Koffeehouse Featured Artist of the Week

By: Koffeehouse Editor, Christopher Eric

He's had two Top 40 Billboard singles ("Beautiful Disaster," "Beating My Heart"), toured with the likes of Koffeehouse favorites OneRepublic, Colbie Caillat, Sara Bareilles, Duffy, Paolo Nutini and Kelly Clarkson, and licensed songs to hit shows like Scrubs, Ghost Whisperer and A Little Thing Called Life. But it was Jon McLaughlin's jaw-dropping performance of the Oscar-nominated So Close during the live worldwide telecast of the Academy Awards-- the same song he sang when he starred as himself in the Disney hit-movie Ella Enchanted with Patrick Dempsey and Amy Adams-- that was a career defining moment for the 25 year-old pop rock singer-songwriter and pianist from Anderson, Indiana. The appearance re-ignited his Island Records debut album, spurring a 1,514% overnight sales increase at Amazon, sending it to the #1 spot on its Movers & Shakers chart, and his single, "Beautiful Disaster", attracted over 420,000 digital fans (including Koffeehouse) when featured as the iTunes Download of The Week.

On the eve of heading out to Los Angeles to perform at Koffeehouse's 4th Annual "Evening of Independence" Concert to benefit MusiCares on August 7, 2010 (www.koffeehouse.com), Jon opened up to Koffeehouse about a wide-variety of subjects, including arm-wrestling Ryan Tedder, what is was like to play in front of a billion or so people, and making Perez Hilton's "hit list."

Q&A with Jon McLaughlin

KH: We might as well cut to the chase, Jon. One of your biggest fans is Perez Hilton who has posted at least one picture of you on his site and has referred to you as “dreamy” and “yummy.” Are you blushing, flattered or disturbed?

JM: Well when it comes to Perez Hilton, you know, he can get pretty ruthless so I'm just glad I'm on his good side (smile).

KH: You’ve played live before one of the biggest TV audiences in history when you performed So Close from Ella Enchanted during the Academy Awards. So were you more nervous when you sang the national anthem for Koffeehouse before 20,000 screaming fans at Game #2 of the Celtics v. Magic NBA Conference Finals, or singing in front of Jack, Gwenyth and Leo?

JM: The Oscars definitely! I've never been more nervous than I was standing at that microphone behind that curtain. The only way I would've been more nervous is if I were just singing in a room with just Jack, Gwyneth, and Leo.

KH: Any pre-show traditions or superstitions? Anything you MUST do before you get out on stage?

JM: I've tried all kinds of things. None that have stood the test of time. So these days I'm pretty chill before a show - just the usual vocal warm ups, hot tea, jumping jacks, pull-ups, push-ups, push pops, pop tarts...

KH: We know you recently got married (Amy) which spurs us on to ask whether being in a healthy, happy, long-term relationship basically one of the worst things that can happen to a singer-songwriter?

JM: Well, I do think it's true that we get some of the best songs in history out of heartache, but I think it's partly because heartache is so universal. I love breakup songs, always have, always will - I have the greatest marriage ever I'm pretty sure, but I can always write a song about heartbreak. You never forget what heartbreak feels like.

KH: You write most of your own songs, but you’ve performed songs written by others. Which gives you more satisfaction: writing a great song, or performing someone else's song great?

JM: Definitely writing. As much writing as I've done in the last 8 or 9 years, there have only been a few times when a song has come along and really got me excited and there's just nothing else like it in the world. Nothing can phase me on the days I write a song that I feel really good about.

KH: We hear that regularly playing piano builds strong forearms. So what happens when you and Ryan Tedder (frontman of OneRepublic) arm-wrestle?

JM: It's been awhile since I've seen Ryan "Forearms" Tedder, but we played a show together in Chicago once and he had a broken foot and was walking around on crutches so arm wrestling was out of the question because, you know, the cast would throw his center of gravity off and...it just wouldn't have been fair.

KH: What's your "freeway only" song? You know, that song you will blast while driving alone on the freeway, but you’ll turn it down low at a stoplight because you'd be embarrassed if people knew you actually liked that song.

JM: "I Think We're Alone Now" - by Tiffany. Do NOT tell anyone.

KH: Can Jon McLaughlin listen to and enjoy Jon McLaughlin songs in the car?

JM: Well I've taken the last year off just to do some writing for the new record so I actually end up listening to new demos I've made quite a bit. I wouldn't say I always enjoy listening to them though!

KH: You’ve worked with a lot of fantastic singer songwriters like Jason Reeves, Brett James and Troy Verges. Have you ever sat down for a songwriting session and a song just magically came together without much effort?

JM: I wrote a song with a guy named Gabe Dixon, one of my favorite musicians. We wrote a song called "Far From Home" which went on the Gabe Dixon Band's last record. That was one of the rare times when I sat down at the piano with someone and ideas just started flying. Most of the time I write pretty slow though.

KH: So we hear that you had a writing session with Jason Reeves and somehow stumbled upon writing a song about Amy Winehouse. We gotta know how that happened.

JM: He pulled up his MacBook and on his home screen there was a news story about Amy Winehouse and how she and her husband had just been in a fight with each other and they looked like they tore each other up! So it started out with us just looking at the pictures and reading the article and talking about how crazy / crazy-in-love they were and then ended up writing a song from their perspective called, "You Are the One I Love".

KH: So F*&%, Marry, Kill is soooo 2008. Let’s play Tour, Duet, and Delete. Tell us the one artist you’d want to tour with, the one artist you’d want to record with, and the one artist whose song you’ve been meaning to delete from your iTunes library.

JM: I would tour with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - I would never get bored watching their show every night. I would love to do a duet with Billy Joel. And ever since I saw Harry Connick Jr. in concert a few months ago, I've been meaning to delete everything of his from my library. I can't stand how freakishly talented that guy is! Makes me want to quit music altogether!

KH: We know you are working on recording your new album. What can your fans expect from the new album? And how long does Perez have to wait for some new material?

JM: The new record is coming along really well. I've never taken so much time to do it right before and I've never worked so hard on anything before. So I hope Perez and all my other fans love this record and love what they hear because the music I'm making now is definitely me. I'm not trying for anything or trying to be anyone else but myself.

Well, don't worry Jon, we'll only tell a few thousand people about your Tiffany secret.

Source: Facebook Note by Christopher Eric (tag: Jon McLaughlin)

From Malibu to Carmel (not the one by the sea)

Here's a great, new interview with Jon that has him talk about moving from California back to Indiana, the writing process for the upcoming album, his early days as a performer, and a sneak-peak of his upcoming show in Military Park, IN that shouldn't be missed (this weekend!).

http://www.nuvo.net/nuvo/jon-mclaughlin-from-malibu-to-carmel-not-the-one-by-the-sea/Content?oid=1380249

Origins Rocks Earth Month Concert Highlights

Here is a video highlight of the Origins Rocks Earth Month at Webster Hall in NYC featuring Jon, Ryan Star, Juliette Lewis and Macy Gray.

