Voices Under 40 – Finding Your Voice Questions for Reg Jones
If you discuss music with Reg Jones, it only takes a few minutes before you recognize his knowledge of artists, and their work, goes beyond that of a typical music enthusiast. He possesses a passion for the art form and a talent for critique that translates well in layman’s terms but rings with the authority of an expert; even if you don’t agree with his assessment. He is a writer, an artist, and along with his best friend and partner, a stage musician, label owner, and producer. Their group Zwei is working on its fourth album. Reg says, "As important as my songs are to me, I'm even more passionate about getting the ignored and underrated voices heard. My purpose on the planet is to get people to hear music more attentively and comprehensively."
Voices Under 40 had the opportunity to sit down and ask Mr. Jones a few questions:
1. What is one of the first experiences that come to mind when you think about your early love of music? Remember the old wooden cabinet stereos, we had one and I would just tiptoe over to it and look at the 45’s. I remember 45’s more than I remember the big records – maybe because they were small and could be held and…thrown. My aunts and uncles, they bought a lot of records.
2. When and how did you discover that your purpose was to get people to listen to music more comprehensively? College. I made tapes for people and then I started writing for the school paper. People would come up to me on the yard, with comments and I was like wait, wait, wait, you’re reading? So people actually took my opinion to heart and tried to get my mixes. I could slide in stuff that the radio couldn’t play and slide in some of those gems I knew or stumbled upon because of friends working in the music business.
3. What inspired you to start writing your album of the day notes? Unemployment. I had already been working on a book but had writer’s block for a minute. Then I had the freedom to do what I wanted to do, but for me I always worked better when I had a job. So when I was at home doing nothing, the only thing that got me to write every day was Facebook. People were responsive to the album notes the first week or so. Writing just became a sign of discipline, getting it done every morning. When I did get a job, that continued, my goal was to finish 100, a solid round number.
4. What is the one song you think best describes your generation and why? Overnight Celebrity by Twista. We have to have everything now. Microwave it. Chat it. I-tune it. Nothing is slow cooked or roasted.
5. What is the best advice you’ve been given and who gave it to you? My parents, my dad…"If you say you're gonna do something, do it at whatever cost." Basically, don't make empty promises.
6. Who is the first person that comes to mind when you hear the word inspirational and why? Right now it’s a friend of mine named Michelle Lang. She’s a gospel artist, and when we first met we were both working on our first albums. She’s on her fifth now. She just, she perseveres. She’s had some serious tragedies happen in the last 2 or 3 years yet she still makes great gospel albums that are really motivational and inspirational.
7. What advice would you give to a young artist who was trying to find the power in his or her own voice? Go with your gut. This is not to sound too religious but if you do indeed believe that God has given you a conscience, which is God speaking, go with that. If you really feel like you are driven, to do something great, don’t let anyone take you off that, if you believe it is your destiny, don’t let any human being convince you otherwise.
8. If you could name one major difference between music today, 10 years ago, 20 years ago, 30 years ago what would that be? What is one similarity?10 years ago, around 2000, I think that was one of the best periods we ever had because there was a balance between independent artists getting a lot more power and a lot more say. So it was really rich 10 years ago, very diverse. You wouldn’t get an album like D’Angelo’sVoodoo 10 years before that, and you wouldn’t get an album like Voodoo today. You wouldn’t get an album like Common’s Like Water for Chocolate today, because nobody is going to allow a rapper to be that artistic and foot the bill for the album. 20 years ago, in the 90’s…yeah we were kind of weak. At the time, it was dope. But it was the most synthesized, the most programmed, the least live instruments. 30 years ago it was awesome, you had MTV on the way, Michael, Prince, MTV, the world was about to change, we were about to get very visual. Similarities – the good stuff is always going to be the good stuff.
9. Any upcoming plans or additional things to mention? I’m definitely going to finish my book but I want to work on a couple of smaller 100 page books. I think some of the albums from the album of the day notes deserve a whole book. Hopefully I’ll be able to do that, put something out next year. My group Zwei still has another album to finish and that’ll be out before the summer.
Favorites (Of the moment – who can choose just one)
Favorite Book: Midnight Mover – Bobby Womack’s autobiography
Favorite Song: This is All I Really Know – Patrice Rushen
Favorite Word: Incorrigible
Favorite Movie: Juno – for last three years
Artist I admire and why: Meshelle Ndegeocello. I can’t think of another artist in my generation whose body of work deserves more study. She is one of the few black artists where you could study her music and lyrics; they should have a course on her. And she keeps going, regardless of labels, regardless of sales, she’s got core support, and is on album eight now.
