INDIE MUSIC DIGEST - Independent Music Reviews

INTERVIEW: J.J. Crowne
By Cyrus Rhodes

http://www.facebook.com/JJCrowne

_______________________________________________________

I recently had the privilege of reviewing the latest CD from guitarist/singer/songwriter/producer J.J. Crowne entitled Songs of Innocence & Experience. Overall it is an impressive musical statement. Its strong suit is his musical & emotional depth, songwriting craft, & passionate vocal presence from J.J Crowne. Crowne touches all the emotions here not only with his writing but his vocal delivery as well. Pound for Pound Songs of Innocence & Experience is a very honest & uplifting statement that personifies the human experience with messages of wisdom, hope & life itself. Equally as impressive is the production virtuoso of J.J. Crowne. It’s a huge undertaking to write, play & produce all the music himself. My hats off to Crowne for taking all this on. I really admire artists out there who are themselves & just let the chips fall where they may. Praise goes out to the artist that can show us something real and genuine beneath their veil of vanity. J.J. Crowne is one of these artists

"Inspirational & uplifting"

- INDIE MUSIC DIGEST-

Read the CD Review

_______________________________________________________

IMD How would you classify your music?

JJ Singer/songwriter/emotional… maybe “Cat Stevens meets Bread meets The Eagles.”

IMD Who are some of your top 5 musical influences?

JJ Definitely The Beatles; Crosby, Stills & Nash; Brian Wilson; Simon & Garfunkel; Steely Dan.

IMD What inspired the CD title?

JJ It’s taken from a famous book of poetry by John Keats. I’m a sucker for the Romantic Poets (Wordsworth, Keats, Byron,etc.), and I pride myself somewhat on creating thoughtful, poetic lyrics.

IMD What was the first song you ever wrote?

JJ An anti-Vietnam War song I wrote when I was in the 6^th Grade called “Peter Plain.” I still remember the first verse and chorus, lol!

IMD How’s the music scene in your neck of the woods?

JJ Well, it’s Miami, so it’s dominated by the Latin/Salsa music scene. Back in the ‘80’s and early ‘90’s there was much more of an original/alternative scene down here, with new bands of the day like Marilyn Manson and the Mavericks (for both of whom I used to open shows, believe it or not!) and some decent punk, rockabilly and heavy metal acts, including Charlie Pickett (another person with whom I’ve occasionally played) and Saigon Kick. But those days are long gone. A few smatterings of originality exist here and there, but none are much of an audience draw in this area. As for my specific genre, only the Florida Keys have anything even resembling a scene for singer/songwriters or original acoustic acts, and that’s still very seasonal and limited.

IMD What was the best concert you’ve ever been to?

JJ Led Zep at Madison Square Garden in 1970 (I was just a kid), and a very young U2 in Fort Lauderdale in 1982.

IMD I especially enjoyed the song “Finally Your Turn” & “Only Time” could you tell us more about that particular pieces of music & what inspired them?

JJ “Finally your Turn” was based on a melody and chord changes I’d written a number of years ago in college, then I re-visited the song a few years back and turned it into an imaginary philosophical conversation with my late father -- along with some slightly religious overtones. However, I am not a very religious person.

“Only Time” is a play on words, of course, “Only time can tell us what will be…. Maybe this won’t be our only time.” I wrote it originally for a woman to sing, but I think it works as well for a male. The music is sort of R.E.M.-inspired, and the bass line, guitar riffs and vocal harmonies are definite nods to The Beatles ala “Hard Days Night” and “Paperback Writer.”

IMD What’s next for J.J. Crowne?

JJ I’d like to get a good band together to play these songs and eventually tour with them. Playing all the instruments and singing all the vocals for the album was one thing, but having 5 or 6 great guys/gals interpreting the tunes and adding their own bits would be a wonderful thing. Having a song or two featured in a motion picture is another one of my dreams.

IMD Is there a song on the CD that stands out from the others for you?

JJ Well, they’re all my little babies and I enjoy seeing them all going out into the world now, but I especially like “Another Day Of Love” (complete with its “All You Need Is Love” – type horns) and “Toy Soldiers” for the messages they convey; I’m also fairly proud of the orchestral arrangement I came up with for “Everything About You,” which is sort of my own “MacArthur Park.”

IMD Will you be touring in support of this latest release?

JJ We’re planning some festival gigs and perhaps some Six Flags Parks around the country, with me doing the acoustic solo thing for now…but hopefully I’ll be playing with a full band in the not-too-distant future.5

_______________________________________________________

interview conducted by Cyrus Rhodes. Property of Indie Music Media LLC.