Music: "Beauty In The World" by Macy Gray



Here are some pictures from Zimbio:
http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/I0JntVWeMsI/Macy+Gray+Concert+Benefit+Origins+Global+Earth/efK4WqDxBg9/Jon+McLaughlin

2 Sets From Flickr (Photos by Jacob Blickenstaff)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/47463137@N02/sets/72157623946970988/


http://www.flickr.com/photos/47463137@N02/sets/72157623936957484/

Interview with Jon

Here's an interview posted by a writer from the Examiner on Jon's Facebook


Interview with Indiana born recording artist Jon McLaughlin
by Steffani Fox

I recently interviewed Indiana born musician Jon McLaughlin and he was more than happy to share his his musical ponderings with The Examiner. For more information on his upcoming Indianapolis show click here.

Do you miss Indiana and how often do you visit?
- I miss Indiana SO much. The good thing is that I'm in town pretty often for different reasons. Maybe once a month I'm in town. But my wife and I just bought a house in Indy so we'll be moving back in a few months. Couldn't stay away.

Who are some of your influences?
-I've always wanted to be Billy Joel and Elton John. Billy John - that's who I've wanted to be since I was a kid. I think Billy Joel is one of the greatest lyricists ever. And another is Ben Folds. I remember the exact moment when I heard Ben Folds Five for the first time and, not to be dramatic, but I would say it changed my life. I've always wanted to be Billy and Elton but once Ben Folds was the guy who got me to actually give it a shot.


How did you manage to turn your accident into something so positive?
-Well at the time of the accident I had been into classical piano for 11 years already. So it was just time for a break (pun intended). I don't really know what would've happened if I had never had that accident but I was so burnt out that I really think I needed some time to just be a teenager and not think about music for awhile.

Who inspires you?
-I always feel like I'm not a real songwriter - for whatever reason - I don't write enough songs to be a songwriter, or I don't enjoy it enough to call myself a songwriter, or I'm not artsy enough, etc... So I really try to draw inspiration from ANYthing I can. Books, articles, conversations, movies, tv shows, blah blah...I feel like I need all the info I can get if I'm going to try to fake my way through this:)


Who are some of the major acts you've opened for?
-I've done tours with Kelly Clarkson, Sara Barielles, Marc Broussard, Paolo Nutini, and the amazing Jonny Lang. All great artists and some of the absolute nicest people in the world. I really haven't had any bad experiences on the road as far as touring with other bands.

Is there one particular song that truly moves you?
Among a long, long list of others - "Jolene" by Ray LaMontagne.


Thanks Jon and we look forward to your show on August 13th at the Indiana State Fair!

Original source
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-18321-Indianapolis-Concerts-Examiner~y2009m8d8-Interview-with-Indiana-born-recording-artist-Jon-McLaughlin

Piano Man Feeling 'OK Now'

Jon
By Laura Edwards

Warmer spring weather means it's time to roll down the windows and pull out your sunglasses. Jon McLaughlin's new album, "OK Now" is perfect for blasting from your speakers as you drive down the road. TC talked to Jon about his music, what he was like in high school, and life in a small town.


He's been playing the piano since he was a boy, but now with his unique sound and probing lyrics, Jon McLaughlin is showing the world a new kind of piano man.

Dressed in a well-worn hoodie and faded jeans, Jon McLaughlin is the picture of mellow. He doesn’t fit the stereotypical mold of a guy with two successful albums and an Oscar-nominated song under his belt. There’s no false persona, no egotistical fronts — just a guy who genuinely loves playing music and sharing it with others. Talking to Jon, you realize he knows who he is and where he’s going. And he’s going big places.

Jon started taking piano lessons at age 4 and continued his classical training for years. However, as high school approached, Jon became less and less excited about playing piano.

"At that point I had only really played classical piano, which I was really bored with," Jon said. "When you are in high school, it’s not cool to play classical piano."

So instead of music, Jon focused more on swimming, soccer and enjoying his high school years.

"In high school, I was kind of dorky, but I thought I was cool," Jon said. "I went to high school during the everyone-bleach-your-hair phase. I had bleached hair from like 8th grade to my senior year. I am surprised I even have any hair left now." The bleach may have fried his hair, but it couldn’t burn music completely out of his mind. Toward the end of high school, Jon’s family started going to a church with a bigger youth group. Some of the students in the group were in a band, and were in need of a keyboard player. Jon began playing with the group and his love for music was rekindled. In college, he began writing songs, and the rest is history ...

Jon's latest album is "OK Now," and the 80s pop sound, though drastically different from his first album "Indiana," is still rooted in piano.

"I just went with what I wanted to do at the time," said Jon. "I love 80s pop music but it's definitely not what I had started out with all the time. I definitely started at the piano."

The upbeat 80s vibe goes well with the theme of the album -- taking one moment at a time.

"A lot of the record is looking at life in the moment and basically not getting bogged down worrying about the future or the past really," Jon said. "Just kind of living at the moment."

Jon even carries the message specifically to high schoolers with he song "Four Years." Jon said the song was one he's been wanting to write for a long time to help teens remember that high school is not a matter of life and death.

"I wanted to write to all the high school kids so there's something out there saying [high school] is not everything," Jon said. "In four years, it's going to be over, whatever you built. It's kind of like a mini version of life. Whatever you do is going to be over in four years, good or bad."

As Jon's singles get more airplay, he's bound to catch the ears of thousands of new fans around the world, but no matter where he is on the charts, or what stage he's playing on, Jon seems to be the kind of guy who will always have two feet firmly planted on the ground.

Amy, Jon's wife, plays a big role in that. Because she goes on tour with him, she is by his side through all the ups and downs of making it as a professional musician.

"I've been really blessed to have a lot of great relationships in my life," Jon said. "But I would have to say the one now that's the most important in my life, the day-to-day the one I totally couldn't do without, would be my wife. She's the one. We're together all the time. Out of the year, we're together 364 days. She's the one the who's out on the road with me. When the shows are terrible she's there, when the shows are great she's there."

Jon has also attributed part of his calm, one-step-at-a-time philosophy to his small hometown of Anderson, Ind., an (almost) suburb of Indianapolis.

"[Being from a small town] influences me," Jon said. "I think no matter where you're from it does. If I grew up in Antarctica, I would write songs from that perspective. I think even if I were to never go back to Indiana, I'm still a guy who grew up in Indiana and never looked back. I can't change 25 years of being in the same town."

With a firm grasp on his past and a bright future in front of him, this traveling piano man is taking it one day at a time, and that's more than OK now.

----------------

About Jon

What song gets stuck in your head?
"All the Christmas songs."

What is your least favorite chore?
"Washing the windows. I'm terrible at it."

What was your high school mascot?
"We were the Highland Scots."

If you weren't in the music industry, what would you want to do?
"I'd want some field where there's no gray areas, like accounting... but I'm not good at accounting, so not that."

Do you have a bad habit?
"I correct people's grammar, like double negatives."

What's the last thing you do before you go on stage?
"Stretch a little bit and then jump up and down to get the blood flowing."

What is your favorite article of clothing?
"This really nice tux-jacket kind of thing. I don't even know who makes it, but it's one of those names I should know. I wear it like once a year."

TC Magazine Spring 2009 Issue
http://www.tcmagazine.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=64438

Palestra Music Interview

Found an old but interesting interview video of Jon at the Sundance Film Festival.



"The Palestra Music Team sits down with piano man Jon McLaughlin at the Sundance Film Festival."

