JON & ROY INTERVIEW
Interview By: Brian Fortier
Victoria, BC`s Jon & Roy have created a following for their unique style of acoustic roots and reggae on Canada`s west coast. On the heels of a recent album release (Another Noon), vocalist and guitarist Jon Middleton stopped by The Pier to give us some insight on their music, background, and where you might be able to catch them live this year...
The Pier: For people who haven’t heard of Jon and Roy, who are you guys; where are you from; and how did you start playing together?
Jon Middleton: We are a two-piece group based out of Victoria, BC on Vancouver Island. We started playing together basically just from jamming at parties and gatherings which led to us collaborating on tunes and playing bar shows.
The Pier: How would you describe the style of music you guys play?
Jon Middleton: Our style of music is a hybrid of styles centred mostly on roots, folk and reggae. We also incorporate hip-hop influences as well as some world music rhythms (African, Cuban, etc).
The Pier: When and how did you start playing acoustic guitar? Is there anybody in particular who inspired you to start playing?
Jon Middleton: I started playing the guitar probably around age 11. My first influence was my dad, from jams around the fireside camping...then it progressed to players like Clapton, Page and Hendrix...
The Pier: What are some of the bands that have influenced you in playing and writing music?
Jon Middleton: I would say Sublime and Marley, as well as Bob Dylan and lesser known artists like Mason Jennings. Elliott Smith is also an influence. Overall the styles of reggae and hip-hop in general have had a large influence, as well as more traditional folk and blues.
The Pier: You now have three albums in total, but you just released your most recent album Another Noon in January. What has the reaction to this album been so far? What was your experience like recording this album compared to the others? Would you say your musical style on this album is consistent with the other two you’ve released or did you guys change anything up?
Jon Middleton: Reaction to the album so far has been great. We are starting to see some momentum building and our fan base is growing which is wicked. Recording this album was not too much different from the other two, except that there was much more attention paid to detail and making sure that parts and sounds were as good as we could get them. I would say the musical style is consistent. One difference though is the presence of more drums. We also have more tunes with bass.
The Pier: What is the perfect atmosphere to put on a Jon and Roy album?
Jon Middleton: A nice warm living room.
The Pier: You’ve played quite a few shows on BC’s west coast and other locations in western Canada. What is a Jon & Roy live show like?
Jon Middleton: A Jon & Roy show, for the most part, is us playing the tunes that we know most of our fans enjoy. We definitely try to up the energy though as well as keep it fresh with new tunes and a cover or two. We also, more often than not, have guest performers to add to the overall energy. Our basic goal is to get people dancing by the end of the show.
The Pier: What are your tour plans for 2008? Will you play any shows in the US?
Jon Middleton: Our tour plans for 2008 include going to the UK, as well as covering western and eastern Canada. In August, we will also be heading down the coast to perform in California and possibly Oregon.
The Pier: Yeah, I noticed that you have a six date tour lined up for England in the end of March, so you must be pretty stoked about that!? How did this tour come about?
Jon Middleton: Yeah we are very stoked about going over to England. It basically just came about thanks to a friend`s connections and the fact that those connections dug the new cd.
The Pier: If you could play a show with any band or collaborate with any artist on a song, who would it be and why?
Jon Middleton: I would really love to collaborate with a hip-hop emcee who I love and respect, like Mr Lif. Roy and I are always coming up with instrumentals, and it would be wicked to have someone busting sick rhymes over those.
The Pier: Finally, what is your favourite summer hangout and why?
Jon Middleton: There’s a large amount of wicked hang out spots in and around Vic (Victoria, BC) in the summer...I would have to say either Sombrio beach or Gonzales...Peace!
For more info on Jon & Roy or to find out how to purchase one of their albums, check out their MySpace pages here: