WATCH: Jackie Bristow, “Shakin’ My Bones”

Artist: Jackie Bristow
Hometown: Queenstown, New Zealand
Song: “Skakin’ My Bones”
Album: Outsider
Release Date: March 4, 2022
Label: Mesa Bluemoon

In Their Words: “I wrote ‘Shakin’ My Bones’ after a weekend trip to Joshua Tree. I was playing shows with a couple of my friends, and before the gig, suddenly we were in the middle of a big dust storm and we had to take cover. We were up in this very cool house on a hill and could see the glowing town lights though the dusty mist in the distance. It was moody and magical. It was my first trip to the California desert. It was peaceful and wild. I felt my emotions stirring and slowing down, connecting to the land and the spirit of the place. When I got home to my apartment in LA, I was feeling inspired and I stayed up all night and wrote ‘Shakin’ My Bones.’

“Shooting this video was one of those magical days. I could not shoot the video in the California desert as I am currently in New Zealand so we shot in the Nevis, in beautiful Central Otago, and captured the epic New Zealand desert vibes. It was quite a peaceful day, and a very natural and fun shoot. We were blessed with a beautiful blue sky and a gorgeous sunset. Like being in the desert in California, I felt my mood lift and that same peaceful feeling of being connected to the earth.

“Working with Raj [director/cinematographer Rajendra Patel] was so easy and such a pleasure and before we knew it, we were catching the twilight at 10:30 p.m. I was introduced to Raj through a friend in Queenstown and quickly made the shoot happen. My sister Katrina had told me about the Nevis and what a special place it is. We needed a four-wheel drive as it was a winding dirt road leading us into the valley. The scenery was mind-blowing, expansive and open with such a gorgeous golden light. It was the perfect place to shoot the video.” — Jackie Bristow


Photo Credit: Stacie Huckeba

WATCH: Alexa Rose, “Big Sky”

Artist: Alexa Rose
Hometown: Black Mountain, North Carolina
Song: “Big Sky”
Album: Headwaters
Release Date: September 17, 2021
Label: Big Legal Mess Records

In Their Words: “‘Big Sky’ was filmed in Joshua Tree, California, with a crew led by three incredible women. I was in LA with my manager and a camcorder, planning to make a home video for the song when we crossed paths with videographer Sydney Taylor and stylist Emma Sauer. We only had one day in LA, and we shot the video just an hour after meeting them. These women showed up with such empowering energy to help me create something adventurous and lighthearted. The whole experience felt reflective of the serendipity of traveling and the spirit of the song.” — Alexa Rose


Photo credit: Sydney Irene

WATCH: Natalie D-Napoleon, “Gasoline & Liquor”

Artist: Natalie D-Napoleon
Hometown: Freemantle, Western Australia and Santa Barbara
Song: “Gasoline & Liquor”
Album: You Wanted to Be the Shore but Instead You Were the Sea
Release Date: March 26, 2021

In Their Words: “‘Gasoline & Liquor’ came about after traveling through California’s Mojave Desert so when it came to making a video for the song the other ‘Wild West’ — that of Western Australia — seemed the perfect location. We were headed out to Joshua Tree to catch some music at Pappy & Harriet’s when we passed a sign at the side of the highway that read ‘Gasoline and Liquor.’ I pointed at the sign and said to my husband, ‘That is a song — but it’s a man’s song.’ I then blurted out, ‘You’ve gotta help me write it!’ We passed lyrics back and forth while I honed the music. A week before we were set to record the new album I started fingerpicking the song and the arrangement fell into place. We recorded the album live in an old church in the hills behind Santa Barbara and the take you hear was captured during a momentary pause between someone chainsawing trees nearby!

“I wanted to make a video that reflected the bleak desert landscape of places like Victorville and Barstow, which inspired the song. Since we’re currently in Australia we went to the western mining town of Kalgoorlie where there is no shortage of abandoned gas stations and outback pubs. One of my favorite places is the Broad Arrow Tavern, a quintessential outback pub, miles from town in the middle of anywhere with writing scribbled all over the walls giving it an edge-of-civilization atmosphere. The crusty outback characters and bar flies stared at us menacingly during the entire shoot, leaving us pondering whether we were going to get out of there alive. We almost didn’t, managing to grab our cameras and equipment and get out of there before a bar brawl broke loose. Music sure takes you down some interesting roads!” — Natalie D-Napoleon


Photo credit: Brett Leigh Dicks

LISTEN: Mark Olson & Ingunn Ringvold, “Black Locust”

Artist: Mark Olson & Ingunn Ringvold
Hometown: Joshua Tree, California
Song: “Black Locust”
Album: Magdalen Accepts the Invitation
Release Date: June 5, 2020
Label: Fiesta Red Records

In Their Words: “I moved to the desert in ‘95 and bought a cabin that had been abandoned in the Landers earthquake. There was a water tank for delivered water, a pretty porch and a lot of stray debris in the yard — plus a number of broken aquariums scattered throughout the landscape!

