Was the timing of the concert in Missoula intentional? Did you want to have a show here ahead of the election?
Yeah. It sort of is easier for me to ask the guys in the band
because social and political causes are so a part of our fabric. It’s
the one time I can go back to them and say, “Hey, we’re gonna play
Montana. You guys up for playing Montana? You know, Tester’s up for
election next year.” Everybody’s like, “Yep. We’re all in.” It’s twofold
for me. I get to come back and sort of throw some energy around, what
Jon’s trying to do, and then I get to play my hometown.
When did you first develop an awareness that you were interested in music and culture outside of the mainstream?
The only radio up there was country. So half my friends listened to
country and the other half listened to pop music. But I had a cool uncle
who was into Santana and Led Zeppelin, and when I was younger, he was
giving me Beatles singles. That’s where I first heard the Kinks. There
was a single with “Well Respected Man” on it, I didn’t really know what
the lyrics were but that informed me.
jontester - "Jeff Ament and I both grew up in Big Sandy—so we know just how special America’s small towns are. And I’m fighting for them with all I’ve got."
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Was the timing of the concert in Missoula intentional? Did you want to have a show here ahead of the election?
Yeah. It sort of is easier for me to ask the guys in the band because social and political causes are so a part of our fabric. It’s the one time I can go back to them and say, “Hey, we’re gonna play Montana. You guys up for playing Montana? You know, Tester’s up for election next year.” Everybody’s like, “Yep. We’re all in.” It’s twofold for me. I get to come back and sort of throw some energy around, what Jon’s trying to do, and then I get to play my hometown.
When did you first develop an awareness that you were interested in music and culture outside of the mainstream?
The only radio up there was country. So half my friends listened to country and the other half listened to pop music. But I had a cool uncle who was into Santana and Led Zeppelin, and when I was younger, he was giving me Beatles singles. That’s where I first heard the Kinks. There was a single with “Well Respected Man” on it, I didn’t really know what the lyrics were but that informed me.