Texas Monthly: Jesse Dayton by: Jeff McCord
USA Today: Jesse Dayton & Brennen Leigh, Holdin’ Our Own by: Brian Mansfield
Austin Chronicle: Jesse Dayton and Brennen Leigh are Holdin' Their Own by: Doug Freeman
Austin Chronicle: Jesse Dayton & Brennen Leigh Reviewed by: Jim Caligiuri
Hardchargers,
Several years back we were contacted by Social Distortion's management to do a tour w/ front-man Mike Ness. It was his 1st solo record outside the band (although we had played w/ SD on several occassions and also toured extensively w/ the Supersuckers and X) and to say the least, his hard-core loyal following showed up in full-force selling out every venue we played. Scroll down a few years to this past summer, and we're doin' another full US Tour together again and by this time we had quite a following (in most, not all) of our own in these cities. From the exposure we got from playin' w/ Ness, we literally built an audience made up of people who cared absolutely nothing about what was goin on w/ country radio or CMT. These people we're into Johnny Cash, not Rascal Flatts, and they also wanted something more than just another light-touch rockabilly band. With the majority of my friends that were country singer-songwriters, who've been sluggin' it out in Nashville for years (there are exceptions to the rule as far as friends who've really hit there, like Jack Ingram, Trent Summar and Bruce Robison, but most have not) me and the band still feel daaaaamn lucky to have gone out and played shows that really helped cultivate a following instead of having some cheese-ball booking agent just throw us to the lions on another shitty club tour, or even worse, touring w/ someone whose the flavor of the week. Soooooo, that being said ....after we play our show this THURS. NIGHT in AUSTIN at the BROKEN SPOKE (from 9 to 12) the next morning we fly out to play another sold-out show (as listed in the new Rolling Stone magazine) at the EL REY THEATER in HOLLYWOOD CALIFORNIA on FRI. NIGHT w/ Social D frontman MIKE NESS. This show will have a special component...King Double Bass owner JASON BURNS from the ROADKINGS will be joining my country band for one night only (along w/ Nate and Eric) to play this show. The rest of the weekend will be us finishing up Road Kings songs for the new record to be released after the first of the year. We'll also be in the studio putting some finishing touches on LA songwriter MIKE STINSONS' new record....there ya have it.....now brang it!
Adios Mi Amigos, JD
ps After years of goin round n round (with what has now become Austin music scene folklore) w/ the Continental Club about a dispute that happened over 10 years ago w/ Toni Price (yes there we're drugs and alcohol involved, but don't we like our artist to be a little broken w/ hopes that they'll recover one day? i.e.Amy Winehouse and Elvis)....Rick Broussard's Two Hoots and a Holler played to a great crowd last Sat. night and it was one of the best damn shows I've seen in a long long time. It's ALL still there....the true West Texas rock n roll songs...the Cajun Country sounds...the Punk Rock Star sensibilities onstage. I always tell musicians they have a better chance of goin to Hollywood and beating out Brad Pitt for a leading man role than making a living as a musician in Austin. It's tough town that you're better off expecting absolutely NOTHING from....maybe just maybe, Austin is waking up and rediscovering one of it's coolest musical resources?
See ya on the road, J
What's up? We just recorded more music for another Rob Zombie movie. We're doin our first TV commercial for the duets record this week w/ Austin film-maker Ben Foster (we'll let ya know the cable networks it'll be shown on) Doing a video-shoot for my new single in Hollywood w/ Lisa Temple (wife of character-actor/friend Lew Temple. Lisa is a killer film-director whose last movie won @ Sundance Film Fest and was also accepted to Cannes). As you probably know from the likes of my bizarre career this video won't look anything like that of your standard CMT video. Ya know the CMT video theme: a perfectly happy white Christian non-sexual/non-threatening husband and wife who absolutely can't believe how totally in love they are? Ahhh, soccer Mom bliss. Nope, this'll be different. HELLO, I just did a video called "She Left Me For Jesus"? Which b/t/w has found a huge underground audience. It's been one of the Top 10 most downloaded videos on AOL.com and Youtube. I walk into bars, banks, grocery stores, etc. and random strangers come up to me and say lines from the video like "Why we're y'all naked?"..."OMG..are you kidding me...that dude?"...
