An Interview with Jon Stevens

Pitt Street and Liverpool Street. That's where he told me to meet him. A pretty big intersection in the heart of Sydney. He said we'd go to the cafe. (There were at least 10 cafes in my line of sight.) I didn't want to look too keen, so I just looked around trying to see if I could see him without calling him. It was exactly 1 minute past our meeting time when my phone rang.

"Look across the street," he said. "I'm in the red hat."

I was about to meet Jon Stevens.

Researching for this interview was a pleasure. Early on, I discovered that I didn't need to say, "he was the lead singer in Noiseworks." Nope, people know who Jon Stevens is. And they love him. Not only has Jon fronted two of Australia's finest bands, Noiseworks and INXS, but he is on a great solo musical journey that he weaves into his life everyday - and he has done that throughout his career.

Over the course of the interview, I learned that there's no rest for Jon. And he doesn't seem to want any. He's constantly writing, recording, and performing - and in addition to producing good music, he's started hosting TV shows, writing for sports publications, and... movies? Well, I wouldn't put it past him.

Even before I got the interview, I did get to see Jon perform. In January, Noiseworks played at the Gaelic Club in Surry Hills, and in March, he performed at The Basement as part of his Around Australia in 8 Days tour. His recently released album is called Ain't No Life for the Faint Hearted, and when Jon performs on his own, he doesn't let the crowd down; he blends the best of Noiseworks with his own material.

So, armed with all of the songs, the experience of seeing him perform twice recently, the bio and background research read and absorbed, and some ad hoc insight from some mutual aquaintances we have, I walked across Pitt Street to meet the man. I told him that I think we all have a lot to learn from him and that's why I was there.

JS: Well it's like my record says, it ain't no life for the faint hearted. I've been doing this for a long time. And I still love it. That's the thing, I still get a lot of joy from it. Certainly performing - that's the most fun part.

TMG: I could tell that at both concerts, but in particular at the Noiseworks one, I think, to me, it looked like you were a bit in awe of the crowd reaction. Of course it hadn't been forever since you've performed, but as Noiseworks it'd been awhile. Can you tell us about that?

JS: Well it's the first time that that lineup had performed together in years, especially with Steve Balbi being back in the band. I was more an observer. I was observing the crowd, absolutely. It was like... wow. We were together a long time ago. It's amazing to still be thought of in positive terms. You always become "yesterday's hero" in the music business. I guess because we're all still working musicians - Noiseworks is not really nostalgic - it doesn't feel nostalgic to me.

TMG: No? I think it was to the crowd.

JS: Yes... the songs. But it didn't feel nostalgic playing. 'Cause everyone still can play.

TMG: No. It wasn't like that VH1 show where they get bands together after years apart. Where all of the members have one off to "day jobs" and nobody plays anymore.

JS: Right.

TMG: One of the things I noticed at the solo gig at the basement was that people would just call out songs and you'd play them. Even if they called out a song that you might have ended with, it was like you thought, "Well, I was going to do it anyway, might as well do it now."

JS: Yeah, why not?

TMG: When you started putting together this album (Ain't No Life for the Faint Hearted), why did you go independent versus using a label?

Now, at this point Jon thought I was asking why he left INXS. But I'd done my research and I felt pretty confident that I knew why he'd left the band. I reckon that it went a quite bit deeper than just wanting to focus on his solo work, which was what the public announcement said. If you read his next comments carefully, I think you'll be able to read the underlying context - you'll see someone who was creatively frustrated. It's all here if you read close enough.

JS: Well, I'd just spent 3 1/2 years touring the world with INXS. And really, we played everywhere: South America, North America, Europe, UK, I mean everywhere. We were on the road for months on end. And three years went by and you think, "What happened?" The gauge for me was when I kinda realised what was going on was that we really weren't making any new music. I just kinda got bored. And when they released 5 various Best ofs or Greatest Hits....

TMG: So you weren't writing anymore?

JS: We were writing... But Andrew wasn't writing. And it's really Andrew's way or the highway - unfortunately - for everyone in the band. So it just got to the point of being bored with the whole exercise. They're still floggin' Michael (Hutchence), and, you know, give it a break. They've got me and everyone loved it. The audience loved it.

Jon with INXS

TMG: I saw you sing with INXS when I was in the US - you were doing the Olympics. We heard that INXS would be playing and we didn't know who was going to be singing. We wondered who it would be.

JS: Well, they're still wondering... (he laughs). So my last show with them was in 2003, we did a couple of months in Europe - October, November, December - our last show back here. Then a week later I wrote the CD. And then I kept writing with this friend of mine. And then I went to Fiji for 2 1/2 months. Yeah, just over 2 month - for a show, The Resort. Which was great, because I love islands and I love getting out there in the bush or whatever. So for me, after coming out of all that time with INXS, it was like, "Go to an island? Yeah, I'm there! Hosting a show? Well, I don't know if I can do it, but if you have faith in me and you're going to pay me to do it, well...."

