this Australian trio is known to put the funk in roots rock and reggae music hi
funk in roots rock and reggae music hi
funk in roots rock and reggae music hi my name is Stephanie welcome to
my name is Stephanie welcome to
my name is Stephanie welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking
watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking
watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking to the John Butler Trio I like to start
to the John Butler Trio I like to start
to the John Butler Trio I like to start off the interview with a bit of
off the interview with a bit of
off the interview with a bit of background info could you tell us how
background info could you tell us how
background info could you tell us how the John Butler Trio came about
the John Butler Trio came about
the John Butler Trio came about I started guitar when I was 16 I got
I started guitar when I was 16 I got
I started guitar when I was 16 I got obsessed when I was 21 and I started
obsessed when I was 21 and I started
obsessed when I was 21 and I started busking on the streets and instrumentals
busking on the streets and instrumentals
busking on the streets and instrumentals and singing songs and then I started
and singing songs and then I started
and singing songs and then I started getting asked to do lots of shows by
getting asked to do lots of shows by
getting asked to do lots of shows by other artists I wanted to make an album
other artists I wanted to make an album
other artists I wanted to make an album with the band got a trio together and
with the band got a trio together and
with the band got a trio together and the birth of the trio began how would
the birth of the trio began how would
the birth of the trio began how would you describe the John Butler Trio sound
you describe the John Butler Trio sound
you describe the John Butler Trio sound the best thing I can do is say it’s like
the best thing I can do is say it’s like
the best thing I can do is say it’s like if you if you were to put blues and a
if you if you were to put blues and a
if you if you were to put blues and a reggae hip-hop a bit of tool
reggae hip-hop a bit of tool
reggae hip-hop a bit of tool and let’s say something like funk and
and let’s say something like funk and
and let’s say something like funk and then smashed it all up together that’s
then smashed it all up together that’s
then smashed it all up together that’s kind of us
I’d like to talk about your latest album
I’d like to talk about your latest album which is called April uprising and what
which is called April uprising and what
which is called April uprising and what musical direction did you take that
musical direction did you take that
musical direction did you take that we’re pretty schizophrenic so we got a
we’re pretty schizophrenic so we got a
we’re pretty schizophrenic so we got a lot on a lot of different journeys as as
lot on a lot of different journeys as as
lot on a lot of different journeys as as a band we’re not like a band that’s one
a band we’re not like a band that’s one
a band we’re not like a band that’s one style I guess the modus operandi was to
style I guess the modus operandi was to
style I guess the modus operandi was to have a focused powerful song driven
have a focused powerful song driven
have a focused powerful song driven album cut all the fat off it there was
album cut all the fat off it there was
album cut all the fat off it there was this all killer no filler
and where do you get your ideas or your
and where do you get your ideas or your inspiration for your lyrics and your
inspiration for your lyrics and your
inspiration for your lyrics and your songwriting it’s not a lack of subject
songwriting it’s not a lack of subject
songwriting it’s not a lack of subject matter to pull from when you look around
matter to pull from when you look around
matter to pull from when you look around you you know so there’s lots there’s
you you know so there’s lots there’s
you you know so there’s lots there’s lots that we’re living in pretty
lots that we’re living in pretty
lots that we’re living in pretty powerful times right now and so yeah
powerful times right now and so yeah
powerful times right now and so yeah it’s hard not to write about those times
it’s hard not to write about those times
it’s hard not to write about those times and how they affect me and how I process
and how they affect me and how I process
and how they affect me and how I process them would you say there are any
them would you say there are any
them would you say there are any differences between the North American
differences between the North American
differences between the North American versus the Australian music scene
versus the Australian music scene
versus the Australian music scene Australia’s like a little it’s not
Australia’s like a little it’s not
Australia’s like a little it’s not isolated become a colony which is really
isolated become a colony which is really
isolated become a colony which is really great because you know through
great because you know through
great because you know through technology we get lots of influence
technology we get lots of influence
technology we get lots of influence coming in but we like the animals we
coming in but we like the animals we
coming in but we like the animals we kind of recreate our own unique blends
kind of recreate our own unique blends
kind of recreate our own unique blends like any culture does and yeah Australia
like any culture does and yeah Australia
