1. How are you? How is life in The Kickovers treating you? Life in the KO's is going great. I think we've had a period of readjustment, that has us coming out the other side as a full-on band. We've been spending a lot of time rehearsing some new material that I think is gonna really floor people. Great stuff that Nate has brought in and everyone has warped into our own sound. Outside of the KO's, I've been nursing some non music related injuries to my back. I had some surgery in December. Don't tell the guys, but it is really a master plan to avoid carrying my heavy gear to shows!
2. Just how cool is it to be a part of this band? How did you feel about being approached to join them? Well, Johnny and I knew each other from when we worked together at a music store. I actually hired him! So I knew where he came from musically and always thought he was a rad guy. I didn't know Jamie or Nate personally (although I'm an old Bosstones fan) but hit it off really quick. To say I was stoked to even be asked is an understatement. At first I figured that I'd maybe just be a fill in, but told myself to just go and play the songs as best I could and we'll see where it goes. And here we are and I couldn't be happier.
3. What qualities would you say everyone brings to this band? I'm still figuring that out I think. Every time we get together I learn something new about how we can play together.
4. Which have you found most rewarding; touring or recording? I think I'll find touring on something I've recorded the most rewarding. They're pretty equal in my book.
5. Any interesting stories about touring with The Kickovers? Best/worst show, etc? All the shows have been memorable in some way, I think the Sum 41 show was one where we particularly kicked some people in the can.
6. Joining the band at the time you did could have been awkward, how was the transition? COULD have been awkward!?!? Actually, I was pleasantly surprised by how cool everyone was about it. I approached it as that I am going to go up there and not give anyone any ammo to criticize me. If the band sounds great, you've got no complaints.
7. The Kickovers have such a loyal and supportive fanbase already? What has been the general reaction from those fans towards you? Oh, they've been real nice. I think people who have lost interest in the band because of the departure of someone who played on two tracks weren't there for the right reasons anyways. But, let's be real here, a number of people came to shows expecting someone else and got me. And 99 percent of the time by the second song, they don't care and have fun anyways. And that's a great feeling.
8. What's the coolest thing a fan has given to you or done for you? And don't kid me that you don't have fans...because you so do! Given me yummy chocolate bars!!!
9. How weird has it been to have people actually ask if you're Mikey? Remember the kid at the Snow Jam in Boston? Poor little guy. Broke his damn heart didn't I? Y'know, a real fan should at least know what you look like. I don't think I look like the guy, but people have said there is a resemblance. Moppy hair, big Irish head...
10. It was inevitable but were you worried that there would comparrisons to Mikey? No worries for me. I'm confident in my skills and I think those skills are what landed me the gig.
11. Which is the best; concentrating on one band or project or having your fingers in quite a few pies? I feel like my concentration on KO's stuff comes first, but I definitely have my musical arms stretched here and there. I've been recording my own songs thanks to Johnny's new set up at his house and I still collaborate with my friend Jeff back in Buffalo. I'm going to play and sing on some songs Jeff wrote and I hope to record this spring...but it probably won't ever see a shelf in a store. I'm always writing songs...
12. If you could take credit for writing any song ever made, which song would you be most happy to have as your own? You mean that exists already? Whoah tough question. Today I'd say, "Martha" by Tom Waits. God that song is amazing. It's one of the few songs I've heard that I get a physical reaction to whenever I hear it. Hair on my arms standing up straight. That said, if you asked me the same question tomorrow I'd probably say "Paradise City".
13. What do you think about the current musical climate? Who rocks and who doesn't? The music biz is NOT good right now, and I'm not even referring to the talent pool yet. Less people are buying CD's, going to shows because PEOPLE HAVE LESS MONEY. That simple. Now, onto the talent side of it, I think there is some great stuff out there, but you're not going to find it on MTV. So stop looking there. I think I came to realize how bad it really is when I saw Justin Timberlake with an MC5 shirt on. I laughed because he probably thinks that MC5 is a hip hop act. Don't even get me started on my whole Disney tirade. Let me nutshell: Disney buys Times Square, MTV moves into times square, MTV plays nothing but Disney alumni ever since. The conglomeration of media is scarier than you realize.
14. Were you musical as a child and do you play any other instruments? I come from a very musical family. I played piano as a kid, sang in chorus from 4th grade through 12th, played bass since 4th grade, and guitar since 10th. I actually did a lot of classical bass playing in my day and even made it to All State for NY, which is pretty tough. That said I was the kid who didn't practice my music (I was very good at sight reading), usually got seated third or second to last chair and on break was trying to convince the rest of the kids to listen to my Minor Threat and Clash tapes.
15. What angers you the most? I don't get mad very easily. I actually think the thing that angers me the most is people with short tempers. It shows a lack of control and cool that I find difficult to be around.
16. ...and what brings you inner-peace? My dog Jelly.
