show literally on stage just two weeks ago. What do we do? We bust out “Bottle of Rage” off the first record, play as loud and as fast as we can and get out of the way! A good entertainer always has to play to its audience, right? Most fights are usually chicks trying to get to Steve Price anyway…or maybe those are guys…

What if someone were to sukkur punch you?
I’d bleed.  Unless it was someone from RUKKUS, than I’d smile and say hello, cause those guys are cool.

Besides being in a band called August Christopher, what has been your worst job ever?
It doesn’t get any worse than this.

            Actually, I have been lucky enough to have many a blue collar day job, and have learned that even a bad day in AC is never worse than the best days at my old gigs, and I cherish the knowledge of that. I have also parlayed AC into tangent stuff, doing videos with Trisha Yearwood, Trent Tomlinson, Brad Paisley, Bomshel, and Cledus T Judd. I’ve been in some cheesy movies and worked with CBS, Fox/Sports, ESPN, WCW, as well as others, even set a world record for the troops which was fun. Pursuing my dreams has been a blast, yet the other opportunities that have come from it have been an unexpected huge blessing.  I must maintain that NOTHING has been (nor ever will be) as awesome to me as August Christopher itself.

If this band were a popsicle flavor – what would it be and why?
Cherry, bright red. The kind that makes your whole mouth and face a different color after eating it. We stick with you, no matter how hard you try to wash us off.

Who would win in a fight – Muhammad Ali or Superman?

That’s easy, Superman, because he’s still 23 years old, just like me.

What is the perfect prom slow dance?

“Chariots of Fire”

Who is the hottest Miller Light girl?
No clue, have no idea – Lindz Frey is the hottest girl I know.

The most interesting tattoo in the band?
Not a big tattoo band, at least not to my knowledge, and I ain’t going down there to look…

Say you are going out for a drink in Owensboro, what band would you go see?

First and foremost I am proud to say that I do not drink and have not for quite some time; I am way too focused on enjoying life to spend it drunk (the way I used to). I feel it’s important for me to use this AC platform as an example to young kids who look up to us as a band. I play guitar/drums at Victory Fellowship Church in Nashville and have been so positively influenced there that I feel the need to reciprocate via example to my audience whenever possible. OK, I’m off my soapbox now…

            That being said… I would go see The Michael Gough Group when it’s a three-piece and everyone is playing well – it’s the best thing since sliced bread. Music is very sensitive and extremely mood-conscious. With spontaneous, improvisational groups like MGG there can be good nights and bad nights, but that’s what makes it sincere and authentic; those ups and downs are what make MGG real and heartfelt. When it’s great, it’s absolutely untouchable. As far as instrumentation, I really dig the rawness of the group as a trio, especially when John Martin is on guitar (that’s not to say that it’s not brilliant as a big band with dobro, keys, sax, harp, BGV’s – just a matter of taste). Some of my most memorable musical moments were when I played drums with that group.

            I also think Shawn Brashear by himself is amazing, although I’ve never seen him with a band.

Best road story.

This can be dangerous. We actually have a notebook we’ve been working on in the van with road stories. We started it about a year ago and already have about 50 pages of notes… I’ll have to save that one for lata.

If you could play for any musician, alive or dead, who would it be?

I love Hendrix, Phil Collins, B.B. King, Madonna, recently started digging John Mayer – I always dreamed of playing drums for Stevie Wonder. Frankly, I have been lucky enough to play with some of the greatest musicians already. I have been blessed throughout my life to have shared musical moments with many of my favorite players. I tend to admire people with heart and feel, not as much technical chops - although you must learn to speak musically - you can’t fake it. I love playing with people who know the big syllabic words but don’t always choose to say them. People who can sweep pick and metrically modulate in 7/8 are great, but they sound best sometimes when they only play 3 notes.

What guitar would win in a fight, Fender or a Gibson?

Fender, hands down, no comparison (although Sheroan would swear on his Tom Anderson)

Check out August Christopher at the BBQ Fest!

Thursday - May 8 @ 7- 11 p.m.
"A Night with August Christopher":
7 p.m. - Queen City Romance (Clarksville, TN)
8 p.m. - Kaptain Crunch and the Cereal Killers (IN)
9 p.m. - AC
10 p.m. - TBA

Saturday, May 10
August Christopher's Criss Cheatham Video Shoot:
5:30-6:45 Miller Stage
on Frederica and 2nd Street. Criss solo on acoustic
playing all your favorite AC songs with a live film
crew...