"Hot alternative modern rock with a flavorful Southern twist is what Just Off Turner provide. Great American rock & roll, with attention to songwriting, soaring vocal harmonies and Top 40 choruses make this act a must see." - Music Connection magazine
Just Off Turner
Molly Malone’s
Los Angeles
Material: A little bit of rock, a little bit of soul, and a whole lotta pop describes the infectious tunes that Just Off Turner delivers. Nothing is lacking, no criticism to impart. This outfit understands completely how musicians like Josh Kelley and John Mayer (who gave the music his personal endorsement) have been able to make records by creating a good melody, writing strong lyrics, and having an individual style. Just Off Turner does just that.
Musicianship: JOT seem to make every effort to showcase each individual talent and personality in the group. Bryan Mounce is a formidable frontman with a strong voice. Phil Metzler adds a special touch on keyboards, especially on “Ghost Town,” where he plays a ragtime-inspired intro and gives JOT a distinct sound, one perhaps that they should further explore.
Performance: What started out as a high-intensity master class that could put many local bands to shame quickly became a battle of will as Mounce’s vocals escaped him. By the third song, he was struggling and relied on the enthusiastic audience, as well as Andrews, on backup vocals, to help him. However, Mounce pushed through (at the expense of his windpipes) and proved that even with a handicap, he and his bandmates could deliver a stellar performance.
Summary: Just Off Turner comes complete with a mosh pit of pretty girls, and it’s no surprise why. These four guys are a powerhouse who deliver modern rock with a twist. With several high-profile TV placements, as well as attention from Star 98.7, JOT have shown that they have the ability to deliver not just a few, but an entire set of notable tunes, many of which could be singles.
[re: How Much It Hurts]
What makes a good song?
I'd say it's when the lyrics mesh with the melody...
That's when you start reaching people.
I love this song... Wish the chorus happened one more time
But that's infinitely more interesting than wishing it would stop...
Very very very cool lyrics.
very cool.
One Million John Mayer Fans Can’t Be Wrong
Formed in Arkansas around the millennium by a couple of high school friends, Just Off Turner moved west to Los Angeles in 2001. Since then, both their line-up and sound have continued to evolve.
These days, the band features original members Bryan Mounce (lead vocals, guitar) and Eric Gustafson (drums, vocals), along with new additions Phil Metzler (keyboards, vocals) and Stephen Andrews (bass, vocals).
Just Off Turner has self-released one E.P. and two full-length albums, including 2007’s “The Long Way Back”. Their music has been featured on the ABC sitcom “Help Me Help You” and the E! reality show “Keeping Up With The Kardashians”. In June of last year the band was a New! Featured Artist after reaching #3 on the New! Adult [Contemporary] chart and #5 on the New! Hit chart.
A big break came in 2007 when singer/songwriter John Mayer posted their song “How Much It Hurts” on his MySpace page. That blessing attracted a lot of attention and garnered Just Off Turner more than 1 million plays on Mayer’s MySpace page. A nationwide tour followed, with plans in the works for a West Coast tour this spring.
We caught up with Mounce as he and the band were heading back into the studio to work on new material and get ready for their fifteen minutes.
24/7: How did the current line-up of Just Off Turner get together?
Mounce: It all happened coincidentally. Stephen was invited by a friend of a friend to a party at my place just a couple of weeks after we lost our original bass player. And we met Phil when he was working as a guitar player one night at the Saddle Ranch. We got to talking and found out he was a keyboard player as well, and that’s exactly what we were looking for. It all happened in about a month…but if you look at it another way it took about six years to establish the final line up.
24/7: Have you guys always been called Just Off Turner?
Mounce: I guess we have. I formed the band right after high school and we used to rehearse in the garage of my parent’s house all the time. The guys would ask where I lived and I would say ‘It’s just off Turner Street.’ It just kind of stuck.
24/7: How has your sound developed over the years?
Mounce: We’ve all really grown as musicians in the last few years. I have a hard time going back and listening to things we did even a few years ago because I think we’ve gotten so much better at what we do. Steven, Phil and Eric are all really just amazing musicians so I’ve had to really step up and practice on my own more just to keep up with them. We all really like to work together, explore the songs and make them what they are.
24/7: Some of the attention you have gotten recently came from John Mayer. How did that come about?
