Gettin’ Humble with Handsome Jack

Garage Boogie Soul Rockers, Handsome Jack make a visit to 3S Artspace in Portsmouth on Thursday, December 7, sharing a bill with King Buffalo. There will be rock, there will be roll. Ensure that your head is screwed on tight…

The Granite Rodeo caught up with Handsome Jack’s Joe Verdonselli for a conversation that traced the band’s roots — from its inception in high school, to hanging and playing with the Buffalo Killers, to winding up on the Alive! Natural Sound record label (which, if you’re not hip to, hop on over to wherever you consume music and take a dive into their catalog… You will not be disappointed).

Granite Rodeo: Let’s talk about the latest record, “Get Humble.” What were the goals for this record?

Joe Verdonselli: For each album, we get a batch of demos together and pick our favorite ones. While we don’t have preconceived themes for our albums, each one is a snapshot of where we’re at and what we happen to be into at the moment.

Granite Rodeo: What all is behind the sentiment of getting humble?

Verdonselli: It’s a strange time to be alive, and the world is getting crazier and crazier all the time. For that song, we’re just trying to say everybody is the same and wants and needs the same things. Everybody needs to take a step back sometimes, have a little more empathy, and humble themselves to make room for everyone.

Granite Rodeo: The record has been out for a couple of years now. What’s cookin’? Got a new album in the works?

Verdonselli: Yes, we’ve got the new album in the can and can’t wait to get it out there by the end of this winter or beginning of spring.

Granite Rodeo: How did Handsome Jack come together? Why did Handsome Jack come together?

Verdonselli: We actually started way back in our high school days going on 20 years ago. We’d jam in the basement or garage after school. Some of our first gigs were parties and even the high school talent show. It’s pretty wild to think I’ve been in the same band for over half of my life now.

Granite Rodeo: I’d love to hear about your relationship with one of my all-time favs, the Buffalo Killers. How do you know/did you meet the Gabbard Brothers? How have the inspired or informed the direction of Handsome Jack (if at all)? (I realize Zach produced “Do What Comes Naturally,” which is an absolute banger…)

Verdonselli: We opened a show for them in Buffalo way back around the time of their first album. We’ve been friends and huge fans of theirs ever since. We’re grateful to have played with them a bunch over the years since then and even have Zach help us do our first album with Alive Records. The Gabbard brothers are the nicest and most talented guys around, and I’d say they’ve definitely had an influence on our sound. We’re still huge fans of the Buffalo Killers, the Gabbard Brothers, as well as Andy’s and Zach’s solo projects and super happy for them getting the opportunity to be in the Black Keys touring band.

Granite Rodeo: I love Alive Natural Sound Records. Scoop up everything the label puts out because I trust it’s gonna be badass. What do you appreciate about the label?

Verdonselli: Zach Gabbard put us on Alive Records’ radar when we recorded “Do What Comes Naturally” with him. They’ve had a great grassroots reputation for putting out awesome records for a long time now, and we’re hugely grateful they’ve helped us get our music out to a wider audience over the years.

Granite Rodeo: In general, why music? Why do you seek it? Why do you create it?

Verdonselli: For me, it’s a connectedness to the human condition. A way of understanding ourselves and others better. Somehow, music has an instantaneous way of connecting everyone better than any other form of art.

Granite Rodeo: Was there a moment or experience that led you to chase music as a means of earning a living? What was the “a-ha!” moment that led you to decide, “yep, that’s what I want to do with my life”?

Verdonselli: I wouldn’t say there was a specific moment that led me to want to play music. I’d say it’s more of a calling. I somehow knew from a young age that music had such a major impact on me that I wanted to create it before I ever knew how to play. It’s a catharsis, an obsession, an addiction all in one.

Granite Rodeo: What’s the songwriting process like with the band? Is it collaborative? Does it start with a riff or a lyric? What inspires the content of the tunes?

Verdonselli: Probably like most bands, we all bring snippets to practice and jam on each other’s ideas. For me usually, the lyrics usually come last, but not always. Inspiration comes from literally anything and everything, whether it’s something mundane or deep. Some songs seem to write themselves, and others take a little more coaxing. They usually turn out best when you don’t overthink it.

Granite Rodeo: You’re heading to Portsmouth, NH, for a gig at 3S Artspace with King Buffalo. What excites you about the gig? What do you appreciate about the opportunity of cruising around from town to town to play your songs for folks?

Verdonselli: We’ve been good friends with the King Buffalo guys for a long time now and always love getting the chance to gig with them. We’re especially stoked for 3S Artspace because this is a new city and venue for us. The novelty of getting to see new places and meet new folks is always amazing not to mention getting to play our tunes every night. It’s a lot of hard work but the most fun I’ve ever had.

Granite Rodeo: Is it weird to step out onto a stage to play to a roomful of strangers, or do you relish in the opportunity to win them over with your music?

Verdonselli: I think it’s definitely more fun to play to a roomful of strangers who don’t know what to expect from us or only heard a couple of tunes. It’s a good feeling to look out and see a bunch of strangers getting down with us.

Granite Rodeo: What can folks expect when they come out for the gig?

Verdonselli: We’re a live band, first and foremost. We love writing and recording, but nothing beats the raw freedom of playing live, so I’d say expect to have a good time.

For more information about the band, check out www.handsomejackmusic.com.

For tickets to the show, visit www.3Sarts.com.