Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Thomas.
Hi Jason, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always had a love for music, whether it be listening to it or playing it. For a long time, I had always envisioned a career in music as something that was meant for other people and that it wasn’t open or available as an option to me, even though I loved it. In October of 2020, I was sitting downstairs playing guitar and thinking about how much I love playing music and how awesome it would be if I could do that for a living, but how unfortunate it was that it wasn’t possible for someone “ordinary” like me. However, for the first time, there was another thought that followed it: “Why not you?”. My mind immediately started racing, coming up with all the reasons why it wouldn’t work, why I was just too “unqualified” to do it. Reasons like “You’re just not good enough,” “No one would care anyway,” and “Well, you just can’t.” Once all of those thoughts passed through my mind, they were replaced with the onset of the realization that I was the only thing standing in my way. Was success a guarantee? Not. But was there any point in trying, if for no other reason, to live with one less regret? Absolutely.
Then a new thought crossed my mind “I think I can do this,” or at the very least, give it my absolute best shot. That moment changed the course of my life. All the excuses were gone and replaced with ideas about going forward and making this work. Suddenly, it wasn’t impossible anymore. Anything I didn’t know(and that was a lot), I was determined to learn. I didn’t know what I needed to learn about, but I knew I would figure it out as long as I tried. I had never written a “rock” song before that decision was made. I knew nothing about studio recording, music theory, how to get a gig, song royalties, publishing rights, marketing, or anything that goes with it.
Although I had some clues of who I might ask, at that time, I had no band members, no band, and no idea who would even be willing to join me in giving this a shot. But I wanted to give this a shot. So I started writing music, looking for bandmates, and learning what I needed to know. And although it felt slow going, and there were(and still are) definite times of discouragement, every time I learned something new or crossed some milestone that represented an event that I never even thought was possible for me, my self-confidence increased. Things took on a life of their own. Both TJ and John became part of LastTimeDown pretty early on. We recorded an eight-song album at Shock City Studios and have our single “Roses Are Red” from the album currently available online. Our second single, “Kiss the World Goodbye,” was released on April 28th to digital stores worldwide. I won’t make any claims to great fame or renown, and though we may have some ways to go yet, we have come a long way from where we started, and I have confidence that we will keep moving forward.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Although some things have arisen as tangible obstacles or roadblocks, the biggest challenge is a mentality. The road has just been the road. Like any other road, you’ll experience smooth and bumpy patches if you’re on it long enough. With the right mentality, any obstacle can be overcome, and any roadblock circumnavigated. That’s not to say that the reality of the task will be easy or even any less difficult, just that facing it becomes possible. But that is easier said than done, so I call it a challenge.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
LastTimeDown is made up of 3 guys who love music. On the surface, we couldn’t be any more different, but at heart are similar. John is our bass player, TJ is our drummer, and I(Jason) am the vocalist/guitarist. We all enjoy a very wide range of music, but we all love the subtlety and musicality that can be present in really great music. We do well as a band, bringing together various styles and genres in a different but natural way. We love the quiet power that a well-placed musical “rest” or tempo change may have in a particular song, but we also don’t stick to any particular style or force anything just to be clever. One thing that I’m very proud of is the honesty in our music. There is nothing at all artificial about any. of it. Whether that is something the listener picks up on, I don’t know, and it’s something I give little thought to. I love the music we make, and it’s special. I won’t claim to understand the inner workings of other bands enough to say that we are “set apart” from them in any magnificent way. I think there’s an audience for everyone; the artist and the audience need to find each other. I want to make good music that people can enjoy however they want. If enough people like what we’re doing, that will be the thing that sets us apart.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check?
I generally tend toward material that encourages a healthy, balanced understanding of self(via mental self-examination) but is also practical in application. The information in the “Power vs. Force” book series by the late David Hawkins was helpful and insightful and has positively influenced my life.
Contact Info:
- Website: LastTimeDown.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/lasttimedownband
- Facebook: facebook.com/lasttimedownmusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@lasttimedownband
- Other: https://lasttimedown.bandcamp.com/track/roses-are-red
Image Credits
RTS Photography-Lazarus
