JON BUTCHER – 360 DEGREES

Grammy-nominated guitarist Jon Butcher is one of a select handful of influential recording artists who emerged from the legendary Boston music scene. MTV videos, hit songs and incendiary live performances comprise the underpinnings of a rich music career that continues today. I caught up with Jon as he was getting to release his eclectic new album “360 Degrees.”

Tom Guerra: Is the significance of the title a reference to coming full circle?

Jon Butcher: Yes. Let me explain it this way…360 Degrees is my attempt at an appraisal, or a summation to date of how my life is today, how I got here, and writing my own truth. It’s an EP length because I’m following it up with seven more songs that are intentionally electric, coming next year. So, it’s a two-part resolution of my world.

TG: These songs convey a range of emotions and feelings – from the cosmic vibe of the title track and “Water on Europa,” to the social commentary of “The Season” and “USB,” and a few of the tunes, including “Breathe” and “Grow Old With Me,” I hear a man that is comfortable with where he is in life.

JB: I am trying, like many other musicians of my generation, to become at peace with myself. And it’s really been a lifetime pursuit. What I’ve written here is a self-reflection which I tried to do it in a way that becomes a shared experience.

TG: This album features a lot of acoustic guitar, certainly a lot more than you’ve had in the past. What are you playing on these tracks?

JB: A few years back, I came across this 1990 Martin HD-28 Marquis that somebody played the hell out of. It’s got battle scars, there’s a crack repair on the top, but when I picked that up, it changed me. This was one of those times you bond with a guitar and sounds glorious! And as if lightning can strike twice, right after that, I found an old sunburst 1972 Gibson AJ-50 and THAT guitar also blew me away. So now I’ve got these two great acoustics and before long, I started to do some acoustic shows around New England, and began to write the songs for “360 Degrees.”

TG: What about amps for this record?

JB: I used three amps, a heavily modded Blues Junior, a vintage plexi Marshall 100 watt and the studio’s ’64 Vibrolux to give me the type of color expansion that I want for my guitars.

TG: “Grow Old with Me” is a song that I never could have imagined from the man who gave us “Wishes.” It has a bit of a “When I’m Sixty Four” feel to it, with woodwinds?

JB: Yes, Jared Holiday plays the clarinet on it. You’re right, it has a “When I’m Sixty Four” vibe, but hello, I’m living it (laughs)! I had to write that song, it’s telling the truth of my life at this point.

TG: “Water on Europa” has a very ethereal type of sound to it, there’s a bed of acoustic and then sort of a cosmic Strat providing an atmospheric type of sound.

JB: I use a Boss DD-20 and one of the settings really nails that sort of trippy sound. I know it’s a bit psychedelic, but I love that sound. Ever since I heard “1984 – A Mermaid I Should Turn to Be” my life was changed forever.

TG: Are you using alternate tunings on these songs?

JB: On “Breathe,” I am using a modified DAGDAD tuning, which gives the song it’s openness.

TG: “The Season” is lyrically “ripped from the headlines,” and sung in a very emotional tone. What do you feel is the artist’s responsibility during times like these?

JB: As many people as you ask, that’s how many correct answers you’ll get. For me, if I’m not speaking my own truth, why even bother to make music? Why have I been a journeyman guitar player and songwriter for all these years if I am not going to speak my own truth? So that’s my responsibility, and if you’ve liked my music over the years, you might be interested in what I am thinking about, cause maybe we’re thinking about the same things.
The album wraps with “The Coalman Mine,” a beautiful tune sung in a soulful, world weary voice. What’s the origin of this?
I wrote that in 1992 for an HBO production, in a sort of Americana genre. It was initially released on Blues Bureau Records, but I felt I wanted to re-record it with a simpler arrangement, just me and that Martin guitar.

TG: Are you still active with your production company Electric Factory X?

JB: Yes! EFX is the mechanism that allows me to choose multiple creative paths, not just as a guitar player. I can’t tell you how important and special this is to me. Through it, I am producing young artists including Amanda Mena, Megan Wolf and the band Glimpses, talented artists who have music coming out in 2019. These musicians really make me feel positive about the future.

– Tom Guerra