17. Other than music, what do you feel passionately about? The Buffalo Bills. And I absolutley love to cook. Kids, turn off MTV and watch the Food Network. It rules and trust me you'll learn a heck of a lot more!
18. MTV: a pain in the arse or a necessary evil? I think it has given people a hightly false sense of what reality is.
19. Whats the first record you bought and the first band you saw live? First record was Dag Nasty's "Wig Out At Denko's". Still on my top 5 of all time. First band I saw live was **shudders** Joe Satriani.
20. Are there any embarrassments in your record/CD collection? If so, what are they? So, my secret shames in my CD collection? Well, curiosity killed the cat when I bought a used copy of Big Dumb Face's record. That's the band Wes Borland formed right when he left the Bizkits. I was mildly interested because he did seem like the only one in that horrible band who had any remote chance of being talented. I was sorely mistaken and out 6 bucks!
21. What was the last CD you bought? Foo Fighter's "One By One" (I am obsessed with "Lonely As You") and Sunny Day Real Estate's "Diary". I have everything else by SDRE, but for some reason never got that one. God I miss that band.
22. Do you have any hidden talents? I am a very good juggler. I even own professional bowling pins manufactured for my juggling convenience.
23. Tell me something funny about the other members of The Kickovers; the more embarrassing the better? Hey I'm still the new guy y'know...
24. Now tell me something about yourself that might surprise everyone else? "A League Of Their Own" made me bawl like a little girl.
25. Think back to September 2002 and our chat about mullets...do you think theres a place for mullets in rock in the year 2003? Will you be championing this cause by any chance? Well, back in 2001 I tried to have a mullet and it just didn't work out for me. Keep in mind I had one for about a year here. I definitely tried to make it work more than your average man. But I think the lesson we all learned was that the mullet should be kept where it is, hunched over a can of Scotch Gard in a 83 Trans Am with the windows rolled up.
26. Just like John (Rioux), you were a roadie for one of my favourite bands ever; the Bosstones...how did that happen and do you have any interesting stories of life on the road with them? I met Lawrence through working at the store and we hit it off. They're such a great band and a great bunch of guys. I can't say enough about them that hasn't been said already. They did a surprise set at the Minneapolis Warped Tour and 10 minutes before they went on it began to rain like I've never seen it before. So I got up there to set up, all the Bosstones are huddled around a tent, slung on Joe's bass and just started playing "Singing In The Rain" to the 40 loyal fans waiting for what turned out to be a whopping 3 1/2 song set. It was a blast to stand there hooked up to who knows how much power and say screw it so everyone could have a quick laugh.
27. For those who don't know the story behind the nickname "Shemp" could you explain? I woke up one morning and my hair was all tossled up. I came to the front lounge and Dicky was sitting there, he looks at me, and say "What's up Shemp?" from then on he never called me Jon again. It's also the sign that you've fully entered the Bosstones camp. And hey, at least my name wasn't "Jackass" like a...a-hem, former guitar tech!
28. Which band would you love The Kickovers to tour with and why? The one Ronnie Dobbs hopefully forms someday!
29. What's your favourite joke? Death by Boo-Foo. If you don't know it, I'll tell ya sometime. I wasn't sure if I'd heard this joke before so Jon e-mailed it to me; Allright, so three men get stranded on an island and are captured by hostile natives. They are told that they have a choice, either Boo-Foo or death.
So the first guy says to the chief "Screw this I'm taking Boo-Foo, whatever it is" and off he walks into the forest. After five minutes of hearing distant shouts of pain, the man returns with a sad look in his eye and a funny limp in his walk.
The other guys said "What happened?" but the first man just hung his head between his knees and sobbed.
The second guy says to the chief "Well, it doesn't look pleasant, but at least he came out alive, so I too will choose Boo-Foo."
Well, the same thing happens as to the first guy. He comes out and the third guy says "What did they do to you?" The second man replied "They tied me to a tree and violated me...prison style if you know what I mean?"
Well, that was it. The third guy felt he had a little more dignity than that. So he proudly yells to the chief "I choose death!"
And the chief replies "Fine. I sentence you to DEATH BY BOO-FOO!!!!!!"
30. What is the most embarrassing thing thats ever happened to you? Flashback to high school. Me, a long haired rocker type who was in chorus. Now one of the things I learned at an early age was that all the hot girls in school were in chorus. Another way to get extra time to hang out with them was signing up for the musical. I got the lead in "Oklahoma!", a character named Curly. Make a long story short, all hopes of having a little off stage romance were dashed when the director told me I had to get a perm for the weekend of the show. I looked like a scared mushroom!
Thank you so much for reading through this bunch of questions, they may not be the greatest questions in the world but they do have good intentions, ha-ha! Hope you enjoyed them?
Allright, that's it. Whew...thanks, and let me know if ya need anything else!
Jon
