This week I had the fab fortune of chatting up Jon Regen, the NYC singer-songwriter whose addictive third album, REVOLUTION, is, in the never-to-be-humble opinion of your girl in music, a game-changing milestone for Jon as it effortlessly straddles the lines of commercial viability, legit authenticity, and indie: all grown up. In short, REVOLUTION is the album that breaks and marks the begining of Jon's musical legacy. Sure, most Angeleno's may not know his name now, but mark my words: by the end of 2011, we will be claiming joint custody of the musician, if not declaring him one of our own outright; after all, half of the album's songs, in one way or another, to varying degrees, owe their existence to Jon's time in Los Angeles last October, and that is good enough for us.
The Music+Moxie Interview on Examiner.com: Jon Regen
What is your mission in sharing REVOLUTION with the world? What do you hope other 'one part broken' people glean from it?
I’ve always been a musician, but I think I became a singer/songwriter to try and make sense of my place in this often beguiling world. So hopefully, the stories and sentiments on the album - love and loss, humor and heartbreak, and most of all, finding a way to make it through the maze your life sometimes becomes, will resonate with people.
Your album-titles are always meaningful, and always remind me of a Beatles song or lyric (Almost Home /"on our way home" from Two Of Us; Let It Go /Let It Be; and Revolution /Revolution respectively). Are the Beatles references by design or simply serendipitous? Had you noticed the allusions or been asked about them before?
They are certainly not by design, but it’s a hell of a compliment. I think as I have gotten stronger as a singer and songwriter, I’ve allowed myself to take bigger risks. Emotionally, musically, and orchestrally. The template that the Beatles created – crafting brilliant pop songs, while simultaneously exploring the depths of recorded sound and song structure, is certainly something all of us can take a cue from. I had never noticed an overtly Beatles-esque component in my music until I wrote REVOLUTION, which hearing it back now, really does have a sort of Beatles-ish chord progression to it.
Share your most magical recording moment from REVOLUTION.
There were many, but I’d have to say sitting in Matt Rollings’ LA studio while Benmont Tench played organ on DELORES really floored me. I had grown-up listening to Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, and Benmont’s organ playing has always been a touchstone for me. I actually finished that song when I heard he had time to play on it, so in a sense, I finished it for him. Watching and listening to him play the B3 was a moment I won’t soon forget. He’s a masterful musician, and I’m lucky to call him my friend.
What is the best advice you've been given on REVOLUTION and in your singer songwriter career?
I think it all boils down to doing the work. I was fortunate enough to meet Rob Thomas years back - he actually co-wrote JUST WAITING FOR NOW with me. His work ethic is really inspiring, and the complete antithesis of what we often associate with famous musicians. He gets up every day and goes down to his studio to search for songs. Always pushing, searching – not resting on what came before. Watching him write inspired me to be better. I definitely think I have grown between my 2008 record LET IT GO and REVOLUTION. I toured constantly. Wrote and co-wrote. Chased the sounds that were in my head. So the biggest lesson is, it’s about the work.
Which REVOLUTION track was the greatest challenge? Which gave you the greatest sense of reward and accomplishment? Which induced a cat that ate the canary face?
They were all challenging in their own way, and because I made this record in 7 different studios, getting great mixers on board was a huge part of the process. Luckily, John Porter and Michael Brauer are two of the best in the world.
One tune that was particularly tricky was RUN AWAY, the album’s closer. That song was cut as a quartet in London, with my UK drummer John Miller playing live drums along to a pattern from my Casio MT-65 that I discovered in a thrift store in NYC. So originally, it was a double drum part. Later I thought the track might benefit from big drums on TOP of the drum bed, so I called up Ricky Fataar, who I have always loved, and he played a thunderous drum track over the existing one. Getting three drummers to blend right was a bit of a challenge, but in the end, John Porter nailed it.
Another song that took a minute to get right was SPIRITS OF THE SOUL. I wrote that with the UK soul singer David McAlmont, and we originally cut it as a sort of jazzy, Sade-like track in London. But hearing it back, it seemed to lose the intimacy that I had hoped the song would impart. I wanted it to whisper. So I called up Andy Summers, who had played on my 2008 album LET IT GO, and we cut it as a duo at his studio in Venice, CA. I’ve known Andy for nearly fifteen years, but this was the first time we actually sat next to each other to play and record. It was a thrill. Later, the brilliant cellist Julia Kent added a series of haunting cello parts to the song as well. So sometimes the most important part of making records is deciding that something isn’t working – that allows you to find another way to make things work.
Tell me about REVOLUTION's LA connection.
REVOLUTION started with the recording of the title track in my NYC apartment back in March of 2010. Soon after, I went on-tour with my band across Europe. On a day off in London, we cut 7 tracks in one day at London’s AIR EDEL studios. Out of those 7, I kept 4.
I called-up famed keyboardist and producer MATT ROLLINGS (Lyle Lovett/Mark Knopfler), who has a great studio in Studio City, and we agreed to go through what I had produced until that point, and that we would co-produce the album from that point on.