View here
http://www.thepalestra.com/pop-up.php?id=3479

Download here
http://www.thepalestra.com/videos/3479.flv
.FLV format - 15 MB

Jon McL: Deeper Than You Think

Jon McLaughlin: Deeper Than You Think
By Supergina

Photo by Julia Barber

I had a lot of assumptions before talking to the almost 27-year-old singer/songwriter Jon Mclaughlin. You might have heard his song, “Beating My Heart,” on the radio. Most of my assumptions weren’t positive. I figured, oh great, another singer songwriter guy who has all his songs written for him and probably has an ego the size of Texas. He will probably put on a boring show by himself and a piano and I’ll have to sit through it. Come to find out that this Indiana-born polite man is actually quite the opposite. I thoroughly enjoyed talking to him and absolutely loved the energetic full band set he played with his band that he considers brothers. It was a pleasant surprise.

On March 1, I showed up to the Hard Rock Cafe in Sacramento to find the place closed, getting ready for the show. They allowed me in since I was “press” and then I proceeded to wait for the tour manager to get onto Jon’s bus. Contrary to my belief, he didn’t start with a bus. During their last U.S. tour, he toured with his band (the same one he is with now), Dylan, Lucas, Chad and Bobby, in a van and trailer. Living in a van and trailer, you really get to see the longevity of a band. Jon says, “The bigger you get, the more sort of disconnected everyone gets, not that you have to, you just have more opportunity to separate. On a bus you can do whatever you want. You’re in the town, it’s your day, but in the van, everyone is in it together. You’re stopping at truck stops together, you’re doing all this stuff together. As far as the progress of success, it’s sort of bittersweet.” Despite their having a bus, they mostly still maintain the duties of unloading and setting up their gear, as well as loading everything back up. Jon enjoys the humbling act, but won’t mind when he gets to the point that someone else can help out on a permanent basis.

On the bus, I briefly met Bobby, one of their guitarists, before he retreated to the back of the bus for Jon and I to do the interview. I am never a fan of awkward question-and-answer interviews. In that setting, the artists usually seem to have a preconceived notion of what is going to happen, what questions are going to be asked, etc. I set the recorder down and we just talked. Throughout the conversation, I learned that not only does Jon have an infallable sense of purpose and drive, he is one of the most laidback genuine people I have had the privilege to interview. One thing that I was very interested in knowing about Jon was his collaboration efforts with various songwriters on his latest album, “Ok Now.” Here’s what he had to say about that: “Songwriting is such an odd thing. It’s hard to be objective and it’s hard to even know if you are supposed to be objective about it, ya know. I didn’t want any help with it. I just wanted to do my own thing but I had all these great opportunities to write with these people. I could definitely see myself looking back and being like, why didn’t I take advantage of writing with these guys who are so established that I can definitely learn something from. Writing with them has definitely helped me. All of the co-writing that I have done I felt like I have learned for sure, from just writing with people. I have learned what I don’t like and what they do that I liked, all that kind of stuff. My goal is kind of to get to the point where I just want good music to go and be put out. I want good music that I am a part of, I don’t want to just take other people’s songs that someone has written for me, not that there is anything wrong with that, it’s just not what I want to do.” Hearing this from Jon was so refreshing. I was relieved to hear that he is an artist who values his musical integrity and doesn’t want to fall into the singer/songwriter pack of some of the top 40 artists.

Photo by Julia Barber

In talking about music, he mentioned that he is really into Bright Eyes lately. He just recently discovered their sound a few weeks ago and he says it has been inspiring him ever since. In his past interviews he has divulged his ’80s fandom, but this time however, he didn’t seem to focus on it very much. It seems that he is really trying to expand his sphere of influence when it comes to songwriting, and is looking forward to new things that may inspire him to write.

After the interview, I went back into the Hard Rock and had a chit-chat with the sound guy. He told me that Jon’s band was one of the tightest soundchecks he has ever done. The guys all wear in ears on stage and have a separate stage mix that they have dialed in for every show, so it’s fast. He just has to get the levels out to the crowd and then they’re basically done. He said they only ran through one song or so and that was it.

There were some radio station listeners waiting outside to get into the show. Shortly after opening doors, the opening band, The 88’s, started. I was so tired and the free drink I received from the Hard Rock actually made me even more sleepy, instead of perking me up as I had hoped. The 88’s kept me awake for the most part. They had an interesting retro type sound. A little dancy, a little weezerish. I am glad that I stayed to see Jon and his band play, even though I was exhausted. I asked Jon about the whole him and his band thing, and he said, “Over the past two years it has definitely become a band more than just me playing with some hired guys, not that it ever was that. They’re my band, I love ‘em. They do contribute a lot of ideas live and stuff, we all contribute. I have two guitar players and we have started some songs together as of late.”

Jon’s live show was much better than I expected. Not only are the musicians in his band talented (can you say, five-part harmonies?!), they’ve got stage presence too. It really was like seeing a band and not at all like a singer/songwriter show. If it wasn’t for Jon’s energy, I could have almost been more mesmerized by Bobby, the guitarist in his tight pants and boots wailing on guitar solos left and right. It could have been because I was sitting on his side of the stage and he kept making eye contact with me so it was distracting me from watching Jon. Either way, Jon definitely has his own style. He vaguely reminded me of Jonathan Jones - ex waking ashland frontman turned singer/songwriter. Jon doesn’t sit much on stage, he more hovers over the stool in front of his piano. He does a sort of “stand, lean, lunge” into the keys. He licks his fingers quickly (perhaps for entertainment value?) before taking on the keys. He uses very quick movements and raises his hands higher when playing than I am used to, so it almost looks as if he is slapping the keys - sometimes his hands were just a blur.

On the one song where Jon was front and center (a Beatles cover of “Come Together”), I watched and remembered what he had told me on the bus: “It’s different because I am always used to having something, even if it is just a guitar. It’s kind of a security thing so it’s been really good to just for a couple minutes on this song it’s just me. It’s just you, which is a really naked feeling; you either go one way or the other, and if you go the right way it’s very liberating, it’s cool.” Remembering that and watching him made me giggle and hope that he was up there not feeling naked. He is definitely more comfortable behind the piano.

I was very entertained by the show, and from the looks of the extremely varied crowd, they were too. I had done a quick demographic sweep while I was there, and there were anywhere from 16-year-old fans, to middle-aged women, as well as men of all ages and types. If there was no show going on, there was no way – from the looks of the crowd – that I would have been able to tell what type of musician was playing that night. I was sitting next to two hardcore fans who had met Jon in Santa Cruz. They were both 18 and had driven from Auburn to see him. They were really excited and knew almost all the songs.

I am thankful that I did the interview with Jon. It really changed my opinions on this singer/songwriter, and will hopefully allow me to be more open-minded next time I hear a top 40 hit, instead of scoffing, “sell out.” Jon’s career is very important to him, but so is his wife (he has her name tattooed on his arm) and his potential family. Eyes glimmering, he says that he is hoping there will be kids in the future, and that he can work that into a touring schedule. He has a very realistic view of the future that actually inspired me. He says, “I feel like you just have to keep a completely clean slate and just see, especially with the life that we lead, it’s like, just see what happens. I am trying to just be a little more ya know, stonerish without being a stoner, just kind of go with the flow. What else are you going to do?” I’d like to just leave it at that.