There's been a rumor goin' around that we're playin' w/ the Supersuckers this week in Houston. WE'RE NOT. Although we did make a timeless record together at one point (Must Of Been High on Sub-Pop) Things ain't what they used to be. Oh well, I don't have to tell y'all what a killer show it would have been...
For all you Social D/Mike Ness fans, the show we're playing with them in LA at the EL REY THEATER is officially sold-out. We're looking at doin' another show in Orange County the next night (we'll let ya know where).
Next gig: THURS. NIGHT we play THE BROKEN SPOKE from 9 to 12. How many new songs have we learned to keep this gig fresh? Sure, ya gotta play certain ones or the crowd will have your head in a guillotine, but daaaaamn I've always known a bunch of tunes, but now we know more tunes than the law will allow. Lefty said it best: "if you got the money, I got the time."
SAT. NIGHT we're in the Cowboy Capitol, BANDERA TX. at the BANDERA SALOON from 9 til 12. Does Arky still give beers away for free at 8 am?....yikes!
brang it, JD
ps I just got word from the Zombie camp that my hillbilly alter-ego Banjo and Sullivan has officially been animated singing "Dick Soup." Hey Lew, we're in cartoons now!
pss After 3 years of waiting, congrats to Jim & Levi Goode on the new restaurant opening. Part of the true old-school Texas BBQ royalty, the Goode Family has...well...been very "Goode" to me. Including me on trail-drives, club-dates, privates, you-name-it. Via con dios mi amigos!
AND, HELP MY BUDDY CHRIS BELL IN HIS BID FOR SENATOR
Hurricane Ike took my buddy Wrecks Bell's nightclub in Galveston, Texas and ripped it clean apart. All the collectible Townes Van Zant memorabilia (Wrecks was Townes' bass player) is gone. All the antiques and vintage bar and old beer coolers are gone. He said it looked like King Kong went in there and just started throwing everything around. Maybe you're saying to yourself, why don't they just move? Born and raised on the Gulf Coast, I grew up w/ hurricanes all my life, but the truth of the matter is we've never seen anything like Ike, Gustav, Rita or Katrina before. These things are getting bigger and more violent.. And yes, sadly some people on the coast and in New Orleans have moved away for good. But Wrecks is gonna rebuild his club, The Ol' Quarter. SOOOOO this HALLOWEEN on FRI. NIGHT @ ROADHOUSE RAGS (on Fortview St. between Manchaca and Banister on the north side of Ben White in SOUTH AUSTIN) from 8'til 12 come to our 2nd ANNUAL HALLOWEEN COSTUME AND DANCE PARTY featuring the JD BAND w/ a host of great Austin musicians, including ROSIE FLORES, MIKE BARFIELD, DALLAS WAYNE, BRENNEN LEIGH, RANDY WEEKS, KEVIN RUSSELL from THE GOURDS, RICK BROUSSARD of 2HOOTS AND A HOLLER, THE TEX-RAYS AND MANY MANY MORE who are just now confirming, will be sitting in with us to do their part to help out. The show is FREE but we'll be taking a collection at the door...whatever ya wanna give....even a just a buck, whatever it is...even if you have other plans, drop by for awhile during your night and do something to GIVE BACK.
SAT. NIGHT in HOUSTON TX. at the CONTINENTAL CLUB, it's a show our band and the city of Houston has been waiting for, for awhile...ROADKINGS!! (the legendary Two Hoots and A Holler opens at 9:30....Kings' 11:00) We'll be live onstage w/ me and Jason and Eric playing the dirtiest white-boy rockabilly shit you ever heard....brang it!
best, Jesse Dayton (aka Halloween night" Pancho Villa")
p.s. workin on getting the cast from the video "She Left Me For Jesus" to show up in their costumes....
