Anything but the blues

First the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion just wanted to get a gig at CBGBs, now they want to be millionaires. Russell Baillie finds out they are not a blues band.

He's a man of quite some self-belief, is Jon Spencer.

Not only does his band bear his name - the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - he's prone to say things like: "I believe in the Blues Explosion. I think we make great records and we write great songs and I think there is no one else that is as good as we are live on stage."

Actually, he's probably right about the last bit. As was witnessed a few years back when the New York trio of guitarist-singer Spencer, guitarist Judah Bauer and drummer Russell Simins supported Beck in Auckland on his first visit. The trio quite blew him off stage with their swagger and sheer bravado.

But this was when Beck was still the flaky punk folk blues guy of Loser fame. Live, he's come on since ...

Spencer: "I think he picked up a trick or two ..."

So has Spencer's band on their last album Acme. Less trying to capture the live gusto in the studio, it found the Blues Explosion at, er, a crossroads and deciding to mix their scuzzy, sinewy rock'n'roll with a late 90s sense of groove.

All part of the plan, apparently, to stop them being overlooked and perhaps break them out of their cult status.

"We haven't really gotten our due and a lot of people, especially in America, think `they're a band for hip people' and [expletive], anyone can shake a tail feather. We are not elitists. We are not snobs, it's free for anybody who wants to get down.

"We wanted to make a record, like I said, that was maybe a little more easy for the average person to swallow, a more contemporary, modern sounding style of production. But in saying that in no way would I consider Acme some kind of sell-out. It's still the Blues Explosion."

About now comes the explanation: No, despite the name, they aren't a blues band.

Though they are playing Auckland on the way to the East Coast Blues and Roots Festival in Australia's Byron Bay, alongside veterans Dr John, Tony Joe White and Taj Mahal ("We've never played a blues festival. This is our first one").

Though a few days earlier they're also playing another Aussie festival - a surf-rock affair alongside the Foo Fighters, among others.

"Here in America people still dismiss us because of the name. They trip over that word 'blues.' Whatever. That is why there is the [Acme track] Talk About the Blues. That is why I feel compelled to say we don't play blues we play rock'n'roll."

Spencer is a man who says "rock'n'roll" like a true believer. Especially the last part: "You've got to have the whole thing, you need the roll in there. I mean you and I wouldn't be here without it."

But in 1999, doesn't he feel his faith has been marginalised by the increasing divergence and digitalisation of contemporary music?

"I don't think contemporary music has marginalised it. I think capitalism has marginalised rock'n'roll. Anybody that talks about `rock'n'roll is dead' is [expletive]. When they talk about this electronic stuff that is around ... there are some OK electronic acts; there is some stuff that is very cool. But the electronic acts that people are most excited about were the ones that are the most rock'n'roll."

So it's no wonder perhaps that Spencer, despite his American indie rock roots, says his band now has their eyes on the main prize.

"We want to be millionaires. We want to have a number one record. Sure, why not?
At first our ambition was just to get a show at CBGBs but I think things have grown.

"There is just a lot of shit out there - why does that stuff get over? Why not the Blues Explosion? I don't know why but maybe rock'n'roll is still dangerous. Real rock and roll is still dangerous."

And by the sounds of it's the JSBX mission in life is to keep it that way.

Who: The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

When: Wednesday March 24

Where: Powerstation, Auckland