Rev Jones
By Rock N' Write
(SugarBuzz Las Vegas)
Photos by BKDphoto.com
SugarBuzz Magazine
I summoned the rock gods to bestow upon me one of their greats for an unprecedented interview. They granted me Rev Jones…and no, Kool Aid was not involved.
The last minute decisions are usually the fateful ones. During a day that was meant to be spent as a “wing it, forget it’s Valentine’s Day 2009”, a couple of good friends offered to take me to see SteelHeart at Santa Fe Station Casino in Las Vegas. I was told if there was a concert to attend that weekend, SteelHeart was THE ONE. I expected incredible vocals, a room filled with flawless sound, but there was one element that I couldn’t have dreamt up on my own…“Who the F*%K is that???” I asked as I watched SteelHeart’s bass player twirl a mass of dreadlocks around and around, synchronized to a rhythm of melodies being played in ways I’ve never seen in my life…EVER. Hands over the neck, under the neck, two handed tapping, dancing, contorting, spinning. “That guy’s making me miss my bass,” I told my friend as I stayed fixated on the whirlwind of craziness that was unfolding before my very eyes. And when the bass solo mattered, all we got was a wave from the stage. “That’s it?” I never felt so shafted, however it did leave me hungry for more. So what’s a curious girl to do when her inquiring mind wants to know? Research.
Rev Jones is one of the most sought after bass players in the music industry. With a career that spans 20 years, the list of bands he performs with is impressive and endless, from his own Rev Jones Band to SteelHeart to Mountain to Michael Schenker Group to Paul Gilbert, and much more. He has branded himself with his unique over the neck technique and two handed tapping. One can put the “brainless bassist” joke to rest…Rev Jones
is not the Lexxi Foxxx of the music industry. Case in point, playing at Wacken Open Air in Germany to at least 60,000 people clapping their hands together to keep time as he was soloing “Eleanor Rigby.” Enough said.
Rev’s start in music began at age 15 when he was given a guitar for his birthday. However he switched over to bass soon after, a move that would carve his path in the music world. He was destined to follow in his family’s musical footsteps. He notes his father as being a great singer and rhythm guitarist. His grandfather played up to 6 different instruments, lending to Rev’s drive to master several of his own including the mandolin and Warrguitar. Influenced by bassist Tony Levin, Rev learned to evolve by exploring different possibilities of playing. Which ever band he may share the stage with, Rev will be the guy on stage who will give the audience an unforgettable visual and musical experience. He started developing his two-handed tapping technique after learning “Elephant Talk” by King Crismson. When he’s soloing, you’ll often see his hands over and under the neck in perfect rhythm. Combine all that with crazed facial expressions, dreads spinning, and making exceptional use of the entire stage…THAT is Rev Jones.
I was fortunate to catch up with Rev at the tail end of his tour with MSG and continued corresponding with him thereafter. Read on as I get a little personal with the one and only Rev Jones.
How was this MSG tour different than the ones in the past?
REV - I thought it would be a little different with me only filling in and not being a member of MSG, but it was pretty much the same, most all the MSG tours I did were great and this one was as well. The big difference was having GARY BARDEN in the band, I mean the last 2 singers LEIF and JARI were both good singers, but when it is the guy that owns the voice on the songs it has a little more something special... Another little difference on this tour was the fact that we played almost all MSG songs, we only did 2 UFO songs, sometimes only 1, where in the past we did about half and half...
What was the highlight of the tour?
REV - Meeting you... Too many things come to mind... When we played NYC it was great because LESLIE WEST came out and got on stage with us and we did "GOIN DOWN" (JEFF BECK), that’s always highlight when you get to play with 2 great guitar legends at the same time...
I read an article where you were quite vocal about circumstances with a previous MSG tour. Do you typically call it like it is or does it have to reach a boiling point for you?
REV - Well I do like being honest instead of making up reasons why things happen, but I only spoke out like I did because no one else would, and I thought those things needed to be said... But I do like to be honest...
What keeps you sane while on the road?
REV - FAMILY GUY, AMERICAN DAD, INTERNET, and DIRECT TV...
Was there a turning point that propelled your career or was it gradual?
REV - I guess it was gradual, I mean everything thing happened as it should have, not too fast not too slow...
Sometimes we become slaves of our own device. Do you feel that way with your career as a musician or are you living out your fantasy?
REV - I'm happy with my career, I've been fortunate enough to play with some of the greatest musicians around, as well as many of my musical heroes.
What collaborations do you look forward to?
REV - Well I have a couple of things coming up that I can’t mention yet that I am looking forward to... But if I could pick people to collaborate with, I would love to play with JEFF BECK and STEVIE WONDER, that would be awesome, either that or maybe doing a tour with BIG & RICH, I think I would be perfect for that band... But until the I have tours with MOUNTAIN and tours with STEELHEART coming up, both of which I'm looking forward to...
You did Metal Shop OKC. Do you still make time for sexy spandex and blonde wigs?
REV - Yeah when I'm off the tour I usually play with METALSHOP OKC, its pretty fun, I never liked most of those hair bands and I definitely hated most of the songs, but wearing the wig and spandex and playing the songs is almost like a SPINAL TAP kind of thing, so I have a great time, plus I make enough money doing it that I don’t have to deliver pizzas cause that would suck...
As we know there are several Metal Shop's out there. What formula did Steel Panther follow to bust them out of that mold?
