“Good morning starshine, the Earth says hello!” — Willy Wonka (2005).
I figured that was a good way to start since it is morning at the current moment of writing. Anyway, welcome back, my musical connoisseurs, to another semester of Gr8 Unknowns. Though winter break gifted me a slew of new artist discoveries, I have decided to take a look at a band that has been around for some time.
This, my friends, is J Roddy Walston And The Business. The band was created in 2002, and since then, have cultivated a sound that embodies their form of southern rock. Their last album was created in 2013, so fans can only hope that something new comes along soon.
They certainly have the look to match their musical preference. Most of the members sport long, curly hair and beards, plaid and leather. The vigor with which they play their instruments, and the energy they put into their live performance causes said hair to go flying in all directions.
I saw such a performance by J Roddy Walston And The Business at the Majestic Theatre, and boy was it fun.
The first song I ever heard by the band was titled, “Heavy Bells.” The song’s chorus pumps up any listener. The bridge of the song, featuring only the guitars, has such an infectious rhythm, which makes you want to listen to the song over and over again. This is shown in the video below:
This video captures their sound perfectly. Frontman J Roddy Walston’s voice is gravelly, rough and strong. While this aspect of his voice is featured in the chorus of the song, he is also able to sing smoother, per say, in the verses.
“Don’t Break the Needle,” is another good example of their upbeat music and creative lyrics. The following video shows not only how fun the song is, but also their energetic stage performance, as mentioned above.
It’s honestly a wonder that Walston didn’t fly off of that stool.
In all, the band produces a grainy, jangly, exciting type of rock that is all their own. If their music doesn’t get your feet tapping, it has to be because your ankles are broken. Below are some more of their best songs to enjoy. Happy listening!
