20 WATT TOMBSTONE
20 WATT TOMBSTONE “Lightin’ Up the Graveyard”
By Dr. Abner Mality
Not to belabor the obvious, but Wausau, Wisconsin is not known as a hotbed of heavy music or the blues. Well, 20 WATT TOMBSTONE is here to change all that. Known originally as THE GODDAMNS, these hard-rocking Cheeseheads have come up with a really appealing sound that mixes maximum metal crunch with the soul that only comes from the blues. I described their latest album “The Chosen Few” as sounding like a mix of SAINT VITUS, ZZ TOP and KYUSS.
Such a band demands a special kind of voice and Tom Jordan is that voice. This burley fellow has a warm bluesy drawl that practically grabs you by the lapels and pulls you into the song. Just about the perfect frontman for such a band and something you’d expect to hear more in the swampy south than the piney habitat of east Wisconsin.
Tom himself was kind enough to contact me with some good words about my review, so that naturally led to the interview you’re about to read. Again, I got more than I bargained for and all to the good…
WORMWOOD CHRONICLES: Greetings, Tom! I know the roots of 20 WATT TOMBSTONE run pretty deep. You used to be called THE GODDAMNS at one time...what led to the name change and is there any meaning behind the name 20 WATT TOMBSTONE?
TOM JORDAN: Basically back in the day there were a few reasons for the name change. First, our booking agent at the time was having some trouble booking the band due to religious folks having issues with the name. Strike one. Then we had another band using the name and when we tried to trademark the name, we were told by the U.S. Trademark office that we couldn't trademark a curse word. Strike two. Eventually the issues with the other band's existence made it confusing to our fans and that was strike three. When it came time to change the name we had no idea what to call ourselves so we went to social media and asked our fans for help. We started a contest for the best name and 20 WATT TOMBSTONE was the winner.
WC: Has there been any musical shift in the band during your existence or have you pretty much been dedicated to this heavy blues rock style?
TJ: The first record was a lot more blues based, the split record we did with Fort Wayne, Indiana band LEFT LANE CRUISER was heavier, more stoner rock vibes, and this new one is a pretty straightforward rock album. Very little blues found on this one but its still part of the roots, I guess. For me, this band is a vehicle to explore whatever I am feeling and not be bound by genre so much. I’ve always admired artists like PRINCE for their ability to take risks and do something different every time but stay true to their sound while exploring other avenues. This band is my way of doing that. So far our fans have been very supportive of everything we experiment with.
WC: I know bands often dislike being labeled but is there a particular genre or style you prefer being associated with? I’ve heard the band described as stoner rock, boogie metal, even doom metal.
TJ: Originally Feddie J from LEFT LANE CRUISER dubbed us "Death Blues" and the term stuck. Since then though the band has evolved a bit and I don't feel that describes us anymore (especially with the new album). We definitely aren't doom, and I don't feel like we are stoner rock either. However the doom and stoner rock community has been extremely supportive of us and has given us a home with many other bands we respect and admire. In my opinion we are just a rock band, plain and simple. We get labeled as blues a lot too and while there are definitely blues influences in what we do, I don't think we are "blues" in the traditional sense at all. We tend to turn down any events that have blues in the name just because we feel like blues fests and the like are usually looking for something that we are not.
WC: The latest 20WT effort is “The Chosen Few”. What is it about this record that makes it different from previous albums?
TJ: This one was a pretty big departure for us, mainly in the production aspect. We also built these songs differently and changed up our usual formula. For production we used Jeff Hamilton from Milwaukee, he's mainly known for touring with THE VIOLENT FEMMES and BEATALLICA but he’s a stellar engineer and did a great job elaborating on our sound but not changing it too much. This is a much more cleanly produced album than any we have done before but it’s still very organic and raw. Another thing that we did differently was work with a producer on this one. Our Buddy from Lafayette, Louisiana Brother Dege, worked as a producer on this and co-wrote two songs with me (“Chosen Few” and “Bomb that Saved the Day”). Dege brings a lot of professionalism and is a great arranger, song writer and a savvy studio guy. For us this was all huge, he was nominated for a Grammy for his song "Too Old to die Young" in the Tarantino movie "Django Unchained" too. We were very honored to have such an amazingly talented artist working with us and I think his presence on this one is a BIG reason for it being so different.
WC: The album title “The Chosen Few” can have multiple meanings...is there a particular message you want people to take from it?
TJ: I tend to not like to lead people down a road of what I meant in lyrics, I tend to think that art is all about perception. I want people to come to their own ideas about the song and what it means to them for the most part. I think the idea of fitting in and not fitting in is something that a lot of us can relate to so my goal is to plant the idea and let people take their journey the way it feels right to them.
WC: “The Bomb That Saved The Day” sounds like it’s got some irony to it. What inspired this one?
