Lojic prevails

Jonny Hughes needed to plug in the pedals for his guitar before he and his band Lojic could take the stage. Trouble was, he was in Hong Kong.

He plugged his equipment into the 220-volt outlets and short-circuited the band’s mixer board. His stagehands scrounged up four nine-volt batteries and he was able to go on stage, but lost the strap to his Epiphone Les Paul guitar three times mid-riff. Hughes was forced to play his last song lying on his back.

Those were some of the obstacles Lojic, a St. Louis-based band, encountered during the World Battle of the Bands, where they beat out 11 domestic and international bands to win the competition.

“It was the most troublesome show I’ve ever played,” Hughes said. “But when I got up, everyone was freaking out, and later they announced Lojic was the winner, and I was like ‘whoa!’”

Lojic, which employs a unique blend of funk, rock, hip-hop, reggae, blues and jazz, developed its style in Columbia while two members were attending MU. Bassist and singer Johnny O’Neil said they really learned how to play music in their house on Rosemary Street.

“Columbia was a place where we could play all night,” drummer Christian Kirk said. “It’s not easy playing drums living with your parents in St. Louis. (Columbia) let us know we needed to get crazy with the music. It let us know it was what we needed to do.”

Right now Lojic is living and working in Hollywood, but the band is determined to hang on to its Midwestern roots.

“We’ll never forget where we came from,” O’Neil said. “We’re trying to hype up our Midwestern fans.”

Vocalist Will Betts values his fans in the Midwest, but finds the Los Angeles crowds more challenging.

“I just remember the love coming from Columbia and St. Louis. I think Midwestern fans are more trusting, whereas people in L.A. are like, ‘OK, you’re talented, but what can you do?’” Betts said.

Band members said MySpace helps them keep in touch with Midwestern fans. The band’s profile boasts more than 8,000 fans and more than 63,000 views.

“MySpace has absolutely helped,” Betts said. “It’s what’s helping bands make it without the industry, to a degree. I mean, we have fans in Connecticut. It’s amazing.”

O’Neil said the band almost didn’t enter the Battle of the Bands. A friend had suggested the idea.

“We dismissed (it) because we thought Battle of the Band contests never amount to anything. But we entered, and within a month we were in Hong Kong winning this contest. It was crazy,” O’Neil said.

Lojic’s grand prize included their flight, accommodations, a Gibson Les Paul guitar and a gift certificate worth about $640 to the Tom Lee Music Store in Hong Kong.

O’Neil said winning the World Battle of the Bands has led to some international press, including spots on MTV Asia, but Lojic is focusing on gaining popularity in the United States by doing all its own public relations. Lojic doesn’t plan on signing with a label anytime soon.

“There was talk of record deals based in New Zealand, but we haven’t heard anything about that yet,” Hughes said.

O’Neil said that’s fine with him.

“The industry is so different than it used to be,” he said. “A label is like your enemy.”

The band has been in the studio recording its next album, which will be completed this summer. Lojic’s first DVD, produced by Transom Pictures, will be released Feb. 2.

“We’re just trying to make this next album perfect — sonically, lyrically, everything,” O’Neil said. “Because if we don’t, it’ll be a step backward.”

Steve Ewing, front man for the 1990s’ ska-punk band The Urge, who produced Lojic’s latest album, said it won’t be long until the band, best known for its intense live shows, gets noticed.

“They’ll need some timing and that right person to recognize them. I see a lot in them, and I know I’m not the only one,” Ewing said.

Lojic plans to revisit Missouri this year with concerts in St. Louis, Columbia and Springfield. It will be at The Pageant in St. Louis on Feb. 2.

“We just want to make our St. Louis return show stupidly big,” Betts said. “Columbia is definitely a place where we need to pay our respects,” Betts added.

Scott Meiner, general manager at the Blue Fugue, where Lojic used to play regularly, expects the band will be well received when it comes back to town.

“Those guys are always a pleasure to have and to watch,” Meiner said.