Jon Keller

Greg W. Locke: Tell me about being the married version of Jon Keller. Does it interrupt any of the parts of yourself that you liked? Does it better the bad things? Do you miss drinking tons and tons of chocolate soy milk? Do you sneak out at night to revisit the jalapeno chips of your bygone youth?

Jon Keller: I thought that maybe the married version of myself might be very different than the single/dating version, but it turns out I’m pretty much the same. Amy seems to make the bad parts of me better and the good parts greater. if that makes any sense. She is always pushing me to make music and do better and more things with music. I love that about her. She definitely gives me inspiration and encouragement in all every aspect of my musical career. I mean it was pretty much her idea to move to Nashville to further my musical career. And yes, I still eat jalapeno chips and chocolate soy milk … not nearly as much though.

GWL: You used to write songs that seemed to come from the perspective of someone who wanted certain things. Amy. Happiness. Adventure and experience. Ect. Now you have Amy, and you seem to be doing well. What’s it like now, from a writing standpoint? When you sit down with your notebook, is it fiction, non-fiction or both?

JK:I put a healthy dose of both fiction and non-fiction in my songs. I don’t intentionally write a certain way though. I still find plenty of negatives in my life to write about, although I tend to exaggerate some emotions and feelings sometimes when I’m writing. So sometimes I find good things from relationships with people to write about, sometimes I don’t. Also, not everything is always about me or Amy or people I know. Some are about people I don’t know, or characters I create to write a song about. So I wouldn’t read too much into anything I write.

GWL: What is the duty of an artist who makes the kind of public art that you do? Is it all internal, then shared? Or is it always shared?

JK: I think that for the most part, i write these songs for me, but I’m not going to lie, it took me a really long time to actually let anyone hear any of my music. And if it was 100 percent for me, I doubt I would ever release anything, because why bother. I was afraid that people weren’t going to like it, so I would always just play it down around folks. But now, as my confidence in myself grows, I really don’t mind playing stuff for people. If they don’t like it, it doesn’t bother me too much. I’m not at the point yet where I don’t care about other people’s opinions though.

GWL: Tell me a little bit about going down to Austin for SXSW. Is SXSW good for new, small guys like you? Does anyone care about some guy they never heard of, seeing as how there are about 20,000 guys in town that they’re never heard of? Or is it what you make it?

JK: South by Southwest really did nothing for me, other than it was fun. I got to hang out with my friends in Church Shoes for a few days. But no one really cares about people they’ve never heard of. Months before SXSW there are bands that are getting a buzz about them, and those are the only ones people seem to care about. Everyone makes lists of who they have got to see this year and what not. And, basically, if they haven’t heard of your band, or its not on their list of must see bands, they don’t care. Which is fine, I wasn’t expecting to become the next big thing.

GWL: You hate your first album, Down In a Mirror. That’s moronic. But regardless, I’d like you to do all you can to explain this hate. Once and for all. You have to live with this forever.

JK: There are a few songs on it that I think are pretty good (“See Something Else,” “Ghosts,” “Hope and Depression”), and I am proud that I made it and got it out there. However, I don’t think the songwriting on most of it is very good. And the arrangements and instruments used could be better. I know I hadn’t really learned how to use my voice yet,  which I think is something I’m improving on all the time. I really didn’t have confidence in my songwriting, or myself in general. If I had more time, I think i might have been able to make that album pretty good. I would have added a few different songs and taken a few off. But I’m too lazy to really revisit any of those old songs when I’m already working on new songs.

GWL: Two or three years ago, before you wrote a song or recorded a song of your own, did you think that one day you’d be recording solo albums?

JK: I’ve been imagining recording solo albums since I was around 12 years old or so. I remember thinking that I’d at least have one out by the time I was out of high school. I’d already have a name for myself in college. But of course, that didn’t really happen. I didn’t write a song till I was around 21 years old. It took me a long time to actually work up the gaul to sit down and write a few songs.

GWL: And now that you are a full-blown solo artist, is your relationship to music better?

JK: Making my own music seems to make life more enjoyable, although it is rather frustrating sometimes. I’ll be up at night, knowing that I really need to work on song – like adding a bass part, or singing a part again, or mixing a song – and I just have no motivation. Those are the parts that really suck sometimes. Or when I force myself to stay in and work on music when I could be out with friends or watching movies or doing other fun things. Just like with any job or career, there are parts that are really fun and exciting and there are parts that are just a drag.

GWL: Tell me about this new album of yours. And by that, I mean tell me only these things: what was your plan for this one and how has writing it and recording it been different from the first album; where are you at with it as far as production goes?; and how do you feel about this one?

JK: I knew before recording this album that I didn’t want to rush it, and I wanted to spend time creating all sorts of different instrumentation and sounds for the songs. So, in that way, it was way different than the first. I had completely written most of these songs before I started recording them, which helped me out with some of the formats of the song. Right now, I’m working on mixing the new album. Of course, when I say that, I should state that, when I mix stuff, I often find things I have to go back and re-record. So I’m mixing and recording all at the same time. I’m really excited about this album. For the first time in my life, I’m proud of something that I’ve created. That’s something I’ve never felt before.

GWL: Now, tell me about your plans for this thing once it’s done. The show and then after the show. Details. Hopes. Dreams. The sure-to-be letdowns of the artist.