Mounce: In January of this year, Mayer wrote a blog on his MySpace page saying that he wanted to use his four song slot to give attention to an unsigned band to help give them a break. We got an email from him and we were like ‘Yeah right, John Mayer is emailing us’, but we sent him what he needed and about an hour later our song was up on his site. Just last month we reached one million plays on his page. Because of that we were able to do a nationwide tour from here to New York and back. We had a fantastic time and just met people. We got to New York and found out we had fans there all thanks to the attention (Mayer) gave us. Eric and I got a chance to meet him last month and he was really nice. He’s a really cool guy.
24/7: What are your plans for the new year? Is there a record deal in the works?
Mounce: The (music) industry is changing so much. I’m not even sure if a record deal is necessary these days, but if somebody offered us a record a deal and it was a good opportunity of course we would take it. For now, we’re able to play and make fans and we’re slowly starting to be able to branch out and tour to different places. We’re kind of just waiting to see how things are going right now, and trying to keep our options open.
Just Off Turner: October 23, 2007
...The headlining band was Just Off Turner out of Los Angles, California by way of Arkansas, Michigan and Florida. This version of Just Off Turner is the “reloaded” version. Founding members Eric Gustafson (drums and backing vocals) and Bryan Mounce (lead vocals and guitars) have teamed up with Stephen Andrews (bass and backing vocals) and Phil Metzler (keyboards and backing vocals) to reconstruct their sound after two earlier members left the band.
You can tell that these guys have been on the road for a while--they have an incredibly tight sound to their live show that can only be achieved through the performance of many shows on the road and while personally helping to support the McDonalds and Intercontinental Hotels Group (Holiday Inn) corporations. Plus both Mounce and Metzler's bone dry sense of humor comes through loud and clear between songs.
And then they performed their song "The Long Walk Back." This hook laden song is very well crafted with a good verse, interesting bridge and strong chorus. Mounce's unique vocals come through well live. Metzler's keyboards are tasty. Andrews and Gustafson are a solid rhythm section who understand the philosophy of "less is more." That great quality comes through even better live. My hair was standing up when they played "The Long Walk Back" and when I closed my eyes I could easily imagine Just Off Turner playing at a stadium for 20,000 of their closest friends. Actually, I was somewhat surprised when I opened my eyes and found that I wasn't listening to them at the Aragon Ballroom or even at Allstate Arena.
My advice: See Just Off Turner live now and you too can discover the treasure.
Just Off Turner: The Long Walk Back
Just Off Turner, a "rock-n-soul" band from Fayetteville, AR, blends music styles of each member's influences; such as, the Beatles and Lenny Kravitz. In their newly released album, The Long Walk Back, they add their own flavor to create a modern, soulful rock sound with a southern edge.
...The first two songs, "The Long Walk Back" and "Bad for Business," are upbeat and uplifting songs. "How Much (It Hurts)," has meaningful lyrics that Bryan Mounce energetically conveys, but the placement of the song slows the album down a bit. "Holiday" demonstrates the band's technical abilities with sophisticated instrumentation.
Throughout the album, Phil Metzler (keyboards and vocals) repeatedly steals the show with his skillful work on the keys. Founding member, Eric Gustafson (drums and vocals), and bassist Stephen Andrews round out the group. Together, they create music with great vocal harmonies that highlight their songwriting and instrumental abilities.
Just Off Turner skillfully execute their songs in a way that listeners can't help but scream along with the lyrics. Due to their inspired lyrics and catchy chorus lines several songs off their album, The Long Walk Back, have potential to be Top 40 hits. The band has an energy and sound sure to turn some heads and win over new fans along the way. -AM
Very nice. I added one of their songs to my page... hit me in a spot I didn't expect. The vocals come across as really honest and the music was clean... again - your ear is right on.
Posted by *Marybeth* on Saturday, April 28, 2007 at 12:56 PM
Wow, Mayer. You are right!!!
You know how it feels when you are in the presence of something really . . . (what? - great? awesome? perfect?) These guys are really gifted. And I'm gonna shut up because somehow now words fail me.
Posted by JoElle on Saturday, April 28, 2007 at 2:13 PM
I would have to agree I haven't heard of them but I adore there music! Its good driving music that doesn't hurt your ears or to soft cause you want something that will make you want to scream the lyrics no matter how bad your voice cracks! Its make you look forward to the drive ahead and not care how many miles are left! They are fantastic I really love Ghost Town, very bouncy deep thinking stuff that has a vintage feal to it yet very modern!
Posted by ~ *Luludja* ~ on Saturday, April 28, 2007 at 3:27 PM
I agree :] very good stuff. i love everything about their songs. thanks for spreading the word about them!
Posted by Daniela on Saturday, April 28, 2007 at 8:54 PM