Danko Jones

Biography

Danko Jones is a Canadian hard rock band formed in Toronto in 1996, now residing in Stockholm. The band consists of vocalist and guitarist Danko Jones, bassist John "JC" Calabrese and drummer Rich Knox, with Jones and Calabrese remaining the band's only continuous members. The band's musical style includes elements of hard rock and punk, and they are known for their extensive touring and high-energy live performances, which has earned them acclaim as one of the best live acts in rock music. Danko Jones has released eleven studio albums and been nominated for six Juno Awards.

1996–2004: Formation and early years

The band was formed in 1996 by Danko Jones (Rishi Ganjoo), Scaltro (John Calabrese) and Gran Sfigato (Michael Caricari), after the former's namesake and initially named Danko Jones And The Impossible Dream. Danko Jones played consistently for two years after formation in and around the northeastern United States and Canada, opening for The New Bomb Turks, Nashville Pussy, Blonde Redhead, The Make-Up, The Dirtbombs, The Chrome Cranks, and The Demolition Doll Rods. Originally they did not intend to release an album, preferring to have the band's live reputation spread by word of mouth.
Eventually, the trio relented and put out a self-titled six-song EP on Sonic Unyon records in 1998. In 1999, the band performed around Toronto, including at Lee's Palace and the Horseshoe Tavern. That year they released the self-produced My Love Is Bold E.P. and release the single "Bounce×Bounce19 March 2001 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Bounce3:062I'm Alive and on Fire1:16". They were nominated for a Juno Award in 2000 for Best Alternative Album.
In early 2000, Danko Jones opened for Beck at Maple Leaf Gardens. In 2001, Bad Taste Records released a compilation of the band's early recordings, demos, and b-sides entitled, I'm Alive and On Fire. A five-week European tour followed to promote the release including shows at the Roskilde festival in Denmark and Hultsfred festival in Sweden. By the end of the year, they had returned twice more, once as main support for the Backyard Babies.

In 2002, they released their first full-length album, Born a Lion×Born a Lion13 May 2002 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Play the Blues2:512Lovercall2:533Sound of Love3:504Papa3:145Soul on Ice3:286Word Is Bond3:457Way to My Heart3:138Caramel City3:189Get Outta Town1:5610Suicide Woman3:1911Love Is Unkind4:16, produced by Bill Bell, on Bad Taste Records in Europe and on Universal in Canada. The band did several European tours and two Canadian tours to promote the record including a repeat performance at Roskilde and a return to Hultsfred as well as stops to Pukkelpop in Belgium and The Lowlands festival in the Netherlands. They also performed the opening slot with The Rolling Stones on their "40 Licks" World tour kick-off show at the Palais Royale in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on August 16, 2002.
In 2003, Danko Jones released their second studio album We Sweat Blood×We Sweat Blood6 October 2003 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Forget My Name2:532Dance3:303I Love Living in the City3:224I Want You3:185Heartbreak’s a Blessing2:546Wait a Minute2:347Strut2:498Home to Hell2:139Hot Damn Woman3:0610The Cross2:2211Love Travel2:5612We Sweat Blood2:5613Woogie Boogie2:52, produced by Matt DeMatteo, and saw the group taking a heavier approach to their hard-rock sound. More touring followed that included Europe and Japan. They were also nominated for two Junos: Best Rock Album (Born a Lion) and Best video ("Lovercall×Lovercall14 October 2002 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Lovercall2:542Big Bed2:073Starlicker1:37"). While success was happening abroad, home relations with Universal Canada had soured and the band was dropped mid-album run. Explanations from the label were vague, but the separation happened after Jones' February 2004 appearance on CBC Sunday where Jones appeared as a pro-downloader opposite then CRIA president, Brian Robertson. In spite of being dropped from Universal Canada, the group continued to tour heavily for the rest of the year well into 2004 with Turbonegro, Sepultura, and The Bronx. While touring they received another Juno nomination for Best Rock Album (We Sweat Blood) and tour Australia as well as more European dates including Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park in Germany and Download, Leeds and Reading in England.

