Like I've been kicked out of the playground...

I need to stop looking at New Orleans listings online. Today's Lagniappe has both an interview the J (see previous post) and a review of the French 75 Bar with mention of Chris Hannah. I wish I could be in New Orleans tonight.

Johnny J's 60 Second Interview with Chris Rose

The 60-Second Interview: Johnny J
Posted by Chris Rose, Columnist, The Times-Picayune July 18, 2008 5:00AM
Categories: 60-Second Interview


Johnny J and the Hitmen

Johnny J's MySpace page says his music sounds like: "Flame shootin' maniacs lit up on twice-boiled barley soda, with a shot of Brylcreem on the side." Most folks would recognize it as rockabilly.

Johnny J. has been grinding out American music for several decades now, a stalwart on the local club scene and, in fact, very big in Europe.

He and his longtime sidekicks, the Hitmen, are having a CD release party tonight at Mid-City Lanes Rock 'n 'Bowl, to celebrate the debut of "Louisiana Rockabilly, " a collection of cover songs written by rockers from around the state. (Catch them July 26 at 2 p.m. at Borders bookstore in Metairie and 10 p.m. at Parlay's Dream Lounge, and on Aug. 1 at 10 p.m. at the Banks Street Bar.)

I talked with Johnny this week about the thrill of it all.

Rockabilly seems to be one of Louisiana's underappreciated musical genres. Do you think?

One of the reasons I made this record was because somebody was recently asking me about rockabilly music and I mentioned Jerry Lee Lewis and he said: Oh, is Jerry Lee from Louisiana? So then and there I decided I had to make a record like this.

I take it then that Jerry Lee is one of the artists you cover on the disc?

Actually, no. These are mostly artists who are lesser known but still made some great records and who a lot of people maybe haven't heard before.

Like who?

Al Ferrier, Joe Clay, Dale Hawkins -- and then some folks who weren't rockabilly at all -- Faron Young, Roy Brown, Sugarboy Crawford. The whole idea of rockabilly music is a realignment of another song. You take a bluesy kind of tune and you swing it a little more or you take a country song and you breeze it up. It's a treatment, you know what I mean?

Maybe. Then tell me, what is rockabilly?

Rockabilly is the font from which all great American rhythm music came from. It was the point where everything reached critical mass. You had all this stuff -- country music, rhythm and blues -- crash into each other and create a supernova and out of it came Buddy Holly and Carl Perkins and Elvis and all these other people. And it later became rock 'n' roll.


To what do you attribute the longevity of the genre?

It's just like country music and the blues; it's a pure form of American music. Even though people act like it comes in and out like a trend, it will always be there.

You didn't write any of the songs on your new record, but you have in the past. There was one I always liked called "Elevator Love, " about your fear of heights and only dating women who live on the first floor. How's that working out for you?


I've made it up to the second story.


Is that some kind of sexual innuendo?

No. Let's face it: Almost everybody around here is on the second story now.


Your MySpace biography lists your primary influences as Sinatra, Little Walter and Davy Crockett. The first two I get; explain the third.

That was the first record I ever owned -- Davy Crockett and the Wild Frontier. The other two guys are my favorite singers.


Let's talk about tonight: Describe the thrill of a CD release party.

Well, there is none, actually. It's not one of my favorite things to do, but it's necessary. You can have a good time if you put your mind to it.


You make it sound like a grind rather than a pivotal moment in your career.

To me, it seems like a motion that everybody goes through. It's the same motion every time and there's no E-motion involved sometimes. In fact, I was thinking about having a CD "relief" party instead and promising never to release any more CDs.


You're not making a real good case for people to come out and see the show.

Yeah, I know. I gotta fix that. But it's like this: I play music because I have to. It's just something I have to do. If I go over to someone's house and there's not a guitar around, I get nervous. It's something I must do and then I can only hope that people like it. And so far, they haven't run me out of town.


No, not yet. The party's at Rock 'n 'Bowl. That seems like the perfect place for your craft. Tell me about the allure of that venue.

I call it Johnny Blancher's Big Fat Po-Boy Lounge. We were the first band ever to play there, actually. And it has a certain familiarity to me. Which means, I guess: I feel real familiar in there.

Columnist Chris Rose can be reached at chris.rose@timespicayune.com; or at 504.352.2535 or 504.826.3309.
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Posted by RivrRoad on 07/18/08 at 7:17AM

I'll be at Johnny Blancher's Big Fat Po-Boy Lounge tonight listening to Johnny J and the Hitmen sing Red Car!

