Oops!

7/20/2010

Hardchargers,

So I'm a kid, I'm sitting around listening to my brothers 8-track of Charlie Daniel's "Volunteer Jam" with everybody from ZZ Top, Willie & Waylon, and David Allen Coe on it, and low and behold a new station comes on my TV. It's the debut of MTV. I don't pay too much attention to it for awhile, but then I start noticing these bands that seem like MY music instead of my brothers. The Stray Cats, The Clash, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Rockpile, etc... (CMT wouldn't come out for awhile and it's short list of Dwight, Lyle & Steve Earle didn't really play them anyway cuz it was cheesey on it's debut) Yep, that's when popular music was still REAL. Early rap like the Ghetto Boys. (old friends of mine who still show up at JD shows unannounced in Houston from time to time) Early metal like Kill'em All by Metallica. The new Michael Jackson single. (which really reminds me just how bad these new pop singers really do suck) The revolutionary punk rock bands that really meant something, and of course all the great roots bands and pub rockers like the ones I'd just mentioned above who somehow, miraculously, made it out of the bars and onto the radio. This was a different time. But, this leads me to tell you how EXCITED I am about playing in GREEN BAY, WI with my new side project, THE BOURBON COUNTY DEVILS, this weekend, featuring SLIM JIM PHANTOM from The Stray Cats on drums, CHOPPER VON on bass from The Cramps, DANNY HARVEY from Lemmy's Headcat Band, (not to mention Bob Dylan, Nancy Sinatra & lots of others) and myself on vocals and guitars!

Before I head out for these shows, the JD band plays our beloved BROKEN SPOKE show in AUSTIN this THURS. NIGHT from 9:30-12, where real honest-to-God Texas dancehall music is alive and well.

SAT. NIGHT we play another recession proof show with FREE COVER (sponsored by JIM BEAM) at HOTEL SORELLA from 9-12 on Beltway 8 at I-10 in HOUSTON TX, where last week this show was PAAACKED, and it was by far the best show we've played there. People are starting to find out about this gig around Houston, so get there early (and remember, it's 120 bucks for a room at a high-end hotel, a 6-pack of Lone Star and a bottle of Jim Beam iced down in your room!) We won't be doing this forever. Just until my movie projects are finished, and my new record comes out, and I go on tour again.

SUN., MON. & TUES. NIGHT I play THE ONEIDA CASINO in GREEN BAY, WI with THE BOURBON COUNTY DEVILS ALLSTAR BAND. These shows will be off the hook, and yes we'll be playing the most trashy white-boy, hillbilly rock n roll that we can muster up.....braaaang it son!

onward,

BOURBON COUNTY DEVILS

JESSE DAYTON BOOTS ARE HERE!

Custom made by Heritage Boots, the JD boot is a 1950's reproduction, sharp toe, pee wee style boot with an authentic Eagle stitch. Call 512-326-8577 to get yours!

7/13/2010

Hardchargers,

Just got news that Stag artist Mike Stinson's new record, "Jukebox In Your Heart," has been nominated for the "Best Record" in the Houston Press. I don't know who I'm more proud of, Stinson or the City of Houston, TX? Houston is a great place, no matter what the naysayers tell you. Best restaurants (it's a multi-cultural port city with 24 hr. cafes of middle eastern, asian & of course plenty of Italians and cajuns!) Best pro sports and a killer music scene. (you just have to know where to go, like Ettas' Lounge in the 3rd ward for Grady Gaines & the Texas Upsetters!) Congrats Mike & H-town!

Today I started back with a trainer to get in shape for more filming that I'm doing. (I'm up for another movie right now so keep your fingers crossed) I know a "trainer" sounds a little pansy, but I HAVE to do it this way, cuz I'm completely unmotivated and take great exception with eating no Cajun food and stayin off of the Jim Beam until the results start showing. For lack of better words, IT SUCKS!

Just finished producing the new Michael Des Barres soul record and it's the best thing I've ever done. People ALL say the same thing when they hear it..."OMG!, I didn't realize his voice was so cool?" Anywanker, I'm done with producing others for awhile.

Next week we go back into my studio to finish up the JD recordsssss...that's right, TWO. I started with a dance hall country record and then started writing some other stuff that had more of a modern feel to it. So what the hell? The music business is in total shambles anyway? Why not release two records? After all, I am a Gemini. Not to mention, my love for old school country music is unwavering and I still have newer, more modern songs (I'll be working with producer CC Adcock in Lafayette on some of it) that need to find their way into the universe somehow as well.

OK, this week we play live music all over our home state of Tejas. THURS. we play at the always jammed packed dance hall of THE BROKEN SPOKE in AUSTIN TX. from 9:30-12.

SAT. we play a FREE show for all you people who've been hurt by the Great Recession in HOUSTON, TX at the HOTEL SORELLA (Monnalisa Room) at Beltway 8 & I-10. This is a LIMITED run of shows while I work on the movie "The Sinner" in Texas.

