Chatting with Jonah Tolchin

Photo by Joe Del Tufo

Hey Jonah, how the heck are you?

Doing fine thank you!

Give me some context to our chat, where are you right now, and what are you up to today?

Right now I’m sitting in my studio. I’ve been working on demos today for my next record – including a song that Little Walter made famous (I’ll leave it as a secret for now).

In case they don’t know you, introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Jonah and according to 23 & Me I am 99.3% Ashkenazi Jewish.

I’m a huge fan of Lava Lamp, how would you describe it in two sentences?

Ah thanks! It’s a rebellious indie-blues-rock-punk-americana record that goes on twists and turns you don’t expect. It’s definitely my edgiest release to date.

Tell me about the first song you wrote for the album?

I can’t remember which one came first!

I love ‘Black Hole’, such a great opening song. What can you tell me about it?

You know what… ‘Black Hole’ might have been the first one. I wrote that song after reading a book called Power by Linda Hogan. It has amazing dark imagery. I was waking up before sunrise for a little while and reading it. I picked up my guitar one day after I closed the book and this song came to me in the blackness before dawn.

The title track has got such a loose, 70s, Doors-y kinda feel to it, how did that song come together?

That song I wrote after going to see a Pixies concert. I plugged my old Harmony Bobkat into a Pignose Amp and cranked it up. Then I looked on my desk and saw my lava lamp from childhood glowing and bubbling. The song wrote itself after that!

Also loving ‘Aliens’, what was the trigger for writing that?

That song was a co-write with my friend Marvin Etzioni. I told him I was writing a concept record that was kind of a “cosmic outlaw” kind of thing. He sent me the lyrics and then I wrote the chords/melody.

Which song has been most surprising for you, from the start of writing it to how it turned out on the album?

Well, the song ‘Bridge’ isn’t that surprising sonically. But my band and I discovered that it happens to be one of the most bangin’ tracks live – which was a surprise! Because it is by far the slowest/most downbeat.

What’s been the biggest change in you as a songwriter and an artist since Clover Lane?

That’s a hard question. I would say that I’ve just changed a lot as a human being… My worldviews are quite different. For a while I was guided by what I considered to be something along the lines of spirituality. I’ve since thrown most of that to the wayside, and now I write from a more grounded place. You could still call it spiritual, but I choose not to.

You recorded the album live, as a band, what can you tell me about the studio environment? How different was that form your previous recording experiences?

I’ve done all of my records in a similar fashion. I don’t show anyone the songs beforehand if I can help it. Then we set up at least guitar, bass, drums, and my vocals and we cut. The song takes shape in the studio based on the musician's sensibilities and instincts.

I really like lava lamps so think the album artwork is really cool, where did that come from?

A great artist named Miles Wintner. 

I believe you graduated last week, what did you do at college and what motivated you to keep studying?

Two things. One, it’s just something I wanted to challenge myself to do. And two, I like the idea of having it as a backup plan. It’s kinda like insurance. Especially if I decide to get a graduate degree at some point, like an MSW. Now I won’t have to do the four years of Undergrad also. 

I believe you’ve said you were a rebellious kid growing up, what can you tell me about your hometown?

I grew up in Princeton, NJ. It’s an incredible place – a very wealthy town. Although I grew up with a lot of privilege, I was not one of the rich kids. I went to school with kids whose families had millions of dollars. I was just surrounded by wealth everywhere – and also a certain kind of uppity culture. Not so much in my own home, but the town itself. It was insufferable at times. I think that’s partly what made me rebellious…

What kind of thing did you do for fun growing up? Or what was the most rebellious thing you did?

Ha! I will plead the 5th on that one. I played a lot of music, video games, and sports. Also watched a lot of movies and TV. I did spent quite a bit of time outside with my friends.

With the poor $ numbers from streaming, what’s the best way for people to support you and your music?

Here’s one way:

@JonahTolchin via Venmo

jonahtolchin@gmail.com via Zelle

If you could recommend one artist to listen to this week, who would it be?

Hmmm. Well I mentioned Little Walter earlier. I’m a huge fan of his.

What’s the question I should have asked you today but haven’t?

Q: Favorite Ben & Jerry’s flavor. 

A: Phish Food. 

That’s a great question, I might steal it for future use. But finally, for now, how do you take your coffee?

I don’t drink coffee. I have a cup of Tusli tea every morning. 

To find out more about Jonah including his tour dates, go visit his official website. You can also check out what he’s up to on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.