The Black &White Jacksons have spent the last few months building a reputation around town for spastic, loud, and alcohol-fused performances.

Playing together for a little over a year year, the boys have earned some local buzz, opening for DC mainstays The Washington Social Club and earning a spot in December’s JDub Record’s showcase at the 6th & I Historic Synagogue (which got some pretty awesome coverage in (the Washington Post), not to mention scored pretty highly in our all-important “Rattle of The Bands” AND are about to unleash themselves onto DC TWICE in the next week (this Saturday @ DC9 with Fever & Wild Fictions, and next Thursday @ Fort Reno)

With a sound that blends garage rock with some familiar elements of DC’s post punk tradition, the Black & White Jacksons create a visceral listening experience with their debut self-titled EP.

We met up with lead singer Michael Medlock and asked him a few questions about the things that matter: the new record, existentialism, Star Wars, High School Musical II, and getting awesome.

BYT:If you had to choose between safety and danger, which would you choose and why?
MM:Safety off stage. Danger on.

BYT: Be honest, how many times have you been kicked out of The Black Cat for “whipping it out” ?
MM:Well, I suppose it depends on what you mean by “it”, really. If you mean my effeminate nature or my penchant for tickling… then twice.

BYT: Is your name an overt nod to the drastic physiological changes associated with pop singer Michael Jackson over the past few decades, or is it based on something way more cerebral or “indie”?
MM:Everyone thinks it’s a MJ reference, but it’s really from Cormac McCarthy’s “Blood Meridian”. So yeah, indie and cerebral.

(^{byt tip of the day: READ.MORE.AND HARDER.AND POSSIBLY EVEN STRONGER})

BYT: Who rocks the hardest in the band?
MM:I’d have to say Lucas. Zach is a close second though with his sex faces he makes when he drums.

BYT:Who gets the most chicks?
MM:You’d have to be stupid not to fuck me.

BYT: Who gets the most post-ops disguised as chicks?
MM:Tim gets the most “pop-ups” when he sees men disguised as women.

BYT: What were the influences behind the record?
MM:Honestly, we didn’t go into the studio with any preconceived ideas or thoughts about who we’d like to emulate. We just wrote the only way we knew how and played the only way we knew how. We all have fairly different influences but have managed to find some common ground from time-to-time. There wasn’t too much thought put into it, really. We’ve played together for a year before we recorded so it all just came together the way it did naturally.

BYT: The record has a really “live” feel to it. Is that what you were aiming for?
MM:Originally, yes. We decided a long time ago that when we record, we’d like to try and capture our live show “sound” as much as possible. We didn’t want it to sound too polished. I think we managed to get it the way we wanted thanks to our wonderful producer Sarah Ballegooijen.

BYT: How many Sparks would you recommend a listener drink while enjoying your album?
MM:AS MANY AS POSSIBLE. The more they drink the better we sound. Not-to-mention Sparks are a personal favorite of Tim and me.

BYT: Do you squirm when you watch that one scene in Empire where Leia kisses Luke, and Luke gets all pumped about it? Or do you secretly enjoy it?
MM:I have no idea what movie you’re talking about, sorry. And yes, it makes me very uncomfortable. She’s his sister for Christ sake. Later on in Jedi when Luke tells her that, she even says “I know. Somehow I’ve always known”. BUT SHE KISSED HIM ANYWAY.

BYT: Do you have any imaginary friends or a band mascot?
MM:Yes. We have a black porcelain panther that Tim places atop his amp when we play shows. His name is Pillow Pants.

Want More:
Upcoming shows:
-this Saturday @ DC9 with Fever & Wild Fictions
-and next Thursday @ Fort Reno

Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/blackandwhitejacksons

all live photos: Pat Jarrett

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