Interview with guitarist \ vocalist – Danko Jones

With a UK tour in full swing, support coming from Ireland's own 'The Amorettes', Danko Jones took time out before the Dublin show to speak to MGM reporter Brian...
DANKO JONES - Fire Music Toronto - August 6, 2014 Dustin Rabin Photography 2674

DANKO JONES – Fire Music
Toronto – August 6, 2014
Dustin Rabin Photography 2674

Interviewer: Brian Boyle (Writer / Contributor / Reviewer MyGlobalMind Webzine) 

With a UK tour in full swing, support coming from The Amorettes, Danko Jones took time out before the Belfast show to speak to MGM reporter Brian Boyle to discuss all things Danko Jones and why it’s been awhile since we’ve seen them on this side of the pond; 

MGM: This is your first full UK tour in seven years, why the long wait?

DANKO: People seem to think that we deliberately stayed away from the UK for all this time. Nothing can be further from the truth. The reality is we go where there are offers to play. Earlier this March there was an offer to play London so we played it. We simply haven’t been getting any offers to play or tour in the UK for years. Now, I think momentum has shifted in our favour and we’re once again getting offers to play and thus this upcoming tour.

It’s been frustrating reading about this and it needs to dispelled before it somehow becomes a false fact in the world of social media. You can’t very well show up to a country and expect people to come out if there is no one to promote it. Why would we stay away from the UK deliberately? It’s where so many of our musical influences came from.

MGM: You’ll be playing a lot of intimate venues on this tour, do you find that that concert situation is one that brings out the true essence of the band’s live performance as opposed to a sprawling festival?

DANKO: Both can be fun and intense. The amount of people at a festival automatically brings with it an energy that a club can never capture. The club gig is intense because of its intimacy never found at a festival.

MGM: You’ve recruited a new drummer in Rich Knox – what do you think his addition brings to the band’s sound?

DANKO: Rich is probably the best drummer we’ve ever had behind the kit and, most importantly, the most pleasant guy who’s had the gig. Now, with Rich behind the kit, I can finally hear songs like “Full Of Regret” played properly, unlike our last drummer who wasn’t able to perform it correctly. He also contributed to songwriting on “Fire Music”, our new record, more than any other drummer. Songs like “Do You Wanna Rock” were based on drum beats he put together and we wrote the song around.

DANKO JONES - Fire Music Toronto - August 6, 2014 Dustin Rabin Photography 2674

DANKO JONES – Fire Music
Toronto – August 6, 2014
Dustin Rabin Photography 2674

MGM: Punk is obviously a major influence in your music – are there any other genres of music that inspire you that might surprise us?

DANKO: We all listen to all kinds of music feverishly. The odd belief is that if a band is playing a certain style, that’s the only kind of music they listen to. When you are surrounded by music 24 hours a day you kind’ve want to expand your surroundings. We listen to everything from classic rock, metal and jazz to indie rock, rap, electronic music and noise.

MGM: Fire Music was produced by Juno Award winning producer Eric Ratz, how did that collaboration come about?

DANKO: Eric is someone who we worked with years and years ago. Songs he engineered can be heard on our first compilation release, “I’m Alive And On Fire”. JC reconnected with Eric a few years back. Scott Middleton of The Cancer Bats came over to my place and gave me the last record Eric produced of theirs and I was most impressed by the guitar tones he captured, something I’ve always thought we were never quite capturing properly.

DANKO JONES - Fire Music Toronto - August 6, 2014 Dustin Rabin Photography 2674

DANKO JONES – Fire Music
Toronto – August 6, 2014
Dustin Rabin Photography 2674

MGM Where do you stand on the ” rock is dead” popular debate of the moment?

DANKO: Read my 3000 word essay: CLICK TO READ: 

MGM: What is the rock scene like in Canada at the moment? Anybody new/up n’ coming you’d particularly recommend that we should keep an eye on?

DANKO: I don’t know if they’re exactly new and upcoming but the new KEN Mode album, “Success” is amazing as is USA Out Of Vietnam and a band called Biblical. Also, New Horizzzons out of Toronto and another band called Invisible Ray out of Vancouver.

MGM: You’re taking The Amorettes out with you this tour. No doubt you know those girls are going to give you a run for your money! Did you know of them beforehand?

DANKO: No, but now I know them and we’re all looking forward to having them on the tour.

MGM: Last time you extensively toured the UK, it was as support to Motorhead – did you get to meet or spend much time with the legendary Lemmy?

DANKO: Yeah, I got to sing “Killed By Death” with the guys almost 20 times on that tour. And there were a few days where I got to hang out with Lemmy. It was hella fun.

MGM: After this tour, what’s next for the band?

DANKO: After our last show in Bristol we’re heading to Scandinavia to do a tour there. Then we do mainland Europe in November/December. Lots a touring ahead!

MGM: Thanks very much Danko, have a great tour! Looking forward to the show.

DANKO JONES PLAY THE FOLLOWING DATES: 

Sep 19th 2015 BELFAST The Limelight UK
Sep 20th 2015 GLASGOW King Tuts UK
Sep 22nd 2015 WOLVERHAMPTON Slade Rooms UK
Sep 23rd 2015 NOTTINGHAM Bodega Social Club UK
Sep 24th 2015 MANCHESTER Sound Control UK
Sep 25th 2015 LONDON The Underworld UK
Sep 26th 2015 LEEDS The Key Club UK
Sep 27th 2015 BRISTOL Bristol Exchange UK

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Photo Credit: Myglobalmind

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