CLASSIC ROCK REVISITED
I N T E R V I E W

CRR: I know you're a man of many talents and multiple projects, but let's talk about Brother Cane first since that's probably you're biggest claim to fame.  Tell me a little bit about the formation of that band.

DJ: Brother Cane was originally called Chyld, and I was the lead guitar player.  We showcased for several labels before Virgin Records expressed interest in the band minus our singer.  After an eight month search for a new singer, I raised my hand and said, "how hard can it be?"  What the hell was I thinking?

CRR: What do you recall as being Brother Cane's first big break?

DJ: There were several; perhaps the biggest was getting to open a string of shows for Buddy Guy and Johnny Winter in the winter of '93 just before the first album came out.  We were never part of the alternative scene, but we were certainly never part of the west coast "glam" thing either, so we found some direction and enthusiasm on that tour.  That led to us getting to open dates later that year for Robert Plant and Aerosmith.

CRR: What would you consider your fondest memory to date concerning Brother Cane?

DJ: Clyde, it would be impossible to name just one.  Opening for Aerosmith at Madison Square Garden did NOT suck, and having a debate with the Van Halen brothers about whether I should play guitar or simply front the band was very cool and rather surreal (for the record: Alex thought I should just be a singer/frontman, and Ed said I was too good a guitar player…did I dream that?).  Our only trip to Europe in '96 was very special, and getting to jam with Joe Walsh and John Entwistle on the same night in '93 was awesome.

CRR: How about your biggest nightmare?

DJ: Easy.  The death of a close friend and road crew member from "the big cliché"; drugs and alcohol.

CRR: What made you decide to move on to other projects?

DJ: Our third album, Wishpool, was in my opinion our greatest artistic statement.  After delivering another #1 track at rock radio ("I Lie in the Bed I Make"), we would go to towns like Dayton, OH for a sold-out club show, have two stations spinning our song 36 times a week, and there would be no fucking records in the store.  My bass player and I were both going through divorces, and half the band had serious substance abuse problems.  After three albums and relentless touring, we were simply not getting the results we felt we had to have to continue.  It was the right decision to let it go.

CRR: Most of your music, regardless of what group you're playing with, is pretty heavy sounding.  What inspired you to do the acoustic album Dust.

DJ: In '99, I went through a period of listening to lots of Steve Earle, Neil Young, Springsteen, and Dylan, and had incorporated some of their songs into the acoustic sets I had starting playing in some clubs in the southeast.  A friend literally showed up one night with some microphones; we did two shows, picked the best tracks, and released the damn thing.  It's been very rewarding the feedback I've gotten from the fans and other musicians after releasing Dust.

CRR: You did some songwriting and guitar playing for Sammy Hagar on his Marching to Mars album.  What was that experience like?

DJ: I have to tell you, to this very day, Sammy Hagar is the probably the single most solid, soulful cat I've ever worked with, especially for a guy that's had the success he's had.  Literally the week after he and Van Halen split, he called and asked if I wanted to come and write with him for his record (Brother Cane did about six weeks worth of dates opening for VH on the Balance tour).  I met his wonderful family, wrote a couple of songs, and flew back out later to play on the record with him.  And I made the trademark trip to Cabo that year and played with him and his band for his birthday party.  Sammy's a wonderful human being and has shared a lot of solid advice with me that has definitely helped in my personal life.

CRR: According to your bio, you also worked briefly with the Damm Yankees.  Two of my favorite guitarists- as well as many other people's favorites, I'm sure- Tommy Shaw and Ted Nugent are in that band.  What was your capacity with the group and did you find it somewhat intimidating to be working with such legendary guitar icons in the classic rock world?

DJ: John Kalodner was my connection initially to the Damn Yankees, and Ted and I were friends from Brother Cane touring with him.  In the beginning, I was basically there to take Tommy's place as he had obligations with Styx.  Jack, Ted, Michael, and I wrote about 15 songs in addition to a few that Tommy and Jack had written the year before.  In the eleventh hour, Tommy was added to the mix.  They were all great guys and we wrote a couple of really good songs.  There's a completed album somewhere, hidden deep in the vaults of Columbia Records.  Like the old Tootsie Pop commercials, "The world may never know…"

CRR: You're also in a band called Slave to the System with Queensryche drummer Scott Rockenfield.  How did that group come about?

DJ: Damn, I'm in a lot of bands, aren't I?  The Brother Cane Wishpool album was produced by Kelly Gray, and he would later replace Chris DeGarmo in Q'ryche for an album and tour.  Kelly and I work incredibly well together, so it was his idea to get a project going.  The first STTS album is awesome and something I'm very proud of.  We are working on trying to get together for album number two sometime in early 2004.  And Scott Rockenfield is maybe the nicest guy you'll ever meet in your entire life (and not a bad drummer either).

