Holiday Hell Yeah!
Friday - November 16, 2007
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Del.icio.usThe 411
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Thanks to music, Eric White, Ian Ashley, Shon Gregory, Jason “Bison” Friedmann, Jay “Jayder” Ralk and Ryan Kunimura have traveled the world, performing in places throughout the Mainland, Europe and Japan. Unfortunately, sightseeing and trips to the local museum don’t seem to make their overseas agenda - on their last European tour, the guys of Go Jimmy Go managed to play 39 straight shows in 13 countries in six weeks.
As crazy as their tour schedule often gets, they say it’s touring that really connected them as a band.
“We spend so much time together, we’re like brothers,” says White, tenor saxophone. “Just by nature of just bonding and playing music all the time.”
Their most recent endeavor is their first Christmas album, Holiday Hell Yeah!, which has as much spunk and originality as the guys themselves. The album has 10 tracks with five originals, done in Go Jimmy Go-style with a Hawaiian-ska-rocksteady-reggae sound.
The album’s song list includes: Merry Christmas, Baby, Holiday Movie Marathon, Once a Year, Christmas Morning, Sleigh Ride, The Twenty Days of Christmas Local Style, Ching-A-Ling-A-Ding-Dong, Tropical Christmas, Mele Kalikimaka and of course, Holiday Hell Yeah!
“With every release we’re kind of the same and kind of different,“says White.“You want to be familiar to the people who know you. You can’t lose your identity, but you also have to grow at the same time.”
Slated for next year is another European tour in March for about three weeks and another full-length album to release in the spring.
As for things happening in the more immediate future, Go Jimmy Go will be on stage at Anna Bannana’s Nov. 24 at 9:30 p.m., and at the Mai Tai Bar Dec. 4 at 10 p.m. To learn more about the guys or their upcoming gigs, visit www.myspace.com/gojimmygo
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Q’nA
What do you think makes Go Jimmy Go unique?
Jayder: Nowhere else can you find so much soul with musicians that understand traditional ska with that ever-present feeling of aloha.
Eric: We try to be ourselves as much as possible. The guys in the band are so different musically and in personality, but it manages to all come together both in the studio and on the stage. Our roots run deep musically, and I think it shows in the music.
Ryan: Our music is garanz.
Bison: We don’t sound like any of the corporate sounds that overwhelm the radio - our sound is unique.
Do you have any pre-show or post-show rituals?
Eric: Beer or whiskey.
Jayder: I like to engage in a mad session of thumb wrestling with Ryan.
Ian: Tuning my guitar and Heinekens.
What do you think is key in keeping a band together?
Ian: Being brothers from Hawaii on the road.
Jayder: Barbecues and Heineken
Shon: Getting along with each other. Creativity is really important too, but when it comes down to it, you must get along and respect one another.
What/who can always make you happy?
Eric: The people in the front row.
Ryan: Suck it up and no be one grouch. Be cool and appreciate everything always, and be cool to people, or else you just one grouch. This is how I attain happiness.
Bison: My beautiful wife and two kids.
What is it that you love about music?
Eric: To me, music is the way we express our life. Other artists do it through film, painting, poetry, on and on and on. I like our way the best, because everybody can sing and dance and come together like that. We all have a primordial bond through music, and it’s nice to celebrate that.
Ryan: Because it sounds good to the human ear, and when you listen, your whole life becomes a shaka!
Ian: The way it makes me feel when I use it as an outlet.
How do you unwind after a long day?
Eric: Beers, good pupus and talking story with friends.
Ian: We’re all alcoholics - you figure it out.
Shon: Go Sandy’s.
What food best describes your personality and why?
Eric: Saimin, because it’s Asian, warm and familiar. It can also be as plain or complicated as you want.
Bison: Da kine duck soup with small kine chili peppah water ... easy going but with a kick!
Ryan: Spam musubi. Turn rubbish into gold.
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