SUN. we return to our North Texas hot spot in PLANO/DALLAS area for "SHINER SUNDAY," live on KHYI RADIO, at LOVE AND WAR, at 5 pm. This gig is a blast....brang it son!!!

nothing but love,

JD with some Love & War Hardchargers

JD gettin' busy at the Spoke

7/8/2010

Hardchargers,

Although I've had over 41 original songs licensed in films and TV shows, scoring a film is something I've never done. But, like everything else I do for the first time, I surround myself with talented, experienced people, so my learning curve doesn't hurt whatever project I'm working on. From the outside looking in, it would seem like there's a lot of ego involved with these projects, but that's just never the way it goes down (that's usually what naysayers think because they wanna put you in a box...remember, those that matter don't mind & those that mind don't matter), cuz everyones' simply too busy to get involved in a dick measuring contest. Producing, writing, and scoring is sooo intense that from the time you open your eyes in the morning until the time your head hits the pillow at night, you're in total work mode. It's a new kind of work for me, but hey, this is the first summer I've had off from touring since '95?

We start scoring the new movie The Sinner this week, but I'm also making time to go jam with a new rockabilly super-group as well. For 3 nights in July (25th, 26th, 27th), I fly up to Green Bay, WI to front The Bourbon County Devils, which includes Slim Jim Phantom from The Stray Cats on drums, Chopper Vaughn on bass from The Cramps & Danny Harvey on guitar from Lemmy Kilmiester's Head Cat. This is gonna be, for lack of better words, THE SHIT! If you live in the midwest, you need to get to at least ONE of these shows. IT'S FREE and you can get a room at the Casino for the night.

This week I play the BROKEN SPOKE in S. AUSTIN from 9:30-12 on THURS. NIGHT.

FRI. NIGHT I play down south on the Texas coast (where the tar balls have not hit...yet) at the BACK PORCH in PORT ARANSAS TX. from 9-?.

SAT. NIGHT we play a FREE SHOW @ the HOTEL SORELLA in HOUSTON TX. from 9-12 where Jim Beam sponsors the show and we'll be debuting new songs as well as tunes from the JD catalogue from Raisin Cain, Tall Texas Tales, Hey Nashvegas & Country Soul Brother...not to mention some Banjo & Sullivan and Capt. Clegg tunes..

Ok, today I'm getting my old pickup truck fixed. Everyone tells me I need to get a new one and sell my truck, but I can't do it. Sure, after the movies and whatever, my daily driver could be something more "high-end" but the truth of the matter is I bought my 4 door Ford truck in a bar for $1600 from an old man whose was the sole owner when I was totally broke and it's only broke down on me once EVER! Damn ya'll, where's the loyalty...I owe it to her don't I? Besides Charley Pride sounds weird in a 750 BMW.

onward,

JD throwin' down at the Hotel Sorella

7/1/2010

Hardchargers,

I can feel a vacation coming on...maybe surfing in Costa Rica or maybe just something simple like hangin at my Mom's house in Beaumont for some home cookin and bass-fishing...either way, things are pretty intense and we're gonna be comin to a close on mixing the new Michael Des Barres soul record this week and then finishing filming and scoring our movie project The Sinner by the end of July.

Last week our shows had such great crowds. Thanks to the Austin Chronicle for the blurb about all my projects cuz the Spoke went off, and thanks to KPFT's Lonestar Juke Box and The Outlaw Dave Radio Show on 950, for helping us pack out the Monnalisa in Houston. Because of all the stuff happening with movie projects and music, these gigs won't last forever, but in these difficult economic times (with sooo many people out of work or just tightening their belts) it's cool to have great crowds that we play for consistently every week that don't have to pay 20 bucks to get in, 10-20 bucks for parking, outrageous drink prices. I mean, it cost some serious jack to go see live music these days ya'll. So that being said, I'll take a packed dancehall in Austin, and a gig sponsored by Jim Beam at a swanky hotel in Houston... BIG TIME!

After the past few days in the studio, 10-12 hours each, I'm goin over to my favorite lil' dive bar in S. Austin to chill with a glass of bourbon on the rocks and 3 of my best amigos.

THURS. NIGHT from 9:30-12 we play the last of the legendary Texas dance halls, and what has become THE most packed weekly show in Austin @ THE BROKEN SPOKE on S. Lamar. I checked around and Bob Schnieder, although he's very good at being a Pop star, can't get as many people in the Saxon Pub.

SAT. NIGHT we play the new HOTEL SORELLA in the CITY CENTRE on Beltway 8 & I-10 in HOUSTON TX from 9:30-12. This gig was a scene and lots of hardchargers came in to this NO COVER SHOW and then bolted afterwards. But some bought the "JD package" from the Hotel Sorella which includes 1 BIG swanky hotel room, with a 6 pack of Lone Star and a bottle of Jim Beam waiting for you on ice in your room for a $120.00. Not a bad price for a weekend night at a high-end hotel? So, if you don't want to be around (or driving for that matter!) all the amateurs over the 4th of July weekend, brang your arses to the Hotel Sorella and let's get it on!!!

onward,

p.s. last week we played songs off Country Soul Brother, Tall Texas Tales, and Raisin Cain, that we hadn't played in years...some ever!

JD throwin' down at the Hotel Sorella

6/24/2010

Hardchargers,

Massive mutli-taskin' goin on round here. Producing the new Michael Des Barres record, filming "The Sinner" in Austin (we're doing green-screen filming at the crack of dawn tomorrow w/ the 50 Merc that Charlie Sexton's letting us use. Filming is lots of work, but also a lot of hurry up and wait for actors) and then we're working on scoring the film in the studio as well. Found out there's gonna be JD music in the JUNE 27th version of TRUE BLOOD on HBO. Yep, that's a biggie for us considering how underground we are and how indie we approach everything.