GO HERE TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN HELP
Just got back home from a roadtrip to Lafayette and New Orleans. Me and the Lafayette Marquis, CC Adcock, went to some funky ol' joints out in the country to hear some zydeco and blues. It was mind blowing and my ass is still shakin. After that, I headed into the Quarter and stayed at a hotel from circa 1790 in a room that was fit for Vampire LeStat, and began writing more creepy songs for Rob Zombies new project. In short, I'm feeling very "Halloween"
So on that subject, let me tell y'all we are throwing the end-all-be-all 2nd ANNUAL HALLOWEEN COSTUME PARTY/DANCE on FRI. OCT. 31ST at ROADHOUSE RAGS in SOUTH AUSTIN from 8 to 12. The list of musicians playing live w/ the JD BAND is off the hook. How did we get Rockabilly Queen ROSIE FLORES, Texas Country Soul singer MIKE BARFIELD, Honky-Tonker and XM Outlaw DJ DALLAS WAYNE, Austin Alt-Country God KEVIN RUSSEL (of the Gourds), Roots Rock Legend RICK BROUSSARD (of Two Hoots and a Holler...one of my heros!), Songwriter to the Stars RANDY WEEKS, The New Hillbilly Princess BRENNEN LEIGH, Austin Country Legend JEFF HUGHES (of Chapparal), to all come out and sit in with us for dancers and listeners alike? Even though it's a FREE SHOW, any donations made at the door will go to benefit HURRICANE IKE victim/club owner WRECKS BELL at the OL' QUARTER on GALVESTON ISLAND. It's a great cause. I just got back from the Gulf Coast folks and it's reeeeally bad down there. So keep your karma straight and make plans to come by, even if it's just for a little while. (I'll be dressed as Pancho Villa so watch out if ya sneak up on me!)...
This week we play an early 5 to 7 special show at the CONTINENTAL CLUB in HOUSTON to raise money for my friend CHRIS BELL whose running for the TEXAS STATE SENATE.
THURS. we play THE BROKEN SPOKE in south Austin from 9 to 12 for our weekly Solid Chrome Dance Party.
FRI. NIGHT starting @ 9 me and the Hillbilly Princess herself, BRENNEN LEIGH, will be doin' a special duets show at the MUCKY DUCK in HOUSTON TX. As you know, we don't do these very often because of our crazy schedules. So get there early for a good seat cause last time it was about as rowdy as I've ever seen the Duck.
best to you and yours, JD
p.s. over 70,000`people have downloaded the "She Left Me For Jesus" video w/ Hayes Carll. A portion of them have been religious fundamentalists who have written us emails telling us we're goin to hell for making it. My response?....Lighten' up Francis....it's a joke.
AND, HELP MY BUDDY CHRIS BELL IN HIS BID FOR SENATOR BY COMING TO THIS BENEFIT. $50 MINIMUM DONATION.
Hayes Carll called me a few weeks ago about being in the video for his new song, "She Left Me For Jesus." Get this: the concept was that Jesus was gonna steal my girlfriend, and a camera-crew (including Hayes as the sound-engineer) and a host from the reality TV show "Two Timers," would be following us around when it all comes crashing down. How Hayes and manager Mike Crowley pulled off getting Universal Records behind this is still nothing less than amazing. This isn't your typical Nashville-formula video by any means (it just came out a few days ago and there's a great buzz on it w/ Youtube, radio and TV shows right now) not to mention, we had the time of our lives filming it. I've been on shoots for videos, TV, movies and regular photo-shoots that turned out to be a big weird stress-pit, but this was so much fun from start to finish my freakin' face hurt from laughing AND it went smooth. Might not be any Oscar winning performances here, but it's hilarious. Check it out here and look for it to start popping up everywhere.
Looks like we're gonna be doin' a JD "HONKY TONK AND HOT ROD SHOW" at the Continental Club in Houston w/ the ROADKINGS headlining on Nov. 1st....more details on bands and times to follow soon..