2005–2010: Sleep Is The Enemy, Never Too Loud and Below the Belt

Early 2005 recording sessions for the follow-up to We Sweat Blood were interspersed with a series of tours amidst recording that brought the band to the Netherlands, Germany and South Africa-promoted by their record label and events company ASP Records, who released a collectors double set featuring Born A Lion and We Sweat Blood. In April, American label, Razor & Tie released We Sweat Blood and the band set out to America in support as well. Working two releases simultaneously on both sides of the Atlantic proved time-consuming, and the worldwide release of their upcoming studio album, produced by Matt DeMatteo, was pushed back to 2006.

In 2005, Danko Jones signed to Aquarius Records. During the summer and fall of 2005, the band toured America heavily with two of We Sweat Blood×We Sweat Blood6 October 2003 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Forget My Name2:532Dance3:303I Love Living in the City3:224I Want You3:185Heartbreak’s a Blessing2:546Wait a Minute2:347Strut2:498Home to Hell2:139Hot Damn Woman3:0610The Cross2:2211Love Travel2:5612We Sweat Blood2:5613Woogie Boogie2:52's singles being played regularly on rock radio in America ("Lovercall×Lovercall14 October 2002 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Lovercall2:542Big Bed2:073Starlicker1:37" and "Forget My Name"). Stateside tours with Flogging Molly, Our Lady Peace, The Supersuckers, and The (International) Noise Conspiracy followed. Prior to the release of Sleep Is The Enemy drummer Damon Richardson left the band, citing fatigue. He was replaced by Dan Cornelius.
In January and February 2006, the band set out to do their first Canadian tour in almost four years, opening for Nickelback. On February 17, Danko Jones released Sleep Is the Enemy and went on tour in support of the album, including an American tour and a headlining European club tour with support from Brant Bjork & The Bros.
The band's fourth album, Never Too Loud×Never Too Loud27 February 2008 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Code of the Road3:372City Streets4:503Still in High School2:574Take Me Home4:175Let’s Get Undressed3:516King of Magazines3:597Forest for the Trees7:188Your Tears My Smile4:219Something Better3:4410Ravenous3:5611Never Too Loud3:47 was released on February 27, 2008, and produced by Nick Raskulinecz. The album yielded three singles, the international hit, "Code Of The Road×Code of the Road2008 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Code of the Road2:57", followed by "Take Me Home×Take Me Home2008 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Take Me Home3:31", and "King Of Magazines×King of Magazines30 September 2008 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1King of Magazines3:19". A city tour of Europe in April 2008 was followed by a Canadian tour in May and a three-month stint in Europe playing about 30 dates on the festival circuit that included Rock Am Ring, Rock Im Park, and With Full Force in Germany; Bospop and Lowlands in The Netherlands; Sziget Festival in Hungary; Rabarock in Estonia; Provinssi Rock in Finland; and Eurockeennes and Hellfest in France, where Jones sang on stage with Death Angel for the song, "Bored". They opened for Motörhead in England, Germany, France, and Benelux in late 2008.
On February 3, 2009, B-Sides was released in Europe only—a collection of previously released B-sides from European singles and unreleased tracks that spanned 1996 to 2008. On February 24, they set out on a seven-week tour in support of the release that spanned The Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, France, and the UK with support coming from The Backyard Babies, Winnebego Deal, and The Black Spiders. The album yielded the singles "Sugar High×Sugar High7 January 2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Sugar High3:37" and "My Problems (Are Your Problems Now)". A greatest hits compilation titled This Is Danko Jones×This Is Danko Jones7 April 2009 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Bounce3:052Sugar High3:363Lover Call2:524I Love Living in the City3:235Dance3:296Forget My Name2:537Invisible3:248Don't Fall In Love3:249First Date3:1210Code of the Road2:5811Take Me Home3:3212Baby Hates Me3:2813Sound of Love3:5014King of Magazines3:1915Cadillac2:09 was released on April 7 the same year in Canada only. In the summer, the band made a few festival appearances, including the Sziget Festival in Hungary on the main stage with Faith No More and The Offspring, as well as Huntenpop in Netherlands, Winterthur and Gampel Open Air in Switzerland, Parken Festival in Norway and Jurassic Rock in Finland.
In January and February 2010, Danko Jones toured across Canada with Guns N' Roses and Sebastian Bach. In March the same year, they toured the United States with Clutch. Their fifth album, Below the Belt×Below the Belt11 May 2010 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1I Think Bad Thoughts3:312Active Volcanoes3:353Tonight Is Fine4:214Magic Snake3:195Had Enough3:426(I Can't Handle) Moderation3:047Full of Regret3:588The Sore Loser2:599Like Dynamite3:1510Apology Accepted3:3011I Wanna Break Up With You4:56, was released on May 11, 2010, and produced by Matt DeMatteo. The album's first single, "Full of Regret×Full of Regret4 March 2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Full of Regret3:58", features Elijah Wood, Lemmy Kilmister, Selma Blair, and Mike Watt in the accompanying video, the first in "The Ballad of Danko Jones" video trilogy. It debuted at No. 36 on Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks in November. It is also featured on EA's NHL 11 soundtrack. The second single, "Had Enough×Had Enough2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Had Enough3:42", has Ralph Macchio appearing in the accompanying video while "I Think Bad Thoughts×I Think Bad Thoughts2011 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1I Think Bad Thoughts3:312I Think Bad Thoughts (Radio Edit)3:313Full of Regret4:554Had Enough4:00" features Wood, Macchio, Jena Malone and Watt in the final instalment of the music video trilogy.

