JOHN SNODGRASS INTERVIEW BY JOSHUA MARANHAS
W
ith the release of Tace on A-F Records, Jon Snodgrass has collected his best feelings from the last few years. He’s getting by in a pandemic with a whole lot of help from his family. Cumulatively, this record adds family to good friends, and the sum is Armchair Martian, Drag the River, and Snodgrass magic. Each track has a vibe and Snodgrass explains why he gathered together such an eclectic mixture. “I was going to make these seven
 With Tace, you can sing along to Joey Cape of Lagwagon on the opening track “Renaissance Man,� “Don't Break Her Heart� features Stephen Egerton of Descendents, and “BoyzIIMen� has John Moreland. “The Sequel� features Rise Against’s Tim McIlrath and Zach Blair. Stacey Dee of Bad Cop / Bad Cop is on “Bad Newlands.� His kids are all over the record, and “Don’t Break Her Heart� is a song Snodgrass worked particularly hard on. It’s a loose plan to escape to Mexico, if needed. As a father, he’s protective enough of his daughter to set a future suitor on fire is they treat her poorly.
inches with four different labels, from Tace and zags to a recount of put them up for a year, each year, his television screen. and let them go down, which the first one did,â€? he says. “And then, in “Hang on a second,â€? he says. “We 2020, I would put them all up in the got bases loaded. Oh, and Dave digital world forever. It was just go- Roberts seems to think something’s ing to be kind of a special thing for going to happen.â€? He’s referring to a year, for each release, and for the Dodgers’ manager. the people that bought the vinyl.â€?  Traveling, wandering, and sto- “That’s a song that I really worked It’s classic Snodgrass. An avid rytelling — the addictive joy of on for a long time,â€? Snodgrass baseball fan, he interrupts ev- Jon Snodgrass’ folk rock point of says. “I mean the melody and stuff, ery thought he has to talk about view will stick to your heart. His you know, that was quick. And that passion. While talking thoughtful persona is on record the setting someone on fire part. about Tace and music, Snodgrass and floats around your brain like But I worked on the lyrics for a is giving Rockies play-by-play. “Go a night at the Surfside 7 in Fort while. It’s kinda long, though. And Baseball‌â€? the album’s second Collins, Colorado. Grab a beer it got longer when me and Steto last track, is authenticated by and sing along to your stereo. phen [Egerton] did it, I wrote that Snodgrass’ every fiber. He zigs He’s keen to treat everyone kind, kind of intro and outro part to it. and “Backstageâ€? explains that It’s cool. But made a long song ethos pretty well. longer. I think I only think that because I’ve been writing all these “The ‘Backstage’ song is about how short, 30-second to one-minute not everyone knows your name, jingles lately.â€? who you are,â€? he says. Snodgrass    is an excellent seeker of symbiosis Snodgrass’ sense of humor permebetween venues, fans and musi- ates his every word. cians. “It’s pretty self-explanatory, but you know, when you go to “That’s outro music,â€? he says. “That’s a gig and there’s somebody there the sound of me flying to Mexico. and they don't really treat the staff It’s the getaway music, but it’s slow. very well? Not most people, but I’ve And I just kind of picture it hoverseen some people do it, act like ing, like a helicopter splitting. I’ll they’re famous and a big deal. I’m have to leave the country if somelike, you know, not everyone that thing happens, you know.â€? works at the club actually listens to  your band. We’re all working this Snodgrass is working on details to thing, you know? We're all employ- safely play music from the album ees of this place tonight. Let’s be with friends. Follow him on social cool. No one’s any better than the media for specifics. The details inother person, you know?â€? clude a safe staging at a practice space in Los Angeles the second weekend in October, New England in November, and December in Tulsa, Oklahoma. đ&#x;’Łđ&#x;’Łđ&#x;’Ł
PHOTO BY VINCE SADONIS
62 NEW NOISE
