The Fixations “Are Who You Thought They Were.”

The Fixations, a hard rockin’ band from San Antonio, Texas, and we are proud to say hello!

This album was released in September 2024, but when the chance of a conversation with M.F. Jones came along, we felt we had to grab that. The result is a combination of interview and review for your reading pleasure and if you are a fan of old-time rock (AC/DC style) with some modern-time twists, then these guys are worth checking out.

The Fixations are:

Drummer: O.C. Flores

Bassist: Rusty Nails

Guitars & vocals: The Doc.

Vocals: M.F. Jones

Straight to the interview, 

For those casually passing by, can you tell us some background about you guys (introduce us to the band, please) and what is the band mission statement?

M.F. Jones: We got O.C. Flores on drums, The Doc on lead guitar and backing vocals, Rusty Nails on bass and backing vocals, and Jones on lead vocals and rhythm guitar. (That’s me.) We have no mission other than to play rock ‘n’ roll ’til we’re dead.

You got the opportunity to read my review before the interview. Maybe I got things wrong about what I heard here and there, but I always say what we hear as reviews is personal. Could there be a bit of the NWBHM and Marc Bolan lurking in the background in this album?

M.F. Jones: Stevie, you are very perceptive. We’ve been compared to early Saxon by others, and it doesn’t hurt our feelings in the slightest. We love a lot of those NWOBHM bands, including Maiden and Girlschool. And I don’t know how in hell we could avoid being influenced by Priest. And T-Rex? Hell yes! There ain’t a-one of us that doesn’t love that band. If it comes through, it’s a surprise but a welcome one. 

I see rock music as being at a bit of a crossroads atm. Older acts like Kiss, Queen, ACDC, Black Sabbath, Ozzy, and Def Leppard are all at the ends of their great careers. It opens a door for new acts, but radio stations still seem very reluctant to pitch newer music (maybe more of a problem here in the UK). What lies behind that, do you think? Is there a fear of the new?

M.F. Jones: First of all, every band you just mentioned is one of our top favorite rockers. Every one of them. We can’t speak for the U.K., but from our perspective, the U.S. has largely forgotten about rock ‘n’ roll, which is a cryin’ shame. Tell ya what though: We don’t give a damn. As The Killer once said of rock ‘n’ roll: “If God made anything better, he kept it for himself.” We intend to rock and rock hard as long as we’re still drawing breath. Let the business be the business. We’re going to be The Fixations.

The AC/DC and classic rock sound is clear when listening to the album. How do you musically look to take an older sound and move it into 2025?

M.F. Jones: We would be liars if we said we weren’t influenced by AC/DC and everyone would damn well know it. The Fixations are not liars. When we write new songs, what we’re looking for is the vibe. The feel. We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel over here, just trying to give our own take on rock ‘n’ roll. Me and The Doc are the primary songwriters, and we’re from the country, so if you’re paying attention, you can hear the country influence as well. At one point while writing a song, we asked ourselves, “Is that too country?” Then we agreed: To hell with that. We’re going to be ourselves. Rock ‘n’ roll is supposed to be genuine expression. It’s supposed to be real. If we’re not being ourselves, we ain’t rock ‘n’ roll at all, and to hell with that. And anyone that knows anything about rock ‘n’ roll also knows that country music fed into it from the very beginning. As for the sound, I don’t know how 2025 we are, so we’ll leave that to you and our fans to judge, but we’re determined to play good rock ‘n’ roll and be ourselves while doing it. 

We have seen a huge move in how we consume music from physical sales to streaming. This can make certain songs popular aside from the album. Also, it means some younger artists are endlessly pushing out singles and neglecting the album as a concept. How do you navigate the current streaming cesspit?

M.F. Jones: Although we do not rule out the possibility of releasing singles (plans may or may not be in the works), we think, as a general rule, they should be part of an album that either already exists or will in the future. The Fixations are “fixated” on releasing albums. We think they’re important. An album is a cohesive work, or at least it should be. Not only that, an album is a statement. We intend to make some strong statements in the years to come. (Also, “cesspit” is damn right. Good choice of words.)

What was the songwriting process for the album? Were you all throwing ideas in and contributing, or did someone come in with a demo that is fully worked out and take ownership of the direction?

