Reverend J.J. Vicars

J.J. Vicars J.J. Vicars J.J. Vicars: Bio

J.J. Vicars is the hottest Rock 'n' Roll singer/guitarist around today. You haven't lived until you've seen his full-throttle, rockin' show. Driven by his snarling guitar and gruff vocals, propelled by a driving backbeat like a runaway locomotive, and topped off with a cool coiffure, his live show will rock your world, leaving you satisfied and exhausted.

Since 2001 when he recorded his first CD as a solo artist, SCI-FI DINER, J.J.V. has been leading his own trio and doing things his way. Rooted in early Rhythm & Blues, Rock 'n' Roll, Rockabilly, and Texas and Chicago Blues, with shades of Jazz and Western Swing, he's taken his act across the U.S. from Ohio and Indiana, down to Texas, through Arizona and on to Las Vegas before heading to Japan where he's performed at the Australian Embassy, the Foreign Correspondent's Club, Azabu Art Gallery, Yokota Air Base, Yokosuka Naval Base, Atsugi Naval Base, countless private parties and events, and numerous ex-pat pubs around the greater Tokyo area including the Barge Inn where most of his live videos were shot. http://www.youtube.com/user/jjvicars

Prior to becoming a solo artist, J.J. honed his craft for over a decade with such groups as the Ron Brewer band (Indianapolis, IN), The Roadkings (Canton, OH), his father's Jump Blues outfit Jerry & the Hipswingers (Cincinatti, OH), C. Rex (Austin, TX) and The Hillbilly Resistance (Phoenix, AZ). With both the Ron Brewer band and the Hipswingers he played bass, his second instrument, and learned how to arrange the rhythm section as well as keep a working band on the road. The Ron Brewer band's unreleased album can be downloaded at J.J.'s website along with live recordings with Jerry & the Hipswingers. With the Blues-Rock trio The Roadkings he first started performing his own songs alongside Blues and Rock 'n' Roll classics. With C. Rex he developed the ability to interpret other people's material and give it his own musical signature, something he has come to rely on in recent years collaborating with songwiter friends. And with the Hillbilly Resistance he fulfilled his lifelong dream of playing in a Rockabilly trio ala Sun Records (vocal/acoustic guitar, electric guitar, doghouse bass).

For his debut disc SCI-FI DINER (2005) he enlisted J.J. Barrera of The Tail Gators on bass and Mike Buck of The Leroi Brothers on drums to capture the music that first inspired him to take up guitar and follow the Rock 'n' Roll path. Eight songs barrell through good ol' floor stompin' Blues, Boogie and Rock 'n' Roll followed by five cuts of solo acoustic backporch pickin'. HI-TECH HILLBILLY (2006) followed with some of his earliest songwriting that showcasd the second phase of his musical development. Mixing Rock, Jazz, R&B and ballads it's an eclectic collection tied together by his unmistakeable guitar stylings. HEARTLAND (2007) was written during his time with the Ron Brewer band and like that album it's both hard rocking and songwriter oriented. An unrecorded song from Brewer makes an appearance as a disc-only bonus track. LONGHAIRED LEFTOVERS (2009) is a collection of home studio tracks done for fun that accumulated over the years. It features another diverse collection of material, including a co-write with Jeremy Gloff and a cover of his "1987" as a disc-only bonus track. Gloff plays piano on two tunes, Suzi V appears on keys and backing vocals, and JJV makes his debut on keyboards while dipping into the Pop music of his youth. LONG WAY FROM HOME was begun in 2008 with Mark Schwarz on bass, a regular on Tokyo gigs who appears in many of the live videos and built the ModBird guitar. The album was shelved halfway through recording, during which time the remaining songs have been metiulously worked on. Further recording plans include FULL THROTTLE, a rockin' album along the lines of SFD and LWFH, PICKIN' & GRINNIN', an all-instrumental album that includes some Jazz leanings, and LAZY WAYS, a second collection of extra material from the home studio vaults.

With four CDs released and four more in the works J.J. is now expanding his circuit to include England, Europe, China, Singapore and other parts of Asia. Wherever there is an audience who wants to party to real music played by real musicians J.J. Vicars will be there rocking the roof off the joint.