2011–2019: Rock and Roll Is Black and Blue, Fire Music, Wild Cat and A Rock Supreme

In June 2011, drummer Dan Cornelius left the band and was replaced by Atom Willard. A 90-minute documentary about the band, Bring on the Mountain, was released in June 2012. The two-disc DVD also included a short film based on the band's latest three videos, all their music videos and several live clips. An oral history book about the band, Too Much Trouble: A Very Oral History of Danko Jones, was to be released by ECW Press in October 2012. Rock and Roll Is Black and Blue was released on September 21, 2012, in Europe and October 9 in North America. They went on a 2013 Spring tour with Volbeat and Spoken. Willard left the band that same year and was replaced by Rich Knox.
Fire Music, the band's first album to include Knox, was released on February 10, 2015, in Canada. In July 2015, the band announced a nine-date tour of the UK and Ireland scheduled for September, with support from the Amorettes. More touring followed, including a tour of summer festivals.
Danko Jones' eighth album, Wild Cat×Wild Cat3 March 2017 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1I Gotta Rock3:392My Little RNR3:443Going Out Tonight3:314You Are My Woman3:245Do This Every Night3:116Let’s Start Dancing3:137Wild Cat3:468She Likes It3:259Success In Bed3:3510Diamond Lady3:3611Revolution (But Then Make Love)3:35, was released on March 3, 2017. The band also went on a 17-date European tour to accompany the release of the album. 2017 saw four more tours: a spring Canadian tour, the usual summer festival tour, an autumn Canadian tour and a winter Nordic tour. Danko Jones supported Skindred on their April UK tour, alongside CKY. The band performed in Luxembourg in May that year. "We're Crazy" was released on September 21, 2018, although it had been played live since April. A Rock Supreme, their ninth studio album, was released on April 26, 2019. A European summer festival tour with Volbeat and Baroness followed.

