A Dirty Dozen with JOHN LeBANG – January 2026

According to a recent press release: “In true galvanic style, The Motor City’s own J. Lebang unfurls track list and title for upcoming new album! Bringing an orgy of bombastic positive energy, Electrogasm boasts 8 brand new original bangers to rock your face off!  Electrogasm fuses Lebang’s classic hard rock roots with funk inspired dance grooves. You’ll find yourself on a journey soaring across the globe and feeling sexy from the moment the music is unleashed. Each track on Electrogasm features a unique line up of musicians.  As Lebang brings together one of the greatest collections of independent musicians on a single album! The opening track “International Man of Sexy” spotlights the soulful voice of Multi award winning vocalist Tosha Owens side by side with Lebang and the thumping bass of Pete Bankert (Cub Coda / Butchers Nail) driving this James Bond inspired rocker. “Dangerous highlights Michigan Music award winning bassist Takashi Iio playing one of the funkiest of funk lines in this Prince meets Red Hot Chili Pepper love song that will make you want to dance. “King Of the Family” offers a more nostalgic genre hopping rock and soul chess match mixing with a royal gangster vibe. J.lebang is back and Baby, he missed you!” We get John 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?

Electrogasm is an album of Bombastic positive energy. 38 musicians from Detroit, Seattle, Florida, Canada, United Kingdom and Brazil contributed their talents to elevate the music to new levels, featuring tracks like “International Man Of Sexy,” “King Of The Family.” and “Bunlshd” (Pronounced “Be Unleashed”).

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

My mother introduced me to Elvis, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and CCR. The latter of which, contributed to a scar I have below my bottom lip. I did a “Proud Mary” off the kitchen table at my uncles in Alabama. Crashing to the floor as my face absorbed the blow and allowing the rest of my limp body to gently collapse on the rug, giving a new meaning to “Rollin, Rollin, Rolling Down The River.”

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

In 1980, I was introduced to AC/DC. That was it; I wanted to be like them. From there I went from Black Sabbath to Tom Jones. I’ve seen almost every major rock act, not to mention, all the local bands I’ve watched. Rock and Roll Baby!!!

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

We were very close to pulling in Mitch Ryder and Scott Mercado for the album. We just couldn’t work out the scheduling and logistics. It would have been an absolute dream to work with them. In the future, I’d be interested in collaborating with Derek St. Holmes and Kenny Olson. Let’s not forget Ruyter Suys of Nashville Pussy. She’s a badass!

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

These days, it’s the simple things like spending time with my family, gardening and doting on my wife. I do enjoy myself a good road trip. Though, it is likely my fellow commuters received their licenses from some kind of correspondence course.

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’ve had a lot of comparisons to Frank Zappa and Mothers Of Invention lately. I wasn’t offended though, Zappa is well respected. He never was an influence, but who am I to say otherwise. Contributors like Tosha Owens brings soul to the project, Lexie Blue added a bluesy grit to the music, Steve Unger (Metal Church) brought a heavy edge. Takashi Iio brought the funk. The music is elevated by incorporating so many talented people, that describing it as a fusion of Hard Rock, funk and groove still doesn’t do it justice.

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’ll find out this summer. We’re planning on doing some shows with a lot of the artists who contributed to the album. The release of the album is the current priority.

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

I don’t get starstruck, but the day I interviewed Glenn Hughes & Doug Aldrich of the Dead Daisies, the fourteen year old boy in me was giddy. Glenn was a huge influence on my boyhood dreams of being a rock star. I remember listening to the 1985 concept album Phenomenon as a teenager. In many ways, Electrogasm is my equivalent collection. Not as a concept album, but as a collection of talented musicians contributing to a single project.

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?

Creating songs is definitively my favorite part of being a musician. There is something about finding each track in the universe of the mind. Sifting through the sea of thoughts to uncover the hidden gems and jams inside the cosmos of perception.

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?

Answering questions are part of the gig. My least favorite is the generic “Who are your influences?” question. Tracks like “Dangerous” has been compared to Price and The Red Hot Chili Peppers, neither of which had direct influences on the creation of that track. The question I’ve always wanted asked is Who’s tacos do you prefer? My wife’s, I eat it every Tuesday. It’s Mmm, mmm, Good!

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 moved to Seattle in the mid 90’s. Save the Roaches was doing well, so I decided to move to where the grunge movement was huge. While I was attempting to attract attention from Sub Pop records, I had an accident at my day job. A hilo had pinned my left hand between a joist and some plywood. The pinky finger was crushed under the pressure. I remember taking my glove off and thinking I have to go to the hospital. A coworker rushed me to the hospital. On the way, I went into shock. Thankfully I was fortunate enough not to lose the finger. But after a surgery and months of recovery time, I fell off the radar as an artist.

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?

Sitting in with AC/DC as they recorded the Black Ice album would have been a dream. The last album with Malcolm Young!  Pink Floyd The Wall also comes to mind. That would have been an incredible experience. Being there when Tom Jones recorded “She’s A Lady” would have been great.

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Category: Interviews