Metalwar: First off all congratulations on Guilty of Rock! What’s the story behind the album title? Who’s guilty and what are the charges?
CROSSON: Thanks you for your support. We like to use to incorporate the word ‘Rock’ in our album titles.
When the title and chorus popped into my head, I knew it would rub some people up the wrong way but in reality ‘Guilty Of Rock’ is a tribute to rock fans, both past and present, who have stood by and defended their love and passion for this genre of music.
Despite facing adversity and criticism, we can proudly raise our fists in the air and declare we are all ‘Guilty Of Rock’ and proud of it.
Metalwar: How would you say this album differs from your previous releases in terms of sound, theme, or energy?
CROSSON: Guilty of Rock is our best and most grandiose album date as far as songs and production go.
With each album we try to make it better than the last, which is always the most nerve racking thing, however we managed to do it.
It starts off with one the heaviest songs we have done ‘Nobody Wins’ and then delivers another nine catchy, song along rock anthems. With this album, we had new costumes made slightly changed the makeup. You still know its CROSSON but we needed to shake things up a bit.
Musically, securing Erik Martensson this time round to mix and master the album gave us a grandiose sonic boom and took us to another level.
Metalwar: Where there any particular songs on the album that pushed you out of your comfort zone creatively or technically?
CROSSON: When writing the objective is to remain loyal to our brand of catchy melodic rock, however with each album we tend to experiment with different sounds and instruments so that it doesn’t sound they same as the last album.
When I’m stuck, I tend to ask myself “What would Jim Steinman or Paul Stanley do?” and this may take me into a different tangent.
Metalwar: What’s the one track on this album you think perfectly captures Crosson’s essence right now, and why?
CROSSON: I’d have to say the title track ‘Guilty Of Rock’. Not only is it a tribute to rock fans but also to artists, such as ourselves, who keep on playing and writing the genre of music that we love. “The music sets us free, throw away the key”!
Metalwar: With today’s heavy metal leaning more into darker or stripped-back aesthetics, how do you stay committed to glam and theater without compromise?
CROSSON: Our objective is to leave audiences with a live experience they will never forget and also with a smile
on their faces.
Sure, we have some emotional songs like ‘Heaven Bell & No Solution’ but the tone is still uplifting.
As to staying committed to the theatrical side of things, that’s what CROSSON is about and what differentiates us from all the other bands who just play song after song. Our live show is a spectacle and love us or hate us, there is no denying we put on an entertaining show.
After a show I was in the bathroom taking off my makeup and a punter came up to and said” Thank you for giving it 110%” which as a really nice thing to hear.
Metalwar: Do you feel there’s a certain rebelliousness to still playing glam metal in 2025 – almost like a punk act of defiance?
CROSSON: What we write, and play is the type music I like to hear, which is catchy, melodic, fist pumping rock.
I couldn’t write a hip hop song or a grunge song as I don’t like listening to that stuff.
Some may say our rebellious nature also comes from our image and the show we put on.
We don’t want to sound or look like anybody else and the further we can take it, the better.
Metalwar: Has the Australian rock and metal landscape shaped the way you write or perform?
CROSSON: I guess we write what we know, so being born and bred in Australia obviously has an effect on my outlook on life which may come across in the lyrics. From a performance point of view, there’s not really not any Australians rock bands that do what do. I watched and studied the greats as a kid such as Paul Stanley, David Lee Roth, Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, Feddy Mercury and this has obviously influenced our show and performance.
Metalwar: How do you see Crosson evolving in the next few years — musically, visually, and globally?
CROSSON: As for the music, we are starting to write for the next album and hopefully try and make it bigger and better and reach as many people as possible.
As for performing, we’d love to get to over there to play for you in the next year or so and deliver our show to as many people as possible.
Metalwar: What’s the most “guilty” thing you’ve done in the name of rock ‘n’ roll?
CROSSON: Haha. Continuing to put on our spectacle and releasing an album called ‘Guilty Of Rock.
We knew it would rub some people up the wrong way, as we say in the song “ If all this is a crime, lock us up, we’ll do out time…”
Metalwar: Any final words for the metalheads about to press play on Guilty of Rock?
CROSSON: Firstly, thanks for listening. Sit back, pop on those headphones and come aboard the CROSSON train and know that you are GUILTY OF ROCK!!
