Frequently Asked Questions - last updated November 16th 2009
* why not open the music page and listen while you read?
Q: Who are you?
A: Im Jon Martin, the synthetic captain of the New Weather Machine, from Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. I write, record, and perform music that has been nicely classified by strangers as rock/alt-country. I play a variety of instruments including but not limited to guitar, drums, bass, piano, moog, and most recently the strum stick. You could say that I’m pro DIY.
Q: Who is the New Weather Machine?
A: Depending on when you ask I could give you very different answers. For writing and recording purposes the New Weather Machine consists of myself, but for live performances it usually consists of a bass player, a drummer, and occasionally an extra guitar player, who vary from gig to gig.
Q: Im sure I’ve seen you play before. What was that other band you were in and what happened?
A: I spent a few years and played a few hundred shows with a band called Red Rock Rebellion between July 2004 and eventually trailing off in the early half of 2008. The band started with good intentions but eventually turned into a money making cover band. While the money portion was great, my interest lies in original music. I did write an albums worth of songs for the band, some of which were recorded, but no material was ever released. My personal favorite was See You Tomorrow, which is available for listening on the music page.
Q: How did The New Weather Machine start?
A: During a break from Red Rock Rebellion I decided I wanted to do a quick 2 week lo fi album. That 2 week album ended up turning into a 2 year lesson in making an record. The result of which is the debut album The New Weather Machine.
Q: Who played on The New Weather Machine?
A: Due to a number of circumstances, all the material was written, performed, and record by myself.
Q: When is the second New Weather Machine album coming out?
A: Im writing and demo'ing new songs on a daily basis but still deciding what direction I want to go with it. Spring 2010?
Q: Who are you influences?
A: I listen to a lot of music, but I do have some particular favorites. David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Clash, The Stones, Pink Floyd, Neil Young, The Who, Radiohead, My Morning Jacket, Rory Gallahger.... Im also a collector of live/studio bootlegs. If your interested in getting into it, Four Blocks in the Snow is a great place to start!
Q: Do you do anything else besides music?
A: I like to pretend to be a photographer, I do some music recording/work for other musicians, and Im currently a music student at the University of Lethbridge.
Q: Why The New Weather Machine?
A: I have a long story that involves reasons and explanations, but a friend of mine put it best. “Because the Old Weather Machine is broken....”
Check back for updates regularly
