It’s crunchy, it’s calibrated, it’s Canadian…it oozes classic hooks, simple timing, & scampish lyrics…it was fed on the thunder of AC/DC, the glam-jam of Cheap Trick, & the sensibility of The Rolling Stones…& bred by a father who played modest folk guitar. THE JEFFERY BROTHERS have been culminating their ascent on the musical world for over twenty-five years now, but the past decade has seen the fruit of their labours come to a full harvest of both criticism & respect for their craft. Do they care? Not really. Twin brothers, Josh & Nick, share A DREAM. A dream of touring foreign lands, playing on light-soaked stages, & creating a full-blown lifestyle around their passion. “I’m gonna’ live that rock‘n’roll fantasy.” denotes a line from “I Wanna Rock”, the first single off their current album Cuttin’ Loose. From sleeping in an airport (in London, England) at 7:00 AM to never-ending rehearsals, tweaking soundchecks, booking shows, creating roaring riffs, or resolving a heated argument over collaboration…they intend on making this “dream” their “reality” – & they plan on doing it their own way.
The Midland, Ontario duo are no strangers to the effort it takes to get a music career off the ground. It’s been their professional calling since 2003. They’ve written & recorded over 75 songs in recent years, released a five-song EP in 2004 called “Splitting Headache”, & showcased themselves at Toronto’s Canadian Music Week in 2010. They’ve played ANYWHERE & EVERYWHERE that would take them, including winning a UK tour through a nerve-splitting “dice game”. They formed the proudly independent Rok Cartel Music Group, wrote the theme song for “Scooter Girls” on CTV & TSN, even caught the attention of Bernard Fowler – who has a penned regularity for his contributions with The Rolling Stones. All the while, The Jeffery Brothers realize it comes down to the RISKS you are willing to take & those you are willing to ROCK. If you thought R‘N’R meant “rest & relaxation”, these guys will certainly prove you wrong! The climb for independent success has been relentless, but liberating nonetheless.
“Be true to the music, & do what you think is best for you.” Nick tells me, as we discuss the brothers’ twenty-nine year relationship, “We have the fights that most brothers do, but it’s like water off a duck’s back…we move on.” I can relate to the bond these guys share, being a mother of a set of twins of my own, & I can’t help but wonder what amasses during their “onstage rivalry”. In this relationship, blood does run thicker than water…it has to in order to make it work. Business partners, confidants, bandmates, & friends…they relish in a goal to make people “FEEL” & “ENJOY” music once again, & get their toes tappin’ to a rhythm that’s consistently tangible.
The video for “I WANNA ROCK” caught my attention a few months back. It was textbook “grind your hips & swing your locks” careen, where repetitive riffs meet chanting lines, & the guys reflect on their personal pursuit of rock‘n’roll heaven…& the insults (& injury) it takes to get there. Of course, you can’t have any piece of grinding guitar homage without sinful babes in skimpy attire, so the “chair-straddling beauties” only added to the feverish decadence. But, as always, I’m captivated by the musicians & songwriting…& was eagerly entrenched by this meticulous sound pulled off by a cast of THREE. Small, but firm…polished, with little extravagance…it delved into a territory that was familiar & comfortable to most classic rock fans. Cuttin’ Loose took two years to complete – Josh Jeffery writing the entirety of the album & vocally fronting the group, Nick delivering the hardened spine through his poised drumming style, & a mix of bassists adding talents in-studio & on the road. After numerous re-visits to their hefty catalogue to gently refine things, TJB finally got the equation right. Produced by Glen Robinson (Voivod/The Ramones/Keith Richards), the album pounds “IMMENSE GUITAR” with direct melodies that are sonically driven into a lean Tom Petty influence.
WATCH “I WANNA ROCK” ON YOUTUBE
“A music video is a main part of the package in today’s marketplace for a band.” Nick shares, & I couldn’t agree with him more. It isn’t enough just to get a dose of an artist on the airwaves. Music has become (just as much) a visual concept & people want to see WHO is creating it. “If the fans don’t like what you do, they will let you know…that’s all that really matters to us.” he says. It’s interesting that a majority of The Jeffery Brothers’ support has risen in Europe, rallying them to come back for a second whirlwind tour this June & July. In fact, there is even a “LIVE” DVD shoot planned for the occasion – capturing exclusive interviews, the fans, life on the road, & the essence of a J.BROS performance in all of it’s pulsating grandeur. These guys do a nasty cover of Eric Clapton’s “Cocaine”. This, paired with a mix of their own “festivalized” grooves, should be a sure-fire way to get all the Brits’ & Scots’ rocks off. “We just write about everyday life. What BEST to put on a sheet of paper? People are always looking for new music…we hope we can give that to them.”
Growing up in a humble Ontario home, with a family of four, has kept realism & practicality in The Jeffery Brothers’ lives & in their music. “The Dream” almost didn’t happen for Josh, when his wrists were badly cut by a shattered window around the age of five. But soon the boys discovered AC/DC, which would be the remedy that healed all scars & laid the foundation for their love affair with rock‘n’roll. “I remember recording a track in Montreal, & words became heated between Josh & I…when the outcome was not what we had expected. I stormed outta’ the studio, went back to the hotel, & fell asleep. Josh ended up sleeping in the van that night, because he had forgotten his keys & I wouldn’t wake up. Both of us thought we were mad at each other…until the next morning, when we found out what the REAL issue was. Funny, now…when we talk about it. Our life has been full of little moments like that, but we always seem to get through them.”
On April 14th, Josh & Nick supported “Canada Rocks 4 Japan” by taking a number of their singles to the stage of The Sound Academy in Toronto. The 3-4 hour benefit concert hosted nineteen performers, all in a variety of styles & genres, to raise money for tsunami relief through the Canadian Red Cross. It was an excellent opportunity for the brothers to “give back” & once again share their strong connection for community, humanitarianism, & bringing musical pleasure to the masses. The blue-collar heritage they grew up with has baptized them for the LONG HOURS it takes to reap only a FEW MINUTES of uninterrupted fame. While North America just begins to discover the timeless format & uncomplicated tracks that The Jeffery Brothers have to offer, it leaves us with a notion that classic rock DOES keep evolving. However, our perception of “how it should be delivered” never changes. Monster power chords & deafening percussion meet in a seductive battle of ROCK versus ROLL, & The Jeffery Brothers are right in the thick of it all.
*** The Jeffery Brothers music can be found on iTunes, CD Baby, & MusicMax. Photos courtesy of Rok Cartel Music Group. For more information, please visit…
BPatoine – May, 2011
