In March of 2003, Dan Jones and Leisure King Productions released One Man Submarine, a collection of atmospheric story songs, blistering, garage-y rock and roll, and post-punk pop. The Portland Oregonian calls One Man Sub "irresistibly tuneful," while the Cincinnati City Beat's Positively Yeah Yeah Yeah column calls the record "a stunning indie gem.... electric, haunting, spontaneous, and fun." (See full reviews below).
Featuring musicians from all over Eugene's rock and post-punk and folk scene (including Dan's band, The Squids), One Man Sub keeps what's great about Jones' music front and center: honest songs and great stories, great singing, and walls of intertwined and overdriven guitars. One Man Submarine is primitive, cerebral, and all points between. Influences include Lou Reed, The Meat Puppets, Paul Westerberg, Bob Mould, Yo La Tengo, The Who, and Steve Earle.
Jones got his start in Eugene, Oregon, banging out Roger Miller and Husker Du medleys on an acoustic guitar, and winning The Willamette Valley Folk Festival's New Song Contest in 1998. Soon after, he scraped up $600 to record a For Your Radio - an impeccably crafted collection of low-fidelity pop/folk songs. Portland's Willamette Week called Jones "one of the best songwriters in the whole Willamette Valley" and says that "any given verse of his songs packs more wit than a roomful of singer-songwriters could muster in a month of open mikes."
Dan has built a loyal local and regional following, playing acoustic punk storyteller shows, fronting bands, and selling CDs out of his suitcase. By pursuing his holy grail of rock and roll noise that's intelligent, fun to listen to, and impossible to peg, Jones has garnered critical praise in every market he plays.
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