13 QUESTION METHOD: J, of PETE AND J


At the age of 6, J. Blynn used to parade around his parent’s house with a plastic guitar and his dad’s hat singing, "Michael.....Jackson!".
He sang no particular Michael Jackson number, but it was enough for his parents to realize that they needed to buy him a guitar immediately. Now, at age 26, and after a handful of stints in choirs, a cappella groups, and high school phish-rip-off-jam-bands, J makes up one half of NYC-based songwriter duo, Pete and J. The group tours all over the US and the UK, and has recently completed a new album with Malcolm Burn. J enjoys travelling, long walks on the beach, translating lengthy passages into Latin, and of course Fawlty Towers, old Bill Cosby tapes, any British comedy, and Arrested Development.

1. Which was the first record you bought with your own money?
I’m not quite sure. My memory is clouded with questionable—maybe even reprehensible—purchases, such as Ugly Kid Joe or Extreme. But I think the true first one was Motownphilly by Boyz II Men. Not too hard, not too soft. Thanks, Boyz.

2. Which was the last record you bought with your own money?
Just picked up the new Fleet Foxes record, produced by Phil Ek. Yowsahs! I love this band. I think I like their EP better, but this record is still sinking in.

3. What was the first solo you learned from a record — and can you still play it?
"Layla" from Eric Clapton’s Unplugged. Sigh—yes, I can still play it. It really is an amazing solo. Clapton at his most melodic and singable.

4. Which recording of your own (or as a sideman) are you most proud of, and why?
This is a timely question, as my band Pete and J just finished a record with Malcolm Burn. We finished the record in a week up at Malcolm’s studio in Kingston, NY. Malcolm, as expected, got incredible sounds and had amazing ideas, and we were finally able to record the songs we’ve been playing live for almost a year now.

5. What's the difference between playing live and playing in a studio?
I think the main difference is that live, you are going for a certain energy, and you the performer are driving the train. You’re responsible for making the audience respond. In the studio, you have to let the songs speak, which can be done in more subtle ways. (Not that you can’t be subtle in a live situation, of course!) I think the most amazing part of our recent experience with Malcolm was the disorienting feeling of letting go so he could wrap his brain around the songs and produce them the way they needed to be. I’ve always been a nitpicker in the studio, and that wrenching feeling of relinquishing trust to another creative soul was something that ended up being enlightening and joyful. It’s like being seasick without the sick part. Sea legs.

6. What's the difference between a good gig and a bad gig?
A good gig feels like a swim in a cool mountain lake in summer. A bad gig makes you want to hang yourself in the bathroom.

7. What's the difference between a good guitar and a bad guitar?
A bad guitar is not cooperative towards the end goal of making music happen. It’s not even that a wonky guitar with high action falls into this category—I like a guitar that makes you work and play differently. But when its so bad that you just can’t even sound like yourself, that’s a problem. A good guitar allows you to forget its existence. Music happens easily and fluently—like milk and cookies.

8. You play electric and acoustic. Do you approach the two differently?
I don’t think so. I think the one thing I try to remember is to not overplay on my acoustic, in the futile hope of recreating a full band or electric sound. Just play to the situation, to how many people there are on stage, and what instruments you have.

9. Do you sound more like yourself on acoustic or electric?
Probably electric, but only by a hair. I’ll play the hell out of my acoustic, and I love the sound of finger-picking on an electric. It’s all the same in the end.

10. Do you sound like yourself on other people's guitars?
Not usually, and I love that! A few months ago, Jim Campilongo called me up on stage to play one of his tunes, and I played on his old Tele. (Salivation.) It was such a cool experience because I had completely different ideas and desires when looking down at Jim’s alien fretboard. Maybe I entered Jim’s world for a second—can I stay? I think those experiences are when great musical moments happen—when people feel uncomfortable.

11. Which living artist would you like to collaborate with, and why?
Gillian Welch is the person that immediately comes to mind. I just think she’s written some of the best songs of the past 15 years. Not to mention that her voice haunts you from another time, and the music she makes with David Rawlings is sublime and truly unique.

I also really want to collaborate with some comedians at some point. I love the idea of having a Cabaret-type show—with sketch comedy, skits, music, and dance. It seems to be a lost art these days. I’d really love to work with David Cross or any of the guys from MTV’s The State to help me do this. One day Pete and I will have a variety show on TV. It will happen! We write down weird skit ideas all the time when we’re stoned or on the road. Or both.

12. Which dead artist (music, or other arts) would you like to have collaborated with, and why?
I think just being in the room with Otis Redding—let alone collaborating with him—would be an incredible experience. His voice jumps out of the speakers, and has so much feeling and raw emotion. Gives me shivers, especially knowing that he was just about my age when he made most of those recordings. It sounds like he’d already lived 8 lives. Wow. And he wrote some downright amazing songs. Some of the best, in my opinion.

13. What's your latest project about?
Since I’ve already gone on at length about the new Pete and J record, I really should mention the Little Piggies—an all Beatles band that consists of me, Pete, and our good friend Reno Bo (Mooney Suzuki, Albert Hammond Jr.). We got together for true love of the Beatles, and although we’ve only played one gig, more are in the works. And, hell, we just love rehearsing!