Posted: April 15, 2009

Original source:
http://fringemag.com/features/jon-mclaughlin-deeper-than-you-think

A Chat with Jon McL

By: Mike Farley (mfarley@bullz-eye.com)

01/02/2009

He grew up listening to Elton John and Billy Joel and Harry Connick, Jr., and later, Ben Folds. Today he is his own piano-playing singer and songwriter, and an awesome one at that. Armed with his debut on Island Records, OK Now, Jon McLaughlin (no relation to the older jazz guitarist) is not out to try and match the success of the icons he has looked up to, but to channel those influences into a great set of music, which he’s clearly done. And McLaughlin has learned recently not to take fantasy football advice from a former NFL player.

Jon McLaughlin: Hey Mike. It’s Jon McLaughlin. How are you?

Bullz-Eye: Good. How are you doing, Jon?

JM: Good.

BE: Cool. So are you on tour yet or are you in Indiana?

JM: We go on tour…we sort of start on Sunday night. We’re in Indianapolis on Sunday night and then we head up to Milwaukee and start our circle around the country. Last circle of the year.

BE: Are you based in Indiana still or do you live somewhere else?

JM: I just moved out to California a few months ago. It’s kind of weird. All of our stuff is still stored in Indiana and we’re still pretty much…we spend more time in Indiana than out here for sure.

BE: So, I love the new album. I submitted a review last week.

JM: Oh thanks.

BE: This is your second?

JM: Second one with Island.

BE: Did you do anything before that on your own?

JM: Yes. I did a little solo piano EP before I signed with Island. And then I did a record while I was in college. The university I went to had a student-run label that they started up while I was there. So I did a record there, like a self-titled thing.

BE: What school was it?

JM: Anderson University in Anderson, Ind.

BE: OK. That’s a really cool thing that they did. So, ironically where I first heard you, I know Adisena because we work on Ludo together. But I first heard you because I grew up in New York and I’m a huge Mets fan and I heard you on WFAN doing that Mets song. I was listening online and I was like, man, who is that guy? He’s got a great voice. And I asked the producer and he told me. And I’m like, yeah, I remember Island telling me about him.

JM: That’s funny. That was the funniest radio thing I’ve ever done. Obviously it’s kind of a different show than I’m used to. I think we got there at like 8, and we were there, we were on the air from 8 until 10:30 or something, just hanging out.

BE: Those guys must be crazy too, to be on the air with.

JM: Yeah, well you know I got some fantasy tips from Boomer. Hadn’t really helped me out much.

BE: That’s funny. So did they just present you with those lyrics and tell you to sing this to “Hey Jude?”

JM: Yeah, well their whole show that day was talking about the Mets and how frustrated they were with the Mets. And they were like, do you want to sing a song about the Mets? And I was like sure. I don’t follow baseball at all. So I was like sure, you know, I have no loyalty to any team. I can build up or break down any team. Yeah, they just wrote out some lyrics.

JM: It used to be more in the beginning when I was starting out. What most often would happen would be I would go play at a club. And they always spell my name wrong. And they would spell it like the jazz guitarist -- they would put the “h” in the Jon, which I don’t have an “h” in my name. Especially in towns like Memphis or Nashville or Dallas or Cincinnati even, they’d put it up on the marquee and people would come out for the show thinking that it was the jazz guitarist. We would always have, every now and then one or two guys that would come out for the show. Some of them were great, some of them would end up staying for the show and buying a record. But some of them, even before the show, they would see that it wasn’t the jazz guitarist, they’d get pissed. A couple of guys in Cincinnati got really pissed one time. We were playing at Century Theater. And they thought it was like false advertising. (Laughs) I’m like, dude, I can’t help it. They spelled my name wrong on the marquee. What am I supposed to do?

BE: I could imagine seeing a lot of old, crusty people that are fans of his that were pissed.

JM: Yeah. It’s funny. The craziest thing that’s ever happened, and it’s been a while, but that was probably two years ago or so. And that kind of died down a little bit. People started getting it right on the marquee and information got a little more available. But I played a show in Chicago last year, and I’ve never met him before -- but I was playing a show in Chicago and he was playing a show in Chicago the same night. And there was some, like we went out to dinner before the show, my band and I and we were headed back to the venue. And they came and got us, one of the venue guys, and they were like, your tour manager needs to come work this out at the door because we’ve got a group of college kids at the door who are trying to -- at that time the show had sold out. And they were trying to get into the show because they’d bought tickets for his concert and went over to the House of Blues where he was playing. And they were walking around the House of Blues thinking, this is just not right. And then there were some people who wanted to go to his show who bought tickets to my show. It was the craziest thing. So our show had sold out and his tickets were like $50 a piece, so they had spent a couple hundred bucks going to his show. So we put them on the list and got them in.

BE: Wow. That’s a nightmare. And that will probably never happen again.

JM: Who knows. I kind of hope that it does. It was kind of fun.

BE: Well cool. So the state of radio is really different now than it was even 10 years ago. Do you feel like your role in the Disney movie kind of helped you in that regard?

JM: I think that it did, yeah. I think that, not that I was really involved in the business 10 years ago but, everybody knows that it was different. I guess the further that you go back in time it was just a “way” you did things. You recorded a record and you got on the radio and you played shows, and that was it. Now it’s just different with MySpace and YouTube. It’s more of a tool now to get a song like in “Grey’s Anatomy” as opposed to getting an add on a radio station. It’s weird because the thing with “Enchanted” was never, you know, I didn’t know the movie going into it. I didn’t know that it was going to become such a big thing. It was kind of this thing that I did on the side. But it definitely turned into something and taken on a life of it’s own.

BE: Sure. Everything like that helps for sure. Do you see any acting rolls in your future because of that?

JM: I’ve always said that I’d be open to doing something like that. I used to do a bunch of plays and musicals when I was growing up. I would definitely be open to it. I’m not going to not sleep at night reading scripts and stuff. At least not at this point in my music career, but it’s not exactly the focus. But I would definitely be open to it. I think that would be great. And being on the set of Enchanted for a while…it’s definitely a lot of work. Just that one scene that I was involved in. And I came and visited the set on some other scenes that they were doing. It’s interesting. It’s interesting seeing a totally different side of entertainment. It makes you want to be involved in it.

BE: Yeah. They probably treat you like royalty too.

JM: It was really interesting to see it. When I was there for a week, it took a week to shoot that scene. They had tons and tons of dancers and extras and all that. As far as the cast, we all had our own little dressing rooms up in this one little hallway. It was really weird. It was kind of low-key. You never really know what it’s like if you’ve never been to a movie set. So I’m picturing like Patrick Dempsey in between takes with someone to come up and carry him to his trailer or something like that. But it was pretty like, everybody just hanging out. I mean we’re there till like 3 in the morning. Even if it starts out like that, with that kind of treatment, I’m sure everybody just gets on the same playing field and we’re all just here to do a job. The hours get long.

BE: So this is a two-part question. What is the songwriting process typically like for you and who are your biggest songwriting influences?

JM: Well when it comes to songwriting it’s definitely Billy Joel, like all the way for me. I have a lot of…a couple of guys that are big influences on me. Billy Joel is one, Elton John, Ben Folds and Harry Connick. And I think that they all have different roles in the life and inspiration of Jon McLaughlin. Like Billy Joel was my first image of a rock star. Ever since I was five years old I’ve wanted to be Billy Joel. With Billy Joel, just the songwriting, as a lyrist the guy’s just amazing. There is just no one better than him. And Harry Connick as a player is just unbelievable. He’s just one of the greatest piano players ever.

