As major label artists continue to defect from their corporate digs in search of salvation through autonomy, many critics have begun to prophesize the demise of big-box music — those artists rammed down our throats by commercial radio, chain stores and record companies. Predictions of an increase in homegrown talent and smaller “stars” are springing up faster than groupies at a Mötley Crüe gig.
And then there are those exuberant youth that still soak up “the lifestyle” like the cute little sponges they are. Take this Toronto-based sextet featuring Long, Julian Warme (trombone and organ), Brent Marks (bass), Rene Gillezeau (trumpet and vocals) and Jarek Hardy (guitar and vocals), for example.
“We’re on a big tour now that we’re popular. We’re selling out clubs for a change, so it’s like a vacation. It’s exciting,” beams The Johnstones’ drummer-vocalist Ryan Long, discussing the ska band’s forthcoming Western Canadian tour in support of their latest release Word is Bond (Stomp records).
Formed in 2002, the band is revelling in hype generated by an increased profile thanks to high rotation of the single “Gone for a Long Time” on MuchMusic. Notorious in ska circles for shenanigans that involve ludicrous YouTube shorts and numerous promotional shoots and/or concerts performed in little more than tighty-whiteys, The Johnstones have finally branched out of their niche market and are appealing to the masses.
“All of this is because of having that single on Much,” admits Long. “It’s raised our profile. We’ve always had a huge underground following, but the difference is that now regular people know who we are, not just people into the genre. We’re not grouped into any specific (category) anymore.”
Typically cast aside as little more than another juvenile ska band with shuffling guitars and wonky horns, The Johnstones have had their share of uphill battles over the years. A genre that seems to slip in and out of vogue faster than you can say “Operation Ivy,” it tends to be the picked-on little brother of punk rock — a brother that even punk likes to slap around now and then. Long hopes that the popularity of “Gone for a Long Time” will prove the little brother to be growing into his own.
“A band like us has punk elements, but we’re not punk. We’re not in-your-face about it. It’s light music that isn’t totally poppy. “A band like us has punk elements, but we're not punk. We're not in-your-face about it. It's light music that isn't totally poppy. People — like hardcore kids — think they're insulting us by saying we're not punk. No, we're not punk at all. You've got it right.”
“Having a single changes peoples’ perspective of you though,” he continues. “It flips a switch in people’s minds, and now they think you’re famous. All of a sudden people care. The way I like to think of us is as a song you can listen to in your can and feel cool listening to it. That’s the ultimate goal.”
With the band’s massive success and notoriety comes great responsibility, however. They will be expected to follow up not only Word is Bond but “Gone for a Long Time” with an even stronger seller lest they fall into the pit of “one hit wonderland.” Long is fearless though, letting his youthful confidence shine through.
“The next album is gonna be enormous,” he asserts. “The last album had songs that were supposed to be demos. We weren’t ready to write an album at that time, but Stomp was onboard so we went with it. Now we’re entirely ready. It’s gonna be jam-packed with hits and I think it’ll be the breakthrough album. The next album will be the difference between kids writing some songs and serious songwriters working on an album for years.”
