Rockin' to The Redwalls
July 2, 2008

Joining an accomplished band can a tough transition, but not for The Redwalls drummer Rob Jensen. A long-time musician, Rob joined the band last October and has been rockin' it Redwall style ever since. I ran right into Rob and the 'walls in 2007, when the guys toured with Rooney and The Polyphonic Spree and have been a huge fan ever since. Along with their signature vintage fashion style, you'll remember The Redwalls by their catchy choruses and upbeat songs.

If you've never heard of The Redwalls and you like rock music, then I present to you one of your new favorite bands. Read on and get to know drummer Rob Jensen and get into the music of The Redwalls.

Hey Rob! Let's get right down to it...

What's your musical background?

Rob: I've been playing drums my whole life. That's all I've ever wanted to do.

How and where did you guys meet and how did you get your band name?

RJ: The three other guys grew up together. I met them when my previous band played a few shows with them. The band was originally called The Pages. Once they signed with Capitol [Records], they already had a band called The Pages so they were forced to come up with another name…they came up with The Redwalls.

What made you decide to leave your other band and join up with The Redwalls?

RJ: My previous band was sort of at the end of the road anyway, so when I got the opportunity to join The Redwalls, I jumped at the chance.

What were some advantages of joining up with an already established band? And some challenges?

RJ: Advantages are that you've already got a good established reputation and a team of people working behind you…

It makes it easier to concentrate on the music.

A challenge was having to learn all of the songs in less than two weeks before the tour kicked off. Another one was trying to get to know three other guys that I didn't really know at all.

I was lucky enough to see you guys on your tour with Rooney and The Polyphonic Spree, what was that touring experience like? Were you familiar with the bands beforehand?

RJ: The band had toured with Rooney prior to that tour so they were old friends. We were familiar with The Polyphonic Spree and were just excited to see how they pull of a 23-person show.

How do you prepare and get pumped to perform a show?

RJ: We all hug.

What does a typical day on tour consist of for you?

RJ: Wake up really early, get in the van, drive all day, check into the new hotel, go to the venue for sound check, eat (usually for the first time that day), play a show, go back to the hotel.

What are the best and worst parts of touring?

RJ: The best part of touring is being able to perform almost every night of the week. The worst part for me is that I don't really get to spend any time in the cities we visit unless we have a day off...even then sometimes days off are spent driving.

Where do you go for inspiration or to just get away from it all?

RJ: I go swimming.

Who does most of the lyrical writing in your band? How do you guys go about putting together a song?

RJ: Logan, Justin and Drew all write lyrics. Sometimes people can bring in an idea for a song and then together we'll mess with it and tweak it a little bit. Other times it just happens between the four of us as we're jamming.

How do you feel about people comparing your music to that of the iconic 1960s and 70s?

RJ: Sometimes people feel the need to categorize a band, and that's their choice. There's nothing we can do about it. A lot of good music was made then. It doesn't offend us. People are going to categorize us no matter what.

How important is it for you to hear positive feedback about your music?

RJ: As far as press goes, it reassuring, but we really make music for ourselves and the fans. That's it. That's the reason why we do it.

What makes a good song (in your opinion)?

RJ: A good song tends to make the listener feel something - whether it's good feelings or bad feelings. If it evokes an emotion from the listener it's usually a sign that it's a good song.

What do you think about when you're on stage?

RJ: To tell you the truth, I don't really think on stage. I just sort of sit back, enjoy playing and enjoy the music that's going on around me.

Who are the most influential people in your life, be it in music or just in general?

RJ: For me, as a musician, the two musicians that have had the biggest impact on me are Art Blakey and Buddy Rich.

Who are some of your favorite newer bands/singers and why?

RJ: I really dig what The Strokes are doing. They have some of the same influences as we do and it was really cool to see how those influences manifested themselves in their music. I'm also a fan of The Black Keys -- can't get more stripped down and raw than those guys.

And some of your favorite older bands?

RJ: The Beach Boys, The Zombies, David Bowie.

What's your goal musically? Who do you hope to reach?

RJ: My goal, which I believe is the same for all of us, is to reach as many people as possible with our music; whether it be playing live or writing records. I want to reach whoever will listen.

Any chance we'll be seeing you on tour again soon?

RJ: We are taking it easy for the summer and writing a new record. We'll probably be out on the road some time in the fall.

For more info on The Redwalls, you can head over to their MySpace Page. Thank you for reading, happy listening!

In the meantime, you can watch the "Game of Love" video here:

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