Johnny joined the band for 5-6 songs during their epic set at last year's Forecastle festival in Louisville, KY. I figured when he came out for that show it made sense because Johnny still lives in Louisville so maybe they figured "why not have him come up and join us for old time's sake?" But now that he has just played two nights in a row at Red Rocks, is this a signal that he may be coming back in a more full-time role with the band? Has he played any other gigs with them between last year's Forecastle and last weekend's Red Rocks?
If he were to be rejoining I personally would welcome the hell out of that. It's like just when you think they couldn't be bringing it any harder Johnny shows up and somehow it hits an even higher level. I personally love it.
Does anyone have any insights? Thoughts?
God I hope so. Jim, Carl, and Johnny would slay.
This would have the potential to destroy the live music business because people would only want to see MMJ. The three of them up there slaying dragons with their guitars every night would be magical.
I'll be the loan dissenter and say I hope he does not. Things have been going really well for the band and they seem to be really tight and constantly growing. Three guitars is a little overkill IMO. I love seeing JQ on stage with them, but don't mess with a great thing.
and you can add that there is literally no chance of this happening. he comes out occasionally for big shows, that is all. if he was rejoining, he wouldve been at iroquois.
Quote from: walterfredo on Jun 01, 2016, 11:48 AM
Things have been going really well for the band and they seem to be really tight and constantly growing... I love seeing JQ on stage with them, but don't mess with a great thing.
That's my line of thought, as well. It was a surprise and a real treat to see him join at Red Rocks, hope he keeps coming by from time to time.
I just figured Jim was being Jim and giving JQ a chance to live out a dream and play at 2 sold out Red Rocks shows.
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With the re-release of It Still Moves, I see it as a Memorial Day gesture. Let's remember where MMJ started!
No way I would want them to replace Carl though, and 3 guitars are overkill.
Could anyone even hear Johnny in the mix? I was at the shows and I could not hear his guitar what so ever
Quote from: cderosa1185 on Jun 01, 2016, 09:40 PM
With the re-release of It Still Moves, I see it as a Memorial Day gesture. Let's remember where MMJ started!
No way I would want them to replace Carl though, and 3 guitars are overkill.
Could anyone even hear Johnny in the mix? I was at the shows and I could not hear his guitar what so ever
Agree with all of this.
Carl is just out of this world great for this band. There's no need to mess around there.
I also did not hear anything discernible from Johnny at RR other than some rhythm guitar - no lead licks.
Honest question: how much of Johnny Quaid's influence was on the first 3 albums. I only ask this because ISM and At Dawn are by far my favorite albums. Their studio album output since has been a step down in my opinion. I will say that Z is a great album, with a focused approach that they have yet to regain. When I listen to Johnny Quaid's newer stuff, while I am not a huge fan, I hear an ingredient that went into the MMJ stew that I loved. When I listen to MMJ studio albums after ISM, there is just something missing. I don't know if it's just nostalgia...I can't really put my finger on it but I feel like the first few albums had a little melancholy feel mixed with a southern influence. Look, I love Carl as much as the next guy and I would never want him replaced, but I wonder if Johnny's influence was greater than we give him credit for. Maybe it was the aura of the barn in KY seeping into the recording. I want MMJ to continue exploring new sounds, but I wish I could get that "feel" back, whatever that is. Was it Johnny? Is it nostalgia clouding my mind? Is it the new direction the band has taken? I don't know....I just wish I could find that missing ingredient!!!! Until then, MMJ still has the best stew in the world.
After the second night at RR, I thought it was interesting that JQ exited to the left and the band exited to the right... they went their separate ways.
