“You Talkin’ to Me?” – Jason John Leigh

Best known as the front man for Melbourne cult part band The Stiffys, Jason John Leigh has spent his professional career to date making his name alongside his bandmates via raucous live shows, relentless touring and typing in all caps. Growing up around instruments in his youth, Leigh has been playing in bands since the age of fourteen, going on to front The Stiffys for their 2012 debut release, titled The Stiffys, and the array of new material that followed, up to 2020’s Cool. But while his musical clout is already firmly entrenched in the Aussie musical landscape, the solo album goodthankyou is nothing like The Stiffys.

As Leigh explains: “The Stiffys are Adam Stagg, Devin de Araujo and I having a fantastic and obnoxious time after two bottles of Passion Pop each,” Leigh shares. “goodthankyou” is just me in a storage unit after two beers, and it’s a lot more touchy feely. I’ve been gestating on this for ages. And not just in the studio — every waking moment, this record has been playing on loop in my head. This album was recorded to be listened to in full with headphones on. Of course, you won’t, no one does, but maybe someday you’ll find yourself with thirty fives minutes to kill.”

A foot-stomping delight, the new single, PRAY AT YOUR ALTAR finds Leigh weaving indie and rock grooves under the goodthankyou moniker, with Leigh conjuring the single, as well as the entirety of The Kennards Sessions, at an undisclosed storage unit studio setup, recorded over the space of 18 months to avoid discovery and being kicked out.

Name: Jason John Leigh

In less than 50 words describe your music, your band (if applicable) and yourself.
goodthankyou is a new DIY project from Jason John Leigh, frontman of Melbourne’s cult party favourites ‘The Stiffys’, who made their name through raucous live shows across the country. It’s produced alone, in a makeshift storage unit studio, late at night so he won’t be discovered and evicted.

What was the first rock/pop concert you attended?
Slipknot at Festival Hall in Melbourne. Two mistakes were made that night: we accidentally bought tickets to the seated area instead of general admission, and I bought my first pack of cigarettes that night.

Punk or Goth Music:
I went the punk way, but just because I had no one to guide me though goth. Turns out goth is pretty great.

Who are you excited about, music wise, at the moment?
Viagra Boys. It’s exciting that a band like that is really taking off. They’re a proper rock and roll band and they never let me down.

The Best live artist/band you’ve seen:
It’s a tie between The Refused and The Hives. Both shows were so good that I cried a tiny bit, for real. The Swedes work hard.

What are you currently reading?
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner.

Your favourite Sunday morning chill out record?
I have a playlist of old Elvis’s songs that turns any morning into the best morning.

Which song do you wish you had written?
Blackbird by Paul McCartney. I’m sure a lot of people say that, but shit. It still gives me goosebumps.

Author Manuel Puig said “I’m not terribly happy about rock and roll. Rock music is uninspiring, numbing; it makes you feel like an idiot.” Discuss.
Some of it is. But also, it’s fun to feel like an idiot. I love big dumb beats and riffs that blow all my thoughts away and just leave me to feel. Anyway, if he was alive, he’d be nearly 100. Maybe he’d love where rock and roll has gotten to.

Vinyl, Cassette, CD, mp3 or Streaming?
I remember what it was like to have to pay for music and it sucked. I worked a lot of extra hours at shitty jobs just to buy more music. Streaming is truly amazing, even if it’s killed any hope that I had of making money from music.

If you could hang out with any music artist, in a bar one afternoon, who would it be?
Josh Homme. I’m obsessed with him at the moment, after just seen Queens of The Stone Age in Hobart and Sydney. He’s a genius. He’d be a real fun time in a bar, too.

What is your worst habit?
I’m addicted to starting new ideas instead of finishing old ones.

How often do you look at your mobile phone?
One million hours a day. Especially since this record has come out — I’ve been getting a lot of ‘good boys’ in the DMs. And you can see exactly where people are listening to your music, they’re really loving it in Chicago!

Any good backstage stories?
I met my comedy hero Tony Martin backstage at the Corner Hotel. He was so nice, and it was so overwhelming to meet him, that I misted up a little. Wow, I’m telling you a lot of crying stories aren’t I. I really don’t cry much but when I do, I tell the Hi Fi Way about it.

An alien lands on Earth and wants to know what Rock and roll sounds like. What song do you play him?
Leg of Lamb by Queens of The Stone Age. It’d give them a good picture of where rock and roll has been and where it can go. And mainly because I’m obsessed with them at the moment.

Favourite all time TV show:
It was Rick and Morty, but I’m really taken by Dave at the moment — Lil Dicky’s show. Oh, maybe it’s Atlanta, actually.

What is your specialty in the kitchen?
Bulk cooking. I have an extra freezer just to fill with pasta sauce and stuff, so I cook for a day and live for a month.

With whom would you like to record a song with?
Adam Stagg and Devin de Araujo from The Stiffys. We’ve done it one million times but I always want to do it again, they’re the absolute best.

You have tickets to see The Killers and Bruce Springsteen but they are on the same night. Which one do you attend?
I’d sell the ticket and pump that money over the bar at The Tote or the Old Bar, and watch whoever was playing there.

Where do you hope to be in 12 months?
Talking with you about a new record, that is even better than the one I’ve just put out.

Interview by Geoff Jenke

Pray At Your Alter, the first single from the album goodthankyou is Out Now

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