Go Memphis

John Paul Keith knows what it’s like to be on the verge. With a musical education based on a dusty vinyl collection from his dad, and jobs in a variety of record stores, he has spent almost half his life playing in bands. He got his first taste of success as a founding member of Knoxville’s legendary V-roys. Touted by Q Magazine as “elegantly tailored country rock,” the young band, characterized in part by the black suits and ties they wore on stage, caught a huge break when they were eventually signed to Steve Earle’s E-Squared Records. But by that time JPK had left the band and moved west to Nashville to form his own band, The Nevers. The new band, which included guitarist Rick Tiller, bassist Paul Noe and drummer David Jenkins, made their public debut in early 1997 at Music City’s annual club-hopping Extravaganza music conference. After being recognized at the prestigious Nashville Music Awards as one of the city’s top unsigned acts, they were soon scooped up by Sire Records, as the label tried to revamp its roster with more up-and-coming artists. Focusing on “three-minute songs with hooks that rock,” the band made no apologies for their commercial aspirations. The Nevers were even featured on the soundtrack to the film Drop Dead Gorgeous, starring Kirsten Dunst and Denise Richards. After The Nevers called it quits in 1999, JPK found himself collaborating with Ryan Adams in one of his early backing bands, The Pink Hearts. Although, surprisingly enough, the band never made a full album, many of the songs JPK played on ended up on the odds-and-ends album Demolition. While the album wasn’t a favorite among critics, fans still embrace the record and JPK certainly doesn’t mind the royalty checks he receives from its sales. But while he learned a lot from his time in the Pink Hearts, it didn’t take long for the JPK to long again for the chance to play his own music. So Keith formed Stateside in Nashville in 2001 and released Twice as Gone. The album gained JPK a new fan in Cheap Trick’s Bun E. Carlos, who called the album one of the best of the year. After a shake-up in the band’s line-up, JPK headed south to Birmingham, where he had recruited new members to work on Stateside’s follow-up, Phonograph. The sophomore LP was described as being “like the Rolling Stones without that annoying Mick Jagger.” But while the critics, both from the states and from across the pond, were incredibly complimentary of the band’s music, life and circumstance soon led to the dissolution of Stateside and another move for JPK, this time to Memphis. After hanging around the Memphis scene for a short period of time, it didn’t take long for JPK to be invited to play with some of the city’s most revered musicians, including former Oblivian Jack Yarber and Harlan T. Bobo, both who not only enjoy a rabid cult fan base, but are also critical darlings. JPK spent last fall on a successful European tour backing both. As the cycle predicts, JPK has again formed his own backing band, The One Four Fives, consisting of one of the most well-known rhythm sections in the city, Mark Stuart (The Pawtuckets, The Lights, The Secret Service) on bass and John Argroves (The Glass, The Lights, Vending Machine, The Secret Service) on drums. The band is rounded out with John Whittemore (Neighborhood Texture Jam, Papa Top’s West Coast Turnaround) on pedal steel and guitar, and finally, local producer and engineer Kevin Cubbins on guitar. The band has just released their debut 7 inch, Lookin’ For A Thrill, and will soon finish their debut album. Their sound is a mix of country rock and indie two-step; a sound that sounds fresh while harkening back to the classic rock and roll boogie of the late 60’s and early 70’s. It’s a sound that JPK has perfected over the years, with the help of a plethora of players and influences, but this time around, he thinks he’s finally found the right mix of players and the right city to provide the backdrop. While this may just be another notch in his musical belt, hopefully this time around JPK has perfected his ingredient list. (Written by Rachel Hurley, Breakthruradio.com. Submitted by John Paul Keith)

2007 Memphis, TN

Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe, Doug Sahm