Evolutionary shifts in creativity are common play amongst artists, and the musical prowess of Jason Bordeaux serves as a reminder that when the pieces don’t necessarily fall right into place, a new puzzle of an entirely different breed is liable to surface. Pinpointing the exact roots of any artistic output is rarely easy, and much like many of his songwriting and performing heroes, Bordeaux draws his inspiration from a catalogue of life experiences, a passion for musicianship, and the encouragement of an older brother who instilled a love for music in Jason that has supported him for over two decades. Tired of the mainstream fodder being doled out by corporate music executives, Bordeaux is now venturing out with new material and a newly polished sound that has helped spearhead another kind of musical experience: Midwest rock.
Bordeaux grew up on the West Coast, primarily raised by his older brother who introduced him to classic country, classic rock, southern rock, thrash metal and hair metal. The two traversed back and forth between Seattle and Los Angeles attending shows, parties, and soaking up a vast range of influences along the way, including the likes of Forced Entry, Guns N’ Roses, Bad Company, Metallica, and countless others. Jason’s first concert ever was Mötley Crüe supporting Ozzy Osbourne. His first musical purchase was the newest Ozzy album at the time, “Diary of a Madman.” He began playing drums at around the age of 8, before learning and ultimately honing his craft as a proficient bass player in the hard rock act Pitch Factor alongside his brother.
In 1998, he fronted the punk metal group F- as lead singer and guitar player. From 2003 to 2006, Jason went back behind the kit and applied walloping drums to the slower hard rock outfit Plaster. Bordeaux then returned to the forefront of the stage as bassist for All Bets on Death, a band veering into fast-paced aggressive metal charges akin to the iconic sound of Motörhead. Then, in a transitional chapter he knew was necessary for his career, Jason embarked on a reversal of his past city life and headed east to start molding song craftsmanship centered around the Midwest mentality he had always dreamed of and admired.
Since his arrival in 2012, Bordeaux’s style, skill, and musical artistry have flourished considerably. In a newly rediscovered mindset, and with his now beloved Midwest backdrop behind him, Jason has enveloped over two decades of performing and recording into one tightly-composed four track E.P. that embodies his passion for barebones songwriting, and instrumentation that requires little explanation.
Bordeaux wrote and performed every single track and cut on the release to achieve something he himself had wanted to hear all of these years. The end result is somewhat of a confessional between a musician and his late brother, as well as a love letter to the many others who have inspired and enlightened a career immersed in creativity, and founded on the simple principles of self exploration and expression.
Tom Gillespie
National Music Journalist
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