So we wrote some more songs over there in Fiji and recorded some over there and before you know it it was done. All in a matter of 3 months. Then I took it to the States and mixed it with some cats over there.

TMG: D. Wicks gets c-writing credits throughout the album. Who is that?

JS: Dinesh Wicks is a mate of mine here in Sydney. We recorded this whole album in the front room. Anyway, I took it to an American, this guy called Neal Pogue, who works a lot with Outkast, and Dave Pensado, he's a famous mixer over there, great bloke. Works with all the real current stuff over there. And I just really wanted to make a contemporary sounding record - hence the rappers and stuff. I just wanted to see what it was like to bring it into the now and try some different shit, you know? And everyone's like, that doesn't sound like Noiseworks, and I'm, like, of course not.

TMG: One of the things I noticed on the website is that it's described as R&B. I describe it more as a blend of R&B with Hip Hop - that sort of brings it into the now. One of my favourite interviews is with Tom Jones and he says that the reason he stays so hip is that he never stopped listening to the music that's hot "now" - to what's playing on the radio now. Is that what keeps you current?

JS: It's my kids. They're a really good gauge for me. 'Cause you know they love all the hip hop stuff and the R&B stuff. And so I'll play them ideas that I come up with and they'll say, "Yeah, great dad," or "Come on, dad." So there's a lot of that going on.

TMG: I want to do the same thing for The Metro Gnome - to get kids, teenagers, involved in the writing and the content selection. To make it more youthful and current.

JS: Absolutely. Take Scrub; I'm just starting to get into Scrub. And my son, my 11 year old son, has probably been playing them for months and months and months. And I've probably heard it that long too, 'cause my kid's always playing music. So, I've just discovered Scrub, but my kid's been onto them for months.

OK - I was about to enter a zone that I hoped wouldn't make Jon clam up - everything was going so well at this point. But I had a feeling that Jon wouldn't be happy about the success of his most recent record. I knew that I listened to the radio a lot and that I hadn't heard much about Jon Stevens. So I started to ask questions about how things were going promoting the record. I didn't need to worry - Jon didn't clam up when I asked how things were going - he told it like it is.

TMG: Did you find, in changing what the public and the radio perspective might be, what they expected from you, their ideas on what is "Jon Stevens," that you got the reaction that you wanted for this CD?

JS: Oh no, not at all. Unfortunately radio here is.... See when I made this record, I had my fingers crossed that people would "get it" here, but if they don't hear it, how the hell are they going to "get it?" It's as simple as that. And I always think that records need to be international records - without the "burden" of being around for so long. 'Cause unfortunately in Australia, and this is completely the opposite from America, anyone who's had success or been around "too long," they don't have any credibility here in Australia. Which is really peculiar to Australia and it really sucks. It's a sad indictment on the attitude.

I'll protect the innocent here and not go into detail on who we talked about next. But we discussed a few artists who've been around awhile, who Jon describes as brooding people who think the world owes them something. Actually, I'm stretching the truth there, he didn't really describe them as that - he just said that he isn't one of those people.

JS: I'm motivated. I love music. I love making music. I love performing music. And I love people. I don't have to prove myself to anyone. I'm comfortable in my own skin, you know?

TMG: So, if you're not getting the traction you want here in Australia, what are you doing to promote the CD to the global market?

JS: Well, we've been taking it out to the media and have interest in Germany and the UK and a couple of other places, but to me, it's like this: actions speak louder than words.

Hmmm, that was interesting, but it gets better....

TMG: Are you onto the next project already, then?

JS: Fuck yeah. Absolutely. But I love this record and I want to do everything I can to make it successful. The hardest hurdle here in Australia is radio. For instance, I've just re-edited the front of the single Light my Fire. 'Cause MIX wouldn't play it because it has a rap in the front. They said, "We'll play it, but you've gotta take the rap out of the front." So now they're dictating what you have to record. And I feel like I've got no choice. So I took it out. And I deliver it to them and then they say that they're not going to play it anyway. It's bullshit. Hopefully they'll stick to their word and play it, but Triple MMM, you know, they said, "Let's do a Noiseworks gig." Part of the deal was that they'd put my record on. They wanted this in one hand [Noiseworks to play] and we wanted this in the other [Triple M to play Jon's record]. And we came to the party. And as soon as they got theirs, they stiffed me. They lied. Personally, I can't deal with people like that. These are people in seriously powerful positions.

In America, people just revere their successful people in every field. They respect it, you know? And they're encouraged - young people are encouraged to be successful. Whereas here, you're encouraged to not be too successful. And not to be perceived to be successful. Because if you're seen to be successful then they pull you down.

