E.C.: First, how did someone with a degree in Anthropology end up doing music?

Billy Jonas: SONGWRITING AND ANTHROPOLOGY ARE CLOSELY RELATED: BOTH REQUIRE ONE TO STEP BACK AND LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON IN A CULTURE, AND / OR CLIMB DEEP INSIDE A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF THE CULTURE, AND COMMUNICATE THIS. ANTHROPOLOGY AND SONGWRITING BOTH EXPLORE HOW EXPERIENCE IS COMMUNICATED, OR 'MEDIATED.'

E.C.: I'm curious if you did any travels related to anthropology before you got into doing music?

Billy Jonas: THERE WAS NO 'BEFORE' I GOT INTO MUSIC -- I'VE BEEN BANGING ON STUFF SINCE I WAS 2, AND SINGING LONG BEFORE THAT! SO ALL MY TRAVELS HAVE FED MY MUSIC AND VICE VERSA.

E.C.: Were there any influences from other cultures that found its way into your music?

Billy Jonas: I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INSPIRED BY THE MUSIC OF 'TRIBAL' CULTURES, WHERE ORAL TRADITIONS STILL THRIVE. ESPECIALLY THOSE OF AFRICA, LIKE NIGERIA, AND MALI: I LIKE THE INCLUSIVENESS -- EVERYBODY IS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE, AND THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN AUDIENCE AND PERFORMER BLURS. I LIKE THE MUSIC OF SOME OFTHE NATIVE AMERICANS OF NORTH AMERICA: THE COMMUNAL DRUMMING AND SINGING TOUCHES A DEEP PRIMAL PLACE. I LOVE THE DYNAMISM OF JAPANESE TAIKO....

E.C.: In your music you seem to touch on various aspects, from religion, everyday life, social commentary to biography. LIFE SO FAR (the album, not just the song) seems to be a "musical biography". Am I correct in that label?

Billy Jonas: YES.

E.C.: Do you have any aspirations to be signed to a major label? Or are you happy just where you are musically?

Billy Jonas: I'M OPEN TO INSPIRATION -- THERE ARE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES TO MAJOR LABELS. I'M GLAD I PRODUCED MY FIRST SOLO EFFORT INDEPENDENTLY, I'VE LEARNED A LOT, AND BEEN ABLE TO CHART MY OWN COURSE. HAVING OTHERS INVOLVED IN AN ARTISTIC ENDEAVOR, ON ALL LEVELS, HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GOOD THING, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE OF THAT, WHETHER ITS A MAJOR LABEL, AN INDIE, OR JUST FOLKS I HIRE. IT HAS TO BE HANDLED CAREFULLY, AND REQUIRES A LOT OF GRACE.

E.C.: I've got a question about your video, BANGIN' & SANGIN' and your school performances. Do you have two sets? One for the adult-oriented shows and one for the children's shows? Do you have any originals that only get played at your children's shows?

Billy Jonas: MY EVENINGS ARE FILLED WITH PERFORMANCES FOR ADULTS, AND MY DAYS ARE FILLED WITH SHOWS FOR KIDS. THESE ARE TWO DIFFERENT SETS OF SONGS, THOUGH THE INSTRUMENTS AND THE ENTHUSIASM REMAIN. I DO A GREATER EMOTIONAL RANGE OF MATERIAL FOR ADULTS, CUZ THEY HAVE LONGER ATTENTION SPANS AND ARE MORE INTRIGUED AS A MASS BY SUBLTLETY. KIDS CAN TUNE IN TO THIS TOO, BUT ITS MUCH HARDER WHEN THEY'RE IN A BIG GROUP, SO I DON'T GO THERE AS MUCH WITH THEM. SO YES, SOME SONGS ARE ONLY PLAYED AT ADULT SHOWS, AND SOME ONLY AT KIDS SHOWS.

E.C.: Speaking of children, you have a great idea with your homemade instruments! I mean, I doubt there is a single child who HASN'T beat on homemade instruments at one time during their childhood. How did you start incorporating that theme into your music?

Billy Jonas: IT WAS AN INTERESTING PROCESS: MOST OF MY FRIENDS DURING HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE WERE NOT TRAINED MUSICIANS, YET WANTED TO PARTICIPATE IN MAKING MUSIC. OUR COMMON DENOMINATOR WAS KITCHEN PERCUSSION -- PLAYING POTS AND PANS WITH CHOP STICKS. THIS EXPERIENCE CULMINATED IN A BAND CALLED THE 'BIG BANG THEORY,' AT OBERLIN COLLEGE, WHICH PLAYED ALL SONGS ON FOUND OBJECTS AND RECYCLABLE-HOMEMADE STUFF.

AFTER COLLEGE, WHEN I BEGAN WRITING SONGS MORE SERIOUSLY, I WOULD OFTEN ATTEND OPEN STAGES TO TRY THEM OUT. IF THEY WEREN'T FINISHED MUSICALLY, BUT THE WORDS SEEMED DONE, I WOULD JUST TAKE A WATER BOTTLE DRUM TO KEEP A RHYTHM WHILE I SANG. PEOPLE LOVED THE PIECES IN THIS STRIPPED DOWN MODE, AND SEEMED TO BE DRAWN TO THE ACCESSIBLITY OF THE INSTRUMENTS. SO I KEPT A LOT OF THE SONGS AS VOICE AND PERCUSSION PIECES AND BEGAN TO DEVELOP MORE INSTRUMENTS, TO CREATE MORE VARIATIONS IN THE ACCOMPANIMENT.

