People You Have Spread the WORD to.

[tbear]

Ok, a somewhat silly, obsessive topic. -- but, really, isn't that what fan blogs are (mostly) for?

(and I am sure that this exists somewhere down the scroll.)

Thus far I have converted two.

CK, who has seen everything from Zep to JW. After Roo '8 and getting Okonosos, I was alone in this sense of greatness. I played MMJ for CK, and he was around it, got it, but didn't quite fall. I was wondering if it was all in my head.

I have this amazing lake shack outside if NYC, and one night with CK, smashed, I just put on Dondante, and, very purposely, went for a walk. When I got back, all that I heard was "what was that?. Can you play that again?"

He gets it. Next was the T5s. He has been to bout ten shows.

The other is a convert, but really he told me bout MMJ before Roo '08: Just "I have heard of this band and you should check them out". Fast forward five years and we are, again, at that lake shack, playin all of Cap '13, and everything just clicks. The boy (44) is obsessed. This  person,  that I have known man and boy, is my greatest friend, someone I saw the Dead with many, many times, is giddy. He cannot stop listening. He just sees it exactly as I do: that this is the greatest band that has come along, in a long, long time, and that JJ is, well, the man.

Next is wifey and JP (resisting)  and a couple of brothers.



It matters to me.

[SaraBananaBear]

Good topic! I always try to spread the word, but people are not always open to new music. One of my friends was pretty easy to convince, she completely fell in love with Z and would play it all the time. The second friend had watched the American Dad episode, so a lot of songs were already in his subconscious and he had a intense love story with Wordless Chorus. The hard part was getting him to move on from that song to the other songs. My mum is one of those people who have a hard time sitting down and just focusing on one thing. But I took a massage course in high school and made a rule then that I'd only massage her if I got to pick the massage music. And it worked pretty well, she even came with me for the 2011 Stockholm show. It's a very easy way to help anyone find new music.

My favorite convert is probably the 2011 Lund show though, I had bought extra tickets to bring some friends, but two of them had to cancel. So my friend Isak and I was going, but had these extra pair of tickets. We ended up bring his younger brother Leo and Leo's friend. Isak was next to me during the concert, but Leo and his friend was standing behind us, so I didn't see them for the whole of the show. After the show I turned around and Leo and his friend were just standing there speechless. After a while Leo's friend turned to me and said: "I didn't bring any ear plugs and I think I might have lost my hearing, but if this was the last thing I ever heard, it was worth it".

[tbear]

"I didn't bring any ear plugs and I think I might have lost my hearing, but if this was the last thing I ever heard, it was worth it".


well, exactly. Leo's friend gets it. Good to know.

[SaraBananaBear]

"I didn't bring any ear plugs and I think I might have lost my hearing, but if this was the last thing I ever heard, it was worth it".


well, exactly. Leo's friend gets it. Good to know.

Yup! Luckily he got his hearing back though. The one person I wish I could convert is my dad. I know he'd like it if he just gave it a chance, but sadly due to the Robbie Williams years of my life he no longer trusts any music recommendations from me.

[johnnYYac]

I'm not having much luck in the conversion department, perhaps because my obsession with MMJ may be off-putting to friends and family. 

I brought my uncle, with whom I've attended many shows over the years, to his first MMJ show at MPP last year.  We didn't talk much until almost a year later.  I asked him what he thought.  He was "meh" about it, said they sounded too similar throughout the show, not enough diversity in their sound.  He agreed they were a talented band but it just didn't click.

I can't understand his characterization of that show, but then many can't understand my love for the Jacket.  I've become less aggressive promoting the band to folks, just mentioning their name or making a disc, then receding back into the shadows...

[Fully]

I'm not having much luck in the conversion department, perhaps because my obsession with MMJ may be off-putting to friends and family.

The family part is my problem. I wish I could convert one kid or my husband. I try not to even mention it because they either mock me or just don't care when I'm telling them something that has to do with the band or with one of my friends I've made through a shared love of them.