2020–present: Power Trio, Electric Sounds and Leo Rising

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Danko Jones was forced to cancel their planned tour and later began writing and recording their tenth studio album. In March 2021, the band released "I Want Out×I Want Out12 March 2021 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1I Want Out3:41", the first single and video from the studio album Power Trio×Power Trio27 August 2021 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1I Want Out3:422Good Lookin’3:443Saturday3:164Ship of Lies3:355Raise Some Hell3:236Blue Jean Denim Jumpsuit3:477Get to You3:398Dangerous Kiss2:579Let’s Rock Together3:0010Flaunt It3:0611Start the Show4:02, which was released in August 2021. The band toured and performed at festivals in support of the album between 2021 and 2022. Their eleventh studio album, Electric Sounds×Electric Sounds15 September 2023 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Guess Who’s Back2:412Good Time3:573Electric Sounds3:144Get High?3:385Stiff Competition3:276She’s My Baby3:187Eye for an Eye2:588I Like It3:109Let’s Make Out3:2710What Goes Around3:3211Shake Your City3:31, was released in September 2023. The release was followed by the "Shake your City" tour in Europe in November/December 2023 and the "Guess who's back?" tour in March 2024 in Scandinavia. The band played at festivals in the summer and toured Spain, Portugal, Germany, and Austria in October as part of the "Good Times" tour. The band's latest studio album, Leo Rising×Leo Rising21 November 2025 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1What You Need3:352Diamond in the Rough3:363Everyday Is Saturday Night3:274I Love It Louder3:355I’m Going Blind3:326Hot Fox3:207It’s a Celebration3:298Pretty Stuff3:079Gotta Let It Go3:3110I Can’t Stop3:2211Too Slick for Love3:18, is released on November 21, 2025. The album was once again produced by Eric Ratz and continued the band’s established, riff-driven hard rock style.
Several singles were released ahead of the album, including "What You Need×What You Need4 April 2025 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1What You Need3:35" and "Everyday Is Saturday Night×Everyday Is Saturday Night6 June 2025 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Everyday Is Saturday Night3:272What You Need3:35". The album also featured a guest appearance by guitarist Marty Friedman.
Following the release, the band continued extensive touring activities.
In 2026, Danko Jones remained active on the international touring and festival circuit. The band was confirmed for major festivals including Wacken Open Air 2026.
The year also marked the band’s 30th anniversary. In interviews, frontman Danko Jones stated that the band does not place major emphasis on anniversaries, instead focusing on their continuous work as a live band.

Members

This list is composed of band members who have played live with the band for a substantial period, and does not include guest performances and one-off substitutes.
Timeline

Honours

Juno Award

2024 Nominated, Metal/Hard Music Album (Electric Sounds×Electric Sounds15 September 2023 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Guess Who’s Back2:412Good Time3:573Electric Sounds3:144Get High?3:385Stiff Competition3:276She’s My Baby3:187Eye for an Eye2:588I Like It3:109Let’s Make Out3:2710What Goes Around3:3211Shake Your City3:31)
2022 Nominated, Metal/Hard Music Album (Power Trio×Power Trio27 August 2021 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1I Want Out3:422Good Lookin’3:443Saturday3:164Ship of Lies3:355Raise Some Hell3:236Blue Jean Denim Jumpsuit3:477Get to You3:398Dangerous Kiss2:579Let’s Rock Together3:0010Flaunt It3:0611Start the Show4:02)
2004 Nominated, Best Rock Album (We Sweat Blood×We Sweat Blood6 October 2003 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Forget My Name2:532Dance3:303I Love Living in the City3:224I Want You3:185Heartbreak’s a Blessing2:546Wait a Minute2:347Strut2:498Home to Hell2:139Hot Damn Woman3:0610The Cross2:2211Love Travel2:5612We Sweat Blood2:5613Woogie Boogie2:52)
2003 Nominated, Best Video ("Lovercall×Lovercall14 October 2002 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Lovercall2:542Big Bed2:073Starlicker1:37")
2003 Nominated, Best Rock Album (Born a Lion×Born a Lion13 May 2002 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Play the Blues2:512Lovercall2:533Sound of Love3:504Papa3:145Soul on Ice3:286Word Is Bond3:457Way to My Heart3:138Caramel City3:189Get Outta Town1:5610Suicide Woman3:1911Love Is Unkind4:16)
2000 Nominated, Best Alternative Album (My Love Is Bold×My Love Is Bold1999 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1Samuel Sin1:192Bounce3:063Sex Change Shake2:124The Mango Kid3:365If I Were You6:516My Love Is Bold4:38)