Obviously, it's not just me doing all this stuff. None of this would be possible without my team of peeps who keep all this goin. It's a full time job dealing with all the business and still trying to be creative. BUT I do love what I do and I'm lucky to be on the crest of a new business model run by musicians that doesn't require all the same old gatekeepers and politics...we create it, we make it, we print it, we sell it. The 80's & 90's are over folks, and recorded music is no longer a commodity like it once was. Hence the reason all these big corporate music companies are closing their doors. Most kids under 15 have NEVER EVEN bought a CD because they download it for free, or spend .99 cents on it directly from the artist, and slowly but surely, older people are learning this too. Me? I like it! And, now that CD's are goin by the wayside, people are actually buying WAX again. That's right, micro-groove 33 old school records baby. I heard on NPR that turn-tables sales have gone through the roof!

Anywanker, we'll debut 4 brand new songs this week...THURS. NIGHT at THE SPOKE in AUSTIN TX. from 9:30-12....SAT. NIGHT a FREE show at the HOTEL SORELLA in HOUSTON TX, where last weekend was an incredible crowd.

Rick Hesquierdo's "Lonestar Jukebox" (KPFT 90.1) and of course, The Outlaw Dave Radio Show (The 9-5-0 AM), which I do a regular call-in on Saturday nights on, reeeally got the word out. Get there by 9:00-9:30 to get a good place. The bar sold out of Jim Beam last week. Parking is FREE. It's on Beltway 8 at I-10 right in the new City Center area. They have a new Eddie V's Seafood there and it's top-shelf all the way. Also, call the Sorella and check out the "JD Package"...you get a 6 pack of Lonestars, a bottle of Beam and a high-end swanky room for 120 bucks. We won't be doing this forever, so brang it while ya'll can!

onward,

p.s. I'm gonna need a vacation

JD on the set of the Sinner with David Christopher

6/17/2010

Hardchargers,

The June issue of Rolling Stone magazine has a expose story called "The Summer Tour Meltdown." All the big promoters and big bands are losing their asses because of "soft ticket sales." But what they don't really go into in the article is our country's STILL in the process of pulling out of a horrible recession. They don't tell you that the reason why ticket sells are soft in Cleveland (a huge rock market) is that 400,000 people have lost their jobs in the state of Ohio. Also, they don't tell you that people don't wanna pay to see the same lame ass Limp Bizkit or Eagles show for $200 that they paid for 3 years in a row. How do I see it? GREED! Bands, Managers and especially Concert Promoters should be scaling back on ticket prices and giving music fans a break in these troubled times.

So that being said, it's nice to be making a movie in Texas AND doing basically a FREE show sponsored by JIM BEAM on the weekends, while I'm doin it. This is the first summer in years and years that we haven't gone out and toured most of the summer. No worries, we've got another JD record coming out and next month I'm playing a show in GreenBay at the Onieda Casino with an all star band. Myself on lead vocals and guitar, Danny Harvey from Lemmy Kilmiesters band The Head Cat on guitar, Chopper Vaughn on bass from The Cramps, and Silm Jim Phantom from the Stray Cats on drums. And guess what? All three nights (JULY 25,26, 27) are FREE to get in!

This week we're doing some green screen shots for the movie, and I'm in the studio finishing up mixes on the new Michael Des Barres record I'm producing. So this week we return... THURS. NIGHT we play THE BROKEN SPOKE in AUSTIN TX. from 9:30-12 where there's ALWAYS a great crowd. If you don't dance it's still the coolest place to throw one back and just people watch. After all, it is South Austin, so pretty much anything flies!

SAT. NIGHT we return to HOUSTON, TX to play our residency show at THE HOTEL SORELLA on Beltway 8 at I-10, and it's absolutely FREE to get in. Show is from 10-12. This is a nice hotel, but we did strike a deal w/ the owners on rooms. You can get the JD Special which includes a big mack-daddy hotel room w/ a 6 pack of Lone Star waiting for you in your room for 120 bucks! Some people are just coming to the show for FREE and some people are getting rooms so they don't have to drive and they can stay and hang out with the band afterwards and maybe get lucky with their better-halves! Listen for a JD interview on The Outlaw Dave Radio Show in Houston on Sat. afterrnoon! Alright y'all...back to work...gotta make hay while the sun's shining!

onward,
JD

JD as Rev. Roy on the set of the Sinner

6/8/2010

Hardchargers,

Just finished shooting my main scenes for the new movie I'm in called "The Sinner." No worries, I didn't get REAL neck and hand tattoos for the part. They were designed by tattoo artist Chris Gunn and put on with some kind of fake gel stuff. None-the-less, it was cool having the old school OC Mike Ness look for a few days while we shot my scenes. My character Rev. Roy is pretty much an all-around evil Cajun crime boss and I got the director to give legendary Kustom Kar artist Von Franco the part of my body guard and runnin buddy. This means us sitting around in a backroom listening to Sinatra, playing dominoes, smoking cigars and talkin' trash. After the movie wraps, I start composing the music for it. Something I'll work closely with director/writer Charlie Wiedman on until the end of the month in Austin.

