Veteran rock and roll force of nature James McCann is previewing his forthcoming Rob Younger-produced album with a fresh single, “Forces At Work”, co-written with his late mate, Spencer P Jones.
Now going under the name JJ McCann Transmission, the Melbourne-based singer-guitarist will release the full-length “Hit With Love” on Cheersquad Records on September 15.
The new single and album are McCann's first new releases since he co-produced the acclaimed tribute to Spencer P Jones, “All The Way With SPJ”, which included Chris Bailey of The Saints, Kid Congo, Adalita, Violent Femmes, Alejandro Escovedo, Jim Moginie of Midnight Oil and The Drones.
A 30-year veteran of the Australian rock’n’roll scene, McCann knows something about the brutal reality of the independent music scene. After cutting his teeth in the vibrant Perth music community, McCann moved to Sydney in the early 1990s where he joined the Hard-Ons spin-off outfit Nunchukka Superfly.
McCann formed Harpoon before moving back to Perth, was in the first line up of The Drones and worked with Kill Devil Hills. He moved to Melbourne in the mid 2000s to pursue solo and collaborative projects, and has toured Europe to support releases on Bang! Records and Beast Records..
Rob Younger says of McCann:
James' first impressed me years ago fronting Harpoon. I told him it was 'Outlaw Rock'. The bastards had blown my band off the stage. Mean as cat-shit and instinctive, uncontrived, unpredictable. That was his vibe then as now: implacable and impeccable in articulation, blessed with a genuine sneer; not mannerism passing for attitude.
Vision, not a version. and not without humour when the occasion warrants, like, when he sees fit. James is right in the centre of everything he's putting out when singing, hacking away at the guitar and songwriting.
There is no affectation, no half-arsed attempting to convince - he's the real article in a cluttered field where a good many pretend. Get behind James McCann before he gets behind you.
