"I just wish that Rage Against The Machine would make a new record!": Buckcherry's Josh Todd on the state of the nation, managing old habits, and going back to school

You’ll struggle to find many bands that still sound exuberant and sharply focused nearly a dozen albums in, but California rockers Buckcherry are one of them. Last summer, they released the rip-roaring Roar Like Thunder, the latest in a run of strong records. And talking to frontman Josh Todd, now 55, you get the sense that there’s plenty more gas in the tank.

Buckcherry have been around for more than 25 years. When you started out did you think you’d be going for that long?

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You’ve been sober since before the band started, which is a huge chunk of your life. Has your career ever made that harder to sustain?

Well, I did it real good as far as drinking and using were concerned, but thank god I had about a year clean by the time we got signed. It’s not hard when you’re doing the work in recovery. It only gets hard if you stop and get a little squirrelly, as I call it. There are tools to feel good in sobriety, and I stay on it because it really is the best thing I’ve got going for myself. Without it, I have nothing and I can’t show up for anything or anyone else. It’s a serious disease and if we don’t treat it that way, we become statistics.

You’re the band’s only remaining original member. How do you reflect on the line-up changes over the years?

The last three records [Hellbound, Vol. 10, Roar Like Thunder] have been amazing. We have a really good formula working with [producer] Marti Frederiksen, who’s a super-talented guy and a huge part of the equation. But once you have success and start making money at this, it becomes a business and you’re only as good as your weakest link. Sometimes you have to make changes, and it took me a while to be able to do all that gracefully.

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With all the current conflicts in the world, do you ever feel like music and art matter less, or even more?

I think it matters if you believe it does, and honestly I do – otherwise I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed in the morning. I don’t really like to talk politics or religion, because it’s so divisive, and I don’t want to alienate people who come to Buckcherry shows. I wanna live and let live, and let people do the things they gotta do to find themselves. That being said, I’m not happy with the state of the world right now. I just wish that Rage Against The Machine would make a new record!

Did you learn anything new about yourself this year? Any new hobbies?

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Whiskey Myers: What rock'n'roll would say if it was a person

I’m always learning something new about myself. A lot of times it’s off the beaten path, outside of music. One of my big hobbies is playing tennis, which is really good for my mental health. And recently I went back to school, doing online college while I’m on the road. It’s been eye-opening. When I was at high school I was always under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and I convinced myself that I wasn’t smart or a good student, which was all bullshit. My major is criminal science, and I’m in my fourth term, really enjoying it and learning a lot. And I’m getting good grades!

What does Christmas usually look like for you and yours?

We have a wonderful King Charles Cavalier spaniel, so he’s in the house. His name is Lion and he’s the light of our lives. We’re just laying low this time, because last year we went to Mexico as we have some friends in Puerto Vallarta. That was nice, just chilling and being in the ocean. I’m always working, so I don’t really reflect that much. Being self-employed for twenty-six years, I’m conditioned to keep thinking about what’s coming next.

Buckcherry's Roar Like Thunder is out now.