Brightest Young Things

Words from: My mouth/Ben's lips
Pictures from: Jukebox the Ghost's Myspace

As everyone in the greater DC area knows, (or at least should know) The Rock and Roll Hotel's 3 year anniversary weekend beings tonight.  I was already excited about going to this event but then when indie-pop-rockers Jukebox the Ghost were announced at the SUPER SPECIAL GUEST playing ALL NEW MATERIAL, I knew that I had to be there.  Plus John Thornley is DJing.  Sweet.  Luckily, before the show,  Ben Thornewill (vocals, piano) was able to break away from the relentless practice and chat about the upcoming show, touring with Ben Folds and plans for the future.

BYT:  Hey Ben hows the ol' practice sesh?

Ben:  Ha going well so far, we have 25 new tunes we are trying to decide between for the show.

BYT:  Wow I guess the time off from touring has really invigorated the creativity?

Ben:  Yea we have 5 new songs this week alone.

BYT:  Well given that this show is at the Rock and Roll Hotel and it is their 3 year anniversary, tell me what your favorite RNR Hotel moment ever is.

Ben:  (laughs) Well that's a tough question, there are a couple of things that come to mind.  It seems that whenever we play there it's about 115 degrees outside and inside its about 90.  I remember doing our 1st show there with Ra Ra Riot and Tokyo Police Club, which now can both easily fill the 9:30 club, and it was so hot it was the 1st and only time I took my shirt off onstage.  Some kids had made "Static to the Heart" t-shirts and I was SO sweat drenched, that I took mine off and gave it to them to trade for one of theirs.  So we both benefited.

BYT: How'd you get asked to do this sweet gig anyways?  I mean I've been watching the site and it seems like you guys were a last minute addition.

Ben:  Actually, we've know about it for a while but we didn't know how we were going to bill ourselves.  As you may remember we used to be called The Sunday Mail and we figured because we were road testing stuff and didn't know if we wanted to put the Jukebox label on ourselves for this show, we though that it would be more of an insiders thing.  However, once we realized we had enough new material that it would work we told them that we were going to be playing as Jukebox the Ghost doing only new material.

BYT: So what's the sound of this new stuff, is it more of the same or have you guys gone in a different direction?

Ben:  I wouldn't say new direction entirely.  It's like we matured a bit and the music reflects that.  Tommy's (vocals, guitar) tunes are still  a bit....fantastic, now life experiences have set into the new music and have come out in songs of  pain, love and the joy of existence.

BYT: And the plans for this new material?

Ben:  Well without giving too much away here, the stuff we are road testing right now in a couple of shows is going to be the material that we have for the next album.

(Some off the record comments about the new record and the old record, and maybe prostitutes I forget)

BYT:  Well that's cool and what's  your plan for your solo album?

Ben:  I also have a new record in the works but we are taking a good bit of time off from touring and we are all going to explore our side projects and what not.

BYT: Any plans to press Live and Let Ghosts on vinyl?

Ben:  I can safely say Jukebox the Ghost is Pro-Vinyl.  That being said I think we are shooting to have a vinyl of Live and Let Ghosts out by Christmas.

BYT:  Yea I saw that split 7 you guys did with Jenny Owens Young and I really wanted a copy but I couldn't make the show.  Do you have any more you can give me on Friday?

Ben:  (laughs) Actually I don't even think we as a band own a copy of it.  Jenny is still selling them on her site I believe so maybe you can pick one up there.

BYT: In that case I'll buy you one.  So on the tour with Ben Folds did you get a chance to talk to him at all?

Ben:  Well not really.  We met him twice and chatted a little but but nothing substantial.

BYT:  Well if talking to Ben Folds wasn't that cool, what was the coolest or funniest thing that happened on the tour?

Ben:  Well basically the tour itself was funny.  We had a show in London (not with Ben Folds) and then had to fly to Chicago then travel to Omaha and then we ended up out on the West Coast after all was said and done.  So in 5 days we flew for 5 hours, drove for 40, and had 8 hours of time zone difference.  I was so jet lagged it was ridiculous.

BYT: Well alright, but did you get to meet anyone famous or cool or anything.

Ben: Actually the coolest/most famous guy I met was the PC guy from the commercials (Ben knew his name but I can't remember).  I saw him before we played and I didn't want to go up and say anything because I figured that'd be weird.  Then after our set he came over to me and he was like "Hey that was great" or whatever and then I said "Well now I know you" and he goes in his PC voice, "Well now I know you too" and it was really just a great moment.

BYT:  Well that about wraps it up I don't want to take you away from practice for too long, tell Tommy and Jesse I say "Hey" and that it's unfortunate that I couldn't talk to everyone.

Ben: Well its like we are a married trio without any of the good stuff.  Talking to one of us is like talking to all of us.

Jukebox the Ghost is headlining a who's who in DC music this evening at the Rock and Roll Hotel.

Other acts include,

Title Tracks
Bellman Barker
Tereu Tereu
John from U.S. Royalty (DJ Set)

Doors: 8PM EST Show: 9 PM EST

$12/$14.