The new videos I directed for Mike Stinson are opening up some new worlds for me. I'm in talks about directing two other videos for artist I admire greatly. We'll let ya know next week after we've confirmed the shooting schedule.

This week we play two gigs ya'll, and we're damn glad to be on both of them. THURS. NIGHT in the live music capitol of the world , AUSTIN TX. we play the legendary BROKEN SPOKE from 9:30-12. How do we keep a residency gig like this fresh? We do what alot of other bands seem to blow off....we learn new material constantly. Sure, there are songs ya have to play that are synonymous with who we are.....TALL WALKIN' TEXAS TRASH....LORETTA....even the early stuff like CARMELITA & KISSING ABILENE GOODBYE. But we do soooo many classics now, (some done in the original arrangement and some done with completely different styles) and so many originals, that the show is constantly changing.

SAT. NIGHT we return to our residency show for the month at the Monnalisa Room, in THE HOTEL SORELLA, in the new CITY CENTER in HOUSTON TX. where we'll be starting and finishing from now on at 10-12 pm and it's a FREE SHOW. That's right, while I'm workin' on this movie, we'll be there every Sat. night and these are NO COVER CHARGE shows. Last week was a great crowd and considering alot of folks are just booking a room at the Hotel and hanging out with us for drinks after the show, the Hotel is getting more and more packed. We also have free parking and a special place in the front of the Hotel for Hot Rods and Motorcycles. What can I say? Life is good 'yall....tell your family and friends you love'em...life is short...so brang it starting right now!

onward mi amigos!,/p>
JD

p.s. Check out the new Mike Stinson video I directed for his song .

JD as Rev. Roy on the set of the Sinner

Art by Charlie Terrell. Prints available soon.

6/1/2010

Hardchargers,

Things in the music business are strange at best. Acts that used to sell millions of records are now topping out at under a 100,000, IF they're lucky. Music biz insider Bob Lefsetz says the "Country Throw Down Tour," The Eagles Tour, and many more have canceled shows from poor ticket sales citing audiences can't afford the over priced tickets (promoters are making online deals for shows w/ reduced prices and 2 for 1 sales in the nose-bleed section). For indie artist such as myself, diversifying my business has been a God-send. Thurs. afternoon I start on my first real film role as "Reverend Roy," the Cajun drug lord in the indie film "The Sinner" which is filming here in Austin. I've worked my ass off preparing for this role and can't express how excited I am to try my hand at something different after recording and touring non-stop since like, oh, FOREVER!

But that being said, I still have a band to lead so we've come up with a pretty cool plan for the month of June while I shoot the movie during the week. A few weeks ago we played on a Sat. night at the Hotel Sorella in Houston and not only was it a great crowd, and killer production, but they treated me like freakin' ELVIS and gave me a suite on the top floor and comped everything for me and my band. I know what you're thinkin...a hotel, really? Well, Sinatra & Elvis were the first artist to really take the Hotel gig business model out of Vegas and take it to another level on the road. Not a bad idea in these weird times? Remember, those that mind don't matter & those that matter don't mind, so go with the ones who love you. We excepted a residencey gig EVERY Sat. night in the Monnalisa Rooma at the Hotel Sorella in Houston in the month of June. Every Sat. will be a different show with new songs and a different special guest. Of course I love Houston TX. (that's where I started ya'll!) and Houston could use a shot in the arm from me since I don't play there as much anymore. Besides, if it turns into anything close to what we've built up at the Broken Spoke in Austin (yes, we worked our asses off to take the 150 the Spoke used to do on Thurs. with Chapparal and turned it into a 400-500 person gig EVERY week by focused advertising and constantly changing our set every single show with new tunes)...it could be a scene!

THURS. we play the BROKEN SPOKE in AUSTIN from 9:30-12 for the greatest bunch of folks ever.

SAT. NIGHT in HOUSTON TX. we play "JIM BEAM PRESENTS...JESSE DAYTON BAND at the HOTEL SORELLA" for FREE COVER (lots of people got rooms at the Hotel for that night so they could hang out and party and not have to drive home) This place is very cool and in a nice area and the owner loves us so much he's letting us have roped off FREE parking for hotrods and free garage parking for all other hardcharger cars. We're in the Monnalisa Room which has a killer stage and world class bartenders. (in the words of Augusta McCray from Lonesome Dove, "I won't tolerate a surly bartender"...these are things I pick up on) We'll be having massive rehearsals this week to learn new & old material for this show, and we'll be bringing Billy Dee's new upright bass as well.

okay, there ya have it....now braaang it y'all.

best,

p.s. Check out the new Mike Stinson video I directed for his song "Slip My Mind"

"Slip My Mind"

JD Gettin' It Done At The Spoke

5/27/2010 (Happy Birthday JD!!)

5/18/2010

Hardchargers,

Two very dear friends of mine asked me once, "Reverend JD, will you marry us?" So I got a license online and married them at a bar in Austin with about 100 friends looking on. Now? I'm playing a Cajun drug lord named "Reverend Roy" in the new film THE SINNER,that will start shooting here in Austin on June 3rd.