I THINK A GOOD APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING WHAT I DO IS TO POINT OUT THAT BESIDES MY FOCUS ON THE WRITING ASPECT OF BEING A SINGER / SONGWRITER, THE PRIMARY INSTRUMENT I PLAY IS THE AUDIENCE....RECYCLABLE AND HOMEMADE INSTRUMENTS ARE A FUN AND INTEGRAL PART OF MAKING MY MUSIC ACCESSIBLE AND INSPIRING, AND FINDING INTERESTING, EVOCATIVE SOUNDS.... BUT THE INITIAL SPECTACLE OF THE INSTRUMENTS BECOMES OVERSHADOWED BY THE ENERGY, FEELINGS, AND GLORIOUS SOUND GENERATED BY INTERACTION WITH THE AUDIENCE - CALL AND RESPONSE SONGS, SINGALONGS, WHISPER ALONGS, BANGALONGS, IMPROVISED SONGS WITH SUGGESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE....I WORK TO TRIBALIZE THE COMPOSITIONS: TO CREATE SONGS THAT PROVIDE AN IMMEDIATE OPPORTUNITY, ON THE FIRST HEARING, FOR THE LISTENER TO PARTICIPATE, AS IF THE SONG HAS BEEN A PART OF THEIR LIFE FOR A LONG TIME.

I BELIEVE MUSIC CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, WITH ANYONE, AND ANYTHING. WE'RE ALL MUSICIANS, AND WE'RE ALL PART OF THE BAND: MY VISION AND MY WISH IS THAT MY CONCERTS WILL PROVE THIS AS SONOROUSLY AS POSSIBLE.

E.C.: "God Is In" seems to be a perfect modern religious song. You approach the theme with both reverence AND humor. How did that song come about and what point were you trying to get across?

Billy Jonas: THE SONG WAS BORN ONE NIGHT WHEN I WAS STANDING IN THE KITCHEN OF A HOUSE I WAS SHARING WITH 8 OTHER PEOPLE, AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF "I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN A HOUSE WITH A MICROWAVE." THEN I THOUGHT TO MYSELF "LIGHTEN UP, BILLY, GOD IS IN THE MICROWAVE TOO." THE REST IS HISTORY. I BEGAN GENERATING A LONG LIST OF UNLIKELY PLACES ONE CAN FIND GOD, AND THEN FINDING QUICK WAYS TO DEMONSTRATE IT, AND RHYME IT.

E.C.: Being a Druid, I also have friends that are: Christian, Wiccan, Buddhist, Jewish and Bahai. You seem to touch on almost everyone in this song (although I know of a Native American who wondered why they weren't mentioned! Ha ha). What are YOUR religious leanings?

Billy Jonas: I'M JEWISH. AND I ATTEND BUDDHIST MEDITATIONS, AND SWEAT LODGES, AND CHURCHS, WHEN I CAN. GOD SPEAKS ALL LANGUAGES, AND I LIKE TO EXPERIENCE THEM IN ALL THEIR VARIATIONS.

E.C.: Some of your songs have that sort of tribal rhythm that would fit perfectly around a campfire and circle. Have you ever been to a drumming circle?

Billy Jonas: MANY TIMES. MY EARLIEST INSPIRATIONS WERE CAMPFIRES AT SUMMERCAMP - A VERY TRIBAL EXPERIENCE.

USING VOICE AND PERCUSSION IS A WAY OF TAPPING INTO WHAT I PERCEIVE AS THE 'ESSENCE' OF MUSIC : 'BANGIN' AND SANGIN'....' IT'S WHERE IT ALL BEGAN. USING FOUND OBJECTS AND THE AUDIENCE IS A WAY TO KEEP IT IMMEDIATE, VITAL, AND CONNECTED TO COMMUNITY. IT ALSO KEEPS IT 'ORIGINAL' - FRESH, YET HARKENING BACK TO MUSIC'S AND OUR OWN 'ORIGIN.'

E.C.: If you could pick one word which would describe your music best, what would it be? "Storyteller" is what comes to my mind.

Billy Jonas: I LIKE TO CALL IT NEO-TRIBAL FOLK MUSIC.

E.C.: Finally, you've described your music as "industrial re-percussion". Will we see more of that theme on the next album? Have you thought about your next album, or are you too busy touring this year?

Billy Jonas: I'VE BEEN TOURING A LOT, BUT I'M ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT THE NEXT PROJECT.... THIS FALL I SHOULD COMPLETE A KIDS ALBUM. THEN I BEGIN WORK ON ANOTHER ADULT RELEASE, TO BE FOLLOWED BY A 'RELIGIOUS' WORK, PROBABLY. I'M SURE ALL THE PROJECTS WILL EMPLOY VARIATIONS ON 'INDUSTRIAL RE-PERCUSSION!' FOUND SOUNDS, AND ORIGINAL INSTRUMENTS ARE A CONSTANT INSPIRATION.