BE: I think a lot of people forget that too.

JM: Yeah. The guy is unbelievable. He does all his own arrangements, string arrangements, orchestrations. He’s a genius. And Elton…probably more so than Billy, I mean Billy’s more just the guy at the piano that plays that amazing song. Elton is kind of that larger than life kind of rock star side of it. And when it comes to Ben Folds, like I grew up listening to those other three guys. But Ben Folds I can remember the first time I heard that kind of music for the first time. It’s only been in the last 10 or 12 years that I’ve been familiar with Ben Folds and the Ben Fold Five and all that stuff. And I think that Ben Folds is the reason I felt like I could actually do this. Like you have all those other influences from all those other guys that I grew up listening to and I thought it was great. But then when I heard Ben Folds, it was like, okay now I’m going to actually try to do this myself.

BE: Absolutely. And now that you mention that, I can hear all those influences in your music, now that I’m thinking about it.

JM: Yeah. Those guys are just amazing. Before I die, I’d love to have a slumber party with all of them.

BE: (Laughs) So that would probably be one of those artists, or all of them would be your ideal tour too, right?

JM: Any of them. I would love to -- the weird thing is -- not that I’m on the same level as at all as any of them but, we’re all piano players. We’re all doing a similar sort of thing. It would be odd to team up with such a like thing but I would gladly go out and play. Or be a piano tech for any of them.

BE: Well cool. So what is your favorite thing about the road and your least favorite thing about the road?

JM: I really, really love the road. I’m still young and I’ve been on the road pretty full-on for the past three years, maybe four years. It’s kind of gone in waves. Right now it seems pretty easy. You kind of just get used to living out of a suitcase and anything different would just be kind of weird. It’s tough to say what I love the most because I really, really just love it. I love all the guys in my band…I’ve known them for quite a while. They’re like long, long close friends. It’s not just like we’re a band. If we’re home, those are the guys I’m probably going to hang out with anyway. So I just love those moments on stage. For example, we played a show about a week ago. There was just something about the night. The band was just playing great. Everything was just flowing great. The crowd was great. You play those songs that people are singing along to. Just those moments where I just kind of like, on stage, look around and look over at Dylan playing guitar and think, this is just the greatest thing ever.

BE: That’s really cool.

JM: Least favorite thing about the road is probably -- the band. I can’t stand any of those guys.

BE: (Laughs)

JM: (Laughs) Probably the thing that’s toughest about the road is just…it’s kind of an all or nothing thing. Whenever I go through a town where we know some friends or something like that and we go to dinner and they talk about their Wednesday night poker club or something….that’s the worst part because I’m not going to have a Wednesday night poker club. There’s no home life.

BE: And you’re married, right?

JM: I am. And she goes out on the road with me as well.

BE: Oh, I was going to say it’s gotta suck being away from your family, but…

JM: Yeah, no, it does suck…like my brother, he and his wife just had a baby last year. So things like that. You see them like once every month or two months or something. And she’s like twice the size than she was the last time I saw her. I’m like, she’s not going to even know her Uncle Jon. Things like that.

BE: There’s time for that. She’ll know you when she sees you on TV, I guess.

JM: Yeah. I’ll be that guy that comes in and buys ice cream once a month. (Laughs)

BE: (Laughs) So having your wife with you rules out having groupies chase after you?

JM: We have some people here and there. But it’s really great and it’s, I don’t know, I don’t want to seem unrealistic and naive but it’s not really tough living a married life on the road. At this point there’s not much that’s difficult about it. It’s all been great. She loves being on the road unbelievably. We’ve been married for two and a half years now and we’ve been really solid on the road for at least two years and five months of that. Somehow she’s still up for it.

BE: Well you’ve got a good woman then.

JM: Mm humm.

BE: Well that’s about all I’ve got. Do you have anything else you want to add or plug?

JM: Just the new record. That’s about it.

BE: You want to give anyone fantasy football advice?

JM: I would have to say, if there’s anyone to ignore when they’re talking about fantasy football, it would be me. I’m dead last in my league and last week half of my guys were on a bye week and I didn’t even notice. I’m not so good with managing my team at all.
BE: Oh that’s not good. I have a good team, but even I had a bad week last week.

Original source:
http://www.bullz-eye.com/music/interviews/2009/jon_mclaughlin.htm

Jon McL featured in Yamaha All Access 360

Check out Yamaha's All Access 360 feature on Jon McL. There's a 4 minute interview video, a couple of new photos and other tidbits of Jon scattered throughout his feature page :)

http://www.yamaha.com/allaccess360/

You can download the video here:
http://www.yamaha.com/allaccess360/podcasts/V17-10-JonMcLaughlin.m4v

Right click and save as to save. :)

Clizbeats Presents: Jon McL's Story

Clizbeats Productions, Inc. Presents Jon McLaughlin's Story
December 15, 2008

His music has been used on radio, TV, and movies. But with all that success, few know the story behind the singer/song writter whose work has been embraced by everyone from Disney to Def Jam. While promoting the recent release of his sophomore album OK Now, Jon McLaughlin called into Clizbeats, to introduce himself. We were so Impressed, we had to make sure you had the chance to hear all about it for yourself. Clizbeats Productions, Inc. Presents, Jon McLaughlin's Story.

Download entire interview here (15 mins):
*Right click and save as to save or click on link to listen only*

http://www.clizbeats.com/JMcLaughlin/Jon%20Mclaughlinsstory.mp3

Original source:
http://www.clizbeats.com/2008/12/clizbeats-productions-inc-presents-jon-mclaughlins-story-.html#more

Enjoy :o)

Jon McL on The Jack Diamond Morning Show

Here is a short video of Jon on the Jack Diamond Show; includes a small interview and a performance of "Breaking My Heart" (hmm?).



Thanks again to Amanda for finding the video!

Enjoy :oP

WIXX Interview & Performance

Here's an interview and performance at WIXX 101 in Green Bay, Wisconsin from 2007



D/L here (.mpg4 format - approx 60 MB)
http://www.sendspace.com/file/tkyc8z

Enjoy :o)

Jon McL @ WZPL 99.5's Jingle Jam 2008

Jon recently performed for WZPL's Z99.5 Jingle Jam 2008 in Indianapolis, IN on December 1st.


He appears from 7:35-8:35 (exactly a minute :P)

WZPL also uploaded a podcast from Jon's appearance at their radio station that morning, which you can download here:

Part 1 (Interview & Beating My Heart acoustic performance)
http://www.sendspace.com/file/pcu06x
Part 2 (Interview, a Beatles' cover of Hey Jude & Why I'm Talking To You acoustic performances)
http://www.sendspace.com/file/bf2995

Hey Jude (acoustic) - mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/g2uuuv
Hey Jude (acoustic) - video
http://www.sendspace.com/file/dcg4ls

Why I'm Talking To You (acoustic) - mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/aif0rs

Beating My Heart (acoustic) - video
http://www.sendspace.com/file/m02qo8

Enjoy :o)

Doing Indy Ep. 102

We're revisiting a video today. It's an up and close personal video interview of Jon with Seth Hancock, who worked with Jon on the For You From Me music video.



