Interviewing The John Doe Trio is less like a formal conversation and more like stepping into a vibrant, living story of music, creativity, and the connections that fuel both. The music of the John Doe Trio carries echoes of tradition, a bold willingness to experiment, and a readiness to let spontaneity guide the process. Whether it’s chasing the perfect take in the studio or letting a plastic chicken named Patricia take center stage, there’s a balance between precision and playfulness that defines who they are as artists.

In this interview, The John Doe Trio opens up about the unpredictable moments that spark their music, the challenges of live performances that demand perfection, and the lessons learned from pushing against their own boundaries. We dive into the quirks that keep the band grounded, the places that feel like home when they’re on stage, and the unvarnished truths about the industry they love. Let’s go!

When you’re composing, what grabs you first – sound, rhythm, or lyrics? What kind of idea usually sparks the flame?

 It’s usually a musical idea, but I don’t have a set method or anything like that. I’m always noodling around on guitars and sometimes something will just happen. It’s then a mad scramble to find my phone to record it, or grab some paper to notate it, before I forget what I’ve just played. I’ll then sit down, when I have more time, and develop something around that. In terms of lyrics, they tend to follow the music, as the mood and tone of the music often dictate where the lyrics come from. It’s a very organic process for me; I’ve tried to sit down and force a song out before and it never really works for me. 

Do you have any rituals before recording – maybe a special drink or even a quirky superstition?

 I tend to just get myself as relaxed as possible really. I can be a bit of a mother hen when it comes to my own music and am my own worst critic. We are recording parts of the album at Lenny’s studio in Kent, the same studio as we recorded Railroaded, so having Lenny, who is a good friend, there to tell me when a take is good is great, as otherwise I tend to just chase the perfect take, which any experience studio artist will tell you doesn’t ever happen. 

Which song in your repertoire is the hardest to perform live? What makes it special?

 That’s a great question. I think Railroaded, the title track from our second album, is right up there. It’s relentlessly energetic and relies on everyone being ultra tight, whilst playing pretty complex passages. For me personally, add in a pretty full-on vocal part and it really is a challenge.

If you could rethink one of your older albums, what would you change or add?

 I’ve always felt that Stranger was a little over-produced and feels a little bit sterile as a result. The playing is great but I wish we’d gone for a more raw overall sound, in production, like we did with Railroaded. JDIII is definitely going to be more along the lines of Railroaded in that respect for sure.

How many of your favorite studio moments make it onto the record, and how many just stay as good memories?

I think pretty much everything has ended up on the records so far and it’s looking like that’ll be the case with the new album too. I did try some pretty wild guitar effects, for one track in the pre-production stage of JDIII. They were enormously fun but, sadly, a bridge too far for a blues album, I fear. I think they’d be best described as a cross between Hendrix psychedelia and an angry duck! 

What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about each other over the years in the band? Are there any hidden habits?

 I’m afraid this is going to look like “pick on the drummer”, but Paul has an amazing ability to operate almost within his own time zone. He’s always running late for everything yet somehow manages to arrive in the nick of time: it’s uncanny! I’ve also never seen anyone buy quite so much food at motorway service stations and then eat it on route to or from a show. Ironically there’s not an ounce of fat on the guy too (unlike me, sadly). In terms of me and Craig, I think Paul learned pretty quickly that we’re both pretty much allergic to early mornings! 

Have you ever had album ideas that initially felt too bold or unusual but ended up becoming essential elements?

 Yes, definitely. We often allow ourselves to cross genre boundaries, certainly with tracks like “Pickin’ my Chicken” from Railroaded, which was very much bluegrass inspired and, things from Stranger that contained elements of jazz and funk.  We genuinely didn’t know if it would be accepted, and we took some criticism at first, however in the end it’s become a part of our DNA. One reviewer brilliantly described “Pickin’ my Chicken” as “poultry in motion” which literally made me laugh out loud. We’ll be continuing the trend with an Americana (almost country) inspired track on JDIII… One for the Swifties perhaps!

Is there anything in the music world that genuinely surprises or bothers you? Are there any trends you’d never try?

 Whilst I am not afraid of embracing technology, like using phase loopers live on stage, to simulate keyboard parts, and amp modelling etc, I loath the use of auto-tune. It’s like an artist not being able to paint something properly, so scanning a bit off of a photo and pasting it on their painting. It kind of devalues those great singers out there that do it properly. I also get a bit bothered (too much so, actually) by folks mixing up popularity with individual musical excellence. I often hear that so-and-so is a “great player” when in reality, whilst they are pretty steady and successful, they’re certainly not up there with the truly excellent guys and girls. That can be a little frustrating, as it again devalues the really excellent players out there a little bit. By all means celebrate success, and the reasons for it (like being a fantastic song writer or a good, tight unit), but I wish people were better able to appreciate genuine individual musical excellence more, both within the industry and from outside. It’s something I feel genres like jazz and classical music do very well but not so much with rock, pop and blues etc.

Do you have a favorite city where you especially enjoy performing?

 That’s a tough one. It’s not necessarily a favourite city but, at risk of offending the rest of the country, we always really enjoy playing in the North of England. The audience reception and the way we are looked after is so warm and friendly which, I think, then brings out the best in us as a band.  

Musicians often have their quirks on the road. What’s the strangest or funniest item you always bring on tour, and what’s it for?

We don’t always bring her, but when we were initially able to get Railroaded out there, after the pandemic allowed us to, we would bring a plastic, squeaky chicken, called Patricia. A similar chicken, named Pedro, featured on the studio recording of the aforementioned “Pickin’ my Chicken” but was sadly unavailable for the live shows, so Patricia heroically stepped in in his place to cluck away live on stage!

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