Crossfyre is a good ol’ boys’ southern blues rock band from the northern climes of Finland. Originally formed in Florida back in 1991 by founding members Danny Cross (drums) and Jay Jay Asikainen (guitar), Crossfyre migrated to Finland, making it their home base at the turn of the century.
Финляндия
Crossfyre has seen a vast incarnation of line-ups throughout the years, with musicians and vocalists coming and going, but Cross and Asikainen have remained mainstays. Nowadays, Crossfyre is fronted by acclaimed journeyman professional wrestler and musician Michael ”StarBuck” Majalahti (ex-Stoner Kings, Overnight Sensation) on vocals, with Jaakko Kinnari (ex-Daltons) on guitar, Dan Rönnbacka on bass and backing vocals and Jari Ravaska on keyboards.
Crossfyre Danny Cross
Danny Cross from many years back
Danny Cross tells the story of Crossfyre:
”I remember the first gig we did with Crossfyre. Jay Jay and I had been sitting in a bar a couple of weeks prior and the owner walked over and asked if we played in a band. I had coincidentally just quit one band and Jay Jay was new in the States at that point. I told the owner ”yes” and he asked us to come play his club at Christmas.”
”So Jay Jay and I went to every open jam in order to find ourselves a bass player and a lead singer. A guy named Rob was the first one that we got a hold of, a really great guy (RIP). The next one we met was named Jeff (alias Elvis) and he played guitar and handled the lead vocals and off we went to our first gig.”
”All went well and the owner asked us to play again on New Year’s Eve. At that gig, we were joined by a sax player named Popa John. He was the hairiest, most hard-working man ever born on this planet! One thing led to another and a couple of gigs later a guy with only one arm walks in and asks if he could sit in and play with us. I asked what he played, and he told me piano and keys. I looked at him as to say ”are you serious?”. He got up there and played the shit out of those keys. Thinking back, it still scares me how he could do it. Then again, Rob loved him ’cos he didn’t mess with his bass lines.”
”We turned out to be one of the hardest working bands on the Florida club circuit. After Rob left the band, we got Mark Brooks on bass. Elvis also left the band after awhile and we had several guys coming in and going out: Bruce Dundee, Paul Roberts, Kyle Reese, Keith MacKendrick and T-Bone Arffman just to name a few.”
Bruce Dundee and StarBuck
Crossfyre’s ex-vocalist Bruce Dundee and current vocalist StarBuck
Crossfyre has played alongside such acclaimed greats as ZZ Top, George Thorogood and The Destroyers, John Kay & Steppenwolf, Johnny Winter, Blackfoot, Molly Hatchet, Foghat and numerous others. Crossfyre was also the only European band aboard the inaugural, gigantic Rock Legends Cruise in 2011, hailed as ”southern rock’s Woodstock.”
Crossfyre Jay Jay Asikainen and Buddy Guy
Crossfyre Jay Jay Asikainen and legendary bluesman Buddy Guy from back in the day
With a healthy sense of traditional blues and southern rock songwriting sensibilities, Crossfyre’s music is sure to appeal to a classic rock demographic far and wide. When the band is in your area, be sure to come out and take part in the Crossfyre live experience!