Listening to the mesmerizing guitar riffs and gruffly soulful vocals of Blacktop Mojo, someone could be forgiven for thinking they’d suddenly been transported to the early 90s grunge scene of Seattle. Yet, the uniquely Texas flavor jolts listeners back to reality. This is neither the 90s nor the Pacific Northwest, but something wholly new that pays homage to the sounds and inspirations of its musical forbearers. The East Texas outfit discusses some of their inspirations, exciting milestones so far, and what’s next on the horizon for Blacktop Mojo.

The Origins of their Mojo

The band got its start in the small East Texas town of Palestine. To the unacquainted, the locale appears an unlikely place for the origin of a grunge band, but under closer inspection, it became an ideal forming ground for the southern-style metal and guitar riffs inspired by fellow southern-bred bands Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top. Vocalist Matt James and drummer Nathan Gillis formed the band in late 2012, incorporating a myriad of genres and styles ranging from heavy rock to sensuous blues to birth a sound dubbed a “Texas Grunge” by members of the music scene.    

Cultivating their Craft and Cutting their Teeth

With the 2014 release of their debut album “I Am” serving as an introduction, the band got to work presenting their unique sound in local venues throughout Texas, playing in dive bars, honky tonks, and dance halls. A few years later, during the creation of their sophomore album, “Burn the Ships,” the band decided to take their craftsmanship to the next level. Focusing squarely on refining their music, band members quit their regular jobs, making Blacktop Mojo their sole, full-time occupation. The group moved into a small house together, fostering an unbreakable bond and allowing the band members to eat, sleep, and breathe their passion for music and creativity. 

A Relentless Drive Up the Charts

This dedication proved beneficial as Blacktop Mojo has taken on a practically nonstop touring and recording schedule since then. Resulting from this unrelenting drive, the band has celebrated the charting of multiple songs into the top 40 of both Mediabase and Billboard Rock Charts, a coveted distinction that often proves challenging for independent artists.        

Nonetheless, the band has continued pounding the pavement, or blacktop rather, in pursuit of musical excellence. Blacktop Mojo has consistently continued to develop and grow their fanbase through persistent touring, performing their unique stylings to rapt listeners, and allowing word-of-mouth to do its job. Lead singer Matt James notes this callback to classic rock and roll inspirations as Blacktop Mojo performs music “the way it used to be. A group of people on stage playing their instruments right in front of your face. No laptops, no backing tracks. What you see is what you get.”

The Future of Texas Grunge

Perhaps it is precisely this approach that has led to the band’s success: a nostalgic desire to see, hear, and feel the music and the passion behind it. Whatever the case may be, hard work, drive, and passion combined have resulted in exciting, memorable milestones for Blacktop Mojo. Opening for Bon Jovi in 2016 and charting repeatedly on top charts have been thrilling highlights so far. The band is looking above and beyond US charts as well, with 230k worldwide subscribers on YouTube and 350k monthly listeners on Spotify. 

Hopping the pond, their unstoppable tour schedule has led the band to the UK to play in the spring of 2025. With this unflagging determination, it seems all but certain that Texas Grunge is set to echo worldwide as Blacktop Mojo continues their upward climb.