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The charismatic singer/guitarist for the fire-breathing rock trio named after him doesn't mince words on the subject of success and the music industry. Nor should he -- after spending years blowing audiences away all over Canada with their electrifying live show, the band had to go to Sweden to get signed to a record label. Now they've got deals in Europe, Japan, Australia and -- last and perhaps least -- Canada.
"From my experience, the better you do outside of Canada and the less attention you receive in Canada, the better it is for the band," Jones says. "We'd been around for six years, saying 'Please, someone give us a chance and we'll run with it!' And finally, thanks to Trigger Happy's Al Nolan bugging them, (Swedish label) Bad Taste did.
"They booked us a European tour, and by the end of it we were already rebooked to play in four countries. It was wild -- it just took off in a month.
"By the time we signed with Universal in Canada, we'd already done two American tours, two or three Canadian tours and three European tours, put out two EPs and one compilation and one album in Europe. Then we got signed at home."
It seems there's a more open-minded attitude in Europe, where musical formats are less strictly enforced.
"Of course there are the pop stars, but there's also a whole bunch of other bands who get played alongside them," Jones says. "On the radio, you'll hear Justin Timberlake and then Turbonegro, Dimmu Borgir and then Beyonce. And at European festivals you get a real mix. One time we played with Millencollin, Turbonegro, Asian Dub Foundation and Radiohead. That would never happen here."
Danko Jones -- which also includes bassist J.C. and drummer Damon Richardson -- has always been a live band first and foremost. And the name of their latest album, We Sweat Blood -- which came about after Jones lost his voice in the midst of a gruelling tour -- is not much of an exaggeration. Still, performing is what he lives for.
"When you're on tour, 23 of the 24 hours of the day is working and waiting, and the only break is the hour or so you get onstage," he explains. "It's cathartic -- you get everything out and then you're spent and you just wait 'til the next day.
"Our records are basically our passport to playing live and going on tour," he adds. "Pretty soon there will only be bands who are good live. The ones made in the studio or the boardroom won't survive, because they don't know how to stay on the road.
"We had our best year last year -- we were on the road for eight months, and we made more money amid all this downloading. When everybody's profit was decreasing, ours was increasing. We spent years playing live, and now we realize it was all preparation for this."
Danko Jones play Lee's Palace tomorrow, with Ian Blurton's fiery C'Mon opening. Be prepared to sweat.