Quote from: Nikkogino on Jun 02, 2016, 07:29 AM
Honest question: how much of Johnny Quaid's influence was on the first 3 albums. I only ask this because ISM and At Dawn are by far my favorite albums. Their studio album output since has been a step down in my opinion. I will say that Z is a great album, with a focused approach that they have yet to regain. When I listen to Johnny Quaid's newer stuff, while I am not a huge fan, I hear an ingredient that went into the MMJ stew that I loved. When I listen to MMJ studio albums after ISM, there is just something missing. I don't know if it's just nostalgia...I can't really put my finger on it but I feel like the first few albums had a little melancholy feel mixed with a southern influence. Look, I love Carl as much as the next guy and I would never want him replaced, but I wonder if Johnny's influence was greater than we give him credit for. Maybe it was the aura of the barn in KY seeping into the recording. I want MMJ to continue exploring new sounds, but I wish I could get that "feel" back, whatever that is. Was it Johnny? Is it nostalgia clouding my mind? Is it the new direction the band has taken? I don't know....I just wish I could find that missing ingredient!!!! Until then, MMJ still has the best stew in the world.
Well put. I can agree. Tennessee Fire, too.
Quote from: Nikkogino on Jun 02, 2016, 07:29 AM. I want MMJ to continue exploring new sounds, but I wish I could get that "feel" back, whatever that is. Was it Johnny? Is it nostalgia clouding my mind? Is it the new direction the band has taken? I don't know....I just wish I could find that missing ingredient!!!!
imo, it's all about the songwriting, not the people playing the songs.
Quote from: easy way on Jun 02, 2016, 09:04 AM
After the second night at RR, I thought it was interesting that JQ exited to the left and the band exited to the right... they went their separate ways.
Before anyone exited the stage, JQ and Carl had a good, long hug. I'm sure there is mutual respect and hopefully friendship there.
Quote from: slappymoe on Jun 02, 2016, 09:54 AM
Quote from: Nikkogino on Jun 02, 2016, 07:29 AM. I want MMJ to continue exploring new sounds, but I wish I could get that "feel" back, whatever that is. Was it Johnny? Is it nostalgia clouding my mind? Is it the new direction the band has taken? I don't know....I just wish I could find that missing ingredient!!!!
imo, it's all about the songwriting, not the people playing the songs.
I agree for the most part, but playing style can influence that...and how involved was Quaid in developing the songs? I'm not saying that Quaid's leaving has made MMJ bad. MMJ is the best live band on the planet in my opinion, and Carl is a big reason for that. I just get sad that the newer albums don't do it for me the way the first 3 do. Disclaimer: Lay Low and Dondante are exceptions because those 2 give me those old MMJ vibes. I also think Z was so well produced and sequenced that it doesn't fall into my "lesser tier" MMJ ranking like the last 3 released albums do.
Also it feels good to discuss MMJ again...the boards have kinda been dead over the past few years.
Quote from: APR on Jun 02, 2016, 10:56 AM
Quote from: easy way on Jun 02, 2016, 09:04 AM
After the second night at RR, I thought it was interesting that JQ exited to the left and the band exited to the right... they went their separate ways.
Before anyone exited the stage, JQ and Carl had a good, long hug. I'm sure there is mutual respect and hopefully friendship there.
No doubt! These guys are pro's...
JQ has been playing cameos like this since at least T5. He's on Removador Records and Tom, Carl, Dave Givan etc are all listed as musicians the last Ravenna Colt album. The way I think of it, he's still part of the cohort, but doing other things.
Glad this topic took off and got so much input. It was fun reading everyone's opinions. I think I fall into the camp of feeling like something is missing from the new records from the At Dawn and ISM days - whether that is directly related to Quaid is a mystery. And, like many others said, this is still my favorite band in the world and I absolutely love Carl and would never want to see him replaced by Johnny or anything like that. Having seen Johnny join the band live on three separate occasions, though, I will say that it seems to take the band back to their heavier, more rockin' roots and personally I find it to be insanely thrilling to watch. I have to disagree with people that say they can't even hear him adding anything. He's absolutely shredding when he's up there.
Anyway, I hope it becomes something that happens more often, even if it is just for a handful of tunes every now and then. It's nice having part of that MMJ history represented on stage and it gives me the warm and fuzzies knowing that they still love rocking together.
Quote from: cderosa1185 on Jun 01, 2016, 09:40 PM
With the re-release of It Still Moves, I see it as a Memorial Day gesture. Let's remember where MMJ started!
No way I would want them to replace Carl though, and 3 guitars are overkill.