In the next 2 weeks we'll be releasing a statement about a new film project we're involved in. This is gonna be a big one.....
This week we are in the studio recording and mixing, then three shows.....THURS. NIGHT @ THE BROKEN SPOKE in South Austin from 9 to 12 we play the Solid Chrome Dance Party. Even though I had a bad sore throat last week, we still did the gig. Thanks to ringer country journey-man Billy Dee for helping me out last week on the vocals. Have no fear, the ol' golden throat is back this week.
SAT. we're playing a private show up in the D/FW area.
SUNDAY is an afternoon show with BRENNEN LEIGH @ THE CONROE CAJUN FESTIVAL. EARLY SHOW YA'LL @ 2:15. We'll be pullin' out songs from "Holdin' Our Own", as well as a few of my songs...a few of hers...and of course... other "Country Gold Duets." Country legend Johnny Bush plays right after us....braaang it!!
adios mi amigos! JD
p.s. yes the rumors are true...our tour bus, BOOKER (named after Booker Noe of the Jim Beam family) is up for sale. We've decided to move onto another coach. We've had a blast w/ Booker and have been all over the country in it, but it's time to move on. If you're interested please contact us here Stag Records Email. We just put it up for sale this weekend and we've already fielded several serious offers. We're gonna throw one last party on him as a send off! JD
For real? JD and LA band Shurman w/ John Popper from Blues Traveler jammin @ the Saxon Pub last week? Yea, I know, it's a weird mix, BUT it's Austin. Ya never know whose gonna sit in? Myself and engineer to the stars, Steve Chadie, were producing a song for a movie for Shurman while they were in town, and Popper happened to be a big fan, so he jumped in on it. There's a live bootleg recording of it floating around that sounds killer.
Other stuff...we are making plans to start recording a video for the "Welcome Home" CD for US troops in Iraq/Afghanistan. Regardless of your political affiliation (remember, it's America folks, our strength is in our diversity so please don't send us wacko right-wing or conspiracy theory left-wing stuff to the site) this new song was written for the soldiers over there just trying to do their job and get back home in one piece.
In other news...our deal w/ the Hard Rock Casino in Vegas is done, so look for a run of shows in Sin City starting in Nov. and Dec., and carrying on into the new year. These will be weekend fly dates, so they will not effect our tours OR Thurs. @ the Broken Spoke.
The Hayes Carll video, "She Left Me For Jesus" w/ yours truly (yep, I'm the guy who gets his girlfriend stolen from the sandal wearing robed one himself...c'mon, the guy turns water into wine?...even Elvis couldn't compete w/ ol' JC!) will be released this month, so look for it online and on TV.
Also, I spoke w/ club owner Wrecks Bell of the Old Quarter on Galveston Island, and even though they got over 8 ft. of water in the place, he's definitetly gonna keep it open. He said when he got back on the island it looked like King-Kong was on a bad speed trip and just started throwing cattle, buses, cars, trees, boats, you-name-it. A total of 67 people have died from Hurricane Ike. Bolivar, Galveston and Beaumont is where I spent my whole youth. A benefit show will be announced soon.
This THURS. we play THE BROKEN SPOKE from 9 to 12 (last week was crazy...great seeing all you out-of-towners) for the Solid Chrome Dance Party. Two step lessons w/ Terri White from 8 to 9.
SAT. night it's a private show in HOUSTON.
Braaang it y'all.
best, JMFD
p.s. thanks to all the Hardchargers for making it a great show @ Hanks Sat. night up in North Texas...kick-ass crowd!
I'm sitting in my hotel room at the LaMothe House Hotel in the French Quarter in New Orleans feeling like vampire LeStat...this place is amazing....like Paris in the 20s'. After a loooong weekend in Nashville playing guitar with Glen Campbell, Jason Ringenberg, Raul Malo, Jim Lauderdale, Chuck Meade, Dave Gonzales, Randy Weeks, Keith Gattis and Greta Gaines, and then the next night playing @ One Eyed Jacks in Nawlins' w/ CC Adcock, the RoadKings, Dickey Landry and George Porter, we're finally chillin'.
