I first became aware of Blake Jones with The Homebound Tapes, a pandemic era EP about just that, including the memorable, and very funny song “Three Jerks In A Jeep,” a slam at anti-maskers and anti-vaxers. His new album and still... is just as good and funny.

Blake was kind enough to answer a few questions for me.

Andrea Weiss: For those who don’t know you, could you give a brief history of your music career?

Blake Jones: I’ve spent a lifetime working in the indie/D.I.Y. world of music, self-releasing,  first cassettes, then CDs and LPs, selling these at gigs and local stores. Grew up in the Fresno area, moved with our band down to Los Angeles for a few years, and am now headquartered back here in California’s Central Valley. In recent years, we have teamed up with other bands like ourselves and dove into the world of Big Stir Records courtesy of Rex Broome and Christina Bulbenko who have furthered our reach by a tremendous amount.

AW: Who are your music influences?

BJ:  I had older siblings, and our house was full of the sounds of the Beatles, The Who, and Led Zeppelin. Later I really dug deep into the Kinks and Brian Wilson, but I’m always searching out new things to enjoy

AW: Do you have any favorite comedians?

BJ: For me, comedy means Monty Python and the Marx Brothers. Outrageous. Surreal. Surprising. I like those qualities in Music as well.

AW:Your humor is whimsical, which I like. Is that your view of the world?

BJ: We once had a rabbit named Whimsy… This is a tough question. I see what you mean. Our music is not always about being tough and badass like some rock is. Again, the surreal, the surprising. I like Talking Heads. I like Jonathan Richman. I like Dr. Seuss. I like the San Francisco poet Laurence Ferlinghetti. It’s not that these people don’t touch upon serious issues, but there is a touch of humor, of ridiculousness, and even the warmth of love. After I said all that, I think people might expect wayyyy too much from their Blake Jones & the Trike Shop experience! Haha

 

 

AW: It’s also gentle and kind, not biting, which is great. Is that also part of your worldview?

BJ: Well, I hope so. We all could use a bit more of that.

AW: On “Fascist Bumblebee Winter Formal” your humor seems to be political. Or is it something else?

BJ: We all struggle these days with the political atmosphere. I was part of a demonstration to try and save a lynchpin building in Fresno’s Tower District (our local artsy neighborhood with the theaters, the bohemians, the music venues). It was a weekly gathering in the center of the neighborhood. The Proud Boys (far-right ‘tough guys’) showed up as a counter-demonstration. They were not nice folks. They often dress in their colors: black and yellow. I looked up the street, and it looked like some colorful costume party. So how do your write about that without saying: “You are dumb. I’m not dumb. No no you are the dumb ones.”--haha. That’s lame. So you try and get a little deeper . People like to feel special, to be part of a group, they like to feel strong, to feel they have an *in* to the correct information. They can often be led by a powerful paternal figure who’s not always so wonderful a person. Well, that’s where this song is from. Maybe here’s an example of my humor being a little biting (occasionally a group needs a little bite! Haha)--but I think it’s set off by the ever-changing, crazed music.

AW: Do you plan to tour outside of California?           

BJ: We have taken the band to Europe five times over the last 15 years. We’ve played in cities from Glasgow to Hamburg. Our last trip was last summer, when we played in Canterbury, London, and Liverpool. We also played in Chicago this past spring. I am hoping we have the opportunity to take the music to more and more places. It’s a blast.