“Their first new album in eight years, “Meat and Bone,” is such a great rock ‘n’ roll album that you’ll want to shout out loud. Written by Jon himself, this album is truly cheap, raunchy, and rebellious, and is packed with the charm we’ve always admired in JSBX, while also being so full of passion—no, anger—that it’s sure to deal a major blow to the current stagnant rock scene. It’s been a long time since this band has played such an aggressive groove, and I’m so happy that they can still do it. Not only Jon, but Russell Simins and Judah Bauer are also on edge. No, I’m truly overwhelmed.
JSBX will be coming to Japan for their first solo tour in a long while in November. We asked the now-grown-up Jon Spencer to talk about his amazing new album (well, he’s an Ivy Leaguer, so he’s very thoughtful and eloquent).
At the beginning of the Japanese version of “Tell Me That You Love Me,” a cover of James Brown’s “Still Number One, The Blues Explosion,” the band shouts, and that’s exactly what they say. This is a fantastic album that will get you fired up!
“Thank you. Yes, I still believe in the potential of this band and regardless of the Blues Explosion I’m a big fan.” I’ve been listening to it on heavy rotation for a long time.
But what’s your feeling?
“Actually, we recorded it in October of last year and finished mixing in January of this year, so it was completed quite some time ago. It’s such a long time ago now, so when I listened to it again the other day for a live performance, I was surprised. There were parts that I’d already forgotten. Anyway, I’m both excited and a little worried about how everyone will react to it.”
No, JSBX fans will absolutely be satisfied, because it has everything they want from your music.
“I hope so too. In a way, this album feels like a tribute to our past. The big thing was that we released a reissue of our previous albums in 2010, and when we listened back to everything we’d done up until then, all three of us realized that there were definitely things about the band that we had forgotten. I can’t deny that this influenced the production of this album. However, the influence from the past that you feel in “Meat and Bone” is simply reflected in the energy and power of this album, and it is by no means a rehash of JSBX’s early works. It is a work that could only have been made by the three of us now. We’ve been working together for over 20 years, so the wisdom that’s been accumulated there… well, the sound is a reflection of that wisdom and experience.”
“Wisdom” is an interesting word. This album certainly shows the maturity of the band. Every song is great, but the balance between the songs is excellent, and the album feels more consistent than before. Was there a different approach to songwriting than before? “No, nothing in particular. Just like always, the three of us got together and wrote songs while playing together.
Most of the songs were written last year in a basement rehearsal space in New York, but two of them, “Strange Baby” and “Get Your Pants Off,” were songs I’d already had and had been playing live. This time around, I had over 20 songs in mind, but I narrowed it down to 12, and I think that definitely made for a really tight, great record.”
The band name was changed back to “Jon Spencer” Why did you decide to do that?
“Because it just seemed logical. When we released our reissues in 2010, they were all under the name JSBX, so I just thought it would be easiest to go back to our original full name. Honestly, I’ll admit that shortening the band name to ‘Damage’ wasn’t the best idea. In the end, it just confused a lot of people.”
No, really, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, I think the name is more fitting for this band, and strangely enough, it seems to represent the greatest triangle of all time – you, Judah and Russell – rather than just Blues Explosion.
“Thank you. It’s really important to us that this band is understood as a collaboration. It’s a triangle, as you said, and it would be impossible to do it with anyone else.”
In this work, the roses of the three triangles, I feel like the performance is better than ever, It’s not like they’re competing with each other like before, but rather the three of them are in sync. Judah’s guitar especially stands out.
“Judah is a really great guitarist. This time he input a lot of great ideas, and the finishing touches to the detailed guitar parts especially shine. But I’m glad to hear you say that. I don’t really notice it because I’m in that triangle, but it’s true that since we came back to the band after our hiatus, each member has become more open about their respect for each other, and maybe we’re helping each other out more than before (laughs).”
During the hiatus since your last album, did you ever think the band was over?
