Meet Malcolm June | Singer/songwriter/guitarist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Malcolm June and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Malcolm, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
on March 24th of 2020 my wife Amanda and I moved from Albuquerque, NM. I had been writing songs and performing with my bandmates Sarah and Matt in our band Full Speed Veronica for the past 10 years. The thought of starting another band in a new city was scary, but I knew my musical pursuits were not finished. I started scanning the musician want ads on Tucson’s Craigslist and was very fortunate to find an add for a drummer and bassist seeking a songwriter/singer/guitarist. I was able to connect with them in May of 2020 and form a band I am immensely proud of during the pandemic..

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
From the time my cousins brought their Kiss cards with them on a visit to Los Alamos, NM in the summer of 1977, I knew I had to ROCK. I didn’t even hear Kiss’ music until later on that year. I just had those pictures. Sounds of metal made way for punk and a trip to Scotland awakened a love for folk. Though I was participating in musical theater productions, leading songs in church, and singing in school choir, I was not pursuing my dream of writing songs and fronting a rock band. That had to wait until 2000 when I moved to Eugene, OR. The restaurant where I worked had a jazz guitarist on Fridays. I would pepper him with questions about a career in music and making music a consistent part of his life. His message can be summed as “if music is your passion, you will find a way…”. Pretty non specific, but that has been true for me since that summer when I answered an ad posted in a music shop for a singer/guitarist. We banged out some simple covers in the garage and I tried my hand at songwriting. These were short on words and chord changes, but singing and playing something that did not exist until we played it was exhilarating and intoxicating. Since those days, leading a band and working toward becoming a professional singer- songwriter have been my top priorities. I have been fortunate to play in original bands that I am exceedingly proud of. I formed The Hollis Wake with Krysty Bosse, Sarah Meadows and Micah Chappell in Santa Fe, NM. We released two albums, “Suburban Crime Spree” and “low-fi highs/high-fi lows”. We charmed audiences in NM and CO from 2001-2007. After THW’s inevitable implosion, Full Speed Veronica (Malcolm June – vocals/guitar, Matt Worley – drums/vocals, Nathan Hay – bass/vocals) was formed. This was a much more experimental endeavor and saw lineup changes until Sarah Meadows from THW joined on bass/vocals in 2016. This trio released “June 31st” in 2017 and “The Final Round” in 2020. We played our final show in Albuquerque on March 20th, right before the world shut down… My wife Amanda, who works in sports, had taken a new job as the President of a professional soccer team. She and I packed up and moved on the 23rd. It was so scary to leave my Full Speed Veronica bandmates of 10 years behind in NM. for an uncertain future in Tucson.

I met my bandmates, Chris Byrne – bass, and Dave Tyler – drums, through a series of Craigslist ads. We met in the basement of my home until we moved to a former department store at the Tucson Foothills Mall. There, we rehearsed and gigged with our studio roomies, Tonight’s Sunshine. The band had finally come together when Chris suggested we add Ben Wilkinson – guitar/vocals. A friend of the band suggested we name ourselves Paisley Prine. This, he said, would be the name of Pink Floyd if John Prine was Syd Barrett. I was sold on the name before knowing this story, but it does add some mystique. Paisley brought to mind swirling music, deep colors, and somehow Scotland. John Prine is a lifelong favorite songwriter and I like the tip of the hat. Robert Pollard once said something about the importance of the 4 P’s. That’s pop, psychedelic, prog, and punk. Later amended to include power pop and post punk. I think we’re covering all the P’s with Paisley Prine. We have played at Club Congress, Yucca Tap Room, House of Bards, Monterey Court, and drive-in concerts at the Foothills mall during the pandemic. Our debut album will be available in time for Christmas.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We have had several guests since our move. We always take them to Tito and Pep for dinner. We usually end up at La Esquina for the best churros in the world! The monsoon weather had us racing inside where the power went out, adding to the drama of the evening.. Breakfast at the Cup Caffe or La Chaiteria. We love hiking around A mountain and enjoy the vast array of wildlife that visit our home. We see javalina, hawks, bobcats, and oh so many quail.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Amanda Powers is my wife and partner in our Tucson. She has been with me through all the ups and downs.

Bandmates Dave Tyler, Chris Byrne, and Ben Wilkinson.

Website: https://www.malcolmjunemusic.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paisleyprine

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaisleyPrine

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@malcolmjune3532

Other: https://www.paisleyprine.com

Image Credits
Photographer: Rex Scofield IG: @tucsonconcertphotos @rexscofield W: https://rexscofieldphotography.myportfolio.com/