Highlights of the weekend: jammin' w/ Glen Campbell at soundcheck; .playin' "Gentle On My Mind" w/ Jim Lauderdale on banjo; listening to Raul Malos' other-worldly voice while we played "Witchita Lineman"; writing charts w/ Dusty Wakeman; hangin' backstage in New Orleans w/ 2 of my heros, Dickey Landrey and George Porter. BUT, now it's time to take it on back to the casa, lick my wounds and heal up. Sometimes walkin' away means living to fight another day y'all (pretty good lyric, huh?)....
Keep an eye out for film-maker/rockstar Rob Zombie's upcoming movie "The Haunted World of El Superbeasto" (which features JD music w/ animated Banjo & Sullivan characters!) It will be in theaters soon...
This week we return to the legendary BROKEN SPOKE in South Austin on THURS. NIGHT where we host the Solid Chrome Dance Party from 9 'til 12 (every week we pride ourselves on playin new material. Probably throw in a couple of new originals and some Glen Campbell tunes for the hell of it.
FRI NIGHT we play a blow-out Shelby Cobra rally at RAILROAD BLUES in ALPINE TEXAS from 9 'til they kick us out. The Alpine/Marfa area of Texas is unlike anything in the state. If you've never been, you need to make a roadtrip. It's a whole other country out there and this will be a throwdown....and oh yea, the American car building genius himself, Carroll Shelby will be there in person hanging out.
SAT. NIGHT we're back up in North Texas in McKINNEY, TEXAS @ HANKS'. This place ain't nothing but f-u-n. If you live in D/FW/Plano, and you're in jail, you need to break your ass out and come see how the fans at Hanks roll. What a great time....
Alright, time to go grab a cup of joe at Cafe Du Monde before we go to the airport....brang it!
"Laisse le bon temps rouler!" JD
Hurricane Ike put a serious ass-whoopin on my old stompin' grounds. My peeps evacuated out of Beaumont and have been hangin' in Austin. The homestead is okay, but there's no electricity in Beamount and parts of Houston for maybe 2 weeks. Crystal Beach (right outside of Beaumont) is pretty much long-gone from a huge wave/surge. My local buddies are calling it "Sabine Past" instead of Sabine Pass.... Downtown Galveston was completely under water (the legendary Balinese Room, and some others like it, are gone) and they are not allowing anyone on the island. Wrecks Bells' club, The Old Quarter, is totally washed out w/ over 4 ft. of water. I spoke w/ Wrecks this morning and we're definitely gonna do an "OLD QUARTER BENEFIT." Check back for details about the line-up 'cause this will be a great show to come out and support. Look at this "Brang It" picture on a boarded up house we recovered!
This week we return to our usual home away from home, THE BROKEN SPOKE on South Lamar in Austin Tx., on THURSDAY NIGHT from 9 to 12.
SAT. NIGHT I'm playin guitar at the AMERICANA MUSIC CONFERENCE in NASHVILLE, TENN. for a GLEN CAMPBELL tribute (pretty weird, I've been brushing up on the song "Galveston" the last few days) that will host Glen and several great singers including Raul Malo, Dave Gonzales from the Hacienda Bros/Paladins, Jim Lauderdale, Chuck Meade from BR549, Jason Ringenberg from Jason and the Scorchers and of course the Witchita Lineman himself, Glen Campbell. Show starts around 10:00 at the Cannery Ballroom.
SUN. NIGHT, the ROADKINGS (me, Jason and Eric) play BAZZ FEST in NEW ORLEANS LA. at ONE EYED JACKS, located at 615 Toulouse St. This show has a stellar line-up of Gulf Coast musicians including George Porter, Dickey Landry, Lil' Queenie, John Mooney and CC Adcock. Show starts @ 4 pm and goes 'til 2am....braaaaaang it!
Vio con dios mi amigos! JD