Also this week, we return to the studio where I finish producing the new Michael Des Barres record and try to wrangle all the talented musicians I can in and out of the studio. MDB whose known to his friends as "The Marquis Des Barres" is singin' pure soul music style these days with a classic Rod Stewart/Sam Cooke voice, and songwriting skills that, quite simply, only a handful of musicians will ever have. He has made over 40 films, acted in over a 100 hours of TV, AND wrote hit songs, opened for Zeppelin (he was signed to their Swan Song label) had a band with Steve Jones from the Sex Pistols and played Live Aid with the Power Station after Robert Palmer left abruptbly. So with Michael, you never know whose going to call, or just drop in, so there's never ever a dull moment.

This week there's some really great shows booked. Early THURS. evening we play the "EXILE ON SOUTH LAMAR ST." BENEFIT FOR THE NASHVILLE FLOOD RELIEF! It's at MARIA'S TACO STAND in SOUTH AUSTIN from 6:30 to 8:30. Basically a bunch of musicians are gonna get up and play all of the Stones "Exile On Main Street" record start to finish as a gig and donate all the money to our good friends in Nashville. Des Barres and Jimmy Thrill are suppose to show up and do "Happy" and "All Down The Line" and there's a ton of Austin musicians doing this so it'll be purty dang kewl ya'll, so come on out.

Afterwards, we go over to the honky tonk that is one of the last old school low ceiling Texas dance halls around, THE BROKEN SPOKE, in AUSTIN from 9:30-12, where we ALWAYS play new songs to a killer crowd.

SAT. we play in HOUSTON TX. for an absolutely FREE show at the HOTEL SORELLA in THE MONNALISA ROOM starting at 9:00 pm and there's FREE parking in their lot and I made a deal with them so ALL Hotrodders can park in the front with no problem. We've got a special "Jesse Dayton Room Package" that comes with a bucket of Lone Star! You can't beat it...an ultra badass hotel, killer bar with FREE admission and we're done early by 12 on a SAT. in one of my favorite towns in America? Houston is my true stompin' gorund. We're branging a new set list of songs. Be prepared, we're diggin' out some old JD classics at practice this week and Billy Dee is bringing his new stand up bass.

Where do we find the time? No excuses...we just MAKE time. I ain't tired, y'all tired?

Onward, amigos

Love to every dang one of y'all,

JD portrait by Charlie Terrell. Prints available soon.

5/11/2010

Hardchargers,

Jesse Dayton custom-made Texas cowboy boots? It's a done deal ya'll. I just finished meeting with Jerry Ryan, owner of Heritage Boots (check out www.bootelves.comto see the coolest little story about this Austin boot-legend that's still tied to the oldest boot makers in Mexico) and we struck a deal to make the custom-made black pointed toe 50's style cowboy boots that I've worn forever to sell to my Hardchargers for a reasonable price that your average workin folks can afford. I'm ecstatic about this endeavor because I get asked all the time (especially outside of Texas on tour) "where can I get some of those pointed toe boots you wear?" After they finish my first custom pair with "JD" on the straps, I'll show 'em to y'all before they go up for sale everywhere!

In other news, Charlie Terrell, who is a legendary artist and close friend of my family, just did a JD/Clegg Voodoo painting. This will be available soon in a limited edition concert size (24 x 36!) autographed poster at jessedayton.com or at the new jessedayton ebay store...purty kewl mahn!

This past Sunday I directed the second video from Mike Stinson's new Stag record. This one will feature legendary rock goddess Pamela DeBarres for the song "Slip My Mind." Today I finished editing it with my film partner Don Swaynos. By the way, thank you Don for all you've taught me. It's been an amazing learning curve, at very little expense to the folks around us, and I couldn't be more humbled by your knowledge and patience with me. Who needs NYU film school when you got Don Swaynos? If you are needing a real pro to direct/film/produce your film project, contact Don Swaynos.

If you're wondering why I won't be on tour until the end of the summer, it's because I'll be workin on the new film "The Sinner" which I'm so excited to hear is being shot in Austin, which means I can go home to my own bed everynight AND still play my Spoke show. Speaking of gigs....

This THURS. night in AUSTIN we play the legendary BROKEN SPOKE from 9:30-12.

Wanna cool hang on SAT. afternoon in Austin? My dear friends Will White & John Dorn put on their Hotrod Hoedown show at Little Ginnys' Longhorn from 12 noon 'til close. That SAT. night I'll be playing a PRIVATE SHOW with one of the coolest country singers of all time, DWIGHT YOAKUM. Me and Dwight on the same stage is gonna be a hell of a double bill!

SUN. in PASADENA TX. from 4-6 at the STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL, outside of HOUSTON, we throw down with everything we got....brang it son!

onward mi amigos! JD

5/5/2010

Hardchargers,

With new JD music just licensed for the HBO hit show "True Blood," and the new blue prints arriving for the new recording studio I'm building in Austin, things couldn't be busier. The record I'm producing for Michael Des Barres sounds like a cross between an early Faces/Rod Stewart record, and Sam Cooke's "What A Wonderful World" single. This guy has been a star since he was a kid in Britain (he was on the TV show "Bones" last week and has been in over 40 movies) and has one of those voices that every rock or soul band's lead singer wishes he had....high & raspy w/ soul to spare.

Also, on the fore-front for Stag Records is a compilation of JD rockabilly out-takes and songs that have been sitting around forever. This is pure, no holds barred, screaming dirty white boy rockabilly music and we are looking to release it sometime this summer.