“To make the place livable I hired a local legend by the name of John Edwards. He was a very talented carpenter and mind reader of the natural fauna and flora that live and grow in that high UV environment. One of his many lessons that stuck with me was his method of planting trees in the desert. Suffice it to say, the process of defeating the terrible raging Mojave’s desert sun with prized cool-down trees is rather complicated and labor intensive — and even requires some plumbing and trenching skills to redirect gray water lines.

“On many occasions, John proclaimed that the fruitless mulberry tree was the best for fast growth and significant shade — and that the black locust was an acceptable alternative. To prove his point he took me over to his family home to see his pride and joy: a giant Yucca Valley mulberry that covered his entire front yard, house and half the street.

“The black locust tree is in my mind the subject of this song because of the knowledge that was passed on during that not-forgotten reconstruction project. The black locust grows wild in the Owens Valley along the stream beds where we go camping in the summer to escape the heat. The general outlook of the song is one of starting a new life, building from scratch and hoping it all works out for the best.” — Mark Olson


Photo credit: Sandra Goodin

LISTEN: Fort Frances, “Desert Hotel”

Artist: Fort Frances
Hometown: Chicago, Ilinois
Song: “Desert Hotel”
Album: The Front Page of the Modern Age
Release Date: November 8, 2019

In Their Words: “California has been a constant theme in my songwriting, but I’ve tended to focus on the very last mile of the coast of The Golden State. ‘Desert Hotel’ steers away from the Pacific toward desolate, uninterrupted beauty. I wrote this song after my wife and I spent a couple of nights somewhere outside Joshua Tree, dreaming of sending a letter to the rest of the world that we planned to vanish into the sands of southern California. The song is rooted in escaping everything — the city lights, city speeds and city noises — and being someone new. — David McMillin, Fort Frances


Photo credit: Ehud Lazin

Traveler: Your Guide to Joshua Tree

Of all the stories that populate the mythology of American roots music, few weave a tighter thread than the connection of Gram Parsons to Joshua Tree, California. For Parsons, the high desert was an escape from the craziness of Los Angeles and a chance to hang out with his friends. In 1969, he brought Keith Richards here with little more than Pendleton blankets and acoustic Gibsons. It was the year of “Honky Tonk Women,” Parsons’ undeniable country influence on the Rolling Stones during their creative apex. Four years later — on September 19, 1973 — Parsons would be clinically dead of a drug overdose at the Joshua Tree Inn and the bond between musician and place cemented into legend. He was 26 years old.

For decades, far-out eccentrics, war veteran homesteaders, and creative artists have all found inspiration in the widescreen landscapes and cultural freedom that the California desert provides. In its wildness, time becomes abstract — a slower way of life that’s fiercely protected by the locals. The food is decent, the shopping becomes a treasure hunt, and the live music can be transformative. But the spiritual heart of this place — its calm emotional anchor — lies in the vistas of Joshua Tree National Park.

In our age of digital hyper-connectivity, the park is one of the few remaining locations in the United States where, in just a couple of miles, all of your devices go silent as the grid dissolves. This rare, involuntary disconnection might help explain the park’s explosive popularity (a record two million visited in 2015), a salve to the debilitating nature deficit and frenetic pace many urbanites experience daily.

It’s a place where the messages you receive are not about work, gossip, or a change in plans, but something bigger and soul evolving. While under the canopy of a million stars or taking in the beautiful surrealism of ancient Joshua trees, you’re forced to remember how small you really are, how fragile the balance of ecology truly is, and how lucky you are to be here — now, in the moment — as a witness to its magic.

Getting There

There are four airports to choose from, and deciding which to use is a balance of cost versus convenience. Traditionally, the most affordable option is to fly into Las Vegas’s McCarren International (LAS) and drive three-and-a-half hours south on US-95. Fill the tank, bring some water, and take it slow. Cell phone service is spotty for most of the barren drive and there are few places to stop. Los Angeles International (LAX) is another option, with the drive east from the airport to Joshua Tree at approximately two-and-a-half to three hours (depending on traffic). LA/Ontario International (ONT) is located about an hour-and-a-half west and is an easy drive on I-10 to Route 62. Finally, the most convenient airport (and usually the most expensive to fly into) is Palm Springs International (PSP). From there, it's a 50-minute drive on Route 62 “up the hill,” as the locals say.

