EMQ’s With Jon of Mars
EMQ’s With Jon of Mars
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with USA Fusion Metal band, Jon Of Mars. Huge thanks to Guitarist, Barrett Holcomb, for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
Barrett Holcomb, I play guitar and sing for the band. We formed in 2020 during the heart of the COVID-19 Pandemic; it was really strange to do all of the tracking remotely, by the way! Initially we gathered to help Jordan finish his last final to pass college.
How did you come up with your band name?
It’s my middle name plus my favorite planet, it seemed like a no-brainer to me, and it sounded pretty badass when I said it out loud so I couldn’t let it slip.
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?
We’re from Pennsylvania, USA. The local Metal scene here is all but obliterated, but the bigger scenes in Erie and Pittsburgh are still booming right now.
What is your latest release?
The latest release right now is ‘A Respite!’, the first single from the upcoming album “Songs from Nowhere”.
Who have been your greatest influences?
For me, it’s Meshuggah, though Fear Factory, Pantera, and Lamb of God are close seconds. That is actually a really hard question to answer!
What first got you into music?
I have always been fascinated with music, banging wooden spoons on metal dishes when I was a baby, and getting my first guitar at age 7 only made me love music more.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
Tool would be pretty cool to work with, but my fantasy is to write with Meshuggah. Those guys are insane.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
I would travel back to “Monsters of Rock” 1991 in Moscow, Russia. There were 1.6 million people there and it was when the Soviet Union was collapsing. It was probably ridiculously interesting to be there.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
I was once given a Pabst Blue Ribbon bandana by a fan, because I was wearing beer box armor, it took a whole week to make that armor too.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Your shoes are untied. Also, be kind to yourself and never give up on your passions.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Dimebag. There isn’t a second choice.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
I enjoy connecting with people via music, but I also hate connecting with people. I have social anxiety, but it usually just makes me tell jokes to everyone.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
The difficulty most artists or indie labels have is getting funding for their projects. I often wonder how much talent has been wasted from lack of resources.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
“ObZen” by Meshuggah.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CDs or Downloads?
CDs! You can throw them like a frisbee at your friend’s face if you don’t like the music!
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
814Fest in Erie, PA. I got to dress like a Banana for 3 days straight while drinking PBR and Jell-O shots.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
I would probably try to become a mechanical engineer of some sort, or perhaps a material scientist. Matter, motion, physics, mechanical concepts, these things amaze me to no end.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
Jimi Hendrix, Dimebag, Abraham Lincoln, Lemmy, and Socrates. Can you imagine the conversations!?
What’s next for the band?
The album drops on 4/20, we’ve begun writing more music, and we’re trying to secure a tour, but it’s hard to tour without resources!
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
Website – Holcombrecords.wixsite.com/jon-of-mars/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Marsjonmusicman
Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEN47A5SSR5GK9ClEG4IPDw
Bandcamp – https://jonofmars.bandcamp.com/
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/2jw5MBUfiiR5fkvbnOgz7V?si=uDhZ9DNeRWmUtOv4_iTq4A
Apple Music – https://music.apple.com/us/artist/jon-of-mars/1634745470
Twitch – https://www.twitch.tv/jonofmars
Time for a very British question now. As an alternative to the humble sandwich, is the correct name for a round piece of bread common in the UK either a Bap, a Barm (or Barm Cake), a Batch, a Bun, a Cob, a Muffin, a Roll or a Tea Cake?
I have no idea what half of that means, so I’m gonna call it a Jeff.
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Special thanks to Jon Asher of AMR and my fans!
Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
