Seven Mary Three

Seven Mary Three lead singer/guitarist Jason Ross is thankful that his band still has a fervent-yet-intimate following. Since its 1995 debut, Seven Mary Three has undergone major changes. Admittedly, Ross "found" his own voice after mimicking his idols on songs such as "Cumbersome" and "Wait." "I learned to sing how...

By Christina Fuoco

September 23, 2004

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "18478561",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "16759093",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759092",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759094",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        }
      ]

Seven Mary Three lead singer/guitarist Jason Ross is thankful that his band still has a fervent-yet-intimate following. Since its 1995 debut, Seven Mary Three has undergone major changes. Admittedly, Ross "found" his own voice after mimicking his idols on songs such as "Cumbersome" and "Wait."

"I learned to sing how everybody else learns to sing. I didn't go to school to learn how to sing," Ross says. "I tried to be like a band that I liked growing up. It took me some years to figure out what I sounded like when I wasn't trying to imitate someone else."

On Seven Mary Three's latest album, Dis/Location, Ross' new approach to vocals sets the sound apart from earlier releases.

"For the first couple records, I definitely felt like the industry was coming at us at full speed because they thought we sounded so much like something else that they could capitalize on," Ross says. "But I didn't start a rock band so I could be a KISS tribute band -- not that there's anything wrong with that. That's just not why I joined the club. It definitely makes you think, when early on with our first records, reviews were coming in saying that I needed to get my own voice."

KEEP NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.