Mrs. Jones’ Revenge is More Than Just a Cover Band
I had a lot of trouble deciding which category of What’s Up? Temecula to post this story under, because, if you look at the concert schedule for Mrs. Jones’ Revenge, you’ll see that these guys really get around.
Performing all over the Temecula Valley in the month of August, Mrs. Jones’ Revenge is a hard group to define. They are one part cover band, one part tribute band, and another part a bit of an enigma.
“We bring something very original in the concept of local bands,” Jeff McNeal, Mrs. Jones’ Revenge founder and lead vocalist said, during a recent interview. “We are indeed a cover band, in the sense that we cover a wide range of artists and material, but we perform each and every song as closely to the sound of the original hit studio recording that we can come, the same way that a dedicated tribute band would.”
Having enjoyed a successful radio career as a voiceover actor and celebrity impressionist, McNeal realized that his talent for voice mimicry was a perfect foundation for a transition to the musical stage.
“I was driving in my car, singing along with one of the songs, and I realized that I was subconsciously shaping my voice to sound very much like the original singer,” he said. “I’ve never had singing lessons or any formal training in music to speak of, but I was curious to see whether my lifelong skills of doing voice impressions could be applied to the voices of singers whose songs I grew up with and loved.”
McNeal recorded hundreds of YouTube videos, performing songs in the style of everyone from Jim Morrison to the Beatles, and finally decided that he had enough material to form a band. After much searching, and a little bit of turnaround on his roster, McNeal found the right musicians and Mrs. Jones’ Revenge was born.
With McNeal, current members of Mrs. Jones’ Revenge include Jean-Francois Bergeron (lead guitar), Ron Adams (bass, vocals), Terry Brown (keyboard, guitar, vocals) and Phil Hurta (drums, vocals).
“We are paying tribute to over forty different bands and artists instead of being forced to concentrate on just one,” McNeal said. “I have the vocal ability and range to sound like so many different performers and my band mates can replicate, with great accuracy, the sound of so many different bands. That’s what really sets our band apart from any other band.”
Currently on what they call their “Classic Rock Inside-Out Tour,” Mrs. Jones’ Revenge has several gigs scheduled at locations all over the Inland Empire. Regardless of the close proximity of their shows, McNeal stresses that those who choose to come to more than one performance will see that the band gives 110% every time they play, regardless of the size or the location of the venue.
“People can always expect us to play our hearts out on each and every song, as if we were the original artists, whether it’s a packed house or a small crowd,” he said. “We put a lot of time, effort, and love into our recreations each and every time we perform them, out of deep respect for the original artists.”
McNeal and his band mates are confident that what they are doing is as unique as it gets and are thrilled that they are regularly given a chance to entertain the community they love.
“Nothing like Mrs. Jones’ Revenge has ever happened before, on the tribute scene, and classic rock lovers are fortunate that it is happening right here, right now, where you live. We should be performing in Vegas earning millions doing what we do,” McNeal joked. “But to be honest, there’s no place that we’d rather be than right here in Temecula. But, if Vegas does ever discover us and offers us millions, we’re out of here.”
Mrs. Jones’ Revenge August Concert Dates:
- Europa Village Winery, August 1 at 6:00 pm
- Old Town Temecula Community Theater, August 6 at 7:30 pm
- Community Recreation Center Amphitheater, August 7 at 7:00 pm
- Falkner Winery, August 31 at 12:00 pm
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