You can D/L the video in HQ from the Indy site here (right click and save as):
http://www.indy.org/podcast/doingindy/m4v/Episode102.m4v
Video size approx. 168MB in .m4v Quicktime format

Enjoy! :o)

2 for 1!

Here are two videos of Jon. The first one is his appearance and performance on the Today Show in 2007. The second one is an interview at the MSG Studio in NY, also from 2007.





Download videos here:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/m7uqno

http://www.sendspace.com/file/loywuk

Check back the next day or so. There will be a surprise post. :o)
Enjoy!

Jon McL on Binside TV

Here's another interview of Jon on Binside TV.


Watch Jon McLaughlin: Music Spotlight in Music Videos | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Download HQ version from the site here (38 MB - .mp4 ipod format):
Right click on link and save as to save.
http://ex-cache.veoh.com/cache/external/8eb47aadcc709a83ee043b27c8c5aed429362af8.mp4?permalinkId=v498253tM3MARcc&ct=c0866d12ec7abd15a45c5046af9f7b34065ce79cf436361a

Enjoy :o)

Headphone Infatuation: Exclusive Interview with Jon McL

Interview by Alex Nagorski

Fresh on the heels of his show stopping performance at this year’s Academy Awards, singer/songwriter Jon McLaughlin is ready to burst onto the scene as the next musical American heartthrob. Having his music featured on countless television shows and movie soundtracks, McLaughlin is gearing up for the release of his sophomore album and his takeover of the charts. Right before his packed headlining show at the renowned Bowery Ballroom venue in New York City on July 14th, he took some time out to talk to me about touring, the new record, tabloids, and yes, his bulge.

AN: You have toured alongside some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Kelly Clarkson, Sara Bareilles, OneRepublic, Duffy, Paolo Nutini, and Colbie Caillat. How different is it for you this time around that you’re headlining?

JM: It’s a lot different actually. A headlining tour as opposed to opening up is for me … there are many pros and cons. When you’re opening up, the pros and cons of opening a show are, the good thing is that you don’t have to be responsible for everything. You know like everything is not on your shoulders, like if the show tanks, the promoter’s not coming after you. So you get to, or at least I’ve got to tour and open up with some really great artists who pull in a lot of people so you don’t have to worry about a crowd being there. I love the aspect of, or the idea of getting up on stage as an opening band and having no expectation. Like most of the people out there don’t even know who you are, they have no expectation of you, if anything they’re expecting to probably not listen to you or like you. And I love getting up on a stage and trying to win them over because it’s just fun, everything is light, they don’t have any expectation of you, you don’t really have any expectation of them, you just do your thing. You either love it or you hate it, it’s like you’re just putting it out there, you know? And on a headlining tour there are pros and cons as well because it’s, it’s … the greatest thing about a headlining tour is, like the other night we were in Philadelphia, you know you can play a song and you can kind of just step away from the microphone, keep playing and the crowd sings your song. Which is really the ultimate goal in this whole thing, like that right there – being in a room playing a song that you’ve written and having this room full of people you’ve never met in your life singing these thoughts you’ve written down. I mean you can get a bigger room and more people, but that’s it, that’s the end game of this whole deal. You get that when you’re headlining and you don’t necessarily get that when you’re opening up. It’s fun though, you get to play longer, you get to jam a little more, you don’t have to watch the clock. I definitely would take a headlining tour over an opening tour but whenever I go out on an opening slot, I’m just kind of like stress free, nothing can bother me in the world.

AN: Did you know that both you and Kelly (Clarkson) had songs titled “Beautiful Disaster” when you embarked on the tour with her or was that just a weird coincidence?
JM: I did know that. I knew that she had a song “Beautiful Disaster,” after I wrote it though. I heard it somewhere - I heard like an acoustic version of it and I really liked it actually. And I think that I had heard her studio band version, but I just didn’t pick up on it being the same name. It is kind of funny though, but I don’t think she ever played it on that tour, so it was okay (laughs).

AN: This past year has been pretty big for you, a lot of it attributing to the fact that you were featured in the hit Disney film “Enchanted.” The song you sang in the movie, “So Close,” went on to be nominated for an Oscar and you actually got to perform it at the Academy Awards this year. In fact, sales of your first album increased by 1,514% overnight after that performance. What was it like singing on that stage in front of practically every big name in Hollywood?
JM: It was ridiculous. In a way it was like a nice break, a nice vacation. Obviously it’s a crazy, not normal event and it’s amazing to be a part of something like that. Just to be able to go was amazing. It was cool, we went in for a whole week, we got to do rehearsals everyday, which I loved because I loved being in that theater and being around everybody. I wanted to do rehearsals everyday. That part of it was a little, as compared to what I do normally, was a lot less stressful because we don’t have any gear, I just show up and sing and that’s it. You either like it or you don’t. But actually going to the Academy Awards was like going to the senior prom times a million, going to your senior prom with like Penelope Cruz and George Clooney. It’s just crazy, there’s no way to explain it. Hopefully I’ll get to go again.

AN: Your new album “OK Now” is being released on October 7^th, and on your website, you say you went into the recording studio with the “intent on undergoing both a musical and stylistic transformation.” What can we expect to be different on this album from your first record “Indiana”?
JM: Um, It’s not going to be as “Jon sits down on the piano for 12 songs” kind of thing. I get away from the piano a little bit. It’s kind of just a little more extreme. I feel as a whole, as far as a piano player I just pick my shots a little more, or a little better. There are some songs that are definitely piano based and a little more piano solo type things, but there are some songs I didn’t even play piano on. Most of the record I didn’t even write on piano, I wrote on guitar and I think that comes across in the production as well. We kind of did more 80’s vibe, synthesizer, guitar stuff and didn’t stick to the same thing. Like the last record that I did, I wanted every song to be piano, bass, drums, guitar, organ, and that’s it, nothing else. Maybe some strings and that’s it. And on this one, for whatever reason, I was just down with doing some different stuff, like maybe I won’t play piano on this, maybe this song doesn’t have to start out with solo piano and then the band comes in. I just kind of got tired of that and wanted to switch it up a little bit and use some synthesizer, use some different sounds and make it a little bigger. It’s definitely more pop and it’s a direction I didn’t see myself going in at all two years ago, it’s almost the opposite direction, but it works and it was necessary I think.

AN: So were you worried about your fans’ reactions to this change in sound, as opposed to just releasing an “Indiana” part two?
JM: Um, a little bit. We’ve already gotten a little bit of feedback from fans saying “where’s the piano?” The first single, even though it does technically start out with a piano, it’s not piano based. And I knew that was inevitable, but that happens with every record. Every record that a band does, I would say like 95% on the next record are like “where’s the last record?” And they’re like “we’re still selling it, this is just a new record.” Which is just a tendency, people want “Indiana” again – different songs but “Indiana.” They’re just like stay there, we don’t want anymore, we got it, we got who you are just do it again. And it’s fine. It’s just growing pains. I’m not worried about the fans once they get the full record, loving the record because I would not put it out if it weren’t ready, if it weren’t up to what I feel like is a standard where I’m not wasting people’s time and money. I just wouldn’t put it out, what’s the point?

