BeatRoute Magazine AB print e-edition - [August 2017]

AJJ
“because band names don’t matter”
AJJ will be releasing a new EP in the near future.
JULIUS SUMNER MILLER
Calgary’s professional party punks
Like a walking Pabst can, carrying balloons and
giving out high-fives, Julius Sumner Miller is
Calgary’s dream team party machine that’s
been charming audiences across the city since
2013. Now set to release their second album Rock
Around the Radius, the boisterous band founded
by jokes, friendship, and the pursuit of the party
has spent the past two years maturing their sound
without maturing themselves.
“If you don’t like fun, you won’t like us. Simple as
that,” states drummer John Byskal.
From onstage, to the studio, and even Monday
night jam sessions, the easy-going and amiable
members remain unflinchingly positive. Aiming to
make the most of every moment, the group displays
an undying juvenile naivety and passion that’s easy to
fall in love with.
Separating themselves from other acts in town,
the boys go on to every stage with only one goal:
to entertain.
“There’s a lot of bands that are good, but are
boring to see live. We don’t want to be that. We want
to be the opposite of that,” says newest addition and
guitarist, Monty Montebon.
“And it’s not fake either,” adds powerhouse vocalist
and local music staple, Darren Ollinger.
“It’s easy for us to get caught in the romance of the
party we’re offering.”
With honest and ridiculous onstage chemistry, the
“We put out every record hoping to lose a couple fans.”
So begins vocalist and acoustic guitarist Sean Bonnette
of AJJ, formerly known as the Andrew Jackson
Jihad. You’ll read more on that later.
Coinciding with their fan alienation scheme, AJJ’s latest album The
Bible 2, adds multiple new elements to their music, including pianos and
synthesizers on several tracks. At the core of their sound is folk punk that
has morphed substantially across six records.
“With everything we record and with every release we do, I think one
thing we strive for is to not sound like we did on the previous record,”
offers Bonnette, who formed the band in 2004.
“It just keeps it fun it seems like we are being truer to ourselves.”
He adds, “Hopefully that is kind of temporary for those people who
drop off, but it is better if it’s a shocking thing that people can’t understand
at first, and hopefully it grows on the listener.”
AJJ is a band with a cult following that step out from the shadows
whenever they pass through town. It’s unlikely that you’ll hear many
people talking about them; yet you’ll find that tickets to their show soldout
almost immediately. They are known for a very minimalist approach
that is mostly made up of fast-paced acoustic rhythms and frantic vocals.
While they are only playing a small handful of Canadian dates on their
upcoming tour, Calgary is thankfully one of them. Bonnette has fond
memories of the city.
He says, “the city of Calgary is awesome! It has a really interesting
downtown, super fun to walk around in. it has a big city feel and has this
really awesome western element… big trucks and cowboy hats. It’s a
really cool culture.”
Now, back to the name change that occurred last year. Despite their
Julius Sumner Miller has made being the life of the party a science.
atmosphere of any room can change to purely smiles
and laughter within seconds of a JSM show.
Since the release of their debut, the band claims
to have only gotten better and “more handsome.”
Creating a solid sound, advancing songs structures,
and adding “more crafty wordsmithing,” the growing
confidence as a collective has elevated the live antics
performed both on the stage and in the crowd
during their live shows.
“We were always pretty awesome on stage,” boasts
Ollinger, “But now there’s more confidence. It’s tighter
and it flows better.”
After adding new fuel to the fire with a new
guitarist, and becoming more structured and
committed, the band decided it was time to
release their second album. Claiming it to be
“one of the best albums ever,” the forever young
punks of JSM have every right to brag. With a
by Chase Key
history as a social justice oriented band, the quartet realized its usage was
problematic and wasn’t worth fighting for.
“If I felt strongly about the name I would defend it, but I don’t
care about it anymore. I use to argue my way to feel I was convinced
I was in the right and I can’t do that anymore so I am not going to,”
explains Bonnette.
“When we first started and named the band, we didn’t think we
would be a band for very long. We thought it was going to be a three
month kind of thing… but then it turns out we have good chemistry
and enjoyed playing together. We never found a cause to break up
the band and start a new one with a better name.”
Currently, AJJ is on tour for the decade anniversary of their album
People Who Can Eat People Are the Luckiest People in the World.
Certainly, it says something that their fan base still rabidly appreciates
the album 10 years after its release.
“It’s pretty great I think,” Bonnette offers.
“I am reconnecting to a lot of the songs that we haven’t been
playing as much for the past 10 years... I have to say relearning those
songs is super fun because I haven’t played guitar like that in a very
long time. The songs are way faster than anything I have written in
quite a while. That’s been really awesome and confidence boosting.
I am old now, but I can still play it and sing it better because I don’t
smoke cigarettes anymore.”
As to what the future holds for AJJ, “our next little thing will be a total
180 from The Bible 2, it will probably be out in early August, a little five
song EP that will be put out under the name ‘The AJJ’ because band
names don’t matter.”
He continues, “The sound is mostly softer, there is one song that
kind of rocks, it is a slow rocker, and then there are two acoustic
songs that are sad, and a jingle I wrote for a 3D organ printing shop
that I drew a cartoon of. After that I feel the band is about to enter
a pretty productive period… It is time to start on a new thing.”
photo: Richard MacFarlane
AJJ will be playing at the Biltmore Ballroom on August 31 (Vancouver),
and will also be playing two shows, including one all-ages performance, at
The Palomino on September 2 (Calgary).
by Jackie Klapak
fuller sound and style, the newest addition of
songs presents a true sound replicating the image
of their onstage carefree aire. Still keeping some
classically punk timed songs, which play under
a minute, the album entirely complements the
skills of every individual. While creating songs
dedicated to inside jokes, last Saturday’s crazy
night, or something that literally just happened
that needs to be immortalized, every member
puts in a piece of comical creativity between
beers to build a zany repertoire of fast paced, funpunk
tracks. Every miniature guitar solo, burst of
double-kicks and blissful gang vocal chant builds
a carnival of songs, all exciting and inviting listeners
for another go around.
On track to release a new album yearly, the goal is
to create something much like an auditory memory
book; one where you can listen back and laugh at the
drunken mistakes of the past year while continuing
to create new ones.
Exclaims Byskal, “We’re just going to: tell funny
jokes, be best friends, drink a lot, play cool shows, and
make everyone think that’s the best band they’ve
ever seen.”
Julius Sumner Miller releases Rock Around The Radius
on August 12 at Vern’s Pub (Calgary) for the second
annual Weekend at Vernie’s event also featuring All
Hands On Jane, Klusterfunk (YEG), and Hedks (YVR).
18 | AUGUST 2017 • BEATROUTE ROCKPILE