Lords of Jack put on an impressive show!
Hello everybody,
First off, let me explain a couple of things. I am very objective when it comes to music. I also am a music snob. One of my best friends has drummed in a number of bands here in Phoenix over the years. I have told him without reservation when a band he was in didn’t do anything for me. He is my friend, but I love music way too much to sugarcoat my feelings about an artist.
With that in mind, it is true that I was introduced to Lords of Jack by another good friend of mine. It is also important to note that rock and roll is not my cup of tea when it comes to music. If you haven’t figured it out yet, I am into shoegazer/dreampop, indie rock, classic alternative and punk rock. “Classic” rock and roll is not what I make a point of putting in the disc player.
Lords of Jack is a five piece band out of Los Angeles. On vocals and guitar is Dave Loring, lead guitar is handled by Rozz Gallaher, the rhythm guitarist is The Minister, the bassist is Jaime James and on the drums is Jeffrey Shapiro. They have undergone a lot of personnel changes in the past year and from talking to other people at the bar, things have really changed for this outfit during that time. I don’t know what they were like before, but I have one heck of an idea of what they sound like now.
That is a GOOD thing! These guys did not screw around at all after the opening band was done playing. Hell, I barely had enough time to get in a game of Ms. Pac Man when I could already hear them onstage. My game was quickly over and I headed back to my booth.
First off, THREE guitars! Juno out of Seattle did that years ago and other bands have as well. It is a rarity though, but the added power is very obvious in a band with that type of ammunition.
The band is very energetic and has a definite swagger about them. Not in a cocky way, but confident in themselves and enjoying what they are doing. In an earlier post I conveyed they reminded me of classic eighties metal. To do them the credit they deserve, I need to retract that statement.
After seeing an entire set I still sensed the early Guns and Roses influence, before Axl became the “rockstar” he is today. However, Lords of Jack take that rock sensibility and mix in a variety of influences and styles. That is what really impressed me. Their music fuses rock and roll, blues and arena rock, with elements of the classic Pearl Jam type of guitar work and a driving bass attack. The singer has a strong range, able to travel the spectrum well of low to high notes. The Minister is the driving force of the band, by the band’s own admission, bringing the package together into one cohesive unit.
The band has a great stage presence and is active while playing, particularly the lead singer who paced around the entire stage when not singing. Above all, it is very obvious they truly enjoy what they are doing. There were no poser rock star attitudes present. This is a band that means business, demands your attention and plays hard, precise and well to earn that attention.
I was fortunate enough to talk to a few of them after the show and they are some of the most sincere, down-to-earth people you will meet, appreciative for the opportunity to play. They deserved a better crowd.
My goodness people, a band from out of town comes in to play with a cheap door price, giving away their new CD and we couldn’t fill the place? Too bad, because a lot of people really missed out. Lords of Jack have some serious potential to be a devastating band if they stick with what they are doing and continue to progress.
If you like classic rock and roll with a blues edge thrown in, check these guys out online. They have a great MySpace page and are playing to big crowds back home in Los Angeles. When they come out here again, let us see if we can give them a bigger crowd. It’s for your own good; why would anyone turn down a chance to hear a good rock and roll band tearing it up?
Enjoy the rest of the week. I leave in a few days for Colorado for an amazing weekend of Elbow and the Mobius Band. I have a rough life …
Cheers!
The Dust Devil
Lords of Jack MySpace Page http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=68046938
Lords of Jack Fan Club Site http://www.ourstage.com/fanclub/lordsofjack
