Artist description THE alternative "alternative rock", the Jason Gonzalez joins the corners of acoustic pop, melodic rock, and funk with a groove all his own.

Music Style Adult Contemporary/Soft Rock/AOR/West Coast

Musical Influences Rick Springfield, Paul McCartney, Survivor, Howard Jones, Tears For Fears, Early Genesis, Phil Collins, Dave Matthews, Third Eye Blind, Jude Cole, Marc Cohen

Similar Artists The Outfield, Filter, Triumph, Journey, Paul McCartney, Steve Perry, Duncan Sheik, Survivor, Junk Male, Norway, Vision 180

Artist History Jason Gonzalez has steadfastly, though inadvertently defied music industry trends. His style which has been called 'too alternative for Alternative', not modern enough for Modern Rock, not edgy enough for Hard Rock or Metal or Thrash, & not hip enough for Hip Hop', must then be qualified to be called truly music industry 'unique'. His pure, high, and powerful tenor voice which is so unlike any of todays 'top 40 alternative rock, modern rock, and hardcore' screamers who often sound the same, is instantly recognizable with its presence. In 1998, inspired from listening to the solo Paul McCartney album 'McCartney', which was recorded entirely in McCartney's house using a 4 track, Jason Gonzalez made the bold move to leave the full band scene after 7 years, and it's struggles of bandmember 'creative differences'. In his NJ basement studio, he self recorded his debut CD 'Through My Eyes' using a combination of a computer with Cakewalk Pro Audio, and a 4 track cassette recorder. He played every instrument, overdubbing track by track, and mixed it down before sending it out to be mastered and pressed. With fears of creative differences still on his mind, he decided to hire session players, and called his band Just Jay, and took to the road in NY, NJ, and PA, playing for whoever would play for him. In a pinch, after suffering through many lineup changes, even his wife Theresa stepped in to play keyboards for a show, after Jason gave her a crash course on piano and music theory. He first came to European attention in 1999 with the ‘Through My Eyes’ album. The singles 'Starting Over Again' & 'Holding The Line' got airplay in local college radio stations in NY & NJ & Europe. Heart Of The Rock, Flash, Fireworks, Hard ROXX, Loud and Clear, Strutterzine & other melodic rock/AOR magazines in Europe picked up on him via MP3.com & his own website. Moving to Seattle in 2000 for a change of pace and scenery, he faced a city that laments the loss of grunge & has since tried to fill the void with metal, thrash, & 'power pop'/alternative/modern rock. What has made Gonzalez stand out? For starters his voice, which will remind you of the great Steve Perry of Journey, or possibly The Outfield or a Wings era Paul McCartney, while his songwriting hints of Jonathan Cain, Duncan Sheik, The Goo Goo Dolls, and Rick Springfield. But it’s his 'story' which makes him a bit different. Every band that has had to pay their dues to succeed, but in most of those cases, there are several guys or women working together for the same dream, sharing the heartaches & successes together, as well as the never ending responsibilities & hats required to either earn a living as an independent artist or obtain enough attention to warrant that golden carrot of music, the 'deal with a label'. In Gonzalez' case, he has shouldered those multi-hat burdens entirely on his own shoulders for his entire music career. His musicians (a constant lineup of which is always a problem even in icon bands) are hired guns whose only care outside of making it to performances on time & knowing the tunes & harmonies are when, where, & from whom their next paycheck is coming from. He has no artist manager, no tour manager, no booking agent, no image consultant, no press machine, no sound engineers, no promotions manager & no major or even local Seattle label interest. Local Seattle papers, and music magazines have steadfastly refused to even review his CDs or answer his phone calls. He even keeps a mocking running tab of the lack of music industry interest he has received on his website for all to see. But While most people would have long since given up & succumbed to the pressures of such a stressful existence, Gonzalez has instead continued to prosper, growing more successful along the way. The debut CD 'Through My Eyes' sold over 10,000 copies making it one of the most successful independent releases in 1999 despite critic's harsh reviews about his voice sound too much like Journey's Steve Perry. No phones were ringing from any one in the music industry. Undaunted, Gonzalez recorded 'On The Edge Of The Edge' using a lower, throaty and chest driven vocal range to avoid the dreaded 'Steve Perry Clone Syndrome'. The more subdued, acoustic guitar driven 'On The Edge Of The Edge' (released in 2001), which was recorded in a professional studio used by major label signed acts, and involved a producer, charted on several Hot A/C and AAA radio stations in the country on the strength of the singles 'A Shoulder To Lean On', 'I Will Find A Reason', and 'It's Just A Feeling', and the supporting WA, OR, and North CA summer tour helped sell 17,000 copies, but again no doors have been opened. The single 'Walkin'' kept his sales going and his established presence in Europe strong, though many heavy metal critics over there found the music a little too pop for their tastes. At the end of the 2002 Summer Tour, Jason Gonzalez decided he wanted to go back to full band situation. He has taken a hiatus from his solo career and formed the EDG (a mocking of the independent artist) which is an acronym for the 'Eternally Dicked Over Guys'. 'I basically decided that the amount of work involved with constantly doing every single non music related thing, like follow up phone calls, emails, website authoring, press pack mailing, bookkeeping, and database updating, got me to the point where I really wasn't enjoying playing and writing. I hardly had time to write new material. That wasn't why I got into this in the first place. It was always for the fun and enjoyment. So I decided to just find some guys to collaborate with and also share in the responsibilities. About his entire career, Jason quipped, 'I used to let it really get me down, get really pissed off about it. I mean there are so many bands who haven't sold anywhere near as many CDs as I have (and many of them are 3, 4, and 5 people all working together, not one guy doing it on his own), and they're being hailed as the next great this or the next great that, being courted by US major and independent labels' promotion machines, when some of that music really sucks. I mean stop and listen to the radio when your'e in a crowded resteraunt sometime and you'll realize how many of the singers and songs sound like the same person sang and wrote them. Then I looked at how I live compared to how most of them, including a ton of major label 'pinnacle of success' bands live, and realized I earn more than most of the CEO's of most independent record labels. I can afford so many things. My radio play, CD sales, show attendance, the money I make and the lifestyle I lead from music speak for themselves as to my success as an artist. And my fans and the friends I have met and made in the industry are the most important thing to me, not sucking up to some 'industry contact'. If you don't give a sh!t about being a celebrity and realize when it's all said and done the kind of lifestyle you can afford to live doing what you love is what matters (I mean hey, you gotta work, even Paul McCartney works) then who has the last laugh? People call me arrogant, but as I see it, I'm the one who has been ignored and dismissed, and I'm not about to let that or anything else stop me from doing what I want to do. I never have, and if the US music industry doesn't like me, tough sh!t, I don't do it for them anyway. Stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours...but don't dare cross me'.

Group Members Jason Gonzalez-Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitars, Keyboards Duane McCusker-Lead Guitars, Rhythm Guitars, Backing Vocals Rick Hall-Bass, Backing Vocals Brian Kirk-Drums, Percussion

Albums Through My Eyes (1999), On The Edge Of The Edge (2001)

Press Reviews I stopped caring about what US music industry "moguls", "talent experts", A&R reps, "trendsters", "people who will make or break your career who you have to know and kiss up to" and other so called "networking contacts" said about my music after my 2nd CD "On The Edge" sold 17,000 copies and my shows for my summer Edge tour were packed. These were the same people who told me my music doesn't sell, isn't marketable, isn't trendy enough, and isn't hip enough, and that I was too old to be a music industry artist career start out success when I was 26.

Location Seattle, WA - USA

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