The newest record from RED JUMPSUIT APPARATUS is entitled THE AWAKENING and the band must have worn out the apparatus getting that jumpsuit on and off this past year as they toured non-stop. I caught up with RONNIE the singer for the band right before he took to the sky and headed over to Australia to continue their galavant across the globe!
I must say, picking up the phone to speak with a rockstar can be strange, you know? But when RONNIE called and I answered, our conversation or at least it sounded like that coming through cans of my headphones. We chit chatted a bit and I finally asked him about his record “The Awakening” and how that the tour in the US went, a little bit of small talk until he commented on the “The Awakening” and the premise behind this new kind of record from THE RED JUMPSUIT APPARATUS.
Now here’s the big scoop about this monumental record from the band. I listened to the songs that wove a golden thread down a thick piece of linen cotton. And I got the undertones as the record played that coincided with the tone. It is with these small elements of a familiar story begins to shape above the sound.
After each song, the picture becomes clearer and clearer as it would with any listener. Although the image wouldn’t be the same, the people’s names and the places would be different of course. Despite this being a record that the band hadn’t done before, it was most definitely TRJA, RONNIE’S vocals were as strong as ever and he nailed some killer chords and threw in the drops or changes.
The Awakening is a solid record that has a definite plot, and will definitely move you through parts of your own life that you’ve been stuck in, that is for sure. I asked RONNIE what was the premise of the album or where did it come from within you?
Ronnie: This is our first concept album. It’s essentially three movements. The concept record is kinda self explanatory but “The Awakening” is a song, an album title, and it is the beginning of the plot to the entire record. It’s about world control and leaders wanting to rule with money or power as opposed to rule by what is good for the people. It’s not a specific country or anything, it’s totally made up from a story or idea that I had. It’s not political either. It
Cheri: I like concept records and their ability to continue a story or instead of sustaining that note until the tape shuts off, an artist can complete the story.
Ronnie: Ya, well you could say that I suppose. I’m an old fan of the old great concept records. People who like rock, growing up, some were a little older than I am and they said that I didn’t know a concept record until I had heard the greats, like PINK FLOYD, DARK SIDE OF THE MOON, you know “real rock”. Those were great records growing up or records I listened to that inspired me in some ways. I’ve never done one before, but it’s finished. It’s way harder than I thought it was going to be. It was tough and I’m never going to do it again! It’s way easier to write a song. The concept record has to have a beginning, middle, and end. You have to connect the dots.With a normal album, you just write song. So you have to listen to it in order to grab the whole story/concept. I mean if you don’t want to, you don’t have to.
Cheri: Why is making music important to you?
Ronnie: My brother and I started making music a long time ago, and decided to stick with it. We just decided to keep doing it. We’re classically trained. It’s the only thing we’ve really been good at. Some want to be doctors, lawyers, writers and we wanted to continue because it was what we loved doing. We went to the band route because we felt that was the only way to make money, do it for a living. So we did. We implemented some ethereal sounds that we played around with and recorded
Cheri: What are you looking forward to the most on your tour to Australia?
Ronnie: We’ve been doing this a long time and we’ve been there many times. You land, try and kill the jet lag, rest or get ready to play. It’s all work, work, work this trip. It’s a blast and has been consistently killer for us so we love to go. We’ve met some great people when we’ve been there in the past. We’ve done this so many times, and have in the past done the touristy stuff.
Cheri: Are you driving on this trip? They drive on the opposite side of the road – it’s like hanging upside down or going to the “it’s opposite day” worlds.
Ronnie: We have but if they drive on the wrong side of the road, we get a little squirrely and let someone else drive us. Especially there (Australia). We feel like space aliens when we do a trip like this. I love to sleep because we play the night we get in so we don’t have a day or a night to rest. It’s off the plane and on the stage and then head out right from there!
Cheri: I can’t sleep on planes. I’m afraid my mouth will hang open or I will snore really loud. What activities are you planning on doing on the long flight over to Australia? Did you bring any special games, or jack up your downloaded music so you have a long playlist? Write another concept record about that 18 hour flight?
Ronnie: I’m just going to sleep. I will watch movies because they do have great movies on international flights. Some people have these tricks they do, like get up every two hours or set their watch, stay up the whole time, you know those tricks to reduce the jet lag when going across the planet – but I am just going to sleep. I’ll have them wake me up when it’s time to eat, you can do that, you know?
Cheri: I have to know what the apparatus is on your red jumpsuit…
Ronnie: James, our original bass player, he was young – we all were when we started the bad and as he is really smart, so in the military – you know that special unit kind of deal – well, we had this red jumpsuit, and then he apparatus because he said that an apparatus could be anything on or near the red jumpsuit – everything is an apparatus so, it stuck and that’s what we are. He thought it sounded cool, he said that anyone could – he made us sound smarter than we really are!
Cheri: So, I have this fish bowl that is full of questions and either I reach in and grab a question or you tell me a number and there are hundreds of random questions that may or may not be related to your music. So I’m gonna grab a question and hopefully it’s not too random!
Ok so your Fish Bowl is “What do you do to relax or to chill out?”
Ronnie: I’m a meditator. I am one of those weird guys over there yoga-ing out. I get to a place by myself, relax and get centered. Or I will read about animals – anything but politics or pop-culture. I just relax and get “good”.
Cheri: Do you have a favorite motto or quote?
Ronnie: Words of wisdom – all of the cheesy cliches “doing good for no good reason”. We’ve always done that personally and through our music. We’ve always tried to do this because we’ve found that when we do, we feel better later.
Cheri: Keen words to live by. These are strange days we’re living in, RONNIE. And man, those words should be ingrained in our heads. You can’t go wrong with doing good or the next right thing.
Ronnie: People are starting to open up and talk about the some of these things that aren’t fun to talk about. If you get enough people talking about it – no pigeon holing, or condemning – we’re all friends and we’re not the enemy. The people are paid to make those decisions up the chain are to make decisions, so let them.
Maybe you’re wrong. No one ever says that. Everyone seems to be so sure about everything. Maybe you have an awakening that you are wrong, then you have an awakening that there’s something else that could be right, then you awaken even more to go discover why you were wrong or discover why it is the way it is.
Ronnie: I don’t watch YouTube at all. I’m not kidding. At all.
Cheri: That’s a good thing because the rabbit hole is deep my friend, it’s deep.
Ronnie: So who’s watching you while you’re watching that? That’s my question.
Cheri: Ya, I don’t like that or to think about that.
Ronnie: I tell everyone to keep their footprint low…I mean we’re not going to know about what’s going on now until 30 years from now so I tell people why be mad at something or someone now when you won’t know the truth about whatever situation for years. Then you can be mad if that’s even what the issue is years in the future.
Cheri: That’s totally true. I mean completely makes sense because I don’t think they want all 6 or 8 billion to react in huge ways to some of these “truths” they want revealed.
Ronnie: Yes, more will always be revealed…
Cheri: Just like on your record – the storyline or plot will be revealed as we listen!
Pick up The Awakening from THE RED JUMPSUIT APPARATUS at all online music outlets and you can stream it here on Spotify.
Til You Wake Up – MLMR – Cherri
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus 2018 Australia/New Zealand Tour Dates
With special guests The Comfort
Wednesday 28th November – AUCKLAND, Galatos 18+ **
Thursday 29th November – BRISBANE, The Triffid 18+
Friday 30th November – MELBOURNE, Corner Hotel 18+
Saturday 1ST December – NEWCASTLE, Club Azzuri Lic/AA
Sunday, 2nd December – SYDNEY, Manning Bar 18+
** Red Jumpsuit Apparatus only
Tickets from: Destroy All Lines
