Random Interview with Jawbone
Rampant Jake used to write a music zine called Uncle Monkeys House Of Bananas. Though it had moderate success in some circles it became a chore in the end and interest was lost. Before folding the zine however Rampant Jake did and interview with the awesome Jawbone (aka Bob Zabor) and he totally forgot about it. After finding said interview he felt it only fair to put it on this site.
Once more, thanks very much for your time Bob.
1) I first heard you for your cover of Johnny Cash's "Get Rhythm" on a Mojo cd, how much of an influence has Mr Cash had on you, your life and your music? What or who would you say was the biggest influence both musically and personally to make the well rounded individual you have doubtlessly become?
Well, Johnny Cash is a big influence on me still, it was an honor to be on that compilation. I don't know if his influence really transfers to what I do musically, actually, but I have great respect for him as a writer and performer and communicator. I could say the same about a lot of musicians that I admire. For me, all these people are larger than life. Bob Dylan, Howlin' Wolf, Hank Williams, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Joe Strummer, James Brown, Bob Marley, they all got my attention somewhere down the way. But hero worship only goes so far, and ultimately to me, especially as I get older, they're just
regular people living mostly regular lives. To me the biggest influence is music itself. Pick up any weird old blues compilation on Yazoo or something like that and it's just amazing how each person does music in their own way, and there's always room for someone else. Hearing that kind of stuff got me to believing there was room for me, too.
2) What's your most embarassing moment playing live? Do you find that people come and see you as they are intrigued by the novel factor of you performing solo, or that they are really interested in your music? What's the weirdest line up you've played?
Things go wrong often enough, strings breaking, harmonica upside down, falling off my seat, and so on that it doesn't really bother me any more. The problem is there's no band to hide behind to fall back on, you're stuck there with the spotlight on and your pants around your ankles. My attitude is things go wrong sometimes so what can you do? It used to bother me more than it ever bothered anybody watching I would guess. The worst thing that happened though was when I was doing the live Peel
session. There I was, used to playing to 20 or so people at a time, playing live on BBC1, for one of my heroes John Peel no less, and my drum pedal breaks halfway through the first song. I had to finish the song just trying to kick the bass drum with my toe, which any drummer can tell you is kind of ridiculous.
Fortunately I was careful and worried enough about the session that I had brought some tools with me and I actually had them spread out on the floor next to me, and I was able to fix it with a pair of pliers and get back to playing in less than a minute, though it seemed to take forever. Listening back to it
now you can hardly notice it really. I was very lucky.
Most people who come see me, though they are few in number, I believe come to hear the music. I mean as a sideshow I don't think what I do as a one man band is all that amazing. Maybe it does help set me apart in some way, but if there's nothing in the music they're gonna move on to something else pretty quickly, I would think.
3) On your recent visit to the UK what did you really hate most about it?
I don't think I was there long enough to get to hate anything, really. Everything was more expensive. People there seem to complain about the trains, but I traveled mostly by train when I was there and I thought the trains were fantastic compared to what we have here. They just aren't offered as a practical way of getting around here, and I wish they were. Everyone I met there was really friendly and helpful.
4) What was your ambition when you were 10 years old?
I don't know if I had any ambitions at that point, but I was really into doing science experiments and things like that. Taking things apart and putting them back together. Astronomy. I guess I thought I'd end up working in a lab like Edison or something.
5) Do you find it easier to write personal or political lyrics? And just who is Walter John?
I don't really look at lyrics with those categories in mind. I just work at trying new things and trying to make them different, a different point of view, serious or funny. I try to let it come naturally, or make it come naturally somehow. I read something about country songwriter Roger Miller (King of the
Road, etc.) where he said he writes like he's driving towards a wall singing a line of a song and the only thing that will steer him clear is to come up with the next line before he crashes. You know, like trying to go on instinct. Of course most times it doesn't work, so you can get pretty banged up.
Walter John is just a made up character. That song just started with a harmonica riff, and a beat. It's a song about the disposability of people in the course of history, the hardness of life. It's an angry, righteeous song. I think it goes beyond politics.
6) How do you feel about the distribution of music on the internet? Do you think it makes it easier to get your music across to a wider audience or do you think it's stealing your art?
The internet has been a great help to me. As far as trying to get the message out, put shows together, find out who's touring, contacting people to borrow gear, send photos, do interviews,
and finding out what other people are doing it's really a big help. I think it makes a huge positive difference for bands like me. It's changing everything. It's really only a difference of convenience, you could always just tape a song off the radio, for example. As long as nobody's trying to re-sell things for a profit I don't have an issue with it.
7) Was there anything you really, really wanted as a child but never, ever got?
Well, I always wanted to be a fast runner, or be handsome. Some things you just can't save up for.
8) Was there a defining moment that you can look back upon and cite as the root of you interest in music? Did you have a musical upbringing? What do your parents think of your music?
In 3rd grade a kid I knew always would bring a Beatles album to school and at lunchtime we'd listen to the opening riff and John Lennon scream of 'Revolution' over and over, watching the green
apple on the record label spin. Other things like that, where music would make an impression, but no single event. My family just wasn't into music at all, either playing or listening. They're happy if I'm happy, though.
9) Have you ever had such a negative reaction to your music whether through crowd heckling or press review that has made you think you don't want to do this anymore?
Nah. I know know what I do isn't for everybody. No one's ever really given me a hard time though. Playing on the street and having 99.9% of people just walk right by is a toughening experience. At least if someone's writing a bad review they took the time to listen to it.
10) Where do you see Jawbone in 5 years time? Do you still hope to be making music? The same music or work on different projects? How do you want your listeners to react to your music and what do you hope they'll take away from it?
If I'm alive I'll probably be trying to make some kind of music. I've got songs for another record, I guess I see at least one more past that. Then it's hard to say. I just want to keep having ideas I like, the chance to share them somehow, see some of the world. I really haven't seen much up til now. Hopefully people will be entertained or inspired by what I do. Music has so much to offer and to me it's sad that most people seem to miss out. I want everyone to make music.
11) In terms of inspiration where do you draw influence from? Is it easy to switch off or do songs and riffs wander into your head randomly?
Most ideas come when I'm rehearsing, just playing, and by that I mean playing like a kid in a sandbox, having fun, trying anything. But ideas can come anytime and I try to be open to it. Like, I got a line/image for a new song while changing my son's diaper. The image is 'weird mud', and it works great in the song, I think, but every time I sing it I picture that diaper.
12) How long did it take to record Dang Blues, as for a minimalist record it has so many facets of creativity? How would you define what you play, would you say it was "nu-blues"?
The record was recorded in fits and starts over a 4 to 5 month period, whenever I had time. I've got a job, 2 little kids, and an old house that needs a lot of work, so it just took longer than I wanted. The next will be the same way, I guess.
13) What's next for Jawbone? Anymore releases in the pipeline?
I'd really like to get some sort of US label support. If it doesn't come for this record maybe it will for the next. So I've started working on that. I hope to put it out this year sometime. I really can't tour too much because of job and family. Other than that it's just more of the same, work on writing and occasional gigs and mini-tours.
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