TMG: Isn't New Zealand different to that again?

JS: It's a different attitude over there. Locals get supported. But it's so small. A lot of great talent has come out of there and continues to come out of there - it's amazing. The film industry is huge. For a little country of 3 - 3 1/2 million people it's not doing too bad.

TMG: And they don't play half bad rugby either.

JS: But for me, I've been here 24 years, and my wife's Australian, my kids are Australian. I consider myself to be a New Zealander first and foremost, but I consider myself to be an Australian, too. Still to this day, I get asked, "What team do you barrack for?" And I just laugh as I tell them that I'm there for the All Blacks. It's my origin - my country of origin. Is this a test here? Where are your parents from? 'Cause whether your first generation or second generation or third generation, we're all immigrants here (in Austalia). I'm just a first generation immigrant.

TMG: Do you get out and see a lot of music?

JS: I went out to see REM the other night.

TMG: And was it good?

JS: No, it was shithouse

TMG: Really? Where'd they play?

JS: At the Entertainment Center.

TMG: Oh, the "Empty Container Centre." Was the sound the problem?

JS: Not really. I've done a lot of gigs there. Played a lot of times. And it's fine. If you're on a stage and you're doing your thing and you've got an audience in front of you - you'd better make that audience a part of what you're doing. They paid to be there. You owe it to them - when they leave they should thinking "That was unbelievable, I had a great night!"

TMG: And you didn't think that?

JS: No - they were just going through the motions - they didn't give a fuck. You know, for a man who's got a lot to say, he didn't really say jack shit. He played 3-4 songs and them mumbled something and then started playing. And I'm right there, I can see what's going on. And maybe you get tired, maybe you're having a bad night. And maybe there's some tension with the band, but you don't take it on stage, you just don't. You owe it to the fans to bleed every night.

TMG: I haven't seen you often enough to comment on this, but when you're on a tour, how scripted is the banter between songs? Do you script what you're going to say?

JS: Sometimes I say stuff, but not exactly in the same way. And that's only because as you do more gigs you find what sort of things people connect with. And it's good, but when you find you're repeating yourself, well, you change it. I'm pretty loose. I go with the flow. And I try to be aware of what's going on out there. You have to make it feel like they're part of something.

TMG: Now that's something that no matter what level of skill you have that our readers should take away. Embrace the audience. One of the things all performers have to be able to do is to create that feeling with their audience. To create an emotional connection with the audience. You've got to overcome being nervous and perform.

JS: And you know the only way to do it is to do it. You know, people always ask me if I get nervous. And I do sometimes. But, generally I always say to myself, "Fuck, I'm here. I chose to do this. I can't get out of it. Fuck it. Have a drink and have a good time." 'Cause I want to have a good time.

TMG: Well, that's a brilliant attitude as well - you're there to have fun.

At that point Jon's manager, Ben Elias, come over to the table to ask how we were doing. He sat down and joined us.

TMG: So what's next?

Ben Elias: Movies.

TMG: Tell me about this Woodstock thing that you're doing up in Brisbane. It's a great line up. Is it you or Noiseworks?

JS: Me. All my stuff.

TMG: Great.

JS: You going?

TMG: I want to. It looks like a great line up.

BE: He's top billing.

JS: Really? I don't even know who's playing.

BE: Well, you're the top biller.

TMG: It's a good line-up, all OZ rock. So what else is up?

BE: Did he tell you about the Basement special.

JS: Oh yeah, the Basement gig was filmed and recorded and we're going to put it out on DVD.

TMG: Excellent. Who's going to release it?

JS: We will.

After covering the promotion of Jon's work, here was an opportunity to ask about the distribution - especially distribution over the Internet.

TMG: Oh that's a question I meant to ask you. Your website is great. All the links work, it's well maintained. Everything is current. There's lots of stuff on it and you're really honest on it. How do you see the Internet influencing the way you distribute your material?

JS: I think it's just a matter of time. I mean, you just have to look at the I-pod. Once people hear a song that they like, they just go to their computer and download it. That's why record companies are merging and everything's shrinking. Retailers will be out of business in the next, I don't know, maybe 10 to 20 years. It's changing so fast. The problem is this file sharing.

TMG: How will you, personally, start to use it for your distribution? Will you start to sell individual songs online and take small payments?

JS: Yes.

TMG: Will you do that through your own website or through large sites like BigPond?

JS: I think we're looking at it all.

BE: We're in negotiations with BigPond as we speak regarding that. They want to get right behind it. They saw Jon's performance at the Basement, and they want to do a lot more with Jon. And we're very interested in doing some work with BigPond. They're the animals of the industry, and they want to get associated with big names. And that's why it's looking very good for Jon in that area. And that is the future isn't it? That's why you're on it. You're making a living out of it.

