PropertyOfZack “leaked” a song clip from Elliot James’s new band, Break Blossom, a few days ago, and now we’re following it up with a tell-all interview. Elliot and I discussed his downtime from 2009 to the present and why it took so long to launch his new band, details behind Break Blossom, his history with Pete Wentz, and a debut album for Break Blossom. Elliot also finally detailed the backstory behind his departure from Hey Monday. Check it all out, there’s at on of info!

You left Hey Monday in 2009 and fans have been begging for new information on your next musical endeavors since the departure. What’s taken so long?
It was never about me wanting to keep my fans in the dark, I would just never want to put something out there that wasn’t my best, and it’s taking me some time to figure out the kind of music I really want to do, and do it in a slightly newer way. I knew i didn’t want my next band to get lost in the mix of everything else. There’s just so, so, so many band’s out there.
 
What’s your new band name, and who else is a part of it?
The band’s called Break Blossom. I started it with my friend Skyler Mondell who was working as a rocket scientist at NASA at the time. He and I had been dying to do something together for years, he found out I was looking for people to write with and the rest is well, history. Marc Ryan on keys, he and I go way back. Marc’s a wiz in the studio, I don’t think there’s anything he can’t play. Cross my heart, he’s a prodigy. Last but def not least Jesse Lee. He was the missing part for a long time. It was one of the reason we took it slow because finding the right people was cruciall. An often over looked element of building a band.  Jess plays bass and his a killer voice, i’ll never forget when we were in the studio though and i was admit i wanted this dark horn part and they tried to do it on keys and program it for an hour but nothing was right. And out from the corner Jess was just like “I can play tuba….” came in the next day and did it in one take! It’s just humbling to play in a band where everyone is so much farther ahead musically than I am, but we’re all helping each other grow in songwriting and different areas and doing something real. 
 
Did you want to lay low for a while following your departure from Hey Monday?
There was a lot of stuff I was dying to do once i felt like i had the freedom to breathe a bit. It had been quite some time since i was allowed to move freely creatively and also cut away from a demanding tour schedule. I got offered to play drums for high school musical in the UK, i played on a hip hop record in NY, jammed with some people much older than myself down here in FL. Wrote some songs for a female artist in LA and did some more production music for commercials etc. I started an iPhone and iPad app development company with my brother which turned out to be insanely profitable, got myself a pup which I’ve always wanted, and even toured a bit with some friends just to keep doing what I love.  

Fans are going to ask until they get answers, so can you discuss as much as the backstory of leaving Hey Monday as you you’re willing to?
This is true. Alright, once and for all, this is the god honest reason and I’m sorry if this disappoints or upsets people but at this point I’m just keeping it real. All of us go went way, way back. I truly loved everything we did with HM and I wouldn’t trade those days for anything. It was all priceless. And it stayed good for a really long time. That said, I loved it so much that I wanted it to last. But I was thinking ahead and I was living in a situation where I didn’t feel in control of my career. And for someone whose trying to make a career in music and not just a sweet run for a couple years, you’ve got to do what’s best for you and for everyone. I would have stayed with the band for as long as they wanted me to commit too but as soon as I told them how i was feeling they replaced me immediately. Cass felt like i had used the band to better myself in all areas and that was never the case. I wanted to play with musicians who wanted to get better and write timeless music, not write songs that were just ‘current’. I truly didn’t see the band sticking together as a team and working through problems personally and creatively and people called me crazy to give it up, but look where the bands at now? Looks like i was right after all. I’m super proud and gracious for everything we did together, and all the stuff they did without me. No one said any of this stuff would be easy. But are you going to give up on a dream you want just because its hard? If you want anything less than the life you think you deserve I feel bad for you, because in this day and age there’s no reason you can’t make a living waking up everyday to do what you want to.
 
Has the community of Hey Monday fans seemed supportive of you and your future since your departure?
Yes, unbelievably supportive. Especially when I first left, i hadn’t even thought about the fact that people cared, I don’t think our labels or management did either. The response was way over whelming and totally unexpected. I’ve tried my best to stay close with all of them, I’m on a personal level with a bunch now. There are obviously still a lot of people that always say to come back and do it all again with HM, and i hate feeling like i’ve let those people down, hopefully one day i can make it up somehow. Hopefully they’ll like this band. 
 
You’ve always seemed to be involved with Pete Wentz in some way, shape, or form whether it be with Decaydance or after your leaving the band. Has he had any influence on your new project?
For whatever reason Pete and i have always just seen it differently than everybody else. We would always bounce ideas off each other that we wanted to do and some have been pretty ridiculous. But we see eye to eye on them, so thats just like a way of re-assuring ourselves that we’re not 100% crazy and just 99. I was staying in LA with him when the band first started and he definitely helped influence where the sound should go and justify the risks we wanted to take. Pete’s had a pretty wild year, we can all agree on that. I hope he keeps working hard on his ventures as always and I’m always open to his suggestions and collaborating with him because I know deep down he always has my back, and he always has. Through thick and thin. 
 
Most fans have only seen you in a pop-rock band, but is this band going to have a different sound?
I’m glad this was asked, because I’ve thought about it a lot. I don’t think this band is going to have such a different sound that my pop fan’s won’t get into it. We are all pop writers by heart and no matter how hard we’ve all tried to escape that, it’s still very present in our songs. The goal was never to re-invent the wheel by any means but we did want to be different. And thats obvious. There’s no one else right now doing what we’re doing, the way we’re doing it. I want everyone to give it a chance, if you like it then love it, if you can’t stand it- thats cool too, i appreciate the listen. I have faith that will find the right fans and the right listeners out there that are starving for change the way we are. This has been a great year for music because radio DJ’s freaking out. Labels were feeding them pop acts and heavy R&B singers and listeners were demanding Adele, Bruno Mars, Mumford and Foster. The fans are gaining control of the industry again, its a beautiful thing. I think theres room out there in the world for a band like us. 
 
A song clip has been spreading around the web for a day or two now. Is that the band’s?
It is, it’s a voice memo off someone’s phone in the studio. I’m not sure if that song in particular will see the light of day, but the reaction’s been really good with it so maybe will find a way to put it out, even if it’s just in a live setting. 
 
When are we going to see an EP or LP released?
We have a full LP recorded. We’ve also got enough demo’s and ideas to do a second record. No plans are in place yet as to how or when will release any of it. Our management is currently working that out with us. But there is definitely not a shortage in music.   We also got approached by a producer last week whose in love with what we’re doing and we’re dying to work with him and our current producer Matt Laplant. 
 
Are you going the DIY route, or is there a label involved?
A little bit of both. Kind of related to the last question- We’re gonna have to see how the next couple months pan out. We have had offers from labels already and we’re still working to find the best fit for us. We’re gonna need a label at some point, thats obvious. We’ll do our own thing for now though.
 
Thanks to Zack and POZ for doing this with me, and asking good questions the right way. Looks like everything started here. You guys get first dibb’s on everything related to the band. I’m in debt to anyone whose stuck with me through this transition and helped me in any way. Thanks everybody, stay tuned.