Picture a brown-skinned, dreadlocked desperado in a post-apocalyptic world, bass guitar slung across his back, belting out songs of love, loss and despair as he roams the badlands in search of the last remaining honky-tonk. This is what The Jonestown Band - a Tucson-based, contemporary blues-rock outfit with a raw, pulsating rhythm - sounds like. Frontman (and bassist) Malo Jones, who hails from Trinidad & Tobago, brings forth a bruised baritone to combine with the vigorous riff-rock of Connecticut native Bill Sacks (guitar) and Arizona born and raised Maggie Rickard (drums). 
 
The band rapidly graduated from the Tucson bar scene to open and headline several Arizona festivals, including Glow, Mocktoberfest, and Second Saturdays Dowtown, and have played at such esteemed venues as The Rialto. They have been semi-finalists in the blues category at the International Songwriting Competition, and twice semi-finalists at the Tucson Blues Challenge.

On their upcoming EP, Bad Mind, The Jonestown Band offers a minimalist brand of hard-rock mixed with blues, funk, and even reggae. Malo’s character driven songs are driven by the loud, aggressive, and almost punk like ethos of Rickard and Sacks. There are definite echoes of Led Zeppelin, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Queen, Billy Idol, and even Sublime in the new EP.

There is also no easy way to describe the music. The Jonestown Band has the potential to become a truly original force in the modern blues-rock arena; to become apostles for our age, even.  Go ahead: drink the Flavor-Aid.


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