Press: SignOnSanDiego.com

[LaurieBlue]

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20051103/news_lz1w03mmj.html

POP MUSIC
MMJ carries torch for Southern rock

By Chris Nixon
November 3, 2005

The young upstart who signs a major label deal (in the band Old Pike), the hired gun playing sessions in Los Angeles (after the major label dumps the band) and even an aspiring actor, they're all part of My Morning Jacket.

Guitarist Carl Broemel, who has played varied and various roles during his musical career, is playing a different role now: He's creating music in MMJ, one of today's most promising young bands.

"A part of me died when my first band got signed and broke up," said Broemel from Boston as My Morning Jacket prepared to play a show at the Beantown venue Avalon. "I had a band called Old Pike in Indiana; we made a record in '98. I thought we were going to go out and conquer the world, the five of us, and make the music we wanted to make. After Old Pike broke up, I approached music as more of a job.

"After a while, it was really wearing thin and I wasn't even sure if I wanted to play. I almost gave it up and got a day job until I got the call (to audition for My Morning Jacket). It's almost fulfilling the original promise of Old Pike with this band: the five of us going out and doing as much good work as we can."

My Morning Jacket – a five-piece band from Louisville, Ky. – gained initial exposure with 1999's "The Tennessee Fire" and 2001's "At Dawn," both on independent label Darla. The group's brand of strummy, harmonic Southern rock caught the eye of Dave Matthews' ATO label, which promptly signed the quintet.

Critical acclaim came after 2003's "It Still Moves," a moody collection of 12 tunes drawing on such classic influences as Lynyrd Skynyrd and Neil Young. Fueled by the songwriting and semi-falsetto vocals of Jim James, MMJ asserted itself in the forefront of a Southern rock revival started by bands like Drive-By Truckers.

As incessant touring in support of "It Still Moves" wore on, original members Danny Cash (keyboards) and Johnny Quaid (guitar) decided to quit the band. After their departure in January 2004, the band questioned whether to continue. Frontman James – along with original members Patrick Hallahan (drums) and Two-Tone Tommy (bass) – held auditions in hopes of finding the right fit. The first two musicians to walk in the room were Broemel and keyboardist Bo Koster.

"They had never really played with musicians who weren't friends of theirs from Louisville," said Broemel. "I think it was an awkward situation for them and an awkward situation for us. (But), for whatever reason, it felt right."

Newly rejuvenated with Koster and Broemel on board, My Morning Jacket sought to record a new studio album. Quaid's grandparents farm on the outskirts of Louisville had served as the birthplace of MMJ's previous three studio albums. Now, the band searched for a new beginning.

With the help of producer John Lackie (Pink Floyd, Radiohead), the band ventured north to the hills of upstate New York (Allaire Studios) to lay down tracks for its next record.

This year's "Z" finds My Morning Jacket stretching out from its Southern rock roots while never allowing the past to completely disappear from the rearview mirror.

"I don't think there's any method or formula to what we did," said Broemel. "Jim wrote a bunch of killer songs and we went in and tried to make them real." Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.

[tdan]

John Lackie?  A new level of laziness, nevermind the Southern Rock, Lynard Skynard referances.

[Chills]

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20051103/news_lz1w03mmj.html


My Morning Jacket – a five-piece band from Louisville, Ky. – gained initial exposure with 1999's "The Tennessee Fire" and 2001's "At Dawn," both on independent label Darla. The group's brand of strummy, harmonic Southern rock caught the eye of Dave Matthews' ATO label, which promptly signed the quintet.

Critical acclaim came after 2003's "It Still Moves," a moody collection of 12 tunes drawing on such classic influences as Lynyrd Skynyrd and Neil Young. Fueled by the songwriting and semi-falsetto vocals of Jim James, MMJ asserted itself in the forefront of a Southern rock revival started by bands like Drive-By Truckers.

Finally, the ultimate MMJ biography!
This guy got them all. Nice work.

[Melina]

Thanks for the link...yay San Diego! So looking forward to the show tonight.   :D