Last week I signed on to do the music, and be one of the producers ("producer" is a new gig for me) for a short-film that starts filming here in Austin in late June called "The Sinner." It's beyond cool, with the lead character who drives a 49 Merc and has all the style of Mike Ness. Count me in!

This week we return to the bandstands....THURS. NIGHT we play the biggest weekly gig in AUSTIN where my love for the Solid Chrome Dancers just never tires at the BROKEN SPOKE from 9:30-12.

FRI. NIGHT we finally make it back to our fav show in PLANO TX at LOVE & WAR starting at 8:00 where people just don't give a damn and seem to raise three times as much hell as any venue we've ever played in Dallas. I love this gig, so I'm bringing our new piano player with us from Austin who makes the show ALL KILLER:NO FILLER!

God Bless the Gulf Coast and pray that those fisherman can recover from this mindboggling disaster. I've talked to my close friends in Louisiana and they say it's a lot worse than what the media is reporting. Being a hotrod owner, I'm not exactly Joe Tree Hugger when it comes to oil and gas (I love the smell of burning fuel from a flat-head Ford!) but you'd think we could be using that big fireball above us called the SUN, and that other thing that blows down the middle of Texas called the WIND, a little more than we do for energy....hello?

Onward amigos!
J to the D

4/28/2010

Hardchargers,

Things have always been outside the box for me. I just signed up to compose and produce the music for a cool indie film project shooting here in Austin called "The Sinner." If you would have told me that one day I'd be writing original music for Rob Zombie on a big budget studio horror Hollywood film produced by Harvey Weinstien I would have said "get off the crack pipe!"

A week ago I wrote six songs with Michael Des Barres for his new record. I'm producing tracks for him in Austin this week at our Casa Studios (it's our private studio, so no email requests to record here please. No worries, we just keep geting asked) Michael has been a star since he was a kid, and after seeing him at SXSW I was blown away with his high raspy Sam Cooke/early Rod Stewart style soul shouting vocals. This record has got some heavy cats on it...wait and see. Check out a short webisode from our first day in the studio."

We don't take it back to New Orleans until after Jazz Fest, for the zombie movie were doing. So I'll be finishing up the new JD solo record while I'm here. We are purging alot of material for this new CD and we've just about decided what the list of new tunes will be. Most exciting track so far?..."Think Of Me Darlin, When Ya Take Out The Trash" We are doing a video for it in the next couple of weeks.>/p>

This week we do what we most love....play music for people. THURS. NIGHT we are at the legendary BROKEN SPOKE in AUSTIN, TX from 9:30-12, where the scene gets bigger and bigger. Thanks to KVET for playing some JD music and pluggin' our Spoke show!

Also, a big thanks to DJ Jody Dean on KLUV in Dallas (it's a big station there) for playing "Just What I Needed" on the radio and plugging our May 7th Love & War show up there. Check it out here Jesse Dayton on KLUV

SAT. NIGHT we play a double bill with MIKE STINSON at the CYPRESS SALOON in CYPRESS/HOUSTON TX. Stinson's band strikes it up at 8:30. Last time we played here it was a great crowd, and this week we're giving away 20 FREE Capt. Clegg DVDs (our new documentary about the whole JD alias Capt. Clegg on the Rob Zombie Tour that's chocked full of backstage interviews, live performances on huge stages across America and special appearances by Rob Zombie and Roky Erickson) to the people who RESERVE a table before the show. I know, it's a killer deal.

SUN. AFTERNOON from 2-7 at the CONTINENTAL CLUB in AUSTIN, myself, along w/ the Derailers and Two Hoots & a Holler, play for the HUMANE SOCIETY OF AUSTIN. Why???? Because we love our critters. Ok, even more specific...I'm a dog person. I have two female black labs that would do anything for me. We're talking major unconditional love ya'll. I'm gonna give some back on Sunday. Might even load'em up in the truck and take'em down there!

In the words of one of my guitarist/actor/entertainer heroes, Jerry Reed...."git on it son!"

onward,

4/12/2010

Hardchargers,

Could a show be any more of a blast than the one I played on Saturday at the Crawfish Festival with my friends Hayes Carll and Ray Wylie Hubbard? Me and Hayes ended up jamming together at the end on "She Left Me For Jesus." It's shows like this that remind me of why I do all this crazy traveling. We're home for a while, working on a new film project, and writing and doing pre-production for a new record I signed onto produce. We'll announce the film, and artist I'm producing, in the coming weeks. Until then, we're playing some shows in and around Texas.

This week is all-in-all a pretty kick ass line up. WED. NIGHT here in South Austin at the newly remodeled ROADHOUSE RAGS on 1600 Fortview (on the north side of Ben White off the access road between Bannister and Manchaca) at 8:00 sharp we will be doing a FREE screening of our new documentary, "THE ADVENTURES OF CAPT. CLEGG." And yes,we have FREE LONE STAR BEER, and a showing of the ultimate southern film "Smokey and the Bandit." We'll be done by 10:30, maybe 11:00, so come see our under 1 hr. documentary, and then get your beer buzz on with Burt and his Trans Am!