LA recording commenced in October, 2010, with the tracks SHE’S NOT YOU (BUT TONIGHT SHE’LL HAVE TO DO), JUST WAITING FOR NOW, ONE PART BROKEN, TWO PARTS BLUE, and DELORES. Finally, I cut SPIRITS OF THE SOUL in Venice, CA at Andy Summers’ studio in Venice, CA.
So a full 1/2 of the album came to fruition because of LA.
Complete this sentence: "If I learned ____________ were a ginormous fan I might die of giddiness or over-satisfaction, and I'd be cool with that, cause that would be worth it."
Well, Sting has always been a hero of mine, both for his singing and songwriting, and they way he effortlessly fuses a myriad of musical styles together. So, he’s the first person that comes to mind.
Tell me about your most memorable fan interaction.
I once got asked to sign a fan’s breast in Bratislava. You just can’t make this stuff up.
What is the most awesome or extraordinary thing a member of your core fan-base has done?
I have a bunch of hardcore fans from Austria that follow my band and I around Europe and sing ALL the words to all of my songs. That’s just about the biggest compliment a musician can get.
How do you stay sane in the studio and on the road?
Coffee. In ridiculously large quantities.
Do you have a favorite Music Festival? What is your best tip for festival survival?
I love playing summer festivals in Europe – I came-up playing on the international jazz circuit, so I’m always enchanted by performing in the South of Italy, France, and the UK.
Best festival survival tip? Save the drinking for AFTER the gig!
You are a very tour-heavy musician; what do you love most about playing live?
Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to PLAY music. Not just make a living in the music ‘business,’ but actually have a career playing live. So every chance I get to do that is a gift. It’s really all I ever hoped for.
Tell me about your most memorable moments on stage.
I spent a number of years accompanying the legendary jazz singer Jimmy Scott. Some of those moments stand-out – playing piano back to back with Dr. John on organ at MASS MOCA, performing at Carnegie Hall, playing the Hollywood Bowl – it was a master class in music every night with him.
Some of my favorite moments as a leader have happened overseas, where my career developed first. Every year I play the famed PizzaExpress Jazz Club in London, and I see the same group of loyal fans who have been following me since my first singer/songwriter album ALMOST HOME back in 2004. It’s a thrill to have your listeners make the journey with you.
What is the strangest thing that's ever inspired a song?
The song DELORES on the new album came from a lyric I had written down on a piece of paper that stared at me for months. I had written the phrase “All the pretty girls are busy, and all the handsome guys are drunk” on a piece of music paper. I’m not quite sure why... But that phrase opened the door to a story about not missing a single moment.
There’s also a song from my 2004 album ALMOST HOME called ONLY MY CREDIT CARD REMEMBERS WHERE I’VE BEEN that almost wrote itself while I was on-tour in Tokyo. I had been up for 3 days, jetlagged in Japan, and a friend had called me asking me where I was. I really had no idea at that point. I was looking at my credit card receipts to retrace my steps, while the TRAIN song CALLING ALL ANGELS was playing. I was singing along with it, and sang the phrase ‘ONLY MY CREDIT CARD REMEMBERS WHERE I’VE BEEN.’ And the song was born.
Give me some insight into the music + songwriting process. (Do you have to be in the shower or half naked generally? Why I ask: I've had that mentioned multiple times by multiple artists in the past month when discussing origins of particularly significant songs and I am starting to think the scientific community should initiate a research study.)
I never know what will inspire a song – whether its a phrase, a cluster of chords on a piano, or a passing thought. Sometimes the words come first, and sometimes the music starts things off. The main thing is to record it or write it down when inspiration hits, because it disappears in an instant.
And yes, REVOLUTION started in the shower – I ran dripping across my hardwood floors to the piano to write it down!
With an arsenal of songs under your belt about love lost or atrophied, have you ever gotten even in a song?
I’m not the type to seek vengeance in a song, but for me, getting it off my chest is like getting even. Because once I write about it, I can let it go.
Given your often lovelorn subject matter, what was your worst break up and which songs (any album) were part of its catharsis?
LET IT GO was basically a break-up album, but what most people don’t know is that there were a number of different relationships that imploded on it. I think some of those songs, like DISAPPEAR and THE LAST SONG were autoimmune responses to the situations I found myself in. When you write a phrase like ‘Did you plan the things you said to me so casually, I couldn’t see the wheels turning inside your pretty head,’ you know you’re working things out in a song.
What has been the most rewarding moment so far in your musical career as a singer songwriter?
Writing, recording and performing my songs, my way. Step by step, the pieces do come together, if you don’t give up.
What is the most ridiculous/bizarre/notable task you have taken on as an artist/musician?
I had 23 day jobs before I could make a living as an artist. I waited table and made espresso. I tested asbestos samples. I typed pharmaceutical advertising copy. Anything to keep the lights on and my piano tuned.
You're forced at gunpoint to get your karaoke on; what's your move?
DRESS YOU UP by Madonna. My version is spectacularly horrendous.
Name your Guilty Music Pleasure.
Duran Duran – RIO. On heavy repeat here. Takes me back to the beginning.
REVOLUTION officially launches Tuesday September 13, 2011, but is available now during a special summer preview at:
http://jonregen.com
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jonregen
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/revolution/id451503144
There's more to come on Jon Regen: I will be posting a full artist profile as well as an album review later this week, so stay tuned.
Comments