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A Dirty Dozen with SPECTRE JONES – March 2022

| 10 March 2022 | Reply

According to a recent press release: “Los Angeles based indie-rock outfit Spectre Jones have released “Trouble” – a rowdy and retro single that highlights how counterproductive settling can be to our long-term growth and happiness. Joy in the Morning focuses on the idea that all of humanity is chasing after something: like the idea of joy, love, and success. Recorded with Grammy-nominated engineer / producer extraordinaire James Krausse at the historic Boulevard Recording in Los Angeles, California, Spectre Jones aims for the album to deliver a safe space for listeners to question what truly satisfies us, and stimulate conversation about what we, as people, are seeking. Equipped with a wide range of influences, both contemporary and classic, Spectre Jones have used their harmonic dreamscapes and indie rock sound to create a catalogue of work aimed to promote wellbeing.” We get the band 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?

This new album, Joy In The Morning, is a group of songs we wrote during lockdown in 2020 and recorded in 2021. The whole thing comes off pretty earnest, so we hope people find it to have a pleasantly childlike spirit while still being more thoughtful than naive. In terms of hidden nuggets, one fun fact is that the song “Let Yourself Go” was written based on a backing vocal line from the second verse of another one of our songs, “Runaway.”

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

There has never really been a time for any of us when we didn’t love music. We had all been playing for years before we ever met each other, and then we played together in different groupings for years before we ever became Spectre Jones. Perhaps we all came to the realization that we are musicians at different times, but it was pretty much understood by the time we all became close friends that music is an integral part of life for us.

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

We’ve tried to learn a lot from the Beatles in the past few years. That rooftop concert is just bonkers. Speaking of which, God bless Billy Preston. Legend.

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

We would call Randy Newman because our life is good.

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

We like skateboarding around the neighborhood, going bowling, seeing other bands play around LA, listening to records, eating lots of food and playing Guitar Hero.

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?

We like to think of our music as a big hug for anybody who needs one. Not sure if the press has said anything yet that made us cringe, but there’s a first time for everything!

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?

Brett’s usually leading the singalongs! As far as food goes, the cook is whoever’s clocked in at In-N-Out, and our drink is the wine of friendship. Brett usually drinks Coke though.

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

Alexa (our drummer) saw Josh Peck walking across the street near her apartment during lockdown, and I think we all needed that.

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?

Well, Richard Manuel said it best–it’s an impossible way of life. That being said, when we’re in the pocket together, playing tunes and having a good time, everything feels right. If we weren’t musicians, we would teach gym.

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?

We have always wanted an interviewer to ask us “Are we not men?” Our answer, of course, would be that we are Devo. Conversely, we are tired of answering questions about Jake’s hair care routine.

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?

No, that’s okay! As far as we can tell, everything belongs.

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?

Every person in the band would probably pick a different record, but the one that first comes to mind is the Beatles’ White Album. It has such an otherworldly and beautifully strange sounding stereo mix throughout (still haven’t managed to get our hands on a mono pressing) and the creative scope of the songwriting and musicianship is just downright bonkers from start to finish.

SPECTRE JONES LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

Category: Interviews

About the Author ()

ToddStar - that's me... just a rocking accountant who had dreams of being a rock star. I get to do the next best thing to rocking the globe - I get to take pictures of the lucky ones that do. I love to shoot all genres of music and different types of performers. If it is related to music, I love to photograph it. I get to shoot and hang with not only some of my friends and idols, but some of the coolest people around today.

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