Take two parts guitar; equal parts drum, bass and vocals; and add a dash of harmonica.
Mix together and you have the recipe for timeless rock band the Gin Blossoms.
Come Aug. 21, the five-piece bunch will bring along its own flavor of rock as it hits the stage at Columbus Commons for a free concert.
The Tempe, Ariz.-based outfit looks back on central Ohio with fond memories.
“It’s going to be great coming back; we used to play Columbus in the old days at the Newport (Music Hall),” says lead guitarist Scotty Johnson. “We did a show with Lucinda Williams there before. I finally got to meet her and she basically just said ‘hi’ and walked out, but it was just one of those things.”
Turning on a Gin Blossoms joint, any fan will remember the lyrics to the hits from its 1990s albums New Miserable Experience and Congratulations I’m Sorry, as well as the Empire Records soundtrack. Those songs include “Hey Jealousy,” “Follow You Down,” “Found Out About You,” “Until I Fall Away,” “Till I Hear it From You” and “Allison Road.”
“The other day, we were actually an answer on Jeopardy!,” Johnson says with a laugh. “It’s really awesome and humbling to be a fabric of someone’s life, something they can relate to. People our age bring their kids, and we show the new generation Gin Blossoms songs. I’m surprised it has lasted this long.”
The band looks to drive its live show with a solid formula of classics, sentimental tracks for the die-hard fans and new tunes, including songs off their its most recent album, 2010’s No Chocolate Cake.
“You don’t want to bore people too much with new material,” Johnson says. “But you still want to play new stuff and show that you’re current. We hit the crowd with some hits at the top; play some deeper tracks, some newer songs; and them slam with more hits at the end.”
A few surprises are in the works for the show.
“We like to do at least one cover song,” he says. “Maybe we’ll play the Clash or even Van Halen.”
While the rock group has a solid foundation of hit singles to rest on, its members refuse to become stagnant, because once you do, it’s almost impossible to get back up, Johnson says.
“When you completely stop, it’s so hard to get back into the game,” he says. “It’s a constant. You have to always be out there working, writing and making it happen. Johnny Cash never really stopped. You just keep going.”
The normal 9-to-5 job of a touring musician is anything but routine. While many families were gearing up for Independence Day celebrations, the band was busy boarding planes, going over its set list and getting ready for the next string of shows.
“It’s the usual,” Johnson says. “It is how it is and it almost never stops. You get time off, maybe even a month, but then it starts back up. Maybe you start to do weekend shows again, but then, next thing you know, you’re going all out. It has been a quiet spring that has turned into a crazy summer.”
The craziness will follow the band down, all the way to Columbus.
“We try to have a fun set,” Johnson says. “We’re not one of those bands that ends a song, the lights go dim and it’s quiet. We’re friends with our audience. Come have fun, high-five us and play along with the tambourine. It’s nice to get out in the summer.”
Stephan Reed is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
