Jammerzine Exclusive: An Interview With Small Town Titans’ Jonny Ross

It takes a lot to make it in any career nowadays. Any career. But to try to make a career in the music industry, most would consider insane. Because that is a choice that you have to stick with and commit to and, let’s face it, not a lot of people like to commit to anything anymore. That can’t be said about today’s guest here on Jammerzine, Jonny Ross, drummer for the three-piece aural assault known as Small Town Titans. And, in today’s music scene, they literally are the only titans (you’ll find out why in the interview). Small Town Titans really are the definition of commitment in today’s #indie music scene. They work at what they do and work hard at it too. From going from a five-piece down to three, and creating a massive buzz with the unlikeliest of hits in the form of their recent remake of ‘You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch’ to constant touring and recording to being self reliant through their fans and cutting out all of the middlemen known as the industry via their Patreon page (and rewarding their Patreons handsomely as well),  STT have turned their trio into a true brand with recognition and, more importantly, quality in music. And thats a rare thing.

Check out our interview with Jonny above and get a glimpse of one of the machines behind the music. Enjoy!

About Small Town Titans
York, PA heavy rock band Small Town Titans have released their cover of the Classic Christmas song “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch,” giving the already darkly playful track an even more sinister edge. “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch” was filmed live in the studio by Springwood Productions. The band has also released the song on Patreon, a direct to fan social media platform, for their biggest supporters. Subscribing to the group for just a dollar a song on Patreon grants fans new songs first and puts their names in the credits of future YouTube videos.

The Small Town Titans are a power trio from York, PA who love to constantly create, as well as play live. Gone is the notion that a rock band should only release 10 songs at a time every 2 years. In a world where music fans crave new content constantly, the Small Town Titans aim to deliver their brand of art all of the time, drawing inspiration from a new wave of rock bands such as Highly Suspect and Royal Blood, and rock legends such as the Foo Fighters, Audioslave, and Deep Purple. Thanks to their efforts at assembling their own studio in a basement, STT can create and release songs, podcasts, live online concerts, and more with no rules. This artistic change in attitude stems from touring for the better part of 2 years, and realizing how difficult it really is.

@smalltowntitans [rotatingtweets screen_name=’smalltowntitans’]

After coming home from their last 30-day run, the band had made $4,000. After repairing their vehicle, restocking their merchandise and more, the band was left with $1,000. After putting most of that back into the band’s funds, as usual, each member took home $150. This startling reality made STT take a step back and evaluate themselves as a band, a brand, and a business. After firing their manager, the boys soldiered on with the help of their team at Round 2 Records. They began to truly treat Small Town Titans as a legitimate small business more than ever before. Unnecessary expenses were cut, and more creative and innovative sources of new revenue were explored, such as utilizing the direct to fan creation platform Patreon, where the band is currently making $200 every time they release a new song on YouTube.

Instead of trying to make a million fans, STT is focusing on the fans they already have. With a love for playing live, a Small Town Titans show has evolved into more than a concert. It’s an event, with a setlist that’s decided right before the show, and plenty of stage banter in between songs. The band simply hits the stage to deliver an energy driven show using guitars, drums, and their voices. Nothing more, nothing less. This approach to their live performances has led to them sharing the stage with acts such as Highly Suspect, Papa Roach, Black Stone Cherry, Pop Evil, and more.

By focusing on their engagement with social media and managing themselves, Small Town Titans are growing like never before and having more success as a business and a brand. The band just wrapped up a weekend-long recording session at Hybrid Studios with friend Kevin Soffera, drummer for Seether on the 5x platinum selling record Disclaimer II, and who STT also recorded their last album Reflection with. Six brand new songs were recorded live in the studio, as well as professionally filmed by Springwood Productions at the same time. These new songs and videos will be released throughout the rest of 2017 and 2018. Songs range from the hard-hitting “Me, Myself, and Monster” and “Wreck” to the ballad “Dragonfly”, an emotional song written in memory of Phil’s mother, who passed away earlier this year due to cancer, performed live with just one voice and an acoustic guitar.

Small Town Titans are actively forming a team of like-minded individuals in the new music business who are just as driven and passionate as they are, rather than waiting to be discovered. As the band continues to grow their fan base online this year, they will also hit the road, this time with a smarter game plan, a stronger fan base, and a passionate team behind them.

LINKS:
http://smalltowntitans.com
https://www.facebook.com/smalltowntitans
https://twitter.com/smalltowntitans
https://www.instagram.com/smalltowntitans
https://www.youtube.com/smalltowntitans
https://www.patreon.com/smalltowntitans