As head of a Grand Rapids rock band and concert booking guru for Calvin University, Jack Droppers has a unique impact on the region’s music scene. These are the albums that have impacted his life.
Captivated by an Unusual Array of Artists: Jack Droppers (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
EDITOR’S NOTE: All musicians can trace their inspiration to key recordings that captivated them and influenced their own music. Writer Ross Boissoneau today showcases the albums that changed the world for Grand Rapids’ Jack Droppers. Scroll down for a Spotify playlist of his picks, plus a couple of tracks from his band’s most recent album.
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The director of student activities at Calvin University is just as comfortable on stage as welcoming others there. The leader of his six-piece band Jack Droppers & the Best Intentions says he was influenced by the garage/punk ethos of the Orlando area, where he grew up, and the Americana rock ‘n’ roll of artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne and James Taylor, favorites of his father. Born in Grand Rapids, he returned to the area for college and has since made it his home. He says his musical interest began as a youngster, growing out of his desire to express himself and how he related to the world around him, good and bad. The thriving music scene in Michigan and Grand Rapids in particular helped stimulate him and continues to do so. His band plays The Pyramid Scheme with J.Rob and The American Hotel System on Oct. 31.
1. Gasoline Heart, “You Know Who You Are” (2006) – When I was in high school there was a scene of punk, pop punk and piano rock. There were a lot of songs with falsetto high vocals. Even as a 16-year-old I couldn’t hit those notes. I heard Gasoline Heart and said, “Holy smoke, you can do it differently.” It’s pure bar band rock, great lyrics, guitars. The vocals are full bodied. Hey, I could sing like that guy. It was the only CD I had in my car for two years. It turned out it was a local band (in central Florida) that never really broke out. Seeing a local band doing what I love shifted me.
Listen: “Paralyze”
2. Bruce Springsteen, “Hammersmith Odeon, London ’75” (2006, recorded live in 1975) – My family had cable for a while. On VH1 I saw a performance and thought, “My goodness, who is this person?” I was captivated by the performance, and got to the end. It was Bruce from 30 years ago. He’s doing things live that are exhilarating with heartfelt, intricate lyrics. It’s poetic, not just repeating things over and over again. I was falling in love with Dad’s music, people making music that sounds and feels like what I want to do. On tour I’ll listen to that record to get in the mindset.
Listen: “Thunder Road”
3. Jinja Safari, “Locked By Land” (2011) – Not because I love it, but because of what it did. It’s a band I discovered while studying abroad in South Africa. It integrated a lot of sounds into songs, like Afrobeat. I paid like $30 in shipping so I could listen to it in my dorm. That strain of rock ‘n’ roll that’s rough around the edges (made me) think I should smoke more cigarettes. This is fun and lighthearted, it let me be more playful. It’s what I needed in that season of my life. Having fun live – could I pull that off. Even though I haven’t gotten to make music that sounds like that, it’s something I feel like.
Listen: “Errol Flynn”
Currently loving: Joy Oladokun and Tobe Nwigwe – She’s performing Oct. 28 at Calvin. She has an incredible voice. It feels Tracy Chapman-esque. I love what she’s bringing, gospel to poppy modern rock. Tobe Nwigwe is a hip hop artist from Houston. He’s dropping a new song with a video every Sunday. It gets people to listen to the song. It feels like the video is part of the project as an artist.
Listen: Tobe Nwigwe, “Fye Fye” at Hip Hop Awards
ALBUMS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD: Jack Droppers’ Playlist on Spotify
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