Stuck Mojo reunites the band Friday

Who says you can’t go home? Of course you can, and proof is the reunion of Stuck Mojo, live Friday at Amos’ Southend, Charlotte.

Emerging in the late ’80s, Stuck Mojo was rooted in Atlanta and Charlotte. A hard rock/rap metal hybrid, it predated most other bands with similar sounds.

Undeniably innovative, the heart of this powerhouse is the explosive fusion of hard rock guitar and exotic rap poetry. Add a solid shot of Southern sensibility and you’ve got Stuck Mojo.

The name itself seals the deal for power. Guitarist Rich Ward is one side of this dual core. He is not only the songwriter, but the one most responsible for the hard rock/heavy metal personality. His credentials are lengthy, most recently touring as guitarist/songwriter/showman in the band Fozzy. However, his Stuck Mojo allegiance is ready for this long-awaited resurgence.

Calling from Atlanta, Ward’s anticipation is obvious, but it’s more than getting the band back together. It’s finishing what was started.

“Yeah, we kind of planned on doing something for the 20th anniversary of the album ‘Snapping Necks’ which was released in 1995,” Ward said, “but the lineup that everyone remembers is not the earliest band but actually it’s the ‘Pigwalk’ and ‘Rising’ lineup,” – referring to albums associated with the classic lineup featuring Ward, guitar/vocals; Corey Lowery, bass/vocals; Frank Fontsere, drums; and Bonz, vocals/frontman.

“We decided to get together,” Ward continued. “We rehearsed for two weeks solid, then we had an amazing show the day after Christmas in Atlanta. It was the first show we’d all played together in 15 or 16 years. It was really good.”

So good, in fact that the band decided to do a new record together. And, even though everyone has their own bands now, they all felt “there is something unique and special about Stuck Mojo,” Ward said. “I really wanted to play with these guys again.”

Exactly what makes this band special, different? It has to do with the combination of Ward and Bonz. “Bonz and I, well, you can’t find two more different people on the planet,” Ward said. “A lot of it came out of two completely different cultures, different world views, different ideas about music, art and lifestyles, that couldn’t have been more juxtaposed,” Ward said. “It was all the tension about all those things that makes our chemistry interesting.”

Offstage Ward is an engaging, talkative guy. Onstage, he is something else entirely as part of the perfect storm, of opposites attracting and all hell breaking loose.

The band has always had a huge following in the Charlotte area. Ward is originally from Charlotte. Living in the Queen City, he attended West Charlotte High until his family moved to Atlanta during his junior year. So returning to Charlotte in a band with such a grand reputation and musical scope was important in the beginning just as it is now. It’s about seeing friends off stage and on stage.

Ward notes special significance for this reunion. “I think more than anything it’s the band’s second date. I’m excited to get on stage with these guys and exchange that energy. I love that about the band and love being involved in something so chaotic yet so refined.”

Be there for the Stuck Mojo Reunion, along with guest lineup of Black Acid Disco, Skinn Jackett, Auxilia, live Friday at Amos’ Southend, 1423 S. Tryon St. in Charlotte. Call the club at 704-377-6874 for details or check Amossouthend.com. For more on the music find Stuck Mojo on facebook or check twitter.com/wearestuckmojo; and reverbnation.com/stuckmojo.

Upcoming

Friday: Hoodwinked at Luke’s Sports Bar & Grill, Rock Hill; Khaos Kings three piece acoustic at Empire Pizza, Fort Mill; Tantrum at Pineville Tavern, Pineville; Shannon Lee at D’Vine Wine, Ballantyne-Charlotte; Stuck Mojo Reunion at Amos' Southend, Charlotte; The London Souls, Dead 27s at Visulite Theater, Charlotte; Marvelous Funkshun at Double Door Inn, Charlotte; Game Face at Dilworth Neighborhood Grill, Charlotte; Steven Curtis Chapman, Francesca Battistelli, more at Ovens Auditorium, Charlotte; Of Good Nature at The Small Bar, Charlotte; Ryan Kerr, Family Friend, Chase Duncan, Stephen Kent at Milestone, Charlotte; Blackberry Smoke, Ben Millier Band, The Temperance Movement at The Fillmore, Charlotte; Luke Edwards at Puckett’s Farm Equipment, Charlotte; G Jones with Spahkalicious & DJ Hippo at Chop Shop, Charlotte; Dreamy D. Rapper Shane, Elevator Jay, more at Neighborhood Theater, Charlotte; Bubonik Funk, Viva La Hop; Patrick Davis; at Evening Muse, Charlotte.

