Artist Information
Biography
Homeless J.: “A Tale Of Two Infidels“ by Adrian Gregory Glover
Prologue:
To define art is to define a journey. With perspective and taste entering into the field of play, said definitions are very hard to come by. He knows this and yet regardless of what the circumstances may be, he still continues upon his journey because that is what must be done.
Splitting himself in two is not entirely out of the question. It may sound crazy, but we are all guilty of it in some form or fashion. He is just smart enough to pack a bag before his trip.
As a religious minister he is so well-versed in spiritual ideology that conversation can be hard to maintain because at times he makes too much sense.
As the vocalist/leader of the buzzing rock band homeless J., he becomes the Flash - someone who fights for art and delivers the message that they both can agree upon. And each half of his internal whole has a job to do.
Act One: Faith & Fate
The time is just south of midnight as a now-energy deficient crowd files out of the Midwest rock club Columbia Street West. The Flash smiles briefly to himself to acknowledge that he has once again delivered the message with the sort of reckless abandon that has kept homeless J. in queue as the next rock band to simultaneously inspire and influence.
Having just led his troupe into war he scratches his chin and reflects upon not only the latest moments gone by but all that has led up to this point.
Musically, his unit is a charismatic see-saw that is at once as adventurous as prime Jane’s Addiction, as entrenched in value as early U2 and nearly as thunderous as Led Zeppelin. His poetically imaginative lyrics resemble the greats who so gracefully introduced the faith that drove their hearts and ultimately their art.
He’s more than aware that people are picking up on a few of his sources of lyrical inspiration. That’s fine; being a poet is great work if you can get it but it’s incredibly hard work to maintain it. He of all people should know, having gone through enough transitional periods to fill up at least six hours of VH-1 programming.
Under his belt are all the childhood dreams of starting a band with your high school friends only to have the real world step in and cash that check. The next notch was a reassembly of troops which ultimately led to the requisite huge local following, playing great regional clubs and getting radio support which beckoned the check writers.
The stage was set for the untouchable myth to become the reachable truth but as they all found out, the doors to paradise only open with very, very heavy keys.
Act Two: Art vs. Commerce
Ears ringing, The Flash walks outside behind the venue. Many have departed for their next destination…be it home or another smoky room with a liquor license.
He’s coming down now and settling back into his day-to-day skin. He wonders if the upcoming days will deliver the satisfaction he has been after all of this time.
Questioning his longtime lover, the Muse, he does some quick mental math. Not counting the release of several high school demos, he figures that he is currently in the neighborhood of his fourth recording situation.
The now defunct MCA Records came through on every promise but one as they closed their doors what felt like seconds before The Flash’s close-up. Thinking about those days still makes him wonder about the gluttons that grinded those gears to a halt.
He then ponders how he will feel if his musical career for whatever reason is not satisfactory to him as a person, to The Flash as an enigma or to the purpose of his message and art.
The idea of regressing to step one of the journey is not a novel one and that may come with new lessons to learn.
He is hardly alone. His drummer and bass player have a bond which not only gives his band a tighter anchor but it yields an x factor which can not be described. His guitarists have been there since he took the first step into his first circle. The parts all contribute to the whole leaving him to wonder if in her wisdom the Muse sent them to find and walk with him.
Act Three: The Arrival
Tired and bored with his current thought process, he shrugs this post-show line of fire off with a wink and a nudge and lets it all go. The past is the past and worrying about the potential future doesn’t do anybody any good.
Being independent for the meantime has some of its own advantages. In their recent independent release "The Squeeze" (the follow-up to the nationally released "Three Seconds to Gaze") they possess the rare record which offers so much to so many. As a reviewer recently said:
“Though the short instrumental opener, “Intro,” might make you think you’ve stuck Kid A in your CD player by mistake, it quickly segues into some signature homeless J. tuneage. “What I Want” builds on a thunderous riff before opening up into a heartfelt verse and a chorus that can only be described as “arena-worthy.” It’s hard not to be lifted by this song. The dizzy, new-wave-y guitars on “Flipside” give way to a driving rock tune that’s given added momentum by soaring vocals. A rolling bassline on “The Earth is Not My Home” underpins a dark, minor-key climate, only enhanced by the spare stabs of cranky guitars. It adds variety to this disc, as does the spunky “Million Miles,” which comes close to capturing the early 80s post-punk magic that propelled U2 onto college playlists everywhere. It’s not so much the actual tune but the feeling and desperate energy of the song that gets under your skin.”
Music writer John Thompson accurately summarizes the bands sound as “a torrid rush of purely original and passionately iterated music,” and elsewhere “a blissful and sometimes frightening potion of adventurous instrumentation, startlingly literate sentiments, and richly woven artisanship.”
And of course there is the message. He’s not afraid of the message but he prefers to let mystery provide an introduction or two (but there are some clues…).
The message will get out, one way or another.
This Is the End of the Beginning…
Instrumentation
Chad VanMeter/vocalist
Brad Amstutz/lead guitar
Jon Hill/bass
Matt Minnick/guitar
Dan Willig/drums
Discography
"The Squeeze" EP - Released June 15, 2007 (independent)
"Three Seconds To Gaze" - Released May 2, 2006 on Selectric Records (Sony RED), originally recorded with MCA/Uninhibited
homeless J. was included on X102.3 FM's Essentials project (a CD showcasing best local artists)
More songs are available streaming and for download at www.myspace.com/homelessj and at www.homelessj.com
Video
Photo Gallery
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homeless J.
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"Three Seconds to Gaze" CD promo pic (by Taylor Gahm)
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"The Flash" video
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"The Squeeze" EP Promo Pic
Download print quality (high-res) version -
Chad (aka the Flash)
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Live show
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Jon
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Brad
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Matt
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Dan
Press
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Radio
"B-Fly", "The Flash" and "Man on the Radio" are being played on XM radio
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"The Flash" Video
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homeless J. was featured in February 2006 on MTV 2's news update on "up-and-comers", which included ...
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Rocking The Inferno; Rolling The Paradiso - homeless J. Emerges
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"A torrid rush of purely original and passionately iterated music spews from the not-so-exotic hamle...
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WXTW 102.3 FM
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"Having being involved in the Ft. Wayne music scene for some 10 years, I can honestly say that I hav...
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Secret Club
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"The fellows in homeless J. seem to paint sonic landscapes with their music...Their music doesn't re...
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Sitting in the Slingshot, Waiting to Go
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"With major label eyes focusing on Fort Wayne's homeless J., they are definitely sitting in the slin...
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The Music
"...the music is intricate and intelligent"
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Grabs You By the Guts
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"If there is one thing that I can say about homeless J. it is that they know what they are doing. Fr...
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Amazing Storytelling
"...lyrical content that should engage fans of amazing storytelling..."
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Show Review
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"...crowd pleaser's homeless J. take the stage. Not only are they sincerely nice guys but they also ...
Setlist
homeless J. is capable of performing up to three 45-minute sets of original music (and one choice cover of Echo and the Bunnyman's "Lips Like Sugar").
