People,

Yesterday I paid tribute to Gordon, the leader of this band and a pretty damn good guy. Today I'm going to give you the skinny on Jordan.

Jordan

If Gordon was the brains behind this operation, then Jordan was unquestionably its heart. When he moved up from Texas in 2001 he brought the spark that allowed us to be what we became. In a number of ways he transformed the band from a bunch of mediocre starry-eyed dreamers into a bunch of starry-eyed dreamers who worked their asses off to become better. What was it about him that pushed this transition?

Jordan is the most musical person I have ever met. Period. No one I know even comes close. Give him any instrument and in minutes he will be able to pull a beautiful tune out of it. For example, one day I was at home and thought someone had put a Coldplay record on, but it was actually Jordan in the basement with a keyboard. The thing is, Jordan doesn't play keyboard. Damn. Additionally, he can sing circles around anyone I've ever met, including Gordon, who's a really good singer.

To me, this musicality was initially inspiring and scary. It made me realize my severe limitations and really forced me to become a more proficient singer and player. I won't ever really be in Jordan's league, but his example helped me at least enter the ballpark.

Jordan is also almost like a kid with his emotions. This is not an insult. The thing I admire in children is that you always know where you stand with them. If you hand a five-year-old a strawberry Popsicle and he doesn't like it, he's going to tell you. On the other hand, if he loves it he's going to get insanely excited. I think losing this honesty is a big part of what makes adults such pains in the ass. Jordan never lost this honesty. Everyone who knows him knows that he tells it like it is. In terms of songwriting, this made me always shoot to get Jordan's approval - the pinnacle being his famous "bad ass!" And since his musical instincts were usually correct, that "bad ass!" almost always meant we were headed in the right direction.

Finally, Jordan just has a big heart. He's the kind of guy that makes you feel special when he greets you. There's no reserve, just a big smile and hug. I admire the hell out of that confidence and warmth, especially when I'm standing in the same room avoiding any strangers and staring at my feet.

To Jordan....

P.S. He's also really fucking handsome, which never hurt our image either....