J. R. Taylor
Not to brag, but I was recently the second-baddest bad-ass in the parking lot of the Chick-fil-A in Anniston, Alabama. I had the SUV pumping out Betty Blowtorch pretty good before the kid pulled up in the Nissan with Slipknot pounding from the windows. Not only could I not compete with "People Equal Shit," but his ride had bumper stickers for both Disturbed and Korn.
Those bumper stickers also made me pretty sure that the guy was driving his own vehicle. I was in my parents' car.
Anyway, I'm savoring that brief glory as I head into Pianos to see a Swedish duo. That's leaving me feeling far from anything primal and rock 'n' roll. The first thing I see in the back room is the classic Nerdy Girl Rock Critic poised with pen and notebook. That's always a sign of breaking news among the mild and unwashed.
I'm only giving JOHNOSSI a shot because their Dutch neighbors on the V2 label are called Gem, and they're capable of great American heartland rock while looking like Bryan Adams' sidemen. Neither band could get an initial deal in the U.S., so I'm curious to see what JOHNOSSI has going for them.
That curiosity is dispersed when I realize I'm seeing another guitar-and-drums duo. John (or maybe Ossi) is also a dead ringer for Kurt Cobain with what looks like an acoustic guitar. Then JOHNOSSI start their set, and it's a pretty great moment in rock. Seems that everyone here assumed these guys were going to be pretty fey. Instead, a scream and a power chord sends the audience scampering away from the speakers.
There's a long history of Swedes trying to be American, so it's inspiring to see a pair who can replicate the Southern sleaze of pioneers like Flat Duo Jets. It doesn't matter if JOHNOSSI think they sound like Tony Joe White. In truth, they sound like a soulful take on Ricky Nelson or any wholesome pop artist flirting with country affectations.
They've also got the Swedish rock traditon of sounding vaguely incompetent when performing any genre that isn't prog, which means almost all of JOHNOSSI's songs can pass as garage-rock. All they really have to do is put a hot girl onstage with an unplugged bass, and JOHNOSSI could win over any of the A&R guys here tonight.
Actually, I'm not sure if there are A&R guys here tonight. Still, it's the rare showcase where you walk out wishing good things for people. Now if we could only get the guys in Gem to change that generic name.