February 10th marked the second anniversary of Jonesy's Jukebox, the first decent radio program to air in Los Angeles in a very long time. Hosted by Steve Jones, former guitarist for the Sex Pistols, the show has transformed him from an out of work musician into one of the most beloved figures in the city. Who knew how hilariously funny Jones was? His program is like an incredibly entertaining talk show that also happens to feature some of the greatest music ever recorded. Jones is single-handedly resurrecting glam, punk, reggae—all the wonderful music most radio station have put into deep storage in order to devote every possible second to the latest lousy new act the music industry has decided to foist on us. Jones' taste is amazingly eclectic and flawlessly good; he'll know the one great track on a mediocre album released 30 years ago that nobody else has thought about in years, and he'll play it then explain it for you. Fascinating! The list of guests who've appeared on the show is pretty stunning, too. Everyone from Vidal Sassoon and Andrew Loog Oldham to Rat Scabies and Adam Sandler digs Jonesy enough to visit him in the studio and you, too will be a die-hard fan once you've heard him. I took him to lunch the other day and here's what he had to say.
What's the greatest thing about being young?
That you don't know what's goin' on and don't have a care in the world. The next thing you know you're forty.
What's the worst thing about being old?
You start getting fearful of everything, like 'I better not do that cause such and such might happen.' I never used to be like that but I think it's a normal progression—you know, you get a mortgage. You have to have dignity when you're older.
What's your best quality?
I'm fun to be around.
What's your idea of fun?
Staying at home by myself playing PlayStation and eating cream pies. I can't do that, though, because I'm on a diet and I get depressed when I isolate.
What's been your prime motivation in life?
Crumpet. Can't help it.
Has that changed at all over the course of your life?
Yeah. It's calmed down a lot.
Has becoming a radio star improved your sex life?
It would do if I wanted to use it that way, especially now that I've lost a bit of weight. Another 20 pounds and they're gonna be all over me.
On your show you often mention your preference for young girls; what makes young girls better?
When I was young I liked young girls and my taste hasn't changed. They're not better in the head but they're better to look at, so I don't mind if they're stupid as long as they shut up. If they talk a lot about nothing I get annoyed very quickly.
What's your cut-off point in terms of age?
Thirty. Occasionally you'll get ones that are extra fit who are in their mid-30s.
Have you ever been in love?
I don't think so. I once fell for a girl who had a boyfriend, but when she left him for me it scared me so much the love thing went away. I was with a girl named Nina for a long time and that was probably the strongest relationship I've had.
You've often said you'll probably live alone for the rest of your life; why are you so determined to be on your own?
I'm used to it and I'm definitely set in me ways. Just damaged from childhood, I guess. Bad upbringing. I'm quite happy though, because anyone I know who's been married ain't married anymore and they have a kid and it's a mess. The few people I know who are still together are havin' a hard time.
What was the most difficult part of your childhood?
I had an abusive stepfather. My mum, god bless her, did the best she could, but I didn't get the tools as a child that you need. I was an only child and I left home when I was 15 and spent time in young men's prisons. But you got to look at the positive side. If my upbringing weren't like that I probably wouldn't have been an angry boy who wanted to play rock 'n' roll. I probably would've ended up working in a bank.
Is there anything you miss about England?
Football, pie and mash-ups and walking around London. That's it.
What made you finally get sober?
Twenty years ago is when I first got introduced to a 12 step program—I kind of stumbled into it. I was here in L.A., walking on Sunset Boulevard with a pair of jeans on, the one pair of jeans I owned, sleeping on peoples couches. I have no idea why the program worked for me, but it's the best thing I've ever done for meself. I wasn't growing until I got straight.
What's the worst thing about drugs?
That they stop working after a while. They're great when they work and for someone of my make-up, someone who likes to escape, they were fantastic. Some people take drugs and don't like it—you have to be a certain type of personality. I like to feel good, so when drugs made me feel good I took them in excess.
Is addiction genetic?
Yeah. Luck of the draw. My mum wasn't alcoholic but her brothers were. Addiction can never be conquered once and for all either—you have to keep it in check because it doesn't just stop and you ride off into the sunset. If I started doing certain things I could easily end up back there.
What was the greatest achievement of punk rock?
It steered music in a completely different direction. Whether you like punk or not, you can't deny it's a unique form of music.
