I was surprised to hear Michael Jones say he’s never felt like he made it, considering the 17 years and dozen studio albums under his belt, not to mention the numerous national tours he’s gone on. He explained that success is an ongoing process, and every development always felt like a stepping stone toward something bigger. Part of that sentiment is tied to how the media landscape is in constant flux.
Jones, who invented the Wax moniker on a whim years ago, said, “I remember when this short form content first kind of became the thing. I was like, ‘What is this? You’re just doing 15 seconds of the song. What about the rest?’”
It’s a sharp departure from how he used to do things. Jones grew up on ‘90s MTV and was “molded” into thinking a song needs a music video. So he uploaded his own to YouTube as early as 2007 and garnered both success and a following, later befriending and collaborating with content creators like Ray William Johnson and Epic Rap Battles of History, each boasting millions of subscribers.
Jones said that same success added up. Fans still approach his merch tables talking about his work with those YouTubers. And that’s why he was opposed to short-form content at first, later coming around because, “As long as you make it fun, it’s fun.”
That love of the process, needing to continuously find new ways to contribute within a given music structure, is what’s kept him going all this time. “I always related to the product development department at Taco Bell. They only have like six ingredients, but they have to make something new,” Jones joked.
That love separates someone who wants to be something from someone who is something: a movie star versus an actor, he added. Status versus pursuit.
With such a long career, I asked him about what he thinks his best era was, and Jones said now. He’s quit the drink, settled down with a wife and kid and is the happiest he’s been yet. And a large part of that is letting go. Not just the regrets and what-iffing — hindsight is always 20/20 — but letting go of the constant comparison that’s so common in the industry.
“You can always look above you and be like, ‘Damn, I wish I was up there.’ What you don’t realize is there’s so many people that wish they had what you had. …. The fact that one person in Bend, Oregon, wants to see me play a show is already amazing. A lot of people don’t have one person anywhere.”
That happiness is reflected in his newest studio album, “Highway Hotel,” which was written on tour, about touring, for touring. He said it’s not a rocket science album; it’s simply an expression of joy he hopes to share with others. He’ll be performing in the Volcanic Theatre Courtyard on June 21.
“Anybody reading this, come check out the show, come have fun. It’s on a Sunday night; the venue is really cool. And if you don’t like it, I won’t give you your money back,” Jones said with a laugh.
Wax and DJ Hoppa
Sun. June 21 7pm
Volcanic Theater Pub
70 SW Century Dr, Bend
https://www.volcanictheatre.com/calendar
$32.43
This article appears in the Source June 18, 2026.
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