Episode 77: JP Jakonen – Cliff Barnes

Cliff Barnes. Credit: Supplied

Listen to the Trusty Chords podcast via your preferred platform of choice here.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say this – the chances are very good that you do not know my guest today. In fact, I hadn't even heard about my guest until just a few months ago.

That all changed back in June when I played a show in Ruovesi, Finland, on whose line-up the band Cliff Barnes could also be found.

Also hailing from the gorgeous country that is Finland, Cliff Barnes is the sort of band that any self-respecting lover of '90s rock should familiarise themselves with immediately. Fuzzy, raucous, and energetic, fans of Dinosaur Jr. will undoubtedly recognise some parallels with their sound, while folks who enjoy their music loud and laden with hooks will be well-catered to.

When I caught Cliff Barnes live, I left with a copy of their debut album, Free Flyin', which arrived in 2023 – roughly 25 years since the group had first formed and begun making music. Truly, you'd do well to check them out, especially given that I've been unable to stop recommending them to friends since I heard them.

I also left that show with a definite need to chat to JP Jakonen, the founder, guitarist, and vocalist of Cliff Barnes, who – away from his time in the music world – should be called Dr JP Jakonen, with his professional career seeing him serve as a prolific author due to his specialities in the fields of philosophy, psychology, and religion.

So that's exactly what I did recently. I called up JP to have a chat about his myriad musical projects, the work of Cliff Barnes, and to gain a bit of an insight into what he does for a day job.

Anyway, have a listen to Cliff Barnes' Free Flyin', have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

JP Jakonen’s Trusty Chords

JP’s One Influential Artist

1. J Mascis

JP’s Three Impactful Albums

1. Guided By Voices – Bee Thousand (1994)

2. Dead Moon – Crack In The System (1994)

3. Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Ragged Glory (1990)

JP’s Five Trusty Songs

1. Misfits – 'Skulls' (1982)

2. Cosmic Psychos – 'Back In Town' (1989)

3. Dinosaur Jr. – 'Green Mind' (1991)

4. Nick Drake – 'Pink Moon' (1972)

5. Wigwam – 'Eddie And The Boys' (1976)