It's not every artist who can use 1960s British fashion designer Mary Quant as a cultural reference in a rock song, but fans of American singer, songwriter & guitar magician Jody Porter should expect nothing less. Jody, best known for his work with esteemed cult favorite Fountains of Wayne, has roots in the UK having lived & performed there during the 90s with his groundbreaking band The Belltower. Jody very capably blends his UK influences & style with straightforward rock & roll.

Jody has just released the first single from his long awaited 3rd solo album entitled PACIFIER. "Valerie Sometimes" rocks straight out of the box with shimmering layers of the vintage guitars Jody is known for as well as muscular drumming from Fountains of Wayne's Brian Young. Mastered at the famous Abbey Road Studios, the tracks are clean, dynamic & guaranteed to make your heart skip a beat, especially on headphones! PACIFIER is sure to be Jody Porter's breakthrough solo album. Available later this year.

Preview "Valerie Sometimes" here:
https://www.facebook.com/fountainsofwayne/posts/1257245374328362:0?hc_location=ufi

I had a chance to ask Jody some questions about his self produced, new solo album. Here are his responses:

With your busy schedule, how long did it take you to complete Pacifier?

The majority of a few months last year.

What instruments did you play?

Everything on some. I had Fountains of Wayne drummer Brian Young on a few as well as my current drummer Cobb Ervin. I played drums on a few too.

Did you use any other musicians?

Marissa Resmini played violin on a few songs.

Did you use a producer?

Myself

When and where did you write the songs?

Started in LA last year. Finished them in NY and recorded them in VA.

Did you collaborate with anyone?

Engineer JP Mathieu and Marlboro cigs.

Any particular influences on your writing?

I like all the typical British greats but I became friends with Joni (Mitchell) who turned me on to a few new tunings but it's still pretty much just semi trad rock n roll.

You are known for your vintage guitar collection. Were there any specific guitars or effects you featured on Pacifier?

Whatever was around really. We were able to get good sounds without having an arsenal to chose from.

Since you've worked extensively in the UK & traveled the world, what affect have your travels had on your playing & writing? What about having Pacifier mastered at Abbey Road Studios?

I can make up bullshit stories and get the street names right cuz I've crawled down them for 20 years and they become semi familiar. Last time I was in London on tour, I went to Abbey Road and George Martin's son Giles rolled out the red carpet. Fucking surreal seeing those mics they used and hearing some stuff not everyone has heard.

In past projects, I've admired your ability to play soft, beautiful melodies on acoustic guitars as well as make very creative use of feedback & more aggressive playing with your arsenal of electric guitars and effects. Which is the most satisfying and why?

I like noise and the older I get, the louder I get. The new record doesn't seem as dark as the last one (Month of Mondays) possibly because it was mostly written in SoCal where it's 73 degrees and sunny rather than -12 degrees and snowing. It's still pretty dark thematically but the music seems a little more at peace with itself.

Tell me about the musicians you're working with now. Will you tour?

We will be playing under the name The Berlin Waltz occasionally and are making a concert film. The band is Cobb Ervin (drums) Joan Chew (bass) and Peter Hogan (guitar). You should be able to catch a show in the major markets sometime soon. No current itinerary or plans to go to Billings, Montana.

Moving forward as a solo artist, what would you like to accomplish with your music?

Destroy American idol type *rock.

If you weren't involved with music, what would you do all day?

Chain smoke.

Do you have any special talents the world is not aware of yet?

I doubt it. Fear of intimacy if that's a talent. Guess I could write a book but that seems kind of laborious.

If you could perform with any artist living or dead, who would it be and why?

The dirty Mac but on drums. Mitch didn't know the breaks properly.

Any idea just how many guitars you have in your collection?

No idea. I lose a lot of shit from moving too often.