Live music and touring are on lockdown right now and fans as well as artists are going through withdrawals. We wanted to come up with something fun to help bridge that distance between fans and artists right now. What we came up with is something called The Lockdown Lowdown and it’s a Q&A session with fun questions for artists to answer. They’re not your typical interview questions, so it gives you a peek inside of the artists themselves. We’re big music nerds here at I’m Music Magazine and we love learning things like this about the artists that we love. We’re pretty sure that you’ll get a kick out of these, so we hope you’ll take the time to read them. In this installment, we spoke with Jonathan Stoye of Framing Hanley!
How have you been dealing with the pandemic? Have you been working on any new music?
Jonathan Stoye/Framing Hanley: I’ve been writing a lot of music in my studio. I’m in there every single day coming up with new ideas or going through old voice memo’s/demo’s from the past. I was totally bummed when our Framing Hanley shows were postponed due to COVID-19. I started to really miss playing live so I did a solo livestream show a few weeks back that went over well, as well as our first FH acoustic livestream. I’m taking this opportunity of downtime to finish my first full length solo record, Our Wooden Bed, which will be released this summer.
Name five albums that changed your life.
MxPx – Life in General – this was my first taste of punk rock while I was in middle school. It had good hooks and a pop/rock element, but I had never heard songs with these tempo’s before. Prior to this album, I was listening to a lot of alt/rock radio with my older siblings. This was the first “underground” record I had discovered and it flipped my world upside down.
Ryan Adams – Gold – I discovered this album right after high school. I was coming out of a stoner rock phase and had never really given anything close to this record a chance before. This sparked a love of singer/songwriters for me and was very influential for me as a started writing my own solo material.
Every Time I Die – Hot Damn – this album was the heaviest thing I had ever heard in my life when it came out. It blew my mind. I was confused, yet in love from the first song I heard. The intensity, the lyrics, the breakdowns. I loved it all.
311 – Soundsystem – I was coming out a nu-metal phase in middle school when I discovered this record. I had received 2 of the same Limp Bizkit hoodie’s for Christmas one year and returned/exchanged one hoodie for this album. It combined elements of rock, rap, and reggae and had a major impact on me as a young musician. It sparked a very long obsession with 311, and I credit them with driving me to be a better player and performer.
Phantom Planet – The Guest – I saw Phantom Planet open for Incubus on the “Morning View” tour and was hooked instantly. It was a very west coast sound with a slight punk rock influence that drew me in. Once I heard this record, Phantom Planet quickly became a favorite band of mine (they still are to this day). Alex is a phenomenal songwriter who changes with every album, and for me, it all started with “The Guess.”
Name five artists that have influenced you as a musician.
S.G. Wood – My uncle, S.G. Wood, is the reason I play music. He gave me my first acoustic guitar and taught me a few cords when I was in 6th grade. He would play every instrument on his solo records which inspired me to do the same. He and his wife Rachel have a fantastic Americana duo called the Hummingbirds who continue to be a big influence on me.
Jim Adkins (Jimmy Eat World) – my love for the sad songs all started with Jimmy Eat World. Jim Adkins really knows how to tug at the heartstrings.
Butch Walker – I had wanted to try my hand at a solo artist for many, many years when I discovered Butch. His sound, energy and songs were what pushed me to go for it.
Gavin Rossdale (Bush)- I started writing my own songs in the 6th grade because of Gavin Rossdale and Bush. A band I was in, Adalene, was direct support for Bush a few years back and I remember having a brief encounter with Gavin. It was one of the only times I can remember being starstruck and at a complete loss of words.
Rivers Cuomo (Weezer) – Rivers can write the most simple, catchy, pop/rock songs. He isn’t afraid to and knows when to push boundaries and experiment on his albums, but his ability to stick to his roots and write instant classics are his bread and butter.
What are your five favorite live albums?
Blink-182 – The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show – potty humor, sloppy punk rock, and catchy songs. These are a few of my favorite things.
Nirvana – Unplugged in New York – this album taught me how to take a rock n’ roll song and reimagine the melody and chord progression into an acoustic song.
311 – Live – as a high school kid I was obsessed with 311. I grew up in a small town and had to go on road trips to see them (I’ve seen them a total of 11 times). This album gave me my live 311 fix whenever I needed it.
MxPx – At the Show – this was probably the first live album I ever owned. It was fast, loud and full of the songs I craved as a teenage kid.
Jimmie’s Chicken Shack – Plucked – I don’t know if this was ever released as a “live album”, but I had this show on VHS and burned the show onto CD. I would get high at 3am with the drummer of my high school band and we would put this on his big screen and mosh with each other. Ah, to be young.
Life on the road; what are five of your craziest/funniest/scariest tour stories?
Framing Hanley was on the SnoreCore tour in 2015 with Flyleaf, Adelitas Way and Fit For Rivals. We were touring in an RV from the mid 90’s during the dead of winter. Our generator broke several times, and our tank that held all our piss froze solid. The last few dates were in California. When we got to the west coast, the piss tank thawed and started coming up through every sink in the RV. We had to drain the sinks with turkey basters. FH broke up shortly after.
After a show in Reno I was in the mood for trouble. I wanted to keep the party going while the rest of the band/crew wanted to call it a night. I remember walking around Reno by myself hanging out with anyone I could. At one point I was hanging out with a few homeless people telling each other our life stories while pounding a case of beer I had bought. Probably not the smartest idea, but I’ll never forget that night.
We were on tour with 3 Days Grace and playing a show in Birmingham, AL. I was sick as hell and took some Mucinex before the show. I learned quickly that Mucinex does not sit well in my stomach. About 2 songs into the set I got hit with bubble guts. I stood in one spot the entire show scared that if I moved that I would have an accident in my pants. Luckily there was a backstage bathroom right next to the stage that I ran to the second we hit our last note.
While FH was on hiatus I played with country artist named Michael Tyler. We were playing a festival and there was a young kid in the front row who was having the time of his life. After the set I wanted to give him my set list. I tried to step on the sub in front of the stage and missed. I feel in a gap between the sub and the stage and tore my pants from my butt to my crotch. About 2,000 people gave an audible “ohhhhh” and saw my my pasty white thighs.
I was on tour in Germany last year with another band I’m in called HER. We were leaving a truck stop when the police pulled us over and searched our van. They found a little bit of weed in the van and called in drug dogs. We were surrounded by German police with AK’s who didn’t seem very happy with us. Luckily we walked away without any trouble and enjoyed a nice schnitzel dinner that evening.
What are your five favorite movies?
Tommy Boy – my favorite movie since I was a kid. I know just about every single line in this movie.
Batman Begins – this is the movie that started my obsession with Christopher Nolan’s films. I grew up loving Batman, so it was natural for me to fall in love with this movie and series.
That Thing You Do – one of my favorite movies that had a huge influence on me as a kid wanting to be in a band.
Inception – this is my favorite (and best, in my opinion) Christopher Nolan film. The cast is phenomenal, and I’ve probably seen this more times in the theater than any other movie.
The Mighty Ducks – this movie is the reason I love hockey as much as I do. I remember roller blading in my basement as a kid pretending to be a Mighty Duck, hoisting the American Flag over my head after winning the championship (homemade, hand drawn jersey and all).
