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Home , Eddie Floyd, House band, McLemore Avenue, Sharon Jones, Steve Cropper

SPOTLIGHT

Brown helped put me on the map as a songwriter.” Now Jessie J is ready for her turn in the spotlight. Her debut album, Who You Are, has already cracked the Top 20 in the U.S. and No. 2 in her native England. Born Jessica Ellen Cornish, she grew up in a suburb and graduated from the BRIT School, a noted incubator for precocious talent. Her lively mix of pop and R&B is appropriate for an artist who cites and as major infl uences. Fellow former BRIT School student Adele recently called Jessie J’s voice “illegal,” while has Myriam Santos called her “the best singer in the world” and invited her into the studio. “It’s very QUEENSRŸCHE humbling to have amazing artists like Justin and Adele compliment you,” she says. “I try Three decades of envelope-pushing hard not to let the pressure get to me.” MAY 2011 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COMMichael Wilton, Eddie Jackson, Geoff Tate,ate, MAY 2011 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM rock—and they’re just picking up speed Parker Lundgren, Scott Rockenfi eld Though she’s developed a reputation for her daring performances onstage, ON THE OPENING TRACK OF from the rigid formats of those projects. “We not punching a time card in front of a console, she is careful about her behavior behind Dedicated to Chaos, Queensrÿche’s 12th wanted to stretch out from making concept Tate remains creative in a nonmusical fi eld: the mic and elsewhere. “I want to be a role and most recent album, frontman Geoff albums,” Tate says, “and write a collection of The wine connoisseur developed his own model as well as an entertainer, someone my fans can look up to,” she says. “So Tate sings, “You ain’t seen nothing yet/ songs that had no interconnection other than brand, Insania, which recently released its eld Lee Broomfi We’re just picking up speed.” Though “Get having our musical stamp on them.” third vintage. Though “metal ringleader” and many artists sing about being in the club Started” is ostensibly a love song, that lyric The core members of Queensrÿche— “winemaker” appear to be disparate career with their girls and their cars. I want to could easily be applied to the progressive- Tate, drummer Scott Rockenfi eld, bass paths, Tate fi nds similarities. I see grapes as give people a positive message. But I also metal band itself, which is celebrating its player Eddie Jackson and guitarist Michael musical notes,” he says. “You take notes and JESSIEJESSIE J want to have an album with songs like ‘Do 30th anniversary this year. The group’s Wilton—have remained in place since the form them into chords that are pleasing to It Like a Dude,’ Dude,’tracks tracks that will have the girls ongoing success, Tate believes, owes to its group’s inception in 1981. The four have the senses, just like taking different kinds of A rambunctious creator of hits for others rushing for the fl oor.” willingness to take chances. “Our operating resisted stagnation by employing a series grapes to form a pleasing blend. It’s a little seizes center stage for herself Already an international sensation, a plan from the beginning was to always of second guitarists, a role that currently inspiration and a lot of craftsmanship.” recent appearance on push musical boundaries, to do different belongs to Parker Lundgren. “We’ve always After three decades, Queensrÿche AT 23, JESSIE J HAS ALREADY BUILT important to her is fi nding the best fi t for introduced her to an audience of more than things and not be afraid of going on a limb liked working with different people,” Tate remains short on neither inspiration nor an impressive résumé as a songwriter, each of her creations. “It’s not hard to 14 million viewers, helped juice album sales musically,” Tate says. “Whatever moved us, says. “That keeps things fresh, to bring in craftsmanship. “I love making new music, I penning hits like Miley Cyrus’ 2009 “Party give a song away if it feels like it’s better and served as a preview of her forthcoming that’s what we’d go for.” another personality.” love being in the studio, I love writing and I in the U.S.A.” While some might feel a for someone else,” she says. “It’s like American tour. “I’m just getting started,” she In recent years Queensrÿche has been Tate approaches songwriting like a really love playing live,” Tate says. “I hope we twinge of jealousy seeing their songs chart having a dress you know will look better promises. “I will really enjoy getting to meet inspired to make two concept records and a full-time job, working in his studio fi ve days can still continue to do that as the years pass.” for other artists, Jessie J has played her on a friend than it does on you. Giving everyone as I visit cities around the country.” covers album. Chaos fi nds them moving away a week, “like going to the offi ce.” When he’s –Juli Thanki supporting role graciously. What’s most songs to artists like Miley and Chris –Blake Boldt

BOOKERBOOKER T. JONESJONES the earliest steps of his journey. “The fi rst stop is Indiana, where I Booker T. and the MG’s. “I wanted to pay tribute to explored classical music for four years,” he says.s “That was a big because they were doing earth-shaking, groundbreaking things,” Stax’s keyboardk legend brings it infl uence on what happened later. My foundations were formed Jones recalls of the album’s motivation. “They were making music back home to Memphis in Memphis in so many ways, but my journey also took me to Los that was timeless.” The group broke up a few years later, but has Angeles, City, and Philadelphia.” reconvened periodically ever since (sans Jackson, who was killed As the for Memphis’ legendary throughout Jones recruited some sympathetic collaborators, including by a burglar in 1975). Jones went on to record under his own name the ’60s, Booker T. and the MG’s—organist Booker T. Jones, guitarist producers Ahmir “” Thompson (of ) and Rob and to produce others—one of his most successful efforts being , bassist Donald “Duck” Dunn and drummer Al Jackson Schnapf, and the team elected to go old-school with its sound. Willie Nelson’s 1978 multiplatinum album of standards, Stardust. Jr.—was perhaps the most prominent and infl uential R&B band of the “It was recorded to tape, with everyone in the same room, no digital Jones has also teamed repeatedly with , who he calls era. Providing backup for such soul titans as , Sam processing,” Jones says. “It’s very similar to what happened at Stax “the rock guitar guy.” and Dave, , and , the Rock 40, 50 years ago.” The potent, MG’s-esque collection includes As to whether there will ever be another MG’s reunion, Jones and Roll Hall of Fame inductees were at the heart of hundreds of guest appearances from , and My Morning won’t even hazard a guess. He’s too busy with the present to think era-defi ning recordings. Jacket’s Jim James. about the future. “I’m riding this wave and not planning anything,” he For his new solo album, The Road From Memphis, Jones has Jones’ new effort is on shelves alongside a just-released reissue says. “Things are falling in my lap, and I’m enjoying it.” attempted to reach even farther back than those days to retrace of 1970’s McLemore Avenue, the classic set of Beatles covers by –Jeff Tamarkin

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MAY 2011 M MUSIC & MUSICIANS MAGAZINE