Laney Jones on new single, first headlining tour, and upcoming projects
Article by Finley Harrison, cover photo by Kate LaMendola
Nashville-based singer-songwriter Laney Jones’ single “Another Rolling Stone” is out today, July 11. Ahead of its release, WLUW music director Finley Harrison spoke with the artist about the song, her upcoming headlining tour, and more.
Finley Harrison: First, I want to start by congratulating you on your upcoming headlining tour and the release of your new single, another “Rolling Stone,” this Friday. That's so exciting. I'm gonna let you go ahead and talk about both of those things first, and then I have a few questions for you
Laney Jones: Yeah, no, we just got off of an opening run tour that was completely sold out, like it was like seven shows for like, a couple weeks for this band Mirador. So that was super cool and super inspiring, just because they're rock guys, and the fan base is a super rock fan base. Playing rock music is something that I feel like I've been itching to get into for a little bit now. I come from a small kind of country town, so, I mean, I started off playing banjo as, like, my main instrument, and just like, you know, going to coffee shops and being with a lot of old fogies, which are super sweet and encouraging, but I think it was like a big separation between the music I listened to and the music I played.
Jones goes on to explain that they grew up listening to indie rock, and it wasn’t until her last album, Stories Up High, was almost done that she had the chance to explore a rock sound.
LJ: I went in to go for another session in the studio, and one of the dudes who runs the studio [is] like, “I never let anybody take home a guitar.” But I fell in love with this nylon string guitar that he had from childhood, and I was like,” Well, I have to write a song on it, or do something with it, since you let me take it home.”
LJ: I just came up with “Another Rolling Stone” in, like, you know, 15 minutes. I think it was mostly because I was with these people who are, like, lifelong musicians, like these are, these are people that played on, you know, like Langhorne Slim records or Alabama Shakes, and who are just like lifer musicians.
“I think this is totally what I want to be doing with my life, like, all the time, if I can.”
FH: It was really interesting to hear you say that you grew up on more of that, like indie rock type music, because listening to this song, it just sounds and feels so authentic. It's a great song, so I'm super excited to hear that more when it drops, and then also the rest of the record, hopefully when that comes out.
FH: Like you said, you just got off of an opening run of shows. Is there anything you're doing differently this time around to prepare for a headlining tour?
LJ: I mean, as far as promotion wise, yeah. We've been and played shows in different towns before. But I think, you know, after being on this run with Mirador, we got to see AC/DC recently. It was really cool, really inspiring. And I think, you know, we go to a lot of shows and stuff too. And I just like, I feel like it's more just like making it a party, no matter what you know. So I would say it's more of a party vibe. I'm a very off the cuff sort of person, but we have been bringing a lot of tchotchkes on the road with us, and just making the stage cooler.
LJ: We got new music. We're playing new tunes. We got a kick ass band that we've been playing solidly together for over a year, and we recorded this whole record together as well.
FH: Love it! And I'm so excited that you’re kicking off the tour in Chicago. I think it's always so fun when you go to a show and it's like, either the first or the last show of the tour, like it just feels so special.
FH: Speaking of the band that you're playing with, how did that kind of come along?
LJ: Well, honestly, it's just like, kind of living in town and and in necessity too. I've been calling my band The Spirits for a little bit now, and I always like, I love that, because it's, there's so many connotations of what like spirits are, as far as, like drinks, your soul, like the vibe, and also, you know, ghosts and stuff. I would always joke that, you know, people float in and out, but it's been so refreshing to play with people on a consistent level.
LJ: The person that I would say is, like, the MVP would be this guy, Carson. I saw him play with somebody else, and because we were touring for a bit as a trio.
LJ: My drummer is the person I've been playing music with the longest, like, pretty much 10 years. Because, yeah, he's, he's my hubs, and we met first by playing music together. We both, like, secretly had crushes on each other. We didn't tell each other for like, two years because we didn't want to disturb this, like, good working relationship, right? So we've been making this stuff together for a while, but he's like, a rock and roll drummer, like, he's like, not like, and I came from more of a folky world, so, but it was, it was the challenging and cool thing about being forced to play as a trio is like, “Okay, well, how do we fill out our sound with just like three people?” And so it forced me to get better.
LJ: And then Glenn, the bass player, we were just out and about, and I was going to see another band, and I saw him play bass, but he was also opening the show with some other friends, and he was playing guitar and singing harmonies. I was like, “This guy's so talented, let's see if he can do some dates.”
FH: Yeah, you guys [all] compliment each other so well, both sonically and on the stage, you look so cool together.
FH: I've got one last main question for you. Is there anything that you would want to tell people who are either coming to the show or are maybe gonna read this interview and think, “Oh, this is awesome. I want to go check it out.”?
LJ: Oh, man. Well, yeah, I would say definitely do it.
FH: Yeah, I agree!
LJ: It's so funny, and we already [discussed] Pinterest before, but I do that to get a lot of inspiration, because I do a lot of, like my digital design, like my logos and like posters and stuff. I do a lot of looking at things together and I came across something the other day about, like, “How to grow community?” and I feel like community is such a thing that feels not as emphasized or ingrained as a modern man. I know for me, I feel so lucky to have found music, not only because I love doing it and I feel like pretty good at it, but also because of the community that it's built.
LJ: Even, like talking to you like you're like, such a cool person.
FH: Thank you!
LJ: It's like, “Oh man, now, like, we get to go to Chicago and, like, hang out and, like, inspire each other.” It's like, this whole symbiotic relationship. I think the thing that I find so refreshing with this fan base and [Mirador’s], is we’re really excited to be here and elevate each other. It's only going to make everything that much more fun and exciting. So I would say, like, come on out to the shows if you are or want to be a part of a community of people that are excited about life and rock and roll!
“I feel like my my goal and central thing for any of our shows and our music is just to be a place where people can get pumped up and feel like there's a community of people who understand, like, this world's like, really hard, and it's we're all just trying to get by and find our way in a meaningful way, but you and like you are welcome here.”
FH: I love it. That's perfect!
LJ: Awesome.
FH: Thank you so much for chatting with me. This was wonderful.
[Transcription edited for length and clarity]
Listen to "Another Rolling Stone" below...