I have converted a few students over the years by playing their music while they are working on activities at their desks. 

My favorite convert is a dear friend and former student who gets them. I took him with me to Tuscaloosa this summer just two nights after we had shared his first Jacket show in Nashville. I can only imagine what seeing a full show or one like the two night Red Rocks run in 2012 will do to him.

[justbcuzido]

Rather recently, two of my oldest/closest friends (a couple) visited me here in Austin for a week. The only song they ever would listen to before this was "Thank You Too" and it was kind of their song, but they didn't listen to anything else.

The last night they were at my place, I put on the VH1 Storytellers episode for what I thought would be just background music. During the introduction speech for "Golden", my friend Sonya asks if I can replay what he just said about it. She then proceeds to close her eyes for the song. By the end of it, she was balling and didn't stop crying tears of joy until well after the episode was over. She just looked at me after that song and said, "Everything makes sense now". My friend Brad couldn't understand and thought she was sad or something, but she said she was having what must be a religious experience.

I sent her home with every Jacket album/bootleg/live compilation I own. It's been three weeks and I get a call every day to talk about MMJ.

After years of trying and for the most part succeeding in making new fans, I have inspired a true follower, a believer. For me, that was the most awesome moment of my Jacket experience thus far. Somehow, just knowing someones life has now been changed for the better through amazing music is better than any of the Jacket shows I have ever been too combined. But holy cow, it was pretty damn incredible to witness that Baptism, if you want to call it anything.

She hasn't gotten to the live version of Steam Engine or Phone Went West yet... I'm rather excited for the phone call that will follow that.

I just have to end this rant here by saying, god bless this band for everything they do!

[SaraBananaBear]

Rather recently, two of my oldest/closest friends (a couple) visited me here in Austin for a week. The only song they ever would listen to before this was "Thank You Too" and it was kind of their song, but they didn't listen to anything else.

The last night they were at my place, I put on the VH1 Storytellers episode for what I thought would be just background music. During the introduction speech for "Golden", my friend Sonya asks if I can replay what he just said about it. She then proceeds to close her eyes for the song. By the end of it, she was balling and didn't stop crying tears of joy until well after the episode was over. She just looked at me after that song and said, "Everything makes sense now". My friend Brad couldn't understand and thought she was sad or something, but she said she was having what must be a religious experience.

I sent her home with every Jacket album/bootleg/live compilation I own. It's been three weeks and I get a call every day to talk about MMJ.

After years of trying and for the most part succeeding in making new fans, I have inspired a true follower, a believer. For me, that was the most awesome moment of my Jacket experience thus far. Somehow, just knowing someones life has now been changed for the better through amazing music is better than any of the Jacket shows I have ever been too combined. But holy cow, it was pretty damn incredible to witness that Baptism, if you want to call it anything.

She hasn't gotten to the live version of Steam Engine or Phone Went West yet... I'm rather excited for the phone call that will follow that.

I just have to end this rant here by saying, god bless this band for everything they do!

That's so beautiful! Thanks for sharing!

[Colfax]

Much of the music I'm really into is not very accessible to most listeners (Zappa, Dead, Phish, the Disco Biscuits). Out of all of my music loves, MMJ is the closest band to mainstream music. Still, I don't push music on friends any more. If they like a genre, I might introduce them casually, but pushing doesn't seem to work.

However, I got my sister into Phish in 99 and she took to it like a sailor in a whorehouse. I've been trying to get her into MMJ for at least 8 years. Somehow, even tho I've suggested some of her most favorite entertainment, she still wouldn't take that step.

Americanarama was the perfect vehicle to get her to her first show as she also likes Wilco. She immediately fell in love, as I knew she would. She made comments like "This music is really important" and has been throwing MMJ into her regular consumption.

She and her husband were so very close to attending the Mexico weekend too. Family matters will ultimately prevent her from doing so, but the music clicked in a big, big way.