TMG: Yeah, that's why I'm there. And that's why The Metro Gnome will continue to grow and develop into an online resource to promote business to business activities for the music industry. Our intention is to expand into a site that enables artists to get access to the guts of the industry and virtually eliminate the "who you know" to get heard. It should be more about what you do and how you sound. The Internet enables people to explore the smallest of niches. And Internet radio will change everything again. It will level the playing field and enable the music community to grow instead of shrink.

BE: Did you mention Olivia?

JS: Oh yeah.

BE: Olivia Newton-John holds a Breast Cancer fundraiser each year and she personally invites her favourite artists to perform. And she's asked Jon to be a part of it.

JS: She's wonderful; I've known her for years.

TMG: Is that in Sydney?

JS: Melbourne.

FYI, further research hasn't turned up much in the way of information on this event. I'm sure Jon's website will have information on it as the date approaches.

TMG: And what about recording?

JS: I'm always doing stuff.

BE: Have you got the new album?

TMG: Yep, I've even gotten it signed.

JS: It's just getting it on the bloody radio.

TMG: One last question for you. About songwriting. How do you do it? How do you get in the zone?

JS: I can be anywhere. I just pick up an instrument and start playing. That really instantly puts me in the zone. And I'll fiddle around...

BE: The last one he wrote.... You woke up at 3:00 in the morning and had this thing and wrote it down. Last night he recorded it. There you go.

TMG: Did you write down the lyrics or did you play the chords? How do you write songs?

JS: No. I actually just dreamed it. And half the lyrics were there when I woke up. I actually forgot about it until we started talking about something. And I thought, "I had a dream about that." And it came back to me. And we tweaked it and recorded it.

BE: It's written and recorded - so watch out in this space.

TMG: I will.

Ben left us to go do something else and Jon thought for a minute about how he does write songs.

JS: You know, sitting down writing songs.... I'm not a trained musician. I've never been taught. But I can sit down in front of any instrument and write something. And I don't know where that comes from.... I don't know. I don't actually question it too much. I just go with the flow and get into the feeling of whatever it's making me feel like. If it's a sad song or it's an upbeat song or whatever. And generally I just scat and jam over it. And now with all the years of recording experience that I've had, I hear everything. I hear every little instrument and what they're doing and what they need to do. You know?

TMG: How do you get that across to the other musicians?

JS: You just tell them. The problem is if they don't want to play ball. And they go, "No I want to try it this way." Then it becomes a compromise. But you have to be able to compromise if you want to be working with other people. And that's cool. The object is to get the best out of the song. To get the best out of the ideas. So you need to try every idea. And the one that's right will be the one that's right. You'll know it in the end.

Jon really lives the GET OUT THERE! motto of ours. Music is a priority in his life because it is part of who he is. It's his chosen profession is one he is committed to. He is passionate about making his audience happy, passionate about staying fresh and not scripting his performances, and passionate about writing. He doesn't use his family as an excuse - instead he molds his life to enable family and music - which for him is his family and career. He needs to work - and when he talks about this, it doesn't feel like it's about the money - it's about making music and letting his creativity flow.

Noiseworks

JS: I'm actually really looking forward to getting out there and playing a whole lot more. You know, I spent all those years playing with INXS touring the rest of the world and not really doing much here. 'Cause they wouldn't do it. So I'm planning to go right round Australia for a few months with the acoustic set up and just go to every small town and play. To have some fun.

TMG: At the Gaelic Club you talked about how the music scene's changed from how it used to be, how Noiseworks used to play to crowds like that 5 nights a week. Do you want to do that anymore?

JS: Yeah, I really want to go to all of those places. I mean, Noiseworks - we played everywhere. That was part of the fun of being in the band. Going to different places....

TMG: But with kids and a wife and a life at home....?

JS: Yes, they're used to me being away and it's just something that I need to do. Especially with this new record. This is the first time I have done the acoustic thing at the show. I've really enjoyed that - the spontaneity of it, the looseness of it, and the interaction. That's when you have the most fun. You can't script it - that's when it becomes fuckin' boring.

TMG: When will you announce the dates for those shows?

JS: In the next couple of weeks.

I could have talked to him for hours. He was genuine. And really committed. He signed the CD that I brought. At the end he wrote "P.S. Play Loud!" And I'm pretty sure that's the way he lives his life. That's why we all know who Jon Stevens is. And that's why we'll keep hearing more and more coming from him.

Gnome Links:

• http://jonstevens.com.au - Come on, you know you want to hear This Ain't no Life for the Faint Hearted. You can buy it from Jon's website and it'll be delivered to your door (or you can ask for it in the shops). There aren't any commissions for The Metro Gnome, but tell him you got hooked here!

Photos used by permission.