I flew to San Francisco in 1978 to see the Sex Pistols final show at Winterland and I remember that night vividly; the hall was a whirling hurricane of dark energy and the band was at the eye of the hurricane; what did it feel like to be onstage that night?
I was hating it. I'd had enough and in my head I was already not there. Sid was just a mess, we weren't writing any new songs—one thing people forget is that the chemistry we had as a band was with Glenn Matlock, as songwriters in particular. We wrote most of the songs as a group, but some of the ideas were his. He didn't write the lyrics—John wrote all the lyrics—but we wrote Never Mind The Bollocks with Glenn and when he left that chemistry stopped. Then Sid joined and he didn't know how to play, and we were just slung in the deep end and didn't have the time to breath much less think about writing songs. We attempted to write some songs when we were doing a sound check for one of the shows in Texas but it just weren't happening.
Did you like Sid?
I didn't really know him to be honest with you. He seemed like a nice guy, but when that bird (Nancy Spungeon) came around it was a whole different ballgame.
Did Malcolm McClaren throw Matlock out of the band?
Naw, we all kinda did, really. He was a good writer but he didn't look like a Sex Pistol and he was always washing his feet. His mum didn't like the songs.
What's your favorite Sex Pistol song?
Personally, I like "No Feelings."
Paul Cook and Glenn Matlock have been guests on Jonsey's Jukebox, but John Lydon has yet to appear; what's your relationship with John?
It's business—I never see him but I speak to him a lot about business. Sex Pistols is a business and we have to keep the ball rolling. I think John will come on the show eventually. Yesterday was Rotten's birthday and Jah Wobble came on the show. When Jah Wobble got straight he started working for the London Transport as a train driver. That was so funny to me—I love stuff like that. He's still in bands—he played last night in fact—but when he first got straight 20 years ago he got away from all that and just had a regular job.
What was the first record you bought?
Every Picture Tells A Story by Rod Stewart. I'm very proud of that, too, because it went on to become the number one album in America and England and I got it before anyone else I knew did.
What was the greatest live show you ever saw?
Roxy Music five years ago at the Greek Theater. It was brilliant. I remember seeing the Faces at the Roundhouse in London when I was a kid, and that was fantastic too.
It seems most musicians go through a period of brilliant creativity then slip into a decline; why is that?
That's true and I have no idea why that is. You can't keep singing about the same thing that made you successful—you've got to move on, and sometimes when you move on people ain't interested in the new stuff.
Who's been the most thrilling guest you've had on Jonesy's Jukebox?
I don't know, there's been so many. Having Cliff Richards on was like a schoolboy dream. If you'd told me when I was 12 that I was gonna be on my radio show jamming with Cliff Richards and calling the shots I never would've believed it. Life's funny. I loved him when I was a kid because he had so many fucking great songs and I loved the movies he made. Hall & Oates were good—I enjoyed that—and Donovan was good. Perry Farrell was brilliant. We did a live version of "You Cant Put Your Arms Around a Memory" that was fantastic. Paul Anka, Val Kilmer and Ray Winstone were all great, Billy Gibbons, Tony Joe White—there've been a lot.
Who's been the most disappointing guest?
Eric Burdon was dreadful. He was just moaning, wouldn't talk about nothing—it was terrible. Paul Westerberg from the Replacements was dreadful too—he's a depressed drunk. People who heard it said it was good but I hated it. I wouldn't say Brian Wilson was a disappointment but he was definitely strange. I don't know if it was drugs or what, but he's just gone. It's a shame. He's obviously a multi-talented guy and he's a sweetheart, but he's not all there.
Do you ever feel nervous about meeting any of your guests?
So far not really. Bob Dylan would probably make me nervous, even though I've met him a few times and played on one of his records. Which reminds me, I've got to get that record. I can't remember the name of it but it came out in 1989. Bowie would probably make me a bit nervous.
What's your favorite Bowie song?
"Life On Mars," probably.
Is there any way for people in Europe to hear Jonsey's Jukebox?
You can hear it anywhere around the world on the internet at www.indie1031.fm. I don't listen to music on the internet because I'm old school and that doesn't register with me, but a lot of people do. I don't listen to music at home—my days of listening to music for pleasure are over. Doing the radio show and researching music all the time, the last thing I want to do when I go home is listen to music.
In March of this year the Sex Pistols were inducted into the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame, but the band decided against appearing on the show and collecting their statue; what did this honor mean to you?
I don't give a fuck. I appreciate it but I couldn't care less.
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