“I can’t say it never crossed my mind, but it was a conscious decision not to end the band, and we just couldn’t put an end to it completely. No one ever said they were quitting the band, so it was just a break after all. But I’d be lying if I said I never thought about officially ending JSBX. It’s not easy to continue a band with the same members. It’s a really strange relationship, and in a way, it’s rare to be forced to spend this much time with the same people anywhere else.”
Changing the subject, for the past few years you’ve been performing a complete live rendition of “Orange.”
“Yeah, but maybe about three times. But personally, I’m not that excited about full-length live shows – for example, when I hear that Sonic Youth are going to do the whole of ‘Daydream Nation’, I’m not that excited. So doing the whole of ‘Orange’… it certainly seemed like an interesting challenge… but… we were able to recreate most of it exactly as it was recorded… it was, how can I put it, very cold. I’m always interested in moving forward, so we don’t make set lists for our regular shows, we just play songs on the spot. It kills something inside me to know in advance which songs we’re going to play.
It’s been 18 years since “Orange” was released, and it’s now become a ’90s indie classic.
How do you feel about that? You guys don’t care about the band’s reputation, but this album is certainly important. What do you think about the legacy “Orange” has had for the band?
“Well, I think it’s a good thing, even though it feels a bit strange. The songs and albums that people respond to are always interesting, and usually different from my own tastes as the creator. But looking back at the history of JSBX, I think I understand why “Orange” turned out the way it did, and I’m not too keen on it. I feel like it’s not right.”
That’s exactly the answer I was hoping for. I love JSBX’s live shows too, and I’m certainly interested in a perfect re-creation of “Orange,” but it’s still a bit tricky when you can always guess what’s going to happen next.
“I’m not saying that I won’t play them out of spite, but I fully understand that there are songs that people who pay to see us play expect us to play. I’m a fan who loves music, after all. So I want to keep the show as spontaneous as possible, but at the same time, I know that there are people who want to hear certain songs, and I want to always be sensitive to those feelings.”
“Right. So with ‘Orange’ it all came into focus. We were exploring the sound of the band leading up to ‘Orange’ and then it really came into focus. Then with ‘Now I Got Worry’ we started to deconstruct it. It was a totally different sounding record, very aggressive and raw,
In fact, they were constantly struggling in the studio, trying to turn everything upside down. And with ‘Acme’, that deconstruction went even further. In that sense, they felt they were constantly evolving and pushing the boundaries. Unlike other bands of their generation, Blues Explosion was always experimental, adventurous, and, well, basically punk.
So what about this “Meat and Bone”? Of course, we follow the rules.
I do think so. Of course, I don’t mind people saying good things about what I’ve done… but as I said before, I always want to move forward, so there’s no way I’ll be making an Orange Part 2.”
As you say, JSBX is a band that is constantly moving forward, subverting and reconstructing rock ‘n’ roll. First, they reconstructed rock ‘n’ roll and blues to create the sound that would become JSBX’s trademark, and then they even destroyed that sound with songs like “Acme.”
In “Bottle Baby” he shouts, “Get off the stage!” Isn’t this a declaration of war against the current rock scene?
“Yes. That song and Bag of Bones, “Rock & Roll” is definitely a song about the current music scene, and a critique of it. There are a lot of bands out there who make a ton of money and are super famous but who don’t make that much music. They’re making really safe music. Rock & Roll, which to me is so beautiful and weird and so genuinely believable, has become inoffensive in the world these days.
Breaking conventions is good, but I think that if you keep breaking conventions, it can end up feeling artificial. In that sense, this work feels very natural, like it has its feet on the ground.
“Yeah, I guess as you get older you learn to take it easy. I think I’ve become more open-minded about music and have a more relaxed attitude. When I was making this record it definitely felt natural and very easy, and I didn’t have too many worries or regrets. Yeah, it felt good.”
It feels like everything that’s mass-produced is a safe bet. I believe in the potential of the band Blues Explosion. That’s why I can’t help but be critical of the current situation.”
