RELEASED 21.9.2012
Over the course of six full-length albums, DANKO JONES has forged a singular sound that draws equally from the blues, ‘60s garage, ‘70s hard rock, ‘80s hardcore, punky power-pop, Scandinavian metal, and classic stand-up comedy records without ever being fully defined by any of those sources. But while built from the same rudiments, each DANKO JONES record possesses a distinct sonic identity. Born A Lion (2002) brought the boogie and sledgehammer soul; We Sweat Blood (2003) was, by contrast, more anxious and aggro. Sleep Is the Enemy (2006) wielded the sharpest hooks. Never Too Loud (2008) was as slick as Below the Belt (2010) was stripped-down. But, compared to all that’s come before, Rock And Roll Is Black And Blue is, hands down, the most emotional and, as a result, the most epic DANKO JONES album to date. Now, don’t be scared off by those E-words – there’s not a children’s choir, orchestra or piano ballad to be found within a 500-mile radius of this album. But what you hear on Rock and Roll is Black and Blue is the DANKO JONES ideal blown up to skyscraping proportions, resulting in 13 tracks that are bolder, brasher, and brawnier than anything they’ve attempted before. The album is produced in full by their longtime partner in crime Matt DeMatteo and was mixed by Mike Fraser, known for his work with AC/DC, Aerosmith, Franz Ferdinand and Elvis Costello to name a few. It is also the first album recorded with “new” drummer Atom Willard – the sixth person in DANKO JONES history to hold the “drummer” title, but the first to stand on equal creative footing with Danko and his longtime foil, bassist John “JC” Calabrese. The man’s résumé speaks for itself: Not only was Willard the driving percussive force behind Danko’s all-time favorite San Diegan garage-punk armada Rocket From the Crypt, he’s also been keeping time for the multi-platinum likes of the Offspring, Social Distortion and Angels & Airwaves, so he knows how to drum his way around a massive tune. The first single – “Just A Beautiful Day” – will be serviced to radio all over the world shortly. The new album follows the June release of Bring On The Mountain – a two disc DVD featuring a 90 minute documentary, a short film, exclusive live clips from around the world and all the music videos they have ever done.