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| An
Interview with Jim Jones
of the JIM JONES REVUE By WENDY WWAD The
Jim Jones Revue is composed of: Jim Jones, Rupert Orton, Gavin Jay,
Nick Jones & Henri Herbert WW: Who or what first inspired you to want to play an instrument? And was guitar
your first instrument? JJ: Yeah, after the obligatory pink bassoon, guitar
was the first thing I got a handle on. It was my Dad’s old 45s from
when he was younger that first made an impression on me. When I
was very young I was given the old record player & these old
45s to mess around with. It was a gateway into another world &
the king of that world was Elvis! He was the first inspiration. WW: How did the Jim Jones Revue first get together? Did you know some of the guys
from projects in the past? JJ:
We had never played together before & didn't
know each other that well. When I first met Rupert he was a booker.
He was bringing over Mississippi blues guys like T- model Ford &
Honey Boy Edwards and I was at these shows and we would talk about
50s R-n-R. He booked some shows for my previous band Black Moses and
when that band folded, I asked Rupert if he could recommend any
drummers. He suggested Nicky Jones and we set up a rehearsal. I
had met Elliot Mortimer thru Ray Hanson (Thee Hypnotics).
Rupert came down too and we poached Gavin Jay from another band.
The first time we played it took right off and it's been that way
ever since ... like a runaway train. |
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WW: JJR is a bit of a departure from your earlier work with Thee Hypnotics
and, to a lesser extent, Black Moses. Did you go into JJR with
a concise idea of the sound you wanted to achieve? JJ:
Yeah, I wanted to see if we could capture some of
the spirit & energy of the early piano driven R-n-R.
WW: Your style has been compared
to the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis and
Little Richard, in addition to bands like
MC5, Stooges, and The Birthday Party. Was
JJR an attempt to get back to your roots
or early influences? JJ: Yeah, it's like coming full circle back to those 45s from my childhood. WW: I read that you recorded your self-titled debut album in 48 hours, and that
it was released that same year (2008). Had you already written the
songs, and just waiting to find the right members to be in the band?
Or was it more of a collaborative effort…a jam that you ended up
recording? JJ:
The first LP was only recorded so we could try and
get better gigs. It was our live set at the time. We had no money
so we just booked a small rehearsal room and my friend Graeme Flynn
(Black Moses) came down with a couple of microphones and we
just recorded live over two afternoons and a few days later I did
the mix. I was amazed when I first heard it played on the BBC. WW: Your second full-length album, “Burning Your House Down” was also released
on Punk Rock Blues Records, and was produced by Jim Sclavunos (Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Grinderman). How was working with him? And what
do you think he brought to the table? JJ: Jim was great. He had worked with a lot of artists we admired including The Cramps,
Sonic Youth, Panther Burns and of course
Bad Seeds and Grinderman. The thing about all those bands is
that they had put a cool twist on a familiar theme, and that's what
we wanted too. I was pretty hands on with the production but it
was good having someone from outside of the band to oversee the
process. Jim had a lot of experience to bring to the mix and was
very motivated too. He was invaluable to the transition from the
first LP and a great guy to have around. WW: I’ve noticed that you play guitar less with JJR,
and leave a lot of it to Rupert Orton, freeing you up for more vocals
and boogie-ing. Do you like the freedom
of having a guitar player that can rock that hard, thus leaving
you to your own devices? JJ: Yeah, Rupert is quite happy to hold the fort and it helps to give a bit more
variety to the sound not having a constant two guitar thing. WW: Though obviously influenced by rock-n-roll, you also seem to have a big punk
rock influence, as witnessed by the brevity of “Burning Your House
Down”, which hosts 11 songs in 33 minutes. Was this intentional? JJ: For sure ... Life's too short for self-indulgent twaddle. WW: So Orton acts as band manager? And is also the owner of Punk Rock Blues Records?
Does that cause any internal conflict? Or has it been a fairly collaborative
effort all around? JJ:
Personally I don't have the patience or the stomach
for the business end of the music industry beyond a certain point.
That's definitely Rupert's department. He's managed to keep the
band truly independent! Any major decisions are sanctioned by me
or by a band vote and it works well as a collaborative partnership.
I let him get on with the business end of things and he lets me
get on with the creative end. It's a very open and productive relationship. WW: I read that The Clash legend, Mick Jones said "There is
no band bigger than The Jim Jones
Revue”. How does that make you feel? JJ: Really Big! WW: Is it true that you are related to David Bowie? You
can deny if you’d like to keep it under wraps… JJ: No comment. |
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WW: It seems that you guys have taken Europe by storm. When the heck are you going
to do the same to America, besides just playing SXSW? JJ: We’re coming to get you in September! WW: Is there any truth to the urban legend that you snorted Stiv Bators’
remains? JJ:
Absolutely ... Quite a sting if I remember correctly.
I think there are still some small fragments of bone stuck up there! WW: What do you think is necessary to a band’s longevity? JJ:
Avoid fashion and trends - sit down together &
talk shit over - make sure you know where you are. WW: If JJR had a mission statement, what would
it be? JJ: Don't spare the horses! WW: What is your definition of success in rock-n-roll? JJ:
If you can get up & do what you want every day
without eating too much shit. WW: If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only take 5 albums with
you, what would they be? JJ:
Muddy Waters - Chess Masters Duke
Ellington - Afro Bossa Tom
Waits - Mule Variations Stooges - Raw Power A good R-n-R compilation with
the early singles of Elvis, Little Richard & Chuck Berry. WW: What can we look forward to from JJR in the future?
Any chance you’ll be touring the states any time soon? JJ: September baby! WW: Final words of wisdom to your ever-growing legions of fans? JJ: Rock hard and dance on the table. |
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