M.F. Jones: With varying degrees of success, we have experimented with different processes, including the ones you mentioned and are still doing so. However, so far, what generally happens with our songwriting is this: Me and The Doc will get together (at least once per week) with no particular plan outside of drinking whiskey, playing guitars, and generally shooting the shit about life in general, usually stuff that pisses us off. At some point, Doc will say something that makes me laugh my ass off—he’s a witty bastard—and I usually say something like, “You know that’s gotta be a song, don’t you?” (This has now happened more times than I can count.) So then I’ll write down what he said, and the process begins. We toss ideas back and forth, some good, some bad, and the next thing you know, there it is: a song. It is always rough on the front end, but we almost immediately set about revising it and making it better. At that point, the challenge is to not overthink it. The vibe has to remain intact. We have to make sure we’re coming from the gut, not just from the head. 

General plans you can share with us for 2025?

M.F. Jones: Our third album is already in the works. We are currently in the demoing phase, and as usual, we’re hell-bent on making it better than anything else we’ve done thus far. And as previously mentioned, there might be a single in advance of the album. We are also in talks with a couple of entities about licensing our product to make it available in Europe. Our minds are also set on a European tour. You might say we’re fixated on it. 

Last question—what was the last album you listened to from beginning to end, and did you enjoy it?

M.F. Jones: Our drummer, OC, would have so many things to say if he were in on this interview. As for me, while recently coming home from the funeral of a loved one, I stumbled across the Paradise Theatre album by Styx and was reminded how much I love that album. Although I don’t equally love everything from their catalog, I think that album is just brilliant. It has so much going on, yet it’s totally cohesive. It’s a true album. All of the songs are connected. The last of the concept albums, really. The melodies and the vocal performances are just stellar, the songwriting is great, and the sound straddles the line between the 70s and 80s in a really cool way. You even hear stuff that hearkens back to 50s rock ‘n’ roll. Give me some of that ol’ Jerry Lee Lewis piano, and I’m hooked every damn time. 

Our thanks to M.F. Jones for this, and here is my album review.

Review: 10 songs, 38 minutes.

“Till I’m Gone” is no-nonsense old-time hard rock; “baby, I’m a rocker.” Some great guitar breaks made the 16-year-old me (who lives inside me still) very happy! We need more of this for these uncertain times; turn it up and blow the cobwebs away. This is music made by the boys that the girls can rock out too as well!

“Backstabber” literally struts its way out of the speakers. The chorus has a solid hook and its all about loving a “cold-hearted bitch.” A decent album track.

“She Said” has a huge drum roll sound and an infusion of punk energy. I also detected, and I may be wrong, some blues influences lying under those guitar sounds and the chant along the chorus was effective.

“Stick em up” returns to an AC/DC feel vocally. It’s another heads-down rocking-out track designed for the open highway and the speakers on the max.

“Tonight” plays with a hard riff and a slower drum/bass feel. The chorus is the most commercial on the album so far and I think that commercial rock radio would like this one a lot.

“What You Hate” I liked the bass beat to this one; the general guitar hooks slot neatly with the vocal and the track works well. It took me a bit more toward the NWBHM, and I liked it, one of the best on the album.

“Strike While the Irons Hot” is another commercial rocker reaching out to the airwaves. I think that this was my favorite on the album—a bit of humor in the lyrics, a thumping beat and a damn good song.

“I’m Gonna Live” sees the band having fun with a rocker that has a more than decent groove. The band is in the mood now and I need to take my car on the highway to fully enjoy the album again!

“Long Way” was a surprise. An interesting and different strumming introduction, brimming with confidence and a chorus to sing along to. Marc Bolan—this one made me think of, and I love Marc Bolan.

“Tombstone Rattle” finishes up with a strong melody and crashing drums. It is a brash, hard-hitting finish, noting that we have to go; we have to go!

Stand Out Tracks: “Strike While the Irons Hot,” “Till I’m Gone,” and “Long Way”

In summary, The Fixations deliver a no-nonsense, old-school hard rock album packed with energy, hooks, and attitude. Tracks like “Till I’m Gone” and “Backstabber” embrace classic rock riffs and strut with confidence, while “She Said” and “Stick em up” bring punk energy and AC/DC-style swagger. The album balances commercial appeal with raw power, as heard in the radio-friendly “Tonight” and the thumping “Strike While the Irons Hot,” a standout favorite. Surprises like the Bolan-esque “Long Way” add variety, while “Tombstone Rattle” ensures a hard-hitting finale. This is a record made for blasting loud, best enjoyed on the open road.

And we hope you liked the review, dear reader! If you did, please check out the other pages of the magazine; we have many great features, merchandise pages, shops, editorials and even a poetry page. Content is free here, but we work hard for you, and to support the magazine, please show your appreciation on the support button below and buy me a coffee!

You can stream the album and more from The Fixations here.

By Stevie Ritson

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