A Dirty Dozen with JASON CLARK from BOURBON HOUSE – December 2021

According to a recent press release: “December 10, 2021 – Heavy Blues Rock band BOURBON HOUSE has released the official music video for their single, “I Got Trouble.” Directed and produced by Jocelyne Berumen, “I Got Trouble” is off of the band’s third studio album, Into The Red, which is out now on PACgroove Records. Bourbon House was founded by guitarist Jason Clark and vocalist Lacey Crowe in 2017.” We get Jason to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

We recorded these songs with engineers and studios that we’d never used before on previous albums. The exception is “Devil on my Heels,” which was recorded at Pine Hollow Audio where we recorded the first two albums. Another interesting fact is that this album features a song written primarily by our drummer Ryan Sargent, who is also a gifted guitarist and songwriter.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

Hit songs on the radio got me into music: the Beatles, Michael Jackson, Led Zeppelin and everything else I heard. I started writing lyrics when I was about six and started writing melodies and riffs on a keyboard at about 12. Later on, I bought my first guitar and started getting serious.  But yeah, it started at a young age.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

When I first heard Led Zeppelin, I thought I’d want my band to be like them. Then when I watched The Song Remains the Same, I thought, Yep, that’s what I want to do.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

I think it would have to be Paul McCartney, because I admire him so much. But I’d also like to see what kind of song came out of it. He has a very diverse palette.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour?  What do you like to do to unwind?

I like to read, walk around in the woods and watch nature. I’m on an eternal quest for peace and quiet.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

I like to say we’re kind of like Zeppelin with Janis for a singer. Of course, we’re a far cry from that, and we definitely have cultivated a style of our own, but I think that puts the listener’s expectations on the right path. I don’t think any reviewer has made any unfavorable comparisons but a couple of our songs have been described as punk rock, which is something we did not agree with.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

We’re a very non-traditional rock band. We don’t drink much or party. We don’t even jam out much when we’re not onstage, although all of us can play guitar. Most of the time we’re goofing off, trying to make each other laugh. Ryan is usually looking for memes.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

When I met Dave Mustaine. I was intimidated, but he was very cool.

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

The best part of being a musician is hearing total strangers say they love something I wrote. If they get a riff stuck in their head, or they want to learn to play it, I’ve done my job. If I couldn’t do that with my life, I’d want to… I don’t know, maybe be a YouTuber or something.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

“Where do you get your riffs?” They’re given to me by The Other Side. The question I hear too often is “Who are your influences?” Everyone has influenced me.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

I try not to have regrets. I think everything happens for a reason. We’ve made some missteps but we’ve learned a lot along the way, both in our musical lives and otherwise.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

The Beatles White Album. I love everything on it. It’s so eclectic, so chaotic and unpredictable  but also a masterpiece. I’m sure I’d walk away from that experience a better musician, and probably a better human.

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Category: Interviews