Shaping a Genre
By Josh Bashara

Is it country? Is it alternative? No, It's alt-country, and this Minnesota-based trio has played a good part in shaping the genre for the better part of the last two decades.

The original Jayhawks lineup formed in 1985 amidst a mixture of big-hair bands and synth-poppers dominating the radio waves. But this group of old-school indie rockers would have none of that—they played exactly the way they wanted to; creating music that they knew they would want to hear. In 1991, after releasing two independent albums, their conviction paid off and they were signed to Rick Rubin's Def American label.

Fast-forward 12 years later and singer/guitarist/co-founder Gary Louris, bassist Marc Perlman and drummer Tim O'Reagan release their third and perhaps most definitive album, Rainy Day Music on Lost Highway in April of 2003. Die-fans will call it a magnum opus. Casual listeners might call it damn good music. The Jayhawks call it something they've never done before. Whatever the case, the album's dramatic songwriting, unplugged A.M. radio sound and grin-inducing melodies will have most likely met or exceeded anyone's expectations by the time you read this.

Before the boys left to tour across the country promoting their new album, The Music Phone Book got a chance to talk with drummer, co-singer and co-songwriter Tim O'Reagan about The Beatles, the current state of indie rock and dying a happy man.

MUSIC PHONE BOOK: It's been said that you guys have a very "British" songwriting style—what does that mean to you?

TIM O'REAGAN: I think it was [collaborator and producer] Ethan Johns who said that—he was trying to describe our songs. I don't deny it, but I don't really think about it that much either. I can see it because We're big fans of singable melodies and harmonies. We're fans of The Beatles, too.

MPB: Have The Beatles been a big influence to your music?

O'REAGAN: Oh, yeah. that's hard to deny. I think anybody in our age bracket is probably influenced to some degree by The Beatles.

MPB: When you guys joined Lost Highway, were you worried that your musical integrity might be hampered in any way?

O'REAGAN: No, on the contrary; I think Lost Highway always seemed like they would be a good match for us—they've always seemed really artist-friendly. It was a good match because We're not really a band that they can direct towards a certain audience. We just write our songs—it didn't hamper as at all.

MPB: What has it been like working with producer Rick Ruben over the years?

O'REAGAN: Well, he was the head of our label for years, but as far as actually working with him, there's never been a project until Rainy Day Music that he's really been hands-on or had much input on the [recording] process. He helped us pick songs from the many that we had and worked on them with us, too. To be honest, [frontman] Gary [Louris] was the one working with him the most—he would take trips out to L.A. and work with him for a few days. The reason we couldn't all go was because of money—we couldn't really afford it. But It's been really good—We've wanted him to get involved with a Jayhawks project for a long time and he's finally managed to do it.

MPB: Was it the mood and lyrical concepts of Rainy Day Music that inspired the organic, minimalist feel of the record, or vise versa?

O'REAGAN: Well, the year prior to recording this disc, we were touring as a trio and everything was really toned down—it was more of a quiet, controlled atmosphere. I think that probably had more influence than the other way around. We were enamored with the idea of recording the songs naturally and as we had written them—on an acoustic guitar while we sat around singing. We just decided to carry that over into the recording process. Besides, Ethan Johns is a big champion of that method of recording.

MPB: Do you guys prefer playing in more intimate club settings?

O'REAGAN: No, I think It's two different things. We like them both—We've done the paired-down version for a year and a half. We're ready to rock now. Steve McCarthy—the fourth Jayhawk—is going to be with us on this tour, and We're going to plug in and make a lot of noise.

MPB: What do you think of the new garage/indie rock explosion?

O'REAGAN: It exploded again?

MPB: Yep. There are a lot of young kids out there now trying to re-invent the "indie wheel." Got any take on that?

O'REAGAN: I'm all for independent projects and that whole mindset. The only drawback is that I think the quality suffers. It's hard to say, though—I like not being a slave to large conglomerate record companies and doing stuff on your own, but I like quality music.

MPB: What is it like playing the drums and singing at the same time—does it put a lot of extra pressure on you?

O'REAGAN: It was a little difficult at first, but once you get the hang of it, It's not that much of a problem. You learn little tricks along the way—you learn what you can and can't do. For example, I can't play a shuffle and sing [at the same time] very well. If the beat is too complicated, I just wont sing. For the most part it hasn't been a problem, though.

MPB: When did you first realize that you wanted to be a musician? O'REAGAN: Well, I wanted to be a musician since I was a kid, but the reality of it didn't come around until the early '90s—that is, that I would put down everything else and just play music. MPB: Has your motivation for doing what you do changed at all since then?

O'REAGAN: My motivation is to write the next great pop song—a great pop song—one that'll go down in the pages of pop rock history. As long as I feel like there's a possibility of writing something better than I have already, I think I'll keep doing it. We're not making much money. The touring is fun, but the music—the recording process—is often boring or distasteful. So yeah, mostly my goal is just to write a good song that's still going to be a good song 20 years from now—other than the obvious, which is to become rich.

MPB: You guys have always been a pretty underground band with a close-knit following. If you guys had the chance to turn into an MTV-type band, would you let it happen?

O'REAGAN: that's completely hypothetical because I don't think It's a possibility. But the things that you have to do to make something like that happen, we wouldn't be willing to do.

MPB: Like what?

O'REAGAN: Well, like gearing your image and music toward getting placed, or using certain people for the sake of getting placed. That wouldn't happen, though. Even if someone told us it was a surefire thing and all we'd have to do is follow a few steps, I don't think we'd be able to swallow some of those steps.

MPB: Do you remember the biggest compliment you've ever gotten from a fan?

O'REAGAN: Someone told me once that a song I wrote was their favorite Jayhawks song. To me, that says a lot because the Jayhawks have a lot of great songs. Even before I joined the band, the Jayhawks had great songs; so when someone comes up and tells me that my song is their favorite song, It's a pretty strong compliment.

MPB: And what song was that?

O'REAGAN: "Bottomless Cup."

MPB: Listening to Rainy Day Music kind of suggests that if you died tomorrow, you wouldn't die a happy man. Is that true?

O'REAGAN: Personally, probably not. I don't think I would die completely happy, unless I died a really slow death and had time to figure out that I've had it really good.

MPB: Is there a question that you've always wished someone would've asked you in an interview, but no one ever has?

O'REAGAN: Well, I guess it would be, "When are you going to come out with your own record?"

MPB: And what's the answer to that?

O'REAGAN: I'm about halfway there! I just need to come up with enough good songs.