The Cat Came Back – The Return of J Mann in Mushroomhead


Mushroomhead-band-2014

Longtime Mushroomhead fans were excited about the news of original co-vocalist Jason “J-Mann” Popson’s return into the band. Popson departed from the band in 2004 during the XIII record.

Drummer Steve “Skinny” Felton talked about Popson’s return to Mushroomhead.

Here’s the thing with J Mann. He left ten years ago. We did two albums without him. He left for almost a decade. That entire time he was gone, it wasn’t like we were enemies. Just because he wasn’t around didn’t mean we weren’t talking. He and I had done one of the side projects together, which was released by Megaforce called Scelestus. It was Tommy Church, J Mann and myself.”

Outside of this band, Felton and Popson have collaborated in other side projects over the years, regardless of musical direction. Felton spoke about one of their other forthcoming side projects they had been working on.


“We’re going to put it out in the fall – it’s called 10,000 Cadillacs – it’s a hip-hop project, or R & B almost. It’s myself, J Mann, and Mike Mahoney out of Cleveland. He goes by Jus Mike and he’s a rapper out of Cleveland. Then we incorporated Dr. F and Tommy Church on that album as well.”

I have to drop the name…We have Sid [Wilson] from Slipknot scratching. We have Krayzie Bone and Bizzy Bone of Bone Thugs ‘n’ Harmony and Mawk from (hed) pe playing bass. We’ve got a lot of guests on that thing.”

The timing for Popson’s return to Mushroomhead and the side projects seeing the light of day aligned perfectly. His involvement may not have been intentional, but it found its way back into Mushroomhead in an odd way.

 

mushroomhead album cover

I was working on that project with J Mann and at the same time Megaforce said they wanted to extend the contract and do a new Mushroomhead record. So J was coming over to do some new mixes of 10,000 Cadilacs and was asking how the new Mushroomhead was coming along. Next thing, it’s six hours later and he’s on three songs. So it wasn’t ‘hey let’s get back together and make the record of our lifetime.’ He had been doing the old school shows and the Christmas shows. We’re pretty much family and friends, and we stayed together throughout the ten years. Just like I said, just because he wasn’t around doesn’t mean we weren’t speaking. We were tight. We went through a lot together. It wrote itself. It’s like riding a bike. It felt like the first album all over again.”

 

 

Mushroomhead on Facebook

 

REI NISHIMOTO