Could anyone even hear Johnny in the mix? I was at the shows and I could not hear his guitar what so ever
Johnny did seem pretty low in the mix...I think the love is always there but the five some is locked in tight!
I know what you mean. Those first 3 albums have that mystical, magical, moonlight, reverb, and melancholy drenched all over it. Z was the perfect follow-up to those albums. To me Z sounds like the Jacket took a vacation to the West Coast and made an album.
I don't know whats missing since Johnny Quad left in their studio efforts. I think it might be the production. Early MMJ (& many bands in their early days) do much more with less. Jim talks alot of about Pro Tools now and back then it sounded like they would make the sounds/production themselves.
Being front row for Red Rocks you could just feel the energy go up to 11 when Quad took the stage. They all seemed to really enjoy his presence.
Quote from: vadermaul on Jun 03, 2016, 04:42 PM
Being front row for Red Rocks you could just feel the energy go up to 11 when Quad took the stage. They all seemed to really enjoy his presence.
I'm glad someone else is mentioning this...half of it is the wall of sound that is created when he's playing with them but just as important is that it seems like the band just feeds off the added energy of having him up there and it makes them bring it even harder.
Pretty sure Johnny lives in Idaho these days...
I actually thought his contribution was discernible in the mix at Red Rocks and the 3-guitar attack was palpable.
I know, when Jim brings a demo to the rest of the band, he lets Carl, Tom, Bo, and Patrick add their "thoughts" to the acoustic "shell". In particular, I think of how Jim loved Carl's solo on the title track of Circuital.
I think its safe to assume the same was true when Johnny was in the band. Therefore, he may deserve a lot of credit for the signature guitar in tunes like One Big Holiday, Steam Engine, and Mahgeetah, to name a few...
I've always felt Carl deserves accolades for his faithful rendition of Johnny's original guitar lines from those first three albums, adding his own seasoning.
On the topic of melancholy, it is my opinion that the biggest reason for its departure from their musical tone is simply the main song writer (jim) developing as a person and seemingly finding a certain level of happiness that may have previously eluded him. Hard to write with sadness and heartache when thats not what you feel and he has talked a lot about the (in his words) illusion that good artists need to be tormented souls or be depressed all the time to make music that moves people, citing curtis mayfield and kool and the gang as examples to his point.
Count me in as a person who really misses the tone of ttf and at dawn but i dont think that is ever coming back. However, something more like ISM could someday be in the cards again because to me it manages to be patient, soulful and explorative without the sadness.
Matter of fact, if we could get something that combines the spacey, spooky and powerful (yet somehow mellow) vibe of the new Ray LaMontagne album with the full fledged epicness of ISM...that would be spectacular.
Quote from: Stevie on Jun 22, 2016, 03:59 PM
On the topic of melancholy, it is my opinion that the biggest reason for its departure from their musical tone is simply the main song writer (jim) developing as a person and seemingly finding a certain level of happiness that may have previously eluded him. Hard to write with sadness and heartache when thats not what you feel and he has talked a lot about the (in his words) illusion that good artists need to be tormented souls or be depressed all the time to make music that moves people, citing curtis mayfield and kool and the gang as examples to his point.
Count me in as a person who really misses the tone of ttf and at dawn but i dont think that is ever coming back. However, something more like ISM could someday be in the cards again because to me it manages to be patient, soulful and explorative without the sadness.
Matter of fact, if we could get something that combines the spacey, spooky and powerful (yet somehow mellow) vibe of the new Ray LaMontagne album with the full fledged epicness of ISM...that would be spectacular.
Now we're talking!
I like Johnny, would love to see him in the band again myself. I think at Red Rocks he was very courtesy to the other players and did not try to over power anyone and added some great sounds.
Quote from: Clarkwork on Jun 23, 2016, 03:46 PM
I like Johnny, would love to see him in the band again myself. I think at Red Rocks he was very courtesy to the other players and did not try to over power anyone and added some great sounds.
I would be shocked if he wasn't significantly influential on the first few albums. The way he plays, he seems like an intense guy (at least on stage) and when you hear songs like Twighlight, Run Thru, and OBH it seems like a perfect match to the presence he brings. That said, i think every record since then except for Z has one song that is at least partially reckless abandon and intensity:. Remnants, Victory Dance, and Tropics. Not to say there arent other heavy tunes but the rest are a bit more patient and calculated.
