If you say rock n’ roll is dead, I say it’s “Here and Now” with amazing up and coming bands like Native Sons! This band released their debut album “The Natives Are Restless” in March 2021 and have been on the fast track to success ever since. Most recently they played at the Monsters On The Mountain festival in Tennessee alongside legendary rock acts including Night Ranger, Vince Neil of Motley Crue and many more! Recently we spoke with the band’s vocalist Ashton Blake about the band’s past, present and future!
Shannon – How are you?
Ashton Blake – Really good! How are you?
Shannon – I’m doing well! How did you get into singing and writing music?
Ashton Blake – I was really young about 4 years old and at Church I jumped onstage unannounced and I sang Jesus Loves Me for about an hour and everybody sang along. I wouldn’t say that I took it seriously until I was about 12 or 13 when I started playing acoustic music with my friend Kevin Hart here in Louisville.
Shannon – The name of your band, Native Sons, comes from your Native American heritage. What can you share about that and how you got the band together?
Ashton Blake – Well Bill Chavis came up with the name. He found out that he was 50% Native American and I also have Native American heritage in my family and we founded the town of Taylorsville in Kentucky. One day I was sitting at home and my friend called me one day saying they needed a singer and they knew I could sing, write and fit the style. They were called New Machine at the time. We ended up living in a studio for two months while we wrote the record. I brought “One Another” and “Monster” musically into the mix. The band dissolved for health reasons and early on in 2019 we got the band back together. We approached Bill at that point but then the pandemic happened. Because of the other band’s health issues and day jobs, they said I should take the music and go as far as I can because I was the only one that was still able to do it. With their blessing I reformed the band and we’ve had some member changes as that happens with a new band but I think we’re closing in on the lineup.
Shannon – Earlier this year you released your debut album with Native Sons titled “The Natives Are Restless”. That album was in the works for quite a long time, what made you decide to put it out when you did?
Ashton Blake – We were planning on putting it out late 2019 or early 2020 and when the pandemic happened we collectively decided it wasn’t a good idea to release a record at that time. So we released it in early 2021. I never anticipated as much traction as it has gotten. After that we reformed the band. To answer the question in short, I just wanted to see the project come to fruition because we spent so much time and effort on it and I’ve never had a real release up until that.
Shannon – When it comes to songwriting, what are some of the situations that have inspired songs on that album?
Ashton Blake – There is this book from biblical times called the Key Of Solomon. In The Key the second verse “They’ve got their seasons and circles that fit. Take an assessment they bet they won’t miss. You give your reasons for a coveted plan. Holding the door you’ve got one chance”. A lot of people like the pentagram but there are different seasons for that, they’re not alway Satanic. You can talk to angels, summon demons, it has prayers before you try to do things. Back then it was very ritual oriented and things were done with intent – The Key. A lot of the songs were written about that but Crazy Enough, Silver Lining, One Another and Here and Now are more individual songs. Silver Lining was originally called Heaven Awaits and then we co-wrote it to be Silver Lining. Monster I originally wrote when I was 15. It is very faith-based but not by any means trying to push my religion on anyone.
Shannon – Are you planning on releasing new music sometime in the near future?
Ashton Blake – We are currently demoing songs. Steve, the original guitar player, is helping write some stuff. Victor Adriel has been sending me stuff almost daily. Jim Quiggins from Sweet F.A. is in the band now. We’re looking to release a new album in March 2022.
Shannon – About a month ago you played at the Monsters On The Mountain festival in Tennessee. How was it getting to play on the same lineup as some of your heroes?
Ashton Blake – It’s hard to explain that. This has been a physical band for 7 months. To rise so quickly to Monsters On The Mountain it was a dream come true. To even be considered a Monster of Rock even if just for one show was pretty amazing. Night Ranger and KIX are two of my favorite bands.
Shannon – What have you got in the works for the immediate future and where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Ashton Blake – We just played with Kickin’ Valentina and then at the end of the month we’re playing in South Carolina and we’re talking about Nashville but we’ll see because we want to get the writing and recording done. In 5 years I hope we’re playing shows like Monsters On The Mountain everyday. I’ve done nothing but music my entire life. I’ve constantly been trying to get to where I am now and I keep pushing. Failure is not an option.
Shannon – Is there anything else you’d like to include?
Ashton Blake – Keep rockin’!
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