• 1996 - Present

  Danko JonesVocals/Guitar1996 -

  John CalabreseBass1996 -

  Atom WillardDrums2011 -
• The band formed in 1996 in Toronto, Canada. "Danko Jones" is the name of both their frontman and the group.
• The band was hesitant to release records, initially wanting to build their reputation as a live band. They toured for two years supporting American Rock bands such as Nashville Pussy and Blonde Redhead, before finally releasing a self-titled EP in 1998.
• They released their debut album Born a Lion in 2002, eight years after the band's formation. They promoted the album with European and Canadian tours, as well as supporting Rolling Stones on their Licks Tour. In 2003, the album was nominated for a Juno award for Best Rock Album.
• Their sophomore record We Sweat Blood was released in 2003 and was also nominated for a Juno award for Best Rock Album. It is lead singer Danko Jones' favorite of the band's albums.
• "Full of Regret," the lead single from their 2010 album Below the Belt, is their most successful single, reaching #2 on the Canadian Rock/Alternative Chart; it was also their only single to break the Canadian Hot 100, charting at # 96. This was surely helped by the music video, which features Lord of the Rings actor Elijah Wood, Selma Blair, and Lemmy, bassist and lead vocalist for British rock band Motorhead.
• Danko Jones has seen the departure of five drummers. The band's current drummer, Adam Willard, performed in American Punk band The Offspring and was a founding member of American Alternative Rock group Angels & Airwaves.
• Canadian journalist Stuart Berman wrote a book about the band called Too Much Trouble: A Very Oral History of Danko Jones. It was published in October 2012.
• Lead singer Danko Jones has hosted a syndicated radio show called The Magical World of Rock, and released a spoken word album of the same name in 2004. He also writes a weekly column for The Huffington Post, along with columns in several European music magazines.
• Danko (the singer) describes their music as "meat and potatoes Rock & Roll." In our 2013 interview, he explained that many bands in this genre are very derivative, and he tries to keep their songs fresh by looking at acts in other styles. "I also try to look at how someone like Elvis Costello would take a phrase or a riff and turn it on its head the way he does, in a way that you weren't expecting," he said.

Comments

More Songfacts:

Personal JesusDepeche Mode

"Personal Jesus," a song about "being a Jesus for somebody else," was inspired by Elvis and Priscilla Presley.

RudeMagic!

"Magic" was the first word to serve as both the title of a #1 hit (Olivia Newton-John's 1980 tune "Magic") and the name of an artist behind a chart-topping song (Magic!'s 2014 hit "Rude").

Paranoid AndroidRadiohead

Radiohead's "Paraonid Android" was written after a confrontation in a Los Angeles bar with an irate woman.

RosannaToto

"Rosanna" by Toto got its name from the actress Rosanna Arquette, who was dating Toto keyboard player Steve Porcaro.

Every Breath You TakeThe Police

"Every Breath You Take" by The Police feels like a love song, but a careful listen reveals it's about a stalker. Sting called it "a nasty little song, really rather evil. It's about jealousy and surveillance and ownership."

Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)Beyoncé

Beyoncé married Jay-Z five months before releasing "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)," a song she sang in character as her alter-ego, Sasha Fierce.

Editor's Picks

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)Songwriter Interviews

The co-writer/guitarist on many Alice Cooper hits, Dick was also Lou Reed's axeman on the Rock n' Roll Animal album.

Rickie Lee JonesSongwriter Interviews

Rickie Lee Jones on songwriting, social media, and how she's handling Trump.

Edie BrickellSongwriter Interviews

Edie Brickell on her collaborations with Paul Simon, Steve Martin and Willie Nelson, and her 2021 album with the New Bohemians.

Gary Louris of The JayhawksSongwriter Interviews

The Jayhawks' song "Big Star" has special meaning to Gary, who explains how longevity and inspiration have trumped adulation.

Who Wrote That Song?Music Quiz

Do you know who wrote Patti Smith's biggest hit? How about the Grease theme song? See if you can match the song to the writer.

Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk: Rock vs. TelevangelistsSong Writing

When televangelists like Jimmy Swaggart took on rockers like Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica, the rockers retaliated. Bono could even be seen mocking the preachers.