Josh Miller fronts Jambi, Echo Play Live's TOOL tribute — billed in full as Jambi - A TOOL Experience. Officially he's a vocalist, but in practice he's the most multi-instrumental player in the building. Saxophone in sixth grade, then guitar, then bass, with singing the constant underneath all of it. That breadth is part of what makes him the right voice for Jambi. Singing Maynard requires a player who hears the band the way Maynard hears the band, and Josh has been hearing music that way since his parents handed him the encouragement to do it.
What Josh brings beyond the obvious is a quiet philosophy about why he's doing this at all. He says he has never understood meditation — he's tried it, he doesn't get what people get out of it — until he realized one day that playing music is his version. The mindlessness people chase through meditation, he finds behind the mic. That orientation shows up in how he describes a great show: the perfection-and-crowd-together version, where the band nails it and the room is so invested back at them that it doesn't matter how big the room actually is. Echo Play Live is grounded by something else, too. His friendship with Kevin goes back thirty years, and the rest of the band has earned that same trust. He calls them a group of badass dudes. He's blessed to play with guys that good.
Read the full interview with Josh
What first pulled you into music?
I've been musical my entire life. My parents always encouraged it in me, and I would sing all the time. Then in sixth grade I was able to join band in school — started playing saxophone, eventually picked up guitar, picked up bass, singing the whole time. It's just something I've always had in me.
What has music given you that nothing else really has?
It might be a weird answer, but — I've never understood meditation. I've tried it, and I don't get what you're supposed to get out of it. Then I realized one day it's because I play music. When I'm playing, you get that kind of mindlessness people try to achieve through meditation. So I guess peace of mind is the answer.
What do you feel like you bring to the band?
A professional level of talent to match you guys. And good vibes.
What do you care about most when you're performing live?
The number one is just being on point. Hitting the notes, hitting the rhythms, making sure my part is nailed. If you ask what I worry about most on stage — that's it.
What do you want the crowd to feel when they watch you perform?
I want them to feel like they're having the time of their life at a great concert. Our job is to make sure we're there for them. I want them to be pumped up, to love it — to go home that night feeling like they saw something awesome, and like they were a part of it because they were there.
What is one song you always look forward to playing live, and why?
For the longest time it was "H." That's been my favorite TOOL song since the 90s. The one I really want us to bring back is "Jimmy" — we haven't played it in a while, and we're going to be doing it coming up for the Ænima 30-year. So that's what I'm excited about. That one and "Push It."
What separates a decent show from a great show?
There are kind of two ways to look at whether a show was great. One: we nailed it. We played perfect — or as close as you're going to get — and it just feels amazing. The other: even if we didn't quite nail the musical part, the crowd was just amazing. If you can get both on the same night — not even a huge crowd, but one that's so invested while you're nailing the stuff — that's the best.
What makes a great cover or tribute performance?
Obviously you've got to sound like them. But you also have to put on a good show. The point of being a tribute band is live entertainment — you're there to entertain people. If they don't have a good time, you're not doing your job. I'd say that's equally as important as sounding like the band.
What is harder than people realize about playing this kind of music well?
For TOOL, definitely the odd times and odd meters. It's just a weird phrasing Maynard does — it's hard to pick up sometimes. There are parts where you really have to concentrate. *"Okay, it's the upbeat here."* You know what I mean? Yeah — for this band, it's the weird writing TOOL does.
What does being part of Echo Play Live mean to you?
It's a group of badass dudes. Me and Kevin have been friends for, like, fucking 30 years. It's professional — the musicianship in here is amazing. I'm so blessed to play with guys that good. And Echo Play Live is building into something. It already is a brand, and I just see it getting bigger. It's cool to be a part of that.
What can people expect when they come to one of our shows?
Some guys who've put the work in to make sure we're doing a good job. Especially if you love TOOL, you're going to love it. And even if you don't know TOOL — I've had lots of people come out who don't know a single song, and they're like, "Dude, that was amazing." Then they go listen to TOOL afterward. That's kind of cool too.
What would you say to someone who has never seen one of our shows before?
Just come on out and check it out. You'll have a good time.