Jonny Lurie is a musical artist from Austin, Texas, who mixes different styles. He spends his time performing with a full band and doing immersive solo live-looping sets.
His music drifts between chill psychedelic rock and deep, hypnotic grooves. His instrumental music is full of depth and atmosphere, but he also makes vocal-driven songs with lyrics that make you think. Jonny makes music that sounds both relaxed and exciting, whether he’s building layers on stage in real time or leading his band through big arrangements.
If you could collaborate with any artist from history, who would it be and why?
If I had to pick one artist to collaborate with, I think it would be John Frusciante. His guitar work with Red Hot Chili Peppers is legendary. Not to mention he also was a heavy songwriting contributor, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist with the band. The Californication album came out when I was a kid and was one of the first pieces of music I really connected with strongly at that time. Beyond RHCP, he also has a large body of solo work that spans many genres that is really amazing. If you ever see this, John, let’s make a track together, haha.
What unconventional instruments or sounds have you experimented with in your music?
One sound that comes to mind is something I used on my most recent single called Waterfall Thoughts. I wanted to incorporate the sound of a waterfall into the song, so as I was recording some of the guitar parts in my studio, I had the idea of recording the sound of the sink with running water. I placed a mic right next to the sink as the water was running, and I think it turned out pretty well. The song starts with the water sound as well as ends with it. It also plays quietly in the background during the whole course of the song.
Can you share a story behind one of your lesser-known tracks that holds special meaning for you?
One of the only cover songs I have released to date is a song called Maggot Brain by Funkadelic. The song has been a staple in my live sets for a few years now. I sent a YouTube video performance of the song with my trio in Austin to my dad. He told me that he really liked that particular version and that I should release it. I told him I was unsure because it was recorded on an iPhone and that it didn’t have the best sound quality. He said he thought people would appreciate the rawness of the lower audio quality live recording. I ended up releasing it, and I’m glad I did because I think it is a good contrast to some of the more produced releases I have done.
How do you balance staying true to your artistic vision while appealing to a broader audience?
I really just make music that I enjoy making. Some of that music lends itself great to live performance, and some does not. I think that is probably the trickiest part of the balance for me: some of what I make is more of a recorded art that may not be best suited for live performance. Also, because my music is a little all over the place genre-wise, it can be a little hard from a marketing perspective. That being said, I think the advantage of the wide range of genres is that hopefully there is at least a song or two for everyone.
What role do visual elements, such as music videos or stage design, play in your overall artistic expression?
Visual elements such as album/single art as well as music videos are a big part of the overall artistic expression of my music. I think seeing a Pink Floyd laser show when I was younger gave me a realization of how cool the connection between music and visuals can be.
How do you handle creative burnout or periods of low inspiration?
– If I begin to feel burnt out on one particular aspect of music, such as live performance, for example, then I try to lean into writing or recording for a period of time. If I’m burnt out from the process of finishing songs or mixing, then I try to take a break and lean into just playing guitar and learning new songs or riffs for fun.
Instagram @jonnyluriemusic
Spotify: Jonny Lurie