CRR: You just stepped down as lead vocalist and bass player for a band called Red Halo.  How would you compare handling bass duties to your traditional gigs as a guitarist?

DJ: It was a choice I made simply out of necessity; the band already had two very cool guitar players, and I was more interested in focusing on the songwriting and lyrics rather than guitar parts for a change.  I found out rather quickly that you can't "miss" as many parts on bass like you can on guitar in a live performace situation.  So this is my official apology to all the bass players I've given hell over the years... guys, I'm truly sorry.  Now I understand...

CRR: You left that group because you didn't want to go back on the road according to what I've read.  That sounds almost strange coming from a successful musician because so much of a musician's life revolves around being on the road.  Is there something in particular that erks you about being out on the road or have you just plain had your fill?

DJ: I love being on the road... love it.  But... do I love getting in a van for 150 dates and eating shit food and sharing a room with two other guys and missing more of my kids basketball and soccer games and not getting to sleep with my wife most of the time just so I MIGHT get a decent record deal and I MIGHT get some cool tours and I MIGHT get genuine promotion and backing?  HELL NO!  I'm officially over that part of it.  I'm about six weeks into my decision and have not looked back once.  Besides, Red Halo's chances at success are so much greater now with the new singer, Mark Fain, and I'm very comfortable in my role with them as songwriter and producer.

CRR: You're still working with that band as a songwriter and producer, however.  Is that more of the direction you hope to steer the rest of your career in?

DJ: Yes.  Clyde, it's officially time for me to wake up and smell the coffee.  I no longer want to be Mick Jagger when I grow up (HaHa).  I'm in a very strange position as far as artists that had some "success" early in their career.  Brother Cane was never officially a success, at least in industry terms.  We sold about 500,000 copies of three albums combined, which is just enough to be about a million dollars in debt to your record company.  I did, however, make lots of friends and have nurtured what I feel to be a solid reputation as a writer, musician, and entertainer, and consider myself very lucky to be able to provide for my family strictly by continuing to play music.  For so many years now I have aggressively pursued success as having a record deal and selling millions of albums, and that was very naïve of me.  This is a big industry with lots of avenues with which to be creative and productive, and focusing more on working with younger bands is something I'm already having a great time with.  But I plan to continue performing in numerous capacities from time to time.

CRR: You've recently opened your own recording studio in Birmingham.  How is that going?  Are you working with anyone readers of Classic Rock Revisited would recognize?

DJ: My studio is called Double Dragon and I'm very proud of it.  It's nothing elaborate, but it's fully functional and very economical for any type of project.  And yes, I've already talked to John Waite, Rickey Medlocke, and Mr. Nugent about getting in here and "bringing the rock".

CRR: How would you compare producing and engineering to playing?

DJ: When it comes to playing and performing, after so many years of practice, I'm pretty fearless about it.  But this engineering thing is a whole new beast, and I'm inspired by the challenge.  Kelly Gray has been incredibly helpful and a great teacher for me.  The greatest fulfillment so far has been being able to have more control over my work schedule and still be totally connected with my wife and children.  It's really where it's truly at, and I can't think of anybody I'd trade places with.

CRR: I'm going to wrap this up with a series of "what if" scenarios to try and help readers identify with the many different aspects of your musical career.  First scenario, If you could pick any artist or group to write a song for who would it be and why?

DJ: I'd write some songs for Sting and Stewart Copeland so the fucking Police would reunite for an album and tour.  Sting's gotten a little soft for me lately and Stewart is the greatest drummer of all time; so they need my help!  Maybe they'd teach me how to play polo.  I'd teach them how to drive a tractor.

CRR: Same scenario but substitute anyone you could play with?

DJ: That's easy: Thin Lizzy... even the current version that is obviously without Phil.  They were my favorite band as a youngster and I know EVERY Thin Lizzy riff every written.  If anyone can get in touch with Scott Gorham, tell him that Damon says he is "THE SHIT" (in the south, that's a compliment of the highest order), and that John Sykes plays WAY too fast.

CRR: How about produce?

DJ: I'd love to produce The White Stripes, because I have a feeling that young Jack has a very cool record collection, and he obviously knows who Howlin' Wolf is.

CRR: If you had to choose between being a songwriter, performer or producer, and that was the only thing you could do musically for the rest of your life, which would you choose and why?

DJ: Performer, sir, performer... because that's where the people are.  To me, music is about people: the audience, the road crew, the sound company, the caterers, the bus drivers, the whole she-bang.  There's nothing like "laying it down" and look out there and see that someone gets it... truly gets it.  It's the greatest feeling.