THURS. NIGHT we play our beloved honky tonk of all honky tonks, THE BROKEN SPOKE on S. LAMAR in AUSTIN @ 9:30-12. Again, big thanks to KVET for playing JD and taking our Spoke show to another level (Solid Chrome Dancers are becoming a world-wide phenomenon...every week more & more people from all over the world show up to see what all the fuss is about!), and giving us props on the radio.

SUN. @ 5:00 sharp at the CONTINENTAL CLUB in AUSTIN, I'll be singing along with some of the most talented singers in the state (too many to list!) at the LORETTA LYNN TRIBUTE SHOW. Sunday at 5:00 sharp! (later that evening, I meet the band for a private show in Dripping Springs). I'll be singing "Whose Gonna Take The Garbage Out?", by Ernest Tubb and Loretta, with Marti Brom.

Ok, time to get back to work...see ya'll on the trail amigos!

brang it,

p.s. Halloween 2 was just nominated for an MTV Movie Award. There's a lot more footage of Clegg featured in the new directors cut. Check out the Capt. Clegg videos featured in the special features section of the Halloween 2 video which you can rent online at Netflix.com OR @ Blockbsuter Video!

4/5/2010

Hardchargers,

The new DVD documentary film, "The Adventures Of Captain Clegg & the Night Creatures," is here. Live performances in front of sold out concert halls across America, special appearances by rockstars, film-makers & actors (I'm not dropping names, you'll have to see it), and a one-on-one backstage Clegg interview. This documentary kicks ass and poses the question: "how did a honky-tonk singer from Austin TX wind up on the coolest rock n roll tour of the year?" The big news on this film is that it's absolutely FREE with the purchase of any piece of merch (CD, shirts, hats or whatever) at JESSEDAYTON.COM and CAPTAINCLEGG.COM. Remember, if you can't find JD, Clegg, Road Kings or Banjo & Sullivan, just go to the heart of it all at JESSEDAYTON.COM.

We'll be doing a special screening of the film at Roadhouse Rags in S. Austin on Wed. night Apr.14th @ 8:00., with a showing of "Smokey and the Bandit" afterwards. It's FREE ADMISSION & FREE BEER courtesy of Hardcharger Films & Stag Records, so come on out! This is gonna be a blast!

This week we're working on a new Mike Stinson video and interview. The song, "No One To Drink With," will feature myself and Brennen Leigh singing & playing guitars, and backing Stinson up. The new Mike Stinson CD "Jukebox In Your Heart" is now available at JESSEDAYTON.COM or ITUNES.COM and it continues to keep getting rave reviews across the country.

THURS. NIGHT we return to the honky tonks of all honky tonks, THE BROKEN SPOKE in S. AUSTIN from 9:30-12 (this gig just never dies. More and more people keep coming out. Thanks to the DJ's at KVET for playing my music and promoting our show. Note to all DJ's: you'll get an extra set of wings to get into heaven if you play JD music! Broken Spoke, where live music is a way of life.

SAT. we play a show at the CRAWFISH FESTIVAL in SPRING TX (right outside of Houston) starting w/ the JD Band @ 6 pm...then Ray Wylie Hubbard...then Hayes Carll....hell of a line up, huh?

Ok, back to work. Hope y'alls Easter was as good as mine. It was really great being with my Mom and my family. Big fish fry out in the backyard. Best quote of the day was from a 75 yr. old woman who was cooking..."um, Robert Bruce, hand me a Lone Star darlin, I'm losing my beer buzz." As I get older I realize all this other career stuff ain't gonna matter, cause in the end all you got's your loved ones and family.

OK, enough sentimental BS....now brang it son!

always,

ps BIG THANKS to Ty at Love & War for letting me out of a show. I had to work on a film project that was a HUGE deal for me,(tell you more soon) Ty and everyone @ L & W have been like my extended N. Texas family, and one of the best friends and supporters my music has ever had. Look for more dates there soon!

3/25/2010

Hardchargers,

Stag Records releases new REMASTERED "Country Soul Brother" and "Tall Texas Tales" CDs' next week!

Also, the new DVD "The Adventures of Capt. Clegg & the Night Creatures," is out next week for FREE with the purchase of any Capt. Clegg or Jesse Dayton CD or shirt. Yes, it kicks ass and you have to see it to believe it, (live concert footage in huge arenas, backstage interviews & appearances by some of our friends that you won't believe).

From one dancehall to another, this SAT. @ 8pm we play @ the coolest old school Texas dancehall in the state called THE SWISS ALPS DANCEHALL in SCHULENBURG TX. that will also have a Vintage Car Show goin on as well...come on out y'all!!!

This is a short one...I'm slammed w/ studio work!!!

always,

P.S. my friend Lew Temple has a new movie that comes out this week called "The Killing Jar" w/ Michael Madsen and Danny Treijo.

3/11/2010

Hardchargers,

The MIKE STINSON record I produced is out now on jessedayton.com, mikestinson.net, Itunes, and most other online music sites. Look for it at Cactus, Waterloo, Amoeba, and other cool record stores in the next few days.