like any culture does and yeah Australia has its own flavor and its own attitude
has its own flavor and its own attitude
has its own flavor and its own attitude you know I think more so than anything
you know I think more so than anything
you know I think more so than anything is probably an attitude I say you know
is probably an attitude I say you know
is probably an attitude I say you know in one way or another a little bit of
in one way or another a little bit of
in one way or another a little bit of like a you kind of attitude it but I
like a you kind of attitude it but I
like a you kind of attitude it but I like where it’s like we have something
like where it’s like we have something
like where it’s like we have something to prove to the world or something I
to prove to the world or something I
to prove to the world or something I don’t know how to put it but we’re kind
don’t know how to put it but we’re kind
don’t know how to put it but we’re kind of belligerent in some ways and no I
of belligerent in some ways and no I
of belligerent in some ways and no I don’t think we’d like idolizing you know
don’t think we’d like idolizing you know
don’t think we’d like idolizing you know UK or America as being you know the
UK or America as being you know the
UK or America as being you know the kings and queens of music we’re just
kings and queens of music we’re just
kings and queens of music we’re just gonna go we’re just as good as anyone
gonna go we’re just as good as anyone
gonna go we’re just as good as anyone else we’re just gonna show you how we do
else we’re just gonna show you how we do
else we’re just gonna show you how we do it I think we kind of come up with that
it I think we kind of come up with that
it I think we kind of come up with that attitude a business and the nicest
attitude a business and the nicest
attitude a business and the nicest possible way
can you tell us a bit more about the JB
can you tell us a bit more about the JB seed program and how you’re involved
seed program and how you’re involved
seed program and how you’re involved with that jb seed it’s now called the
with that jb seed it’s now called the
with that jb seed it’s now called the seed I finally got my initials taken off
seed I finally got my initials taken off
seed I finally got my initials taken off it after years of trying there’s
it after years of trying there’s
it after years of trying there’s something that Danielle my wife and I
something that Danielle my wife and I
something that Danielle my wife and I started to contribute back to Australian
started to contribute back to Australian
started to contribute back to Australian culture I guess we got given a lot of
culture I guess we got given a lot of
culture I guess we got given a lot of grants in the early days and got a lot
grants in the early days and got a lot
grants in the early days and got a lot of support so by the time we were
of support so by the time we were
of support so by the time we were financially well-off
financially well-off
financially well-off you know enough and sustainable to do if
you know enough and sustainable to do if
you know enough and sustainable to do if we thought we’d give back to other
we thought we’d give back to other
we thought we’d give back to other artists and so it’s in its sixth year
artists and so it’s in its sixth year
artists and so it’s in its sixth year it’s giving away over you know five
it’s giving away over you know five
it’s giving away over you know five hundred thousand dollars to probably
hundred thousand dollars to probably
hundred thousand dollars to probably about three to four hundred different
about three to four hundred different
about three to four hundred different projects and artists a lot of other
projects and artists a lot of other
projects and artists a lot of other artists that pitch into it now not just
artists that pitch into it now not just
artists that pitch into it now not just myself and Missy Higgins and Paul Kelly
myself and Missy Higgins and Paul Kelly
myself and Missy Higgins and Paul Kelly and the cat Empire yeah I guess our
and the cat Empire yeah I guess our
and the cat Empire yeah I guess our whole idea is to get the music community
whole idea is to get the music community
whole idea is to get the music community to support the music community
believe in culture culture gives a
believe in culture culture gives a person in the society a sense of place
person in the society a sense of place
person in the society a sense of place and a sense of purpose and an identity
and a sense of purpose and an identity
and a sense of purpose and an identity and without culture we were lost to the
and without culture we were lost to the
and without culture we were lost to the corporate behemoths that surround us and
corporate behemoths that surround us and
corporate behemoths that surround us and try to feed his constantly so
try to feed his constantly so
try to feed his constantly so with culture strong culture and strong
with culture strong culture and strong
with culture strong culture and strong connection and whether it be literally
connection and whether it be literally
connection and whether it be literally whether it be dance music art food
whether it be dance music art food
whether it be dance music art food graffiti whatever it is but a strong
graffiti whatever it is but a strong
graffiti whatever it is but a strong culture makes a strong country and so we
culture makes a strong country and so we
culture makes a strong country and so we are totally committed to strong culture
”
Be First to Comment