I did it for a decade. We sold a lot of records. Geffen is a big deal. We wanted to start at the top. He asked what we thought the top was and we gold him Geffen. LRI: Were you ever star struck? Like, was there anyone you met who really impressed you? Jimmy: I met Tyler and Perry. We toured with ZZ Top.
It was beyond cool one day when Billy Gibbons called me into his dressing room. I met Ted Nugent, who was my hero. Jimmy: There were zillions of experiences. Getting to play with people we grew up listening to. Hearing our music on the radio. Jimmy: Jessie was the business head.
Chris was the technical one. Jeff was the drill sergeant with the drive of 10 men. Tom and me were the toxic twins, into women and chemicals, herbs and spices, powders…. Recent photo of Jimmy and his trusty Les Paul. Connie: We hit on some high points. What was a low point? Jimmy: Walking on stage to open for Aerosmith and my guitar quit. Connie: Does being here, in Atlanta, bring back memories of that wild day?
Jimmy: You know, yeah. Mutual friends hooked us up and he thought it would be cool to have a song where everyone could hear what how much we sounded alike but also hear how much we sounded different. I don't even put myself in his league.
His voice is so rich. He is an imposing character. He is very intense. Even though he has been around a long time he still has a great work ethic. He is just a huge inspiration to me. Jesse: I don't know anything any different. I graduated high school and never looked back. Whether it was playing three, one-hour sets in a bar, five nights a week or to the other extreme of being able to be on a tour bus and walk into a festival with a hundred and fifty thousand watts of lights and huge PA system.
I never loved it any more or any less than the other. There's not a night that the intro tape rolls that I, I've never sat there and went, "God, I hate I'm here. It doesn't matter if there are ten people or ten thousand.
The energy, just the experience I love being on stage with the guys, even during sound checks, which we very rarely do one, but if we were to, we'd find ourselves, sometimes, in there making noise or something, it's a blast. We still look at each other and laugh. You cannot be around this bunch and not laugh your ass off, it's just something constantly. Toddstar: Well the four of you have been together a long time and you guys are certainly tight when it comes to performing. What are the odds that that tightness is going to generate some new music, any time soon, Jesse?
Jesse: How about this summer? Be ready for something to come out this year. Jesse: Yeah, I think it's time to. The last couple of albums have been received really, really above average. We just really, I think we've reconnected with what made that first album, just because we've road tested these songs before we went out with them.
I think that makes a difference. Toddstar: You talk about road testing and mentioned I'm here in Michigan. You've got a very, very, very special show coming up at, what to me is a very, very special venue.
I think it runs true in your blood. The Machine Shop in Flint, Michigan. Jesse: Yeah, Kevin Zink is a brother. I feel like I've been with him since the beginning. When the doors opened, he and I became fast friends. He is a prime example of how any venue or any business is a reflection of its owner. His personality and his philosophy of life and just him being a great person.
Kevin is one of those guys you feel like you're a better person for knowing, I sincerely mean that. I think that it's so, to me, it's just the best example of how a business is a reflection of its owner, because that business reflects every bit of that. I say that sincerely. There's a reason why The Machine Shop, although it's a fairly small venue, it's the reason why it's one of the most sought after places to play. You could be out doing an arena tour and you're going to make time to go by and play The Machine Shop.
It's because of Kevin and that philosophy and his personality that mirrors the people in Flint, Michigan. Flint is an amazing town, and it's the people that are still in Flint, are very resilient people.
Flint has been hit harder than Detroit in a lot of ways. My opinion is that Flint has been hit in a different way than Detroit.
Because Flint is suburbia and it's real America and it's not a big city, so it got hit in a whole different way than Detroit did.
To me, Flint is a very special place; because the people that are there, they could not be any more proud They never crack, it never cracks them or their pride, and they never have a crack in the belief of what they stand for in that city.
I'm not saying all that to sound hokey, I'm just saying, I'm in a lot of towns across the country and I sincerely feel a connection, a heart felt connection with Flint. Very proud of the people and proud to know all the people at The Machine Shop. Toddstar: Flint and The Machine Shop love you; time after time you're able to sell out shows when other bands can't.
That love is definitely exchanged. Jesse: We're wrapping up, I think, the anniversary week, so it's going to be a very special night because of that. I encourage everyone out there that's reading this to make plans and be there. Not just to come out and have fun at a Jackyl show, but to support and say thank you to the guys, and celebrate The Machine Shop. Toddstar: Yeah. Like you said, Flint's suburbia and set off from Detroit, but it's definitely a destination, and The Machine Shop and all of its shows are definitely reasons to head out to Flint, Michigan, that's for sure.
0コメント