Listening to the finished CD today, I realize that it's some of the hottest guitar pickin' I've ever done. Not to mention, killer backing vocals by Jim Lauderdale and Brennen Leigh. Some of the songs we're written when Mike lived with Lucinda Williams (a couple of songs written about Mike's ex...Lucinda) and some of the songs we're written about famous rock-girlfriend/writer Pamela DeBarres, whom Mike had a long relationship with in Los Angeles. Now, finally, the rest of the world can find out what myself, Dwight Yoakum (who covered his song "Late Great Golden State"), Lucinda Williams, Billy Bob Thornton (who also covered Mike's songs), and most of the music insiders of Los Angeles and Houston (the 2 towns where Mike has lived) know...Mike is one of the great songwriters of our generation. I'll be playing shows with him to support the record next week @ SXSW. Check myspace.com/jessedayton for when and where, if you're in Austin.

In closing on this, I'm damned proud of this record and think it's the best batch of songs to come out in a longtime from ANY songwriter. Even the witty tunes have a sense of depth and vuneralbility that most of these other contemporary writers just can't touch. Anywanker, we have a new video and a tour we're putting together for Mike so...BUY IT!!!

Next week it looks like the "ADVENTURES OF CAPT. CLEGG AND THE NIGHT CREATURES" DVD will be available for FREE on captainclegg.com, jessedayton.com, with the purchase of any t-shirt or CD. This documentary has special appearances by Rob Zombie and Roky Erickson, and an all backstage pass to all things CLEGG while on a major arena tour with Zombie. So if ya wanna see me shredding the King guitar I used in the Halloween 2 movie (which is out on DVD now and features 6 Rob Zombie directed Clegg videos on the special features as well as ALOT more JD in the movie than in the theater release) in front of thousands of people in different venues every night...GET IT!

This week we play a show that just doesn't get old. Why? Well, first because it's ALWAYS a great crowd. And second, it's the most legendary dancehall in Austin. THE BROKEN SPOKE this THURS. NIGHT from 9:30 -12 in beautiful S. AUSTIN.

SAT. NIGHT we play an after-Rodeo party in HOUSTON at the ARMADILLO PALACE on KIRBY ST. that is open to the public from 9:30 til whenever we get done. This will be a scene as usual and even if there's more than our show goin' on that night, well, it's okay folks. In Austin, music fans go to several shows a night all the time. The other night I went and saw Shiny Ribs @ Roadhouse Rags, then went to the Continental Club to see Redd Volkhart, and then went to see some new jazz band @ the Elephant Room, all in one night. No biggie, pretty much business as usual for people in Austin who are bombarded with 3 or 4 great shows a night.

Soooo, in the words of R. Lee Ermey, and Mickey Rourke's character in the Wrestler, and my-own-damn-self,....braaang it y'all!

onward,

3/2/2010

Hardchargers,

Stag Records will be releasing the new Mike Stinson record "Jukebox In Your Heart" next week. Stinson and I came about working together through Houston Press writer William Smith, who turned me onto Mike's early recordings. Eventually Mike and I played a show together in Los Angeles. It was there that night, Mike asked me to produce his new record after hearing the duets record I did with Brennen Leigh, "Holdin' Our Own." Mike and I brought an amazing batch of songs and musicians out to Willie Nelson's Pednernales Studios outside of Austin and recorded (at least what I think is) the best sounding country songwriter record I've ever worked on. Songs like "Square with the World" and "Walk Away" are just simply amazing and rank right up there with the new Hayes Carll or Ryan Bingham stuff. We also recorded a stellar version of "Late Great Golden State" w/ Tony Gylkson on guitar (this song was recorded by Dwight Yoakum and Billy Bob Thornton and earned Stinson his rightful place as a real working songwriter) and many more of what his LA/Houston crowd would describe as "Stinson Classics." Anyway, you can download it soon, and order it soon online at mikestinson.net or jessedayton.com or stagrecords.com Or, by the end of the month it will be at certain record store locations for all of you California/Texas folks. OR even better, pick one up at Mikes next show!

The new Capt. Clegg and the Night Creatures DVD will be out soon. It's FREE with the purchase of a Clegg CD or Clegg T-Shirt. Yes, if you're a fan, you're gonna want to see this for sure. It's a real, all access, backstage pass to Clegg on the Hellbilly Deluxe 2 Tour, with great cameos and killer performance clips. Get it at jessedayton.com OR captainclegg.com.

This week we trudge onward troops....THURS. NIGHT we play THE BROKEN SPOKE from 9:30-12 in S. AUSTIN where the Solid Chorme Dancers take honky tonk floor work to a whole other level.

FRI. NIGHT we play probably the coolest club I've seen in Texas since the Continental Clubs (Houston or Austin) called THE PHOENIX SALOON, in NEW BRAUNFELS TX from 9:30-12. This place is a REAL Texas Saloon from the 1800's and has such a great vibe to it (the stories about it are endless, ask around). We go on right after Ray Price lets out down the street at Gruene Hall. So all you San Antonio AND Austin folks need to brang it cuz this place'll blow your mind!

SAT. NIGHT I play one of my favorite gigs EVER. It's an acoustic show on the Gulf Coast on GALVESTON ISLAND @ THE OL' QUARTER starting @ 9:00! MIKE STINSON will open the show, so get there early!

Obviously, there's alot goin on with the whole movie thing, and workin on a new record. But I have a good team of hardchargers around me that help me knock all this stuff out and keep my calendar buzzing like a 40 watt bulb. All the best mi amigos.

brang it!!