[iLikeBeer]

Much of the music I'm really into is not very accessible to most listeners (Zappa, Dead, Phish, the Disco Biscuits). Out of all of my music loves, MMJ is the closest band to mainstream music. Still, I don't push music on friends any more. If they like a genre, I might introduce them casually, but pushing doesn't seem to work.

However, I got my sister into Phish in 99 and she took to it like a sailor in a whorehouse. I've been trying to get her into MMJ for at least 8 years. Somehow, even tho I've suggested some of her most favorite entertainment, she still wouldn't take that step.

Americanarama was the perfect vehicle to get her to her first show as she also likes Wilco. She immediately fell in love, as I knew she would. She made comments like "This music is really important" and has been throwing MMJ into her regular consumption.

She and her husband were so very close to attending the Mexico weekend too. Family matters will ultimately prevent her from doing so, but the music clicked in a big, big way.

Nice story!     Amazing what seeing this band live can do for people.  How many stories are there of people who kept this band at arms length and then finally saw them live and have been hooded ever since?   

[Fully]

Much of the music I'm really into is not very accessible to most listeners (Zappa, Dead, Phish, the Disco Biscuits). Out of all of my music loves, MMJ is the closest band to mainstream music. Still, I don't push music on friends any more. If they like a genre, I might introduce them casually, but pushing doesn't seem to work.

However, I got my sister into Phish in 99 and she took to it like a sailor in a whorehouse. I've been trying to get her into MMJ for at least 8 years. Somehow, even tho I've suggested some of her most favorite entertainment, she still wouldn't take that step.

Americanarama was the perfect vehicle to get her to her first show as she also likes Wilco. She immediately fell in love, as I knew she would. She made comments like "This music is really important" and has been throwing MMJ into her regular consumption.

She and her husband were so very close to attending the Mexico weekend too. Family matters will ultimately prevent her from doing so, but the music clicked in a big, big way.

Nice story!     Amazing what seeing this band live can do for people.  How many stories are there of people who kept this band at arms length and then finally saw them live and have been hooded ever since?   

I also wonder how many people listen to live Jacket and decide to become Klan members.

[iLikeBeer]

I also wonder how many people listen to live Jacket and decide to become Klan members.

Damn iphone... 

[Taterbug]

NO NO,  Shhhhhh, we need to keep them a secret ,  The shows are getting to crowded.   Plus all the competition on the rail for a good old fashioned Jim  fingering is getting out of hand.  Women  have very sharp elbows when Jim flaunts that magic digit and they aren't afraid to use them. 

This just gave me an idea. We should get a head count on the number of peeps that have been digitized by Jim and make t-shirts.  I've been fingered by Jim James with some artwork on it of some sort.  Vespa !!!

[tbear]

I was like the, er, Jim Jones of converters this weekend.


Picture a 25th high-school reunion. 50 dudes. The lake-house. And PC basically on a continuous loop.

In the aftermath five of my long-lost, oldest and dearest friends have downloaded all of PC and are just bombarding me with questions and amazement. These are all former dead-headers, that are, just, how can I say, reborn?

I shit you not. This band is headed to the moon. Kinda worried.

Gonna head over to Time Square shortly.

[Hawkeye]

Much of the music I'm really into is not very accessible to most listeners (Zappa, Dead, Phish, the Disco Biscuits). Out of all of my music loves, MMJ is the closest band to mainstream music. Still, I don't push music on friends any more. If they like a genre, I might introduce them casually, but pushing doesn't seem to work.

However, I got my sister into Phish in 99 and she took to it like a sailor in a whorehouse. I've been trying to get her into MMJ for at least 8 years. Somehow, even tho I've suggested some of her most favorite entertainment, she still wouldn't take that step.

Americanarama was the perfect vehicle to get her to her first show as she also likes Wilco. She immediately fell in love, as I knew she would. She made comments like "This music is really important" and has been throwing MMJ into her regular consumption.

