I chatted with Robert Jon from Robert Jon & The Wreck about life on the road and their new music
Q: Talk about your background (where you’re from, etc)
I was born and raised in southern California! Born in Long Beach, CA to be exact. Started playing music at an early age, My dad always had a guitar around and the piano was in the living room, so it was not foreign to me. I grew up mostly a drummer, until I decided I preferred singing and writing songs a little more. Robert Jon & the Wreck has been around since 2011.
Q: What is your favorite part of performing live?
The best thing about performing live is the energy that you feel from the crowd. The interaction you see from the stage when people are connecting to your music and singing along, having a good time, dancing. It’s truly what we live for!
Q: How did the band form?
The band formed in 2011, I had been writing songs and performing as much as I could, back then under my name Robert Jon or Robert Jon Band, it was in 2011 that the guys that were playing with me (Andrew Espantman), We were all giving a lot to the project when it came to touring, writing, and so on, so it felt natural to create more of a band dynamic. Now after a couple line-up changes, some experience under our belt and a whole lot of memories we are excited to still be doing what we love.
Q: What is your favorite song to perform and why?
That’s like picking your favorite child, but if I’m on the spot I’d say it has to be “Oh Miss Carolina ” to hear a crowd of people sing along with us, and sometimes they just sing it on their own is a magical feeling.
Q: How hard is it being on the road with a new family?
I think it is one of the hardest parts of being on the road. Back in the day, when you didn’t have much responsibility back home, you’d maybe complain about where you stay or long drives, but that’s all easy in comparison, I miss ‘em every day, but I know that being out on the road is where I need to be and where I belong, and is helping support my family along the way.
Q: What is your song “Hold On” about?
It’s about the struggles of touring life, and the conversation internally about the one you are missing back home and hoping you can both “Hold on” to the Lifestyle that is unlike most others.
Q: If you could perform with any artist living or dead, who would it be and why?
I’d love to share the stage with Dave Grohl. I think he’s always been a rock musician that I’ve looked up to from back in my early days. So it’s still a go. I don’t think he needs much of a reason why I think everyone understands it.
Q: What is your songwriting process as a band?
We write together in the room about 98% of the time. We throw out ideas together, when something sticks and feels good we work through it, and get it to where it needs to be. There may be some times when someone brings in a larger piece but we still put it together as a group. It’s a very cohesive process.
Q: What has it been like being back out on the road post lockdown?
Man, it feels like that was a long time ago, we started playing outdoor shows as soon as we could in California and once things opened up we were back in the UK in ’21, so it’s been the busiest we’ve ever been since the lockdown.
Q: Are you excited about your upcoming show in Baltimore? Do you have any special connections or memories here in the city?
We haven’t been back to Baltimore since we were there last with the Rival Sons in about 2014 I wanna say. So we are excited to get back up to the Northeast and hope to make it back every year now. I’ve only been there once, as mentioned before, but what I remember as being a very unknown band then, we got a very warm welcome in Baltimore and only hope for the same this time around.
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Robert Jon & The Wreck headline 8×10 on December 5th! Buy tix