TJ: Brother Dege co-wrote this one with me and again I prefer to let people find their own meaning BUT, I think this one is pretty relatable. We have all been at that point in life where something we perceive as bad comes along. It’s often our tendency as humans to see tragedy as exactly that and nothing more. This song hints at the idea that sometimes hardship can result in something good and that dwelling on the negative sometimes keeps us from seeing that bad things can turn into good things.
WC: You guys really bring the old blues influences into your sound. Who are some of the names you draw inspiration from in the blues world?
TJ: Most of the blues artists I love are the old Delta guys, Son House, Robert Johnson of course, Bukka White, RL Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, etc. However I do draw influence from alot of the blues rock guys too that came later. Johnny Winter, Taj Mahal, Billy Gibbons, Rory Gallagher. I am a huge fan of Muddy Waters, I think he created Rock n' Roll (or at least the early rumblings of it) and he's probably one of my biggest influences.
WC: It seems that this is a type of music that is struggling in the modern day, especially with the rise of rap and homogenized pop music. Do you kind of consider yourselves crusaders keeping the music alive?
TJ: I look at us as a rock band with blues influences, and I don't really consider us big enough to be a beacon of hope with the style. I guess my biggest goal is more in the connection with people who listen. As an artist the process is to create something honest and for yourself. Deep from the heart and soul and then offer it to the world and hope that they "get it" and it clicks, that they feel something and connect. If it doesn't hit with folks then you do the same thing again and offer another piece of yourself in the hopes that someone feels it. You keep doing this over and over. Some click, some don't. It’s ok if people don't get everything you do but as long as art is honest and from a true place inside you it’s not bad. After all art is about expression. So rather than be seen as a crusader of keeping the style alive i strive to have people connect.
WC: Your vocals are super soulful, a quality sadly missing from many modern acts. Is it a “God-given talent” that’s natural or do have to really work at it?
TJ: Thank you! I put a lot into my voice, especially with touring. I don't drink alcohol, I don't smoke, I manage my acidic intake and use meds to keep acid in check, I also see a vocal coach and a whole lot of other things. Without it I can’t work and if I can’t work I can’t pay my bills. When I was younger we did 200 shows a year and my voice was practically indestructible, but now at 47 it’s a little different and requires some love with the abuse I put it through. :-)
WC: You’re from up in Wausau, Wisconsin. How has Wisconsin put a stamp on your music and do you get pretty good support from the home state?
TJ: There really isn't any Wisconsin in our music. We didn't spend much time here pre-covid, LOL. We have a lot more in common with the south than here but our state has been pretty supportive. My hometown is pretty small so support here is limited purely due to its size but we get a lot of love from Green Bay, Madison and Milwaukee. As a whole, Wisconsin is a pretty small state in comparison to some but the scene here has definitely helped us do what we do!!
WC:. Does 20 WATT TOMBSTONE play live a lot? If so, what’s the most memorable gig you’ve had so far?
TJ: I get asked this a lot and there are far too many to list. We have been able to do some amazing shows all over the globe and with some amazing bands. Probably the stand outs are Raut Oak fest in Germany, Majestic Theatre in Madison WI, and more recently our album release show at the Tarlton Theatre. Raut Oak was the first time I had heard that many people singing the words to our songs. It was so loud i could hear their voices over the music. Very humbling and it left us both with a massive adrenaline high afterward.
WC: Any ideas yet on what will follow “The Chosen Few” or is it too early for that?
TJ: At this point we are still focused on promoting this album and touring, but Id like to release a metal record next. Something a bit heavier. I tend to just see where the writing takes us and let it happen however it needs to but we will see! Would be cool to make a heavy record next, that's for sure!
WC: If you could have dinner with any 3 people from history, who would they be?
TJ: Man! So many options its hard to say. Probably Dante, Da Vinci, and Constantine. I would find it fascinating to pick their brains on art, politics, religion and a million other things.
WC: Has the band ever had a “Spinal Tap” moment where things went haywire that you could share with us?
TJ: Lots, too many to note. I'm actually in the process of writing a book about our tour experiences over the last 13 years. All the good ones are much too long to go into here but my book will cover such hits as: The night we stayed in a meth house, the time we got lost in the WV mountains in the rain and got our van stuck in what i can only describe as "Hill People" community, The time we tore a hole in our gas tank and a random man walked up with a cigarette and threatened to light us on fire. There is also the time I tore my cornea on tour and played 3 weeks basically unable to see. Lots of craziness has happened over the years. :-)
WC: Any last words for the fans?
TJ: Just how much we appreciate all of you out there who have allowed us to do this music thing for a living. Since covid it’s been a huge blessing to see people out at shows, paying covers, buying merch and telling us how much our music means to them. During Covid I wondered for a time if we would ever be able to play music again and the thought of changing career paths in my 40s was terrifying. I never thought the choice of playing or not would be taken from me. So to the fans of this band and to the fans of any other bands that tour, keep being amazing and supporting us and allowing us to do this crazy thing. Without you guys we could not do this!