JK: Once I finish the album, I’m going to have a release show at the Brass Rail on August 26th. It’ll sort of be a going away party as well. I’m sure it’s going to be a very emotional show. The Brass Rail has been a Fort Wayne staple for me, and it’s going to be one of the things I miss most about Fort Wayne. After the show my wife and I are moving to Nashville, TN so that I can work on music there. If I were to be completely honest about my aspirations, I hope that I manage to get some sort of record deal, and I have enough money to not work a day job. Thats it, really. I just want to support myself financially while doing something that I love. Of course I hope people like the music and it means something to them, but that is probably a loftier goal than supporting myself by making music. I realize that is the exact same goal that thousands of people move to Nashville with. It may work out, it may not. If it doesn’t, we’re only tied down as long as our lease.

GWL: Why Nashville? After you made that decision, how did you feel? How was it telling friends and family and what reactions have people had? What sort of life perspective have you so far gained from taking complete control?

JK: Nashville is obviously a Mecca for musicians around the world. And, of course,  it is the country music capital of the world. I mean come on, they have Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus. But really, I don’t care at all about the modern day country music that comes out of Nashville. Most people don’t know it, but there is actually a pretty big, thriving non-country music scene there. So that’s what I’m going there for. After deciding on Nashville, it was a bit chaotic. I mean, where do we live, how do I find a band down there, and so on. We don’t really know anyone that lives there. We are excited that it’ll be a new adventure, and we’re sort of stepping out into unknown territory. It was hard telling our parents, but they were both really supportive, which made things easier. The hardest part was telling our friends though. I’ve got a really close knit group of friends here, and I was dreading telling them that this is our last summer in Fort Wayne. But we finally did, and as sad as they were, they were very supportive and excited for us. As far as new life perspectives, it’s still strange for me to think about all of this. I’m not sure i’ll completely realize how I feel till we’re down there. I know it’s going to be hard. It already is. I hate leaving our family and friends, they mean the world to me. But I know that if I stayed here, I wouldn’t really get anywhere.

GWL: Imagine that you’re in Nashville. You and Amy just set up your new pad. You’ve already explored the city, fell in love with it and pictured your future. Now you have to go to work and pay bills. You’re living in Nashville now. This is where you live. It’s like, 2012 or almost 2013 by now. You have these two albums, both great. Maybe you have a third in the works. Probably. Do you get a band? Do you already have a band? Do you believe in this stuff enough to go at it with confidence? Did leaving open up your balls?

JK: The first few things that I’m going to do down there is try to put a band together, find places to play and try to meet other musicians and bar owners. I don’t know what else I would do there. My music isn’t exactly open-mic/coffee shop material, so putting a band together will be my first priority. I think leaving is definitely bolstering my confidence. I’m at a place in my life and career that I finally have confidence in what I’m doing. This seems to be the only foreseeable time in my future that an opportunity like this is going to present itself. I’m young, don’t have kids, and have the freedom to move. Of course all of this freedom and moving and whatnot is really stressing me out. I’m constantly thinking about what happens if nothing takes off. If, after a year or two, I’m at the same place with nothing to show for it. It definitely is scary. But I’m trying to just ignore those feelings and feel confident about everything.

GWL: Okay, It’s been a year. You’re a Nashvillian, music or not. You just signed another lease and, at the end of the day, you are where you are. You have a tan and you have a grocery store. You’ve already worn out one pair of shoes and gained and lost eight or nine pounds. What now? Do you miss Fort Wayne? Do you think about Fort Wayne? Tell me about that relationship. Was the city holding you back or comforting you?

JK: This city has been great. I love Fort Wayne. I’m sure as long as my friends and family are still in Fort Wayne, I will always be thinking about it. I know I will always cherish West Central, specifically Wayne and Berry Streets. I did so much growing up and discovering who I am on those streets. I wouldn’t say Fort Wayne was holding me back per say, not yet at least. I think that if I had stayed here another year or two then that would have certainly been the case. But I think it’s been more of a town to grow in and work out what I want in music and in a music community. Of course, I’d be lying if I said i didn’t have anything negative to say about it, but I’m not going to get into all of that.

GWL: Tell me about some of the people who’ve helped and inspired you along the way.

JK: I’ve been helped by so many people. My parents were huge in helping me pursue music when I was growing up. I don’t think they could have stopped me if they had wanted to though. My brother helped me a lot with teaching me some guitar stuff early on, and continues to be an inspiration. Amy, my wife, is of course my biggest help and inspiration. She is always pushing me creatively and musically. She is really the reason we get to move to Nashville. If it wasn’t for her and her job freedom, we couldn’t afford to move. Aside from that, Jon Ross has helped me quite a lot with coming up with drum parts for some of my songs and playing on most of my songs. All of the musicians I’ve ever played with up here in Fort Wayne have also helped and inspired me so much. Lee Miles, Mark Hutchins, Josh Hall, Kevin Hambrick – those guys. Also my close friends are always encouraging me and backing me up.

GWL: Any final words for your Fort Wayne people?

JK: I guess maybe I want people to know that I’m not as weird as I seem. Or maybe I am. Also, I guess I made this music all by myself, and I’m really proud of it. So if you have any interest in local Fort Wayne music, please come out August 26 for my show at the Rail. Or even August 27 for the free Dessert show after Taste of the Arts, which I’m also playing at.

Download Jon’s first album, Down In a Mirror, for free HERE.