In New Orleans we tend to take our local music talent for granted. Johnny J, to me, is another one of our under-appreciated artists. His wit and sarcasm give you a glimpse of his intelligence. He is such a bright man with deep soul and so much talent.

If you've never heard Johnny J before then I hope you'll pop in to the rock n bowl tonight. His music is for all generations to enjoy.

Why is this still a surprise?

Wake up in the morning and find Aunt Flo has come to town, and smack your head---oh, that's why I've been feeling down the last few days.

I hate when men blame things on women being on the rag, and I hate when women use it as an excuse, but there's a glimmer of truth in the stereotype.

For me, the difference is subtle. Whatever is bothering me to begin with starts to seem overwhelming and perhaps just slightly tragic. I'm still capable of being happy or having a good time or noticing things that please me. It's just that the balance shifts a bit toward the negative. Also, I a hard time resisting the urge to eat ice cream.

It's not like I didn't know...

that there would be days like this. New Orleans on the news, a New Orleans themed MBE practice question. I would be totally fine with moving away if I knew for sure I would always be able to go back one or twice a year, if I wanted. But I'm still unemployed and broke. And if I don't pass the bar or make things work here, it's not like I will be able to run back to NOLA. Instead I will be living in my parent's guest room.

Well, that should be plenty of incentive to study like a fiend the next two weeks.

I'm sad that I had so few people to say goodbye to after all my years in NOLA. The post-storm diaspora didn't help, but let's look this in the face: I am bad at forging bonds with people. I need bonds with people. Richmond is an opportunity for me to start over and do better.

As for J, I don't care if I ever see him naked again as long as I get to see him play. I would feel better if he would send me the promised package. I would feel better if he was still uber hot for me. He made me feel like I'm bad in bed--although, actually, he wasn't the most, um, skilled and attentive lover. He was sort of bossy and selfish--but, perversely, that turns me on and brings out some need to please. Which then makes me feel inadequate and puts me in the head space I'm in now. I so much want to be a devastating femme fatale with a pack of devoted lovers. That's probably not going to happen in reality world, and it's definitely not going to ever come close to happening as long as I am so.. susceptible, vulnerable, easily knocked off center.

I miss

Chris Hannah, celebrity bartender, and his wonderful concoctions.

More romantic stupidity

This move has been much easier and less traumatic than I expected. I have a good feeling about my life in Richmond. Still, the last few days I've had a few episodes of gut-twisting sadness about New Orleans. There are certain sounds and experiences that can only be had in New Orleans, and I'm a long way away.

Plus I've been feeling a twinge of sadness and regret about J, which only highlights what a wreck I am about men and relationships. Because what I regret is not the experience itself, but that I am no longer the unattainable goddess of desire to him. It's sort of ice-princessy to prefer staying on a pedestal to coming down and having a tumble with a man and sustaining a few minor bruises in the process. Now my ego seems to need some kind of reassurance that he's still thinking about me. I was feeling this way right after the last time I saw him. Then he called me to check up while I was driving up here, and it made me feel better. But now I feel rejected again because he hasn't mailed me a particular item he promised. It's retarded and makes me seem way too delicate to have any dealings with actual male human beings.

I have a date this Saturday, with a guy who is at least fun to talk to. It shows that my transition is going well, that I already have a date. But even the most minor romantic interaction seems to make me miserable one way or another.

The bar exam is only a week and a half away. I need to stay focused on that and not be distracted by romance and its inevitably accompanying trauma.

It turns out Richmond has rock 'n' roll after all

Tonight, a WEDNESDAY NIGHT, I WALKED to a CORNER BAR in a RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, where for NO COVER CHARGE I heard a pretty darn good band from Australia called the Red Hot Poker Dots. I'm not saying they were the best band ever, but the experience laid to rest my fear that I had left the rock n roll lifestyle behind me forever in New Orleans. Also, at no point in my 8-block walk home did I feel any apprehension about getting shot, nor did I become soaked with sweat.

Richmond is swell

Okay, after all the protracted drama and trauma of leaving New Orleans, I have to say---

Richmond is great. I don't know why people don't know what a great town it is. It's beautiful, lively, and just gritty enough to be interesting. Plus--even though it's hotter than NOLA right now, it's not humid at all. I just spent an hour walking around my new neighborhood and I'm not soaked in sweat. If it only had a real music scene, Richmond would be just about perfect by my standards.

Of course, there are trade-offs--the grocery stores don't have the cold-brew coffee concentrate to which I am addicted, but they do have the fabulous Pennsyltucky favorite, Martin's Potato Rolls, and lebanon bologna.