In an interview with the up-and-coming guitarist, singer, and songwriter. John Dodge talks about life on the road, struggles, and new upcoming music.
Last summer, John had gone on tour with soloist Jackson Browne, James Taylor, and best friend, Don Cooper. Thinking back to the tour, Dodge laughs saying that James had been a fan of Dodge for awhile and couldn’t believe that he was being asked to open for him. While Jackson Browne turned into a solid support system for the two, since they have never been on tour before. The tour began in New York at a local club known as the Trax.
Traveling, “It makes me more real, ” says Cooper, “It makes it feel like you’re livin’. When I’m on the road, I’m always stayin’ with friends. Travellin’ can really git ya down.” Continuing who when you are on tour that you’re with the same guys all the time. That you are never in one place long. Its always a constant flow of go. Things aren’t as glamorous as people make it out to be, it does get rough after a while.
“We love each other and we fight all the time,” Dodge says, “That’s the way we work, it’s all ultimately positive. Writing songs together ain’t easy. We’re writing quite a few, but it’s tough. But it’s worth it.”
But then their are people who claim that Dodge is nothing, but original. Some critics have even come to the conclusion that he may steal some of his songs from his fellow tour group. To which Dodge replies that no matter what you do or say, no one will ever be content. He isn’t hugely famous, he’s fresh meat to get picked on. He has a fan base and a few bad comments from some bullies are not going to stop him from performing.
They haven’t been around long and their is a ton of music already put out in the world. It is hard not to repeat the same cliche lyrics, but everyone gets their inspiration from somewhere. Dodge claims that all his songs are original and that it is just pure coincidence that it sounds like another person’s work. He may work back and forth with the others and get help form them, but the “creative tension” builds as the group molds a new song.
“We will be recording this Spring,” John shares about new music with Don Cooper, “Together we’re ‘Don Juan,'” he laughs, “That’s our name. There will be a product in the streets- on the airwaves, we hope-by the end of the summer.”
Keep your ears open new and old fans. Don Juan will have new things out by the end of this summer and you don’t want to miss out.
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