Jo-Jo O’ & The WOODS – home away from home

“Back on Canadian soil, Jo-Jo O’ & the WOODS is returning to their beginnings as a duo and bringing Red Deer a taste of their United Kingdom-based sound.

Jo-Jo O’ Donoghue (lead vocals) and Rylan Woods (rhythm guitar, vocals) have finally found the full band of their dreams, consisting of Keir Hicks (lead guitar, vocals), Max Battista (bass guitar) and Andy Barker (drums).

They feel they have found their true sound as they’ve explored Ireland and other parts of the UK after she and Rylan decided to move to Dublin in 2015, where Jo-Jo could explore her mother’s roots at a more intimate level.

“I wanted to see the tiny houses my mother spent her childhood in, I wanted to take it all in- My Mother country. I wanted to walk in the footsteps of my ancestors; a privilege that is not awarded to us immigrant families. I needed to connect, heal. I did a great deal of reflection in beautiful Ireland, and She continues to inspire me. I will never be sick of the rain and the wind, the music and the poetry. The green. Ireland has always filled me up, before I ever stepped foot on Her soil,” Jo-Jo said.

“The vibrant music scene is truly something to behold and we are delighted to have been a tiny flicker amongst them.”

The full band formed after a show in London, where Jo-Jo and Rylan met Keir, Max, and Andy. Sometimes, things just click and in this case, the meeting led to an explosion of creativity and energy that has built the foundation of a truly memorable band. “We believe in this lineup.

These British strangers have become brothers and we’ve only just scratched the surface of the writing process with the boys, and so far its been incredibly effortless, we have a really great dynamic and I feel like we work fast. It’s just been a lot of fun and we are really looking forward to getting into the studio here in London this winter.”

“We’ve been making waves in [London] and getting some really great opportunities coming our way. We are currently working on the new project, we’ll call it “Jo-Jo O’ & The WOODS 2.0” and we are SERIOUSLY EXCITED about this – This is the band we’ve been trying to create since we were kids,” Jo-Jo said.

As far as what’s to come, Jo-Jo said it’s too early to spill the secret, but fans can be assured it’s going to be loud.