Hopefully when Jim talks about "scorching rock and roll" he has some of that in mind.
I'll be honest, I found him distracting at RR. He just didn't move like the rest and it was quite the buzzkill for me.
Carl did something to his amp just before they started playing together (night 2). I think he turned it down. LOL
Quote from: eDave on Mar 14, 2017, 05:03 AM
I'll be honest, I found him distracting at RR. He just didn't move like the rest and it was quite the buzzkill for me.
Carl did something to his amp just before they started playing together (night 2). I think he turned it down. LOL
OUCH!!!!
Im glad we don't have a band here who are obsessed with the past. It makes everything new that they do feel like a continuing journey , while not the same sounds it IS the same as Tennessee Fire At Dawn ISM Z Evil Urges Circuital and Waterfall. They're a part of the rollercoaster called MMJ. At least they can Still tap into the melancholic moods of They Ran, Strangulation, Rollin Back etc whereas some artists, like Neil Young, if its not on the cards or the mind at the time, you straight up will NOT hear it live.
I get annoyed that the Jacket aren't busting out Come Closer etc but I think that mood doesn't jive with them anymore.
Sad but hey , aren't you people interested in what this scorching rock and roll record is going to be?
Also Johnny shouldn't rejoin the band whatsoever. He seems happy doing his thing and after all, he was the dood WHO LEFT. Jacket have been unbelievable to have him back up there with them many times. As for me, a guitarist and all around musician who's played live at least a couple hundred times, I don't think Johnnys amp was even on during the RR2016 shows...I studied the Pat Myers footage to discern what was going on
Sure his fender twins red light was ON. ..does that mean Ryan was feeding it into the PA and mixing it in with the band? I'm not sure. .but Quaid has played a billion times live, too....wouldn't HE realize he couldn't hear himself?
I will forever be a Quaid fan. He's the type of guitarist that adds a lot to a song yet goes unnoticed. Plus, I don't think the band would be where they are today without his influence.
Quote from: Lonndown27 on Mar 20, 2017, 05:27 PM
Also Johnny shouldn't rejoin the band whatsoever. He seems happy doing his thing and after all, he was the dood WHO LEFT. Jacket have been unbelievable to have him back up there with them many times. As for me, a guitarist and all around musician who's played live at least a couple hundred times, I don't think Johnnys amp was even on during the RR2016 shows...I studied the Pat Myers footage to discern what was going on
Sure his fender twins red light was ON. ..does that mean Ryan was feeding it into the PA and mixing it in with the band? I'm not sure. .but Quaid has played a billion times live, too....wouldn't HE realize he couldn't hear himself?
I would love to listen to some songs of yours or see some live videos if you have any available?
Quote from: Max5130 on Mar 22, 2017, 04:05 PM
Quote from: Lonndown27 on Mar 20, 2017, 05:27 PM
Also Johnny shouldn't rejoin the band whatsoever. He seems happy doing his thing and after all, he was the dood WHO LEFT. Jacket have been unbelievable to have him back up there with them many times. As for me, a guitarist and all around musician who's played live at least a couple hundred times, I don't think Johnnys amp was even on during the RR2016 shows...I studied the Pat Myers footage to discern what was going on
Sure his fender twins red light was ON. ..does that mean Ryan was feeding it into the PA and mixing it in with the band? I'm not sure. .but Quaid has played a billion times live, too....wouldn't HE realize he couldn't hear himself?
I would love to listen to some songs of yours or see some live videos if you have any available?
I can definitely get some up. I put up one of me playing along to a live version of Steam Engine and my YouTube channel has a bunch of stuff. Too bad im only using a Fender mini twin battery powered. Can't wait to get my Marshall head / Fender twin combination going again
myspace.com/owsleysrevenge (high school progressive metal band. Me on guitar and drums..
It was my first time playing them seriously)
soundcloud/gweirdo my newer and new stuff kinda strange and lofi as I don't have a drum set anymore