Saturday: Khaos Kings three-piece acoustic at Sandbar Grill, Rock Hill; Ashley Rhodes Peeples acoustic at Garden Café, York; Suttle at Beef O’Bradys, Baxter Village-Fort Mill; Joey Fatts, Ashton Matthews at Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte; Jake E. Lee’s Red Dragon Cartel, M4 Messenger, Hair Nation at Amos' Southend, Charlotte; Futurebirds, T. Hardy Morris at Visulite Theater, Charlotte; Stewart Mauldin & Friends at Double Door Inn, Charlotte; Borrowed Arts, Yarbs, Mall Goth at Snug Harbor, Charlotte; U-Phonik at RiRa, Charlotte; Lil Skritt, Weirdo, StereoLoud, Dead Sea Scrilla, more at Milestone, Charlotte; The Rockaholics at Texicali Taco & Tequila Bar, Charlotte; Stephane Wrembel at Evening Muse, Charlotte.

Sunday: Saturate, Kellen Heller at Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte; Atrium, In Waves, Messenger Down, more at Amos’ Southend, Charlotte; Rock to a Cure at Comet Grill, Charlotte; Blitzen Trapper, Spirit Family Reunion at Visulite Theater, Charlotte; Jackie Venson at Double Door Inn, Charlotte; Folk Showcase at Puckett’s Farm Equipment, Charlotte; James Brock, Behnam Zamanian at Evening Muse, Charlotte.

Monday: Jarabe de Palo, Los Hollywood at Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte; Leftover Salmon at Visulite Theater, Charlotte; Knocturnal, more at Snug Harbor, Charlotte; Guster, Kishi Bashi at The Fillmore, Charlotte; Aloha Broha, Fire Marshall Bill, Orange Crush at Milestone, Charlotte; MarchFourth Marching Band, Gifford Ivan Cordova, Satarah at Chop Shop, Charlotte; Billy Joe Shaver, Justin Fedor at Neighborhood Theater, Charlotte; Open Mic with Rough & Tumble at Evening Muse, Charlotte.

Tuesday: Tattermask, Flyleaf, The Agonist, Falling For Scarlet, more at Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte; Saving Abel, Picture Yes, Skyfold, more at Amos’ Southend, Charlotte; The Woggles, Mannish Boys at Snug Harbor, Charlotte; Viking, Possessor, Dirty South Revolutionaries, more at Milestone, Charlotte; All Time Low, Issue, State Champs, Tonight Alive at The Fillmore, Charlotte; Melissa Ferrick, Sarah Rachael at Evening Muse, Charlotte.

Wednesday: Monophonics, The Nude Party at Visulite Theater, Charlotte; Sharrie Williams at Double Door Inn, Charlotte; Andy the Doorbum, Tai National, Super Ape, Miami Dice, more at Snug Harbor, Charlotte;David Nail, Will Hoge, Mickey Guyton, more at The Fillmore, Charlotte; Telekinetic Walrus, Sulfur at Milestone, Charlotte; David Dondero, Lauris Vidal at Evening Muse, Charlotte.

Thursday: Moccasin Creek, Demon Jones at Amos’ Southend, Charlotte; The Weeks, Junior Astronomers at Visulite Theater, Charlotte; Scott Smith at Village Tavern, Charlotte; Daxw-DJ Silvio, DJ Yasmin Young at Neighborhood Theater, Charlotte; Catie Curtis, Jamie Kent; Cereus Bright; at Evening Muse, Charlotte.

“And that was all she wrote.”

This story was originally published April 16, 2015 at 3:38 PM with the headline "Stuck Mojo reunites the band Friday."