REV - Well the reason those guys broke away from the METALSHOP name, was the company they were working with that now owns METALSHOP name wanted to have multiple bands out doing the show and the STEEL PANTHER guys knew they could expand and make it a huge, as they have proved to everyone... I've known those guys for a long time and the reason they are so successful is they have this great humorous chemistry together that makes it so fun to watch, it's more then just the look and songs, its the whole package... Plus no one is funnier than SATCHEL (RUSS PARRISH)...
How did the Rev Jones Band come about? How do you manage to make time for that band as well? Any chance of a tour?
REV - The RJB started as a way to play gigs when I'm not on tour. It’s made up of myself, PIERCE on vocals (BLACK SYMPHONY), CODY BAILY on drums (LEON RUSSELL), and KYLE LUNSFORD on guitar (36 inches). The set consist of RJB songs as well as songs from bands I've been in (MSG, FUEL, BLACK SYMPHONY, JEFF MARTIN, FORTE), and a couple of cover songs we have recorded for tribute albums... There are 2 tribute albums coming out August 11th on ....VERSAILLES.... RECORDS, one is a STP tribute we did "Heaven 
and Hotrods", the other is a BUCKCHERRY tribute we did "So Far". We are in the process of doing songs on a ROCKY HORROR tribute and a DR DRE tribute...
What got you motivated to put out an instructional video?
REV - Well I always wanted to do one but never had anyone to do it with, until this situation came about in 2006. To make a long story short, my gear was being held in ....TAIWAN.... by a promoter and I had to go get it back, so they hooked me up with this company that does music books and videos, and while I was there we filmed my "BASSLINE" DVD. I had no idea what we were going to do until we started filming, so everything on the video is improvised, which is cool because it’s more like I was giving someone a private lesson instead of some scripted reality show lesson. Fortunately it came out great... You can order a copy on my website at: www.revjones.com/BasslineDVD.html
I am also talking with DOUG MARKS from METAL METHOD about doing a series of bass DVD's on a more beginner/intermediate level, as soon as my MOUNTAIN tour is over I am gonna try and focus and that...
I heard you also wanted to publish a book. Is that true? What's in the works?
REV - Yes I do want to do a book/dvd, but I think that is down the road a bit. It would be my thoughts/experiences/theories/opinions on bass, I just got to find the right person to do it with me...
You play bass as if it's a piano...can you play piano?
REV - Yes I can play piano but I'm not a piano player. I try to learn as many instruments as I can, beside bass I've added to my list: Chapman Stick, Guitar, Mandolin, Ukulele, Keys, and Talking Drum...
If you owned The ....Academy.. of ..Rev Jones Bass Techniques...., what would be the prerequisites for enrolling?
REV - Really wanting to learn... most people say they want to learn but they don’t dedicate
any time into it, and they don’t work on the things you tell them to, they really only want to learn certain and they don’t realize that by learning these other things they will better their playing... so if someone really wants to learn, they can come to my school, plus you gotta love bass....
What should an aspiring musician avoid if they want longevity in this industry?
REV - Drugs, alcohol, and long breaks. The first 2 are pretty self explanatory, but the when you take long breaks away from playing 2 things happen:
1. You get used to being home and after a while you forget how you ever handled doing this.
2. You slowly lose the thing that drives you to play and to be on tour, and it starts showing in your playing. If you go see a band that used to be a great band and now they just seem like their going through the motion but it's just not the same, that’s what happened to them...
Actually drugs and alcohol do the same kind of thing to people, they get where the can only function (in their mind) with their little fix, and they slowly get worse and worse, then when they finally sober up and try to play they've lost that original fire. So if you wanna do it good for a long time, stay away from the evil.
3. Also stay away from only playing one type of music, eventually every kind of music some what dies off and if you only play that style its hard to get any work...
You have the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz tattooed on your chest. Along the yellow brick road, Mr. Scarecrow wished he had brains to think, yet he made the best decisions of them all. What are the parallels between you and the Scarecrow?
REV - Everyone loves the SCARECROW even though he is meant to scare away crows, everyone loves REV even though he is meant to scare away crows...
How do you stay level headed in a business that asks so much of you?
REV - It's hard, but just like any job you gotta except the cards you get dealt and play them the right way. I know people that got fed up with the biz and got out, but this is what I do, what I've always done, and what I always want to do, so I have no choice but to be level headed. It's hard on your everyday life being on the road so much, being away from home, always surrounded by people with not a lot of privacy, and then on top of that having to deal with the business part of it which is one of the most crooked business's there is. But it's what I love and what I do...
If you could do things differently in your life, what would you change?
REV - Actually nothing... There are things or gigs that I've done that I wish I wouldn't have done, but they led to other great things. There are a couple of tours that ended so bad, but I met certain people on those tours that are a big part of my life, so I wouldn't want to change that... There's gotta be good and bad with everything, and I'm pretty satisfied with my good and bads...
You have a picture of yourself at age 7 with the description "pure evil", yet you looked so innocent. How do you describe yourself today?
REV - The same, just older...
If we looked at the Rev Jones IPOD what artist would we find?
REV - Stevie Wonder, Rammstein, Buck Owens, Lily Allen, Prince, King Crimson, Little River Band, and New Grass Revival...
It's not over until Rev Jones does what?
REV - When I win a GRAMMY for "stupidest stage presence" it's over, my work here will be complete, until then I'm gonna keep doing what I'm doing...
Rev, thanks for spending time with Rock n’ Write. For more on Rev Jones, tour updates, and more go to www.revjones.com or www.myspace.com/rev_jones