Exclusive interview with Danko Jones

Over two decades have passed since Danko Jones broke onto Toronto’s hard rock underground scene.

Since then, the Canadian band has released nine studio albums, played in big festivals like Resurrection Fest or Garage Sound Festival and shared the stage with music legends like Guns N’ Roses, The Backyard Babies or Motörhead.

The trio landed in Spain on December 4 to play two shows in Madrid and Zaragoza (Background Noise & Mercury Wheels).

We took the opportunity to chat with vocalist and guitarist Danko Jones about the band’s current tour, their next studio album, which will be realeased during 2019, and other side projects.

HB – Your forthcoming album is due in 2019. So far, we’ve had a first taste with We’re Crazy and Burn in Hell, two songs with a lot of energy. What can we expect from the new record? What was the main inspiration behind it?

DJ – What can you expect? Well, after 22 years of playing hard rock, expect more hard rock. The main inspiration behind the 2 songs we released off our upcoming new album have the same inspiration behind all our previous songs – hard rock.

HB – For this new album, you’ve been working with producer GGGarth Richardson at The Farm Record Studios in Vancouver. How was the experience?

DJ – Working with Garth was great. We all got along great together and working with each other was pretty smooth. Garth and I are actually from the same suburb in Toronto (Willowdale) so we shared a lot of the same background. Sebastian Bach, Geddy Lee and Alex Mitchell are also from Willowdale, by the way.

“This tour with Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell and Prima Donna has been a riot!” – Danko Jones

HB – Your previous album, “Wild Cat”, cracked the sales charts in Canada. You also achieved your highest chart positions in places like Germany, Belgium or France. Did you think about repeating the same formula for the new record or did your preferred to go out of your confort zone and experiment a little bit?

DJ – We don’t experiment. We play within our confines.

HB – How the reception of the two new songs (We’re Crazy and Burn in Hell) has been?

DJ – Great response from people who dig our band.

HB – Let’s talk about the tour. How would you describe you current live shows? Can you tell us a fun tour anecdote?

DJ – The tour we’re currently on has been great. We started in the UK with Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell opening and for the rest of the tour we’ve had Prima Donna opening. Both bands are superb. It’s been a riot. Lots of stories to tell but I can’t think of any offhand.

HB – What do you prefer: small venues or big festivals?

DJ – Both are great for different reasons. Small venues are intimate and intense, festivals aren’t as intense but with a lot more people.

HB – Danko, you were a featured guest vocalist on Volbeat’s Black Rose. Can we expect new collaborations soon?

DJ – Sure, there are a few other projects I’ve laid vocals down that should be coming out in the next few months. I usually do a few every year.

HB – What songs, albums or bands are you into at the moment?

DJ – Radkey, Brant Bjork’s Mankind Woman, Uncle Acid’s new album.

HB – When you are not touring or recording, what do you love to do? We’ve seen that Danko is into journalism. Who’s your dream interview?

DJ – I like to work on my podcasts and write essays. I have no dream interview subject. I actually detest conducting interviews. My podcasts are more like discussions.

HB – After more than 20 years in the music industry, gold and platinum singles, millions of streams in Spotify, numerous headline tours and sharing the stage with rock legends like Ozzy, Motörhead or Guns N’ Roses, what’s the next best thing for Danko Jones? How do you see the band in 5-10 years’ time?

DJ – Hopefully, in 5 to 10 years we’ll still be doing what we’re doing now. I think our goals are like all bands, get a hit record, do a lot of successful tours and keep making music.

Danko Jones’ upcoming album hasn’t title or release date confirmed yet. It’s expected to arrive in 2019.

Listen to Danko Jones’ new singles We’re Crazy and Burn In Hell below.