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| Meet the Band! |
The B Skool Rockers are made up of a diverse bunch of individuals.
Each member adds a unique perspective to the group. When we get together to play
we have one goal in mind: to have a good time and to play music the best we can! Ok, thats 2 goals
but you know what I mean. Continue reading to meet the band!
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| Jon Jackson - Vocals, Bass Guitar |
Joe Kohler - Guitar, Vocals |
| Mike Thornton - Drums, Guitar, Vocals |
Dylan Thornton - Drums, Keyboard |
| Jon Jackson |
| How long have you been playing: -
I started playing guitar when I was a freshman in high school, so its been about
15 years. When I was 18 I bought a bass and started playing that for on of the bands that I was in,
but mostly I played guitar and sang.
For the B Skool Rockers it started off with me playing rythym guitar and singing but when we
got a bass I started playing that. Ive been playing bass for about a year with 14 years of
guitar playing experience.
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| Whats your favorite song to play: - I dont really have a favorite. I love
all of the songs we do. I like to play any song that I can get into and that gets the crowd going.
There are a few at the top of my list though. I guess "Cumbersome" would be up there. "Beverly Hills" is cool because eveyone seems to bob
thier head to the music. I likes songs where everyone gets to show off thier talent. "Rip it Out" and "One Way or ANother" for Mike.
"Say it Aint So" and "Sundown" for Joe. "One Way or Another" and "I Love ROck n Roll" for Emily.
"I was wrong" and "Cant Get Enough" for Dylan.
"Seven Nation Army" and "Stray Cat Strut" for me. All of these songs are great.
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| Current gear: -
Right now play an Ernie Ball Music Man Sub Bass through Joe's bass amp.
I dont have one yet. Soon though. I run the bass through a bass chorus pedal.
I also have an ESP Mirage custom guitar, a Yamaha APX-6 Acoustic Electric, a Celebrity Ovation
Acoustic Electric, Chorus and flanger pedals and a line 6 spider 100w amp.
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| Thoughts on the band: -
Through the years there have been so many shows and every one of them is memorable in thier own way.
Right now I would say that im in the band that I like best more than the rest of them.
There's no fighting or arguing, no stupid who has to be the loudest going on (if you have played in bands you know what im talking about).
Everyone gets along and its a family atmosphere. I never go home feeling that I didnt have a good time.
Some bands that you're in its hard work just to get throgh the night without killing each other.
We all have a special band together and I think it shows with our playing. When we play in front of
people it fills a void in me. I get a rush just playing, being able to make great music with my friends.
Thats what I feel being in a band is all about.
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| Joe Kohler |
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| How long have you been playing: -
I started playing bass when I was 11 (1982). Me and a few friends started a band.
When I was 13 I decided I wanted to play guitar and have been playing since then. |
| Whats your favorite song to play: - Thats a tough question.
I like playing "Say It Aint So" by weezer because it is just a fun song to strum.
I also like to play "inside out" by Eve 6. That song has a driving energy that is lots of fun to play.
One of the great things about our approach to the songs we play is that we do not always try to sound like the original
artist. What I mean by that is for example, we do a version of Gordon Lightfoots "Sundown" that is a very mellow catchy song.
However, our version is reminescent of how Metallica would play it :) A few songs we "twisted" are "I Love Rock n Roll" and
"Wild World". Its alot of fun to play them types of songs and see the audience get into our version of them.
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| Current gear: -
2002 Gibson Les Paul Standard, 1991 Fender American Strat, 2004 Jackson RR3, old BC Rich st-3 I got for 8th grade graduation!
I have several amps but the one I am using for live performances is a Marshall TSL-2000 combo. Im using a line 6 POD XT for all my tones (this thing is phenominal).
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| Most memorable show: -
I enjoy playing all the shows. We played the Thorntons BBQ, that was great. I liked playing outside.
The PA and band sounded fantastic... open and airy. Broke my "d" string during the last part of "Inside Out" where the song gets really crazy
and just played it out rockin hard. Many in the crowd saw the string flapping around and were digging the way we just totaly rocked out the song.
Got a real big applause after that one and it was a set closer so it wasnt a big deal for me to take a few and fix up the git.
Of couse the band took the opportunity to play "The Broken String Jam" which they do whenerr I break one. Yea... I break strings often... I cant help it... so what!
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| Mike Thornton |
| How long have you been playing: - Started playing drums when I was 12. I took lessons for quite a few years and played in the High School band. Over the years I've played in a handful of different bands and they always became frustrating. B Skool is by far the coolest and funest (yes, that is a word.) band I have ever been in. |
| Whats your favorite song to play: - Without sounding corny, I love 'em all....except "When will I be loved"!!!! |
| Current gear: - my kit is SONOR, my cymbals are SABIAN, and I have other assorted junk. |
| Most memorable show: - The first "Sounds of Yesterdaze" show in March. It was great using all the new equipment and everyone said we sounded great. |
| Most embarrassing moment: - Getting the flu during a show and throwing up between sets and the whole way home!! |
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| Dylan Thornton |
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| How long have you been playing: - I started playing drums when my Dad would let me sit on his drum set and bang away! So, probably age 1 1/2!!! I started taking keyboard lessons in February 2005 and saxaphone in September 2005. |
| Whats your favorite song to play: - Keyboard: "The Wanderer", Drums: "Hound Dog" |
| Current gear: - My Dad's drum set and Jon's keyboard, and my saxaphone! I have my own keyboard at home also. |
| Most memorable show: - My first show was at my house in June '05 so it was memorable because it was my first show in front of a large crowd. But, my favorite was at Bill & Phyllis Jackson's house in September '05. It was the last one of the summer and we all sounded GREAT!! The stage was great too!! |
| Favorite Subject in School: - Math & Gym. |
| Accomplishments: - Placed 2nd in the 4th Grade Math Contest Ocean County Math League, and 1st Place in the 4th Grade Math Contest New Jersey Math League. Currently in 5th grade and in OMNI General Academics, OMNI Math, OMNI Language and the Conflict Resolution and Peer Mediation Team. Safety Patrol member. |
| What do you want to be when you grow-up: - Circuit Overseer!!!! |
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