3rd Storee – Interview

A chat with the group: 3rd Storee

How’s everything going?

Everyone: Great! We’re having a blast!

How was the Usher tour?

Jay-R: It was awesome. The best. Man we had Usher, Nas, and more folks, it was just an all-star lineup. It was crazy.

Did you pick up any moves?

J’son: Usher is off the hook. He is dynamic. The good thing about Usher is that he’d give ‘em something new every night. So we’d borrow some things and not tell him. (everyone laughs)

What were you doing to get signed?

Kevontay: The group, Jay-R, Dehart, and myself have been friends for a long time, since junior high. We sang back then and got serious about it we picked up J’son, we knew him for about five years. He was all over it and jumped aboard. We got Gavin’s demo through a friend of ours who gave it to our manager. We loved his voice and about a week later he was in the group and we’ve been together for three years.

How long have you been working on the songs?

Jay-R: Some of the tracks have been around for a minute. I’d say it took us about eight months to record them.

How long did it take to blend your voices?

J’son: That takes everyday practice because you can’t get good enough. We rehearse about eight hours a day.

How did you get ready for going on the road?

D-Smoove: We had a chance to get ready by doing a high school promo tour. That got us prepared. People would give us pointers about transferring that to a show like Usher’s. We work with a choreographer, but we knew what we had to do and we got serious.

How much of a difference was it from stepping out in front of a high school audience and then into an arena?

J’son: I guess one of the adjustments you had to make is with your eyes. In high schools, its fifty feet deep and at arenas, man, you’re looking out over the length of a football field. (Laughs) But it’s beautiful. The crowds, man, they’ve been great. They gave us a lot of love. We did get some people who were like ‘who are these guys?’

What was the first thing that went through your mind when you walked on stage that first time?

J’son: Man, it was raining hard when we first got on tour. The first three days were terrible, there was so much rain on stage and we had on leather and we were on our knees and we were slipping and sliding. Then we had some sweltering heat. Then the rain fell down again and the heat never let up. (everyone laughs)

D-Smoove: I kept hoping no one would pass out. (everyone laughs)

J’son: We were drowning and suffocating at the same time.

Were you on a tour bus?

Jay-R: We had a really nice tour bus.

What did you do to pass the time on the road?

Everyone: Play video games.

What was the game of choice?

Kevontay: Xbox.

Everyone: Dead or Alive 3.

Ever play Grand Theft Auto?

Everyone: Awww yeah. That is dope.

D-Smoove: I got all the secrets. (everyone laughs)

When fans get the album what do you hope they come away with?

Kevontay: I hope they like it. (everyone laughs)

D-Smoove: Yeah, because if they don’t then they’ll tell ten people, and then they’ll tell ten people.

J’son: I hope they wonder if we can dance.

Kevontay: I hope they get the message in the songs too. We don’t just sing about hot girls. Most of our songs are giving advice and trying to help.

What records influenced you growing up?

Jay-R: A lot of Jackson Five and New Edition records.

J’son: Funny you asked that. I had an album that was in my head for the longest time. Ever hear of an artist named Quinton?

No.

J’son: That’s okay, a lot of people haven’t. (laughs) Also Destiny’s Child.

D-Smoove: Dru Hill.

What are your dreams for the future?

Jay-R: That our message gets out there and hopefully we can have some nice success and enjoy the life.

Kevontay: We hope to help our families and help others like they have helped us. Someone took a chance on us, and one day we will be in the position to give someone else the chance.

+ charlie craine