"Right On John is a one man wonder. Playing solo among a whole band's worth of instruments, John (last name McColley) wields some howlin', high energy blues and down-home, tambourine-timed rock'n' roll. His deep, twangy sounds are calculated but beautifully crude. Be sure to come early to get a good look at ROJ's slide skills on the subverso fiddle."
Anika Sabin-Willamette Week, Portland, OR.
"He (Right On John) describes himself as a one man vaudeville songwriter, but I think he's more like me and Joe (Evans)." says Left Lane Cruiser multi-instrumentalist/drummer Brenn Beck. "He does it all himself. It's basically just raw, slide guitar-driven, funky blues-type rock. I don't know how else to describe it, but it's really good stuff. Really dirty."
As far as the instruments that he plays, well, here are just a few: acoustic guitar, semi-hollow body electric guitar, subverso fiddle, drums, stompbox, harmonica and vocals. So, basically, imagine trying to stuff the LLC boys into one funky outfit.
And yes, he plays it all by himself, calling to duty every limb (usually at the same time) to create a thick, rootsy sound. When compared to two other one man bands, thankfully ROJ is a little more Dosh (creative) and a little less Howie Day (cheesy), though he's much different (and better) than both.
Creating a full sound on your own without a slew of pedal loops, samplers, and other contraptions is no easy task. How does ROJ do it? "Duct tape has a lot to do with it."
Also of note is ROJ's penchant for all things humorous, citing various comedians-including the late, great Bill Hicks and Fort Wayne favorite George Carlin-as some of his biggest heroes and influences. This connection to whip-smart social commentators not only adds to ROJ's music, but also to his one-of-a-kind personality.
Greg Locke-Whatzup Weekly, Fort Wayne, IN.
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