62. The Trilogy That Started with a Broken Guitar – Jon of The Family Grave

Jon writes entire albums in a month, has a Nigerian band covering his songs, and still calls himself an amateur.The Brighton-based singer-songwriter behind The Family Grave built a prolific catalog of indie folk and alt-rock records without ever learning barre chords. His "Happy Old Love Songs" trilogy (Happy Songs, Songs About Love, and Old Songs for Kids) came together across pandemic lockdowns, one-day-a-month studio sessions, and a songwriting process that treats creativity like a job you clock into for 30 days straight. Jon talks about pulling a smashed guitar from a London dustbin and teaching himself to play, why his limitations make his music more authentically his, the hold-my-beer studio moment that turned a folk song into a Latin dance number, and what it means to still be searching for your tribe after seven releases.IN THIS CONVERSATION, WE GET INTO:The smashed guitar Jon found in a London dustbin, and how it started everythingWriting 10 songs in a month using February Album Writing Month (FAWM)Why his amateur status and stubby fingers actually make his music more authenticThe hold-my-beer moment that turned a folk demo into a Latin dance numberA Nigerian producer, a cover band, and the power of saying yes to weird opportunitiesABOUT JON / THE FAMILY GRAVE:Jon is a singer-songwriter from Brighton, UK, performing as The Family Grave. A self-described late starter, he writes and records with a revolving lineup of musician friends and has released multiple albums including the "Happy Old Love Songs" trilogy. His latest album, Old Songs for Kids, blends indie folk, alt-rock, and unexpected genre detours, including a Latin dance number that started as a two-minute acoustic demo.CONNECT WITH JON / THE FAMILY GRAVE:Linktree: linktr.ee/TheFamilyGraveInstagram: instagram.com/thefamilygraveThreads: threads.net/@thefamilygraveSpotify: open.spotify.com/artist/72hvOZf1bBYR5Q2DFOAXoyBandcamp: thefamilygrave.bandcamp.comYouTube: youtube.com/@thefamilygraveX: x.com/thefamilygraveVinyl & CDs via Elastic Stage: elasticstage.com/thefamilygraveAlbum (Old Songs for Kids): album.link/OldSongsForKidsMORE RESOURCES:Follow the OFFICIAL "loves music" playlist on Apple Music:https://music.apple.com/library/playlist/p.4Y0J406i03DQrX"loves music" playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0qE3kq89oyg3tFNbmRfHEO?si=vopaKQnNS8OHn0r2fFTVBgCheck out the "loves music" podcast website: https://www.podpage.com/loves-music/Julian on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julianjones417/Julian on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@julianjones417Check out Julian's book: https://a.co/d/0hzWNkiDThis podcast is managed by Wildwave Podcasting: https://www.wildwavepodcasting.comMUSIC MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Songs:"ACDC" — The Family Grave"Big Man" — The Family Grave"Daylight" — The Family Grave"Sweet Charity" — The Family Grave"Caroline" — The Family Grave"Leave Him Behind" — The Family Grave"Everybody Is Flawed" — The Family Grave"Loving Is Easy (Lagos Version)" — The Family Grave (feat. Dimmeji)"Sympathy for the Devil" — The Rolling Stones"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling Stones"Let It Be" — The Beatles"Jolene" — Dolly Parton"I Will Always Love You" — Dolly PartonAlbums & Projects:Old Songs for Kids — The Family GraveHappy Songs — The Family GraveThe Family Grave Play Songs About Love — The Family GraveEverybody Is Flawed — The Family GraveHarry Smith Was My Father — Hiawatha Telephone Company (Jon's earlier project)Post High Lows — PatienceAnthology of American Folk Music — Harry Smith (box set)Artists & Bands:The Family Grave / JonHiawatha Telephone Company (Jon's earlier project)Patience (Brighton band)Lucky Star Band (Nigerian cover band performing Family Grave songs)Lou ReedBob DylanElvis CostelloNick CaveMy Morning Jacket / Jim JamesTim HardinTownes Van ZandtBonnie Prince BillyKevin MorbyHiss Golden MessengerAldous HardingThe Rolling StonesThe BeatlesDolly PartonWhitney HoustonREMDave GrohlPharrellHalseyLena Cooper