AN: You recruited help from many new people on this album including Grammy winners Tricky and The-Dream who helmed Rihanna’s 2007 anthem “Umbrella” and John Fields, who has produced hits for bands such as Lifehouse and The Jonas Brothers. In the future if there was anyone you could work with on a third album, who would it be?
JM: Ohh, I don’t know. There are so many. That’s almost a thing that’s a real question because even though I won’t make another record for a few years I should probably start thinking about it now because there are so many great people out there. I worked with John Fields on this record on all but one song, and I worked with him because I heard this band named Rooney, I heard the record they just did with him and after I heard that record, I was like “he has to be the guy to make this record.” And because of that, every time you hear a great record you’re like, who produced it? What a genius! There are all kinds of guys out there. So, if I had to pick an artist to collaborate in the studio with, I feel like I would want to get together with the band The Raconteurs and I would want to record the record as them being the band and them as the producers, and we all just get in the studio, all 5 of us, for a month and see what happens.

AN: Based on the tracks that I’ve heard so far from “Ok Now”, I find it extremely interesting because it’s so clearly a modern pop/rock record, but there’s still something very vintage about it in the sense that it throws me back and makes me think if The BeeGees or Billy Joel were still making music today, this is what it would sound like. That being said, who would you cite as your biggest influences in making this album?
JM: Well the song that you’re referring to, I’m sure, is “You Can Never Go Back,” and I wrote that with the sole intent of writing a Billy Joel song. 1978 – what would Billy Joel write? And it turned out to be that and the verse of the chorus brings a little old feel, but the whole thing is a definite throwback to a 70’s/80’s kind of thing. And I think that’s where Fields came in. I think that the writing as a song, lyrically especially, it’s a throwback, and then Fields came in with his sound that somehow in the end, we managed to have something that gets the point across of where we wanted to go but doesn’t feel like it’s not relevant or that we’re trying too hard to go back there.
AN: Yeah, definitely. Even when I heard the first single, “Beating My Heart,” I thought it sounded kind of like a very new wave U2 meets Coldplay.
JM: Yeah! You know that’s the other thing I can accredit Fields to because I did not go into the studio thinking U2 at all, and it just ended up with U2 all over the record. There are a lot of influences for sure that came into play. Whereas I came into the studio with “Indiana” first off thinking Ben Folds, Billy Joel, and Elton John – no one else will influence this record. Then on this one, I just walked in kind of open to whatever and you get all kinds of artists in mind.

AN: I read that one track on your record, “You Are The One I Love,” was inspired by the tabloid coverage of fellow singer Amy Winehouse’s troubled relationship with her husband Blake. What about their relationship and the way the media handles it inspired you to write this song?
JM: Well I wrote that song with a guy named Jason Reeves who I met in L.A. one day to write. I don’t know why but I think we just got online, he just opened his computer. We hadn’t written anything yet and his default page was CNN or something like that, and there was a picture of her on the cover. It was back in December when they got into that big fight and there were all those pictures of her and bloody feet, just like weird disturbing stuff. We just read it for fun and were like “haha this is so crazy,” and then we read some of the quotes she said about Blake and how she had cancelled her tour because he’s in jail and she can’t live without the guy. We kind of were like “wow, this is a really crazy and messed up passionate love affair”, which was kind of cool. The song that we wrote is not exactly what you would expect if someone were to tell you this was a song written inspired by the tabloids, written about Amy and Blake. We focused more on that they really love each other, and there’s kind of a cool love story there in the midst of bloody shoes (laughs).

AN: Speaking of tabloids, since your introduction into the limelight at the Oscars and being named one of Us Weekly’s “10 Hot Guys Of Summer,” have you had to deal with much of the dreaded Hollywood paparazzi or negative press on gossip blogs and such?
JM: Well, you know there’s been some stuff. There was some tabloid stuff after the Oscars. There was some stuff dealing with … I’m going to blush when I say this … dealing with a website, I can’t remember what it’s called, something like bigbulge.com or something like that. Someone sent some picture in making reference to my bulge. Someone took a picture of a rehearsal that we did, and I swear the picture is … is a little … like I think they got into Photoshop a little bit and pulled some stuff out. But that was the only blog thing. One of my friends found it and I was a little more concerned that they found it then it was actually there because what are you doing on bigbulge.com? (laughs).

AN: That’s so odd, haha. So as someone who grew up in a conservative Midwestern home, has the transition from Indiana to the L.A. scene affected your music at all?
JM: Yeah, actually. I think a lot of the music I’ve written in the past three years has been influenced by that change. On the last record, the song “Indiana” is actually a song about the music industry. It comes off as a song about a girl but the girl in its’ true meaning is the music industry and being accepted and being loved by the music industry. On this record, the song that is kind of the “Indiana” of this record is a song called “The Middle” which basically is my song of me just wanting to go home sometimes, just wanting to go back to the Midwest and kind of just chill out a little bit. Everyone’s just kind of a little more chill, it’s like everybody’s cool with just going to the bowling alley Wednesday night and going to there 9-5’s and having barbeques on Saturdays, you know whatever. It’s like the whole middle of this country is suburban and obviously that’s home to me.

AN: You also recently recorded a song with Jason Mraz for Randy Jacksons’ first production album. What was it like working with such industry heavy-hitters and how were you approached to lay down this track?
JM: It was completely, like, what’s the word? As half-hazard as it could get. I was doing an interview with Randy on his radio show and literally I just stopped in, drove over to his studio, I’d go in we did the interview, I can’t remember if we were done or we were still on the air and Randy was like “So you’re in LA, so what are you doing tonight?” and I was like “nothing” and he was like “You want to come by my studio and record a song?” and I said “sure” and that was it. So I was like “what time” and he’s like “why don’t you come by around, whatever, 9?” So I went by, he was there eating cereal I think, we were there for like an hour, recorded the song. I had never heard the song before, I just came in, listened the song, recorded it and left, and that was it. It was kind of crazy. It was one of those things where you wake up the next day and you’re not sure if it actually happened.

AN: On this tour, should we be expecting to hear more songs from “Ok Now," “Indiana,” or is it half and half?
JM: Um, it’s not quite half and half. It’s a little … it’s almost half and half, maybe it is half and half. As much as I would want to play the entire record of “Ok Now” I realize it’s not out yet. That’s like the hardest thing in the world because you just want to play the new stuff. Yeah, we’re doing about half and half. I’m only playing the ones from “Indiana” that are our staple live songs.

AN: So are you going to do another headlining tour after the record comes out?
JM: Probably, yeah. We didn’t hit as many markets on this tour as we could have, so that leaves us a lot of room to hit those markets in the fall. I’m not exactly sure what the fall is going to be like, we’re kind of weighing our options right now but I think that it would be important for me to go out and do another nationwide headlining tour afterwards.

AN: So then for my final question, what song from the new record are you most excited about having your fans hear?
JM: (Pauses) I think that you’re trying to ask me what my favorite is in a way that where you’re not asking my favorite, because you probably always get “oh no I don’t have any favorites, they’re like my kids, I can’t choose a favorite.” I’m not sure if that’s true, I think you can choose a favorite.
AN: Well in terms of playing live, for example?
JM: You know I don’t know because it really changes. We could be really excited about one song at first and then on another song maybe we change something up the slightest bit and now that’s my new favorite song. As far as right now, on the record there’s a song called “We All Need Saving,” that’s probably the one I’m most excited to get feedback on and for my fans to hear because it sticks out on the record as an acapella kind of thing, and definitely the kind of calm song on the record.

