Australia. A country most Americans associate with kangaroos, shrimp, and Barbies. After a stellar performance and a grassroots audience that multiplies with every live show, one of the biggest recording artists from down under is making a name for himself stateside. We caught up with an exhausted John Butler in Boston as he prepared for another show alongside Philly rap/blues/folk rockers G Love & Special Sauce to figure out his unique influences and ask him some Boosh patented 'burn questions'.

California born but raised Aussie, John Butler is a musician unlike others in his folk camp. Despite the dredlocks he rocked for years, the trio has never seen themselves as just another hippy-jam band. "I like rhythm," John told us. "Influences from everywhere. Justin Timberlake, Black Sabbath, De La Soul, Beastie Boys. From Mississippi John Hurt to Beyonce." The sound is a mix between folk, rock, and hip-hop creating a soundtrack perfect for any chill situation.

Every live show, he plays what he calls a musical prayer in the song "Ocean". If you think the video is impressive, you should see it live. Craziest experience ever. And if people didn't know him going into Lollapalooza Music Festival this year, they certainly know him by name now. "We looked up and there were so many people there. I think they enjoyed it."

John Butler - "Ocean"

A staunch activist, John is a proponent for all things environmental and anti-Bush administration. On his last album he lashed out against Bush and his approach to Hurricane Katrina in the track "Gov Did Nothin'", which has a real gritty sound with some Bayou soul. On the environmental front, "our buses run on 100% biodeisel. Recycle, recycle, recycle. The whole tour should be that way, more and more that's what we're trying to do." To avoid printing costs, those who purchased online tickets for his latest tour received a complimentary EP from ITunes of live tracks from G Love, JBT, and Tristan Prettyman called Solution.

BURN QUESTIONS:

If John Butler Trio started playing soundtrack music for porn flicks, I mean real 1970s funk grooves – what would you change the band's name to?
Horndog and the fleas

And the magazine is called Boosh – what comes to mind when you hear that word?
I think you know what comes to mind. It's like that song, "Blinded by the light, rolled up like a douche" – he's really saying deuce, but sounds like "douche". Haha.

We'll take that as a compliment John, Manfred Mann's version of "Blinded by the Light" destroyed in record sales compared to the original by the Boss, Bruce Spingstein.

To find out more about John Butler Trio, check the site. And if you can, catch him in tour as he criss-crosses America the next couple weeks for an amazing concert experience you won't soon forget.

Photo Credit: Martin Philbey