The following additional questions/answers were from a Marsha Barber interview which was never printed in it's entirety. Used with kind permission of Billy Jonas.

E.C.: How/when/why did you get the idea of playing on recycled instruments AND USING THE AUDIENCE?

Billy Jonas: PHASE ONE: IT ALL BEGAN AT SUMMERCAMP, AROUND THE CAMPFIRE, WHERE JUST AS IN A TRIBAL CULTURE, THE LINES WERE BLURRED BETWEEN PERFORMER AND AUDIENCE- EVERYBODY WAS PART OF THE BAND! GUITARS, A HARMONICA, BUCKETS, STICKS, ROCKS, AND EVERYBODY SINGING TOGETHER - HEAVEN!

PHASE TWO: IN HIGHSCHOOL AND COLLEGE MOST OF MY FRIENDS WERE NOT MUSICIANS, YET THEY WANTED TO PLAY. SO WE HAD MASSIVE 'KITCHEN JAMS,' PLAYING POTS AND PANS WITH CHOP STICKS. IN COLLEGE WE TURNED IT INTO A BAND, 'THE BIG BANG THEORY,' A VOICE AND PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE USING ALL FOUND OBJECTS AND HOMEMADE INSTRUMENTS.

PHASE THREE: AFTER COLLEGE I BEGAN WRITING SONGS AND PLAYING THEM AT COFFEE HOUSES AND 'OPEN STAGES.' I WOULD PRESENT THEM RAW, WITH JUST ONE WATER BOTTLE DRUM AND MY VOICE, IMAGINING THAT IF THEY WORKED IN THIS STRIPED DOWN FORM, THEY WERE WORTHY TO DEVELOP INTO FULL BLOWN SONGS WITH GUITAR OR OTHER TRADITIONAL INSTRUMENTS. BUT THE RESPONSE TO THE SONGS IN THIS INITIAL RAW FORM WAS SO STRONG, AND THE SMILES WERE SO BIG, THAT I REALIZED THEY WERE OFTEN COMPLETE AS THEY WERE. I ALSO WAS IMAGINING THAT WHEN THE SONGS WERE FINISHED THEY WOULD HAVE A FULL BAND PLAYING AND SINGING THEM. TO APPROXIMATE THAT, I WOULD GIVE SIMPLE PARTS OUT TO THE AUDIENCE. AGAIN, THEY WERE SO MUCH FUN IN THIS EXPERIMENTAL FORM THAT THAT OFTEN BECAME THE FINAL FORM OF THE SONGS.

E.C.: What was the first instrument you learned to play & when?

Billy Jonas: PIANO AT 5YRS OLD, GUITAR AT 8, TROMBONE AT 10. NO DISCIPLINE, THOUGH, SO I GRADUATED TO POTS AND PANS IN HIGHSCHOOL.

E.C.: What is it about your music, do you think, that has such a universal appeal? It's especially striking how it seems to span generations, from toddlers to senior citizens.

Billy Jonas: I THINK THE UNIVERSAL APPEAL IS DUE TO THE ENTHUSIASM AND JOY THAT MY MUSIC STRIVES TO CONVEY - EVERYBODY CAN RELATE TO THAT. THE PARTICIPATORY ASPECT MAKES IT EXTREMEMLY INCLUSIVE. AND THE HOMEMADE AND RECYCLABLE INSTRUMENTS MAKES EVERYBODY SAY "HEY, I COULD DO THAT!"

E.C.: Where did you grow up? Did you come from a musical background (other family members musicians, etc.)?

Billy Jonas: I GREW UP IN CHICAGO. MANY PEOPLE IN MY FAMILY HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY MUSICAL- MY GREAT GRANDFATHER WAS A CANTOR IN A SYNAGOGUE IN GERMANY.

E.C.: Did you always know you wanted to be a musician? If you weren't playing music, what would your second career choice be?

Billy Jonas: I KNEW FROM EARLY ON THAT I WANTED MUSIC TO BE A BIG PART OF MY LIFE, BUT I WASNT' SURE IT WOULD BE A CAREER UNTIL IT STARTED TO BE. IF I WASN'T A MUSICIAN, I'D BE INVOLVED WITH CAMPS AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, OR LANGUAGES.

E.C.: Who are some of your biggest musical influences?

Billy Jonas: JONI MITCHELL, HARRY PARTCH, PARLIAMENT-FUNKADELIC, IGOR STRAVINSKY, JIMI HENDRIX, MAURICE RAVEL, SPIKE JONES

E.C.: If you had to place your music in a certain genre, what would you call it?

Billy Jonas: NEO TRIBAL-FOLK

E.C.: Do you have a favorite song of all time -- either yours or somebody else's?

Billy Jonas: MY FAVORITE 'PIECE' OF ALL TIME IS IGOR STRAVINSKY'S 'RITE OF SPRING;' MY FAVORITE SONG OF ALL TIME IS 'CACTUS' BY FERRON.