AN: Alright, well thanks so much for your time, I’m really looking forward to hearing the new album!
JM: Yeah, thanks a lot man, I appreciate it!

Original source: http://headphoneinfatuation.blogspot.com/2008/07/exclusive-interview-with-jon-mclaughlin.html

Jon McLaughlin travels back to the future

by David Lindquist
Posted: October 31, 2008

Jon McLaughlin says a flashback to the 1980s set in motion his second album for major-label Island Records.

The Hoosier native shared a bill with Rod Stewart, Debbie Gibson and Richard Marx last November at a Los Angeles nightclub.

The occasion was a benefit concert for ailing guitarist Don Kirkpatrick, an in-demand studio musician who played on McLaughlin's first Island album, "Indiana."

McLaughlin played early in the lineup, and he caught the other performers from a fan's perspective.

"It was awesome," says the 25-year-old, who grew up in Anderson. "They were playing these songs, and I thought, 'Oh, I forgot about this.'

"It sent me back to my neighborhood swimming pool when I was 10 years old. After that, I was way into the music that was my childhood upbringing."

McLaughlin's new album, "OK Now," showcases bright melodies and pop arrangements reminiscent of MTV's early days, with USA Today comparing the recording to vintage work by Daryl Hall and John Oates.

"OK Now's" producer, John Fields, helped craft the chart-topping Reagan-era sound of the Jonas Brothers.

McLaughlin is no rival of the Jonas Brothers, but his popularity is on the rise. "OK Now" debuted at No. 49 on Billboard magazine's Top 200 chart, and current single "My Beating Heart" was listed at No. 23 on the Adult Top 40 chart at press time.

Branching out

Known as a keyboard ace, McLaughlin wrote the songs of "OK Now" on guitar.

"I think that changed my ear," he says. "I was so used to writing on piano and playing piano. You write a song on guitar, and you hear different stuff."

"Indiana," released in May 2007, framed McLaughlin as a sensitive singer-songwriter. When he sang at this year's Academy Awards ceremony, performing "So Close" from the "Enchanted" soundtrack, McLaughlin was introduced to millions of television viewers as a ballroom crooner.

The Anderson University alumnus still marvels at his experience at the Oscars, where he sat in the third row in close proximity to Harrison Ford and John Travolta.

"There are rows of 10 seats or so, and you're packed in there," he says. "It's surreal. You don't even know what to think about it. You sit and wait for someone to come and say, 'You can't sit there. You have to leave.'"

Although McLaughlin moved to California this year, he displays a fondness for his home state on "OK Now" track "The Middle."

"Hollywood is just another place I don't belong," he sings. "Let's go to the middle ... live a little closer to what is true. I'll be me. You'll be you."

Scheduled to perform during halftime of today's Colts-Patriots game at Lucas Oil Stadium, McLaughlin says he hasn't spent an extended length of time in Indiana since signing to Island three years ago.

"I have to write songs like that, because I miss it so much," he says. "It's like anything. If you're in love with a girl, you write a million songs about that girl. The songs come out."

McLaughlin adopted a new look to accompany the release of "OK Now," and fans have noticed his shorter hair and more formal wardrobe.

Although he insists he simply grew tired of having longer locks and wearing T-shirts onstage, some observers speculate that Island executives are behind the changes.

"It's funny when people write in (to claim) L.A. Reid is forcing me to wear this shirt," McLaughlin says.

Then and now

Committed to the contrast between "OK Now" and "Indiana," McLaughlin cites the challenge every artist faces when making a high-profile sophomore album.

"You're always caught between a rock and a hard place," says McLaughlin, who made his first recordings for Orangehaus Records, an independent label run by Anderson University students, in 2003.

"If you make the same record, you're going to be criticized for being stale. But if you do something new, people are going to criticize you for not being the same."

McLaughlin says he's happy with the measured pace of his career growth.

"We haven't sold 10 million records, but we haven't taken any steps backward," he says. "It's given me time to form really great friendships with the people who work (at Island). That takes a little bit of the business out of it.

"It makes us feel like this is 'our' second record. It's not this one artist from Indiana who's on our roster."

Upcoming Jon McLaughlin performances

Nov. 2, Lucas Oil Stadium as halftime entertainment of the Colts-Patriots game.

Dec. 1, Murat Egyptian Room as part of "Jingle Jam," presented by WZPL-FM (99.5). For more information, visit www.jonmcl.com.

Source:

http://www.indy.com/posts/12928

Jon McL on the TexMix! Show

Here's a video clip of Jon on the TexMix show I uploaded on Youtube. He talks about performing at the Academy Awards, Disney songs, cutting his hair, and playing at The Stubbs in Texas.



D/L video here:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/7nl7gw

Enjoy :o)

Jon McLaughlin: I Love The ’80s

By Andrew Greer

Not too long ago Jon McLaughlin was roaming the halls of Anderson University as a music student when he began to make waves with his American heartland brand of pop, sharing his stellar singer/songwriter set in clubs, colleges and churches throughout the Midwest.

Fast forward to 2008, and the classically trained piano-popster is busy readying the release of OK Now (Island/Def Jam), his energetic, ’80s-influened follow-up to Indiana, last year’s breakout debut and ode to his Hoosier heritage.

Now with a little experience under his belt and credit to his name, Jon discusses his new record, faith in the spotlight and gigging at the Oscars.

CCM: Your bio describes you as an American heartland singer/songwriter. But OK Now makes a bolder, more progressive musical statement than Indiana. What inspired the creative difference?

Jon McLaughlin: OK Now is definitely different. I’m a huge ’80s fan, and I totally went back to my ’80s pop roots. There’s a lot of Billy Joel and Huey Lewis & the News kind of influence on this record. I loved it.

CCM: What is the story behind the first single, “Beating My Heart”?

Jon: This whole record is about me enjoying my life as it happens. I have a hard time just relaxing. I tend to get really stressed out. I always look back in time and wonder why I was so stressed out. “Beating My Heart” is a song about breaking it down to what really matters, not getting so stressed out about the little things in life.

Not to be cliché, but it gets down to this: God put me on earth for whatever reason, and I don’t really have to know that [reason] right now, right here.

CCM: Do you feel the call to relax has been a necessary move with the pickup of your career in the past couple of years?

Jon: It is definitely necessary. I just had a birthday. I’m gone all the time. My brother just had a little baby. I think I’m dealing with time moving by way too fast. Right now there’s not a whole lot I can do about that other than I might as well not stress my life away.

CCM: Being a recording artist in the mainstream music world, what do you feel your role is as a Christian when it comes to performing and making records?

Jon: Once I started writing songs in college, I would go play at a state school, and people would say, “You go to Anderson University. Are you a Christian artist?” I’d go play at a chapel and sing a song that didn’t have the name Jesus in it, and they would say, “I thought you were a Christian artist?”

So for a long time, I was annoyed and frustrated with having to choose a side. On paper, now that I’m signed to a mainstream label (Island Records), I’m a mainstream artist. But I’ve always felt the desire and responsibility to play in a church or play in a club or college.

Source: http://www.ccmmagazine.com/news/stories/11582930/