She and her husband were so very close to attending the Mexico weekend too. Family matters will ultimately prevent her from doing so, but the music clicked in a big, big way.

Nice story!     Amazing what seeing this band live can do for people.  How many stories are there of people who kept this band at arms length and then finally saw them live and have been hooded ever since?   

Ditto what Fully said 

But this is exactly my experience.  I took my friend Shane to a Milwaukee show in 2008.  He liked them beforehand, but was not a "huge" fan.  He expected a "decent" live show.  He was immediately blown away when Jim comes flying onstage wielding his Nintendo gun...then proceeds to do several high kicks and power slides throughout the show.  Shane is a big fan now.  He thinks Jim is hilarious, and also digs the music (obviously).

Same kind of story with my friend Steve.  I just keeping talking about MMJ to him...I've put on a CD in the car a few times...but it just wasn't really "clicking."  Steve has yet to see MMJ live, but we saw the Asheville JJ show at the Orange Peel this last tour...and he's hooked too!  I keep telling him, "just wait until you see the full band live"...not that Jim's band was bad, it's just a different kind of show.  I can't wait to take him to a full MMJ show.  Guys, please come through Asheville on your next tour!  You will win at least one diehard fan, promise!!!  And maybe involve Seth/Floating Action in the show 

[bhyman]

Took my music loving, dead head, zeppelin freak, and former college roommate to see Jacket in Alpharetta last year for the Spontaneous Curation tour. Bought his ticket for him as a gift. Before the show he kept asking me about MMJ and how he couldn't believe Band of Horses was opening for a band he had never heard before.

Jacket opened with Lay Low setting the tone properly, then noodled around with some Circuital tunes. He was somewhat familiar with the songs, but didn't know they are by MMJ.

Then "the run" started... the best I've personally witnessed live by any band....

- Honest Man
- Mahgeetah
- Where to Begin
- Strangulation!
- Gideon
- Steam Engine
- Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Pt. 1
- Wordless Chorus
- Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Pt. 2
- Cobra
- It's About Twilight Now
- Run Thru
- Phone Went West (... into encore)

This main set list still gives be chills. Cobra Pt.2->Twilight->Run Thru were totally "zeppelinesque" and my buddy's jaw hit the floor. PWW closed the main set FTW. Encore was pretty standard, but that main set made the evening for both of us.

He's a fan ever since. He went with me to the Big Dance show at the final four and Amreicanarama this past summer. BTW... Wilco played Dark Star at that show. He's now a huge Wilco fan too. ;-)

Conversion successful!

[SaraBananaBear]

I really love reading these stories, keep them coming people! 

[EverythingChanges]

I have since given up on converting any of my friends.  My friends lack any musical taste.  They don't understand music; they'd rather play WoW or something.  If they do listen to music, I can't seem to get them past The Black Keys (who were AWFUL at Forecastle).  I used to enjoy that band for what they are, but jeez, I had to leave their set early. 

[rincon2]

My only 100% conversion was done simply by showing a friend the Conan OBH video, and the Letterman Gideon video. He could not believe it was the same band in a two year span. I have since taken him to 2 shows. The second night of the Wiltern I tried to convince a younger musically knowledgable female friend to buy last minute tickets for the show. She would have, but she and her husband were taking another couple, friends of mine also, to the Hollywood Bowl that night to see Dave Matthews. I showed her some youtube videos of the second night. I could see by her face she thought she went to the wrong show that night.

[tbear]

My converted friend reports from Florida that his 5 yr. old daughter, from the back seat of the car, began this conversation:

"daddy, put on that song about Jesus!"

My friend, surprised: "What song do you mean Sophie?"

"You know, Daddy, Steep Engine."

Sophie is going to a catholic pre-school and is a young believer. I am not sure if JJ is preaching Jesus (edit or Jebus :) in "Steam Engine", but I am sure he wouldn't mind little Sophie's interpretation.

Looks like we may have a young convert.