The long ribbon of California State Route 62 (aka Twentynine Palms Highway) connects five adjacent communities where the action is: Morongo Valley, Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree, Twentynine Palms, and the unincorporated community of Wonder Valley.

Lodging

As of this writing, there are over 300 places to rent on Airbnb in Joshua Tree alone, including small rustic cabins; large, amenity-rich homes; and everything in-between. For the best nighttime stargazing, rent a converted homestead in Wonder Valley, a rural outpost east of Twentynine Palms. If you want to commune with the ghost of Gram, book the room he OD’d in (room #8) at the Joshua Tree Inn. Or you can party with the truckers and the kickers and the cowboy angels at Pioneertown Hotel.

Food, Booze, and Live Music

There is currently no venue in the area specifically devoted to live music, but the restaurants and bars here more than fill the void, attracting both underground up-and-comers and established acts. Pappy and Harriet’s in Pioneertown is a must-visit, with regular live music, great food, and a stocked bar. It’s busy, so make reservations for dinner and check the calendar before you head up there. (They are typically closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.) Their annual Desert Stars Festival always boasts a mindboggling roster of talent.

To fuel up for hikes in the park, Crossroads Café in downtown Joshua Tree is a good spot for breakfast or a sandwich. (Their seitan Hell Burger rocks!) Joshua Tree Coffee Company provides wicked strong coffee, served by friendly staff. Pie for the People offers up New York-style pizza by the pie or the slice. Joshua Tree Saloon hosts occasional music, decent pub grub, and craft beer on tap. The Palms Restaurant out in Wonder Valley has a dark, musty bar and hosts trippy indoor/outdoor concerts. If you’re looking for more adventurous menus, La Copine and 29 Palms Inn offer “finer dining” — for lack of a better phrase — beyond typical burgers and Mexican food.

Attractions

Tourist traffic is divided into two distinct seasons here, “high” and “low.” High season is busiest during the most temperate months of March-May and September-November, and low season constitutes the hot summer months and the cold-ish winters. But with the right preparation and smart precautions, any time of the year is good to visit. (Note that some businesses scale back or shut down operations in July and August.)

Plan at least one full day of hiking and sightseeing in Joshua Tree National Park. Camping is allowed in the park — there are nine campgrounds in all — and reservations must be made in advance on a first-come, first-served basis. Seven-day vehicle permits can be purchased at time of visit. Try to catch the Key’s Ranch tour. Running February through mid-May, it's an incredible story of ingenuity, perseverance, and cold-blooded murder.

 

To visit the site of Gram Parsons’ bizarre “cremation” in Joshua Tree National Park, visit Cap Rock Nature Trail. High Desert Test Sites / A-Z West is a unique arts organization that holds tours on its 50-acre site focusing on sustainable living and innovative design. Get a sound bath at George Van Tassel’s space-age invention the Integratron and don’t miss a chance to experience Noah Purifoy’s Outdoor Desert Museum, a major socio-political exhibit created entirely out of repurposed materials.

Shopping

For a taste of California desert weirdness, visit Sky Village Swap Meet, a sprawling outdoor flea market open every weekend. Ranch and Camp Mercantile boasts a quirky mix of vintage goods and local art. The Hoof & the Horn boutique specializes in rootsy Americana clothing, vintage t-shirts, and accessories. (They have a stoner rock selection on vinyl, too.) Dig through Tamma’s Magic Mercantile for lots of cool antiques. You can buy your very own baby Joshua tree at Cactus Mart and meet Butch and Sundance, two of the friendliest kitties in Morongo Valley. For bibliophiles, the Cactus Wren bookstore is a great place to search for old desert homesteader histories.


Photo credit: Melissa Grisi

WATCH: The Eagle Rock Gospel Singers, ‘Heavenly Fire’

Artist: The Eagle Rock Gospel Singers
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Song: "Heavenly Fire"
Album: Heavenly Fire
Label: Ba Da Bing Records

In Their Words: "I wrote 'Heavenly Fire' to honor my grandparents. I wanted to tell what I believe to be a sort of pseudo-cinematic adaptation of their life story. It’s more or less a celebration of the lives that they lived and a prayer for them.

The video was shot by our producer/all around content creator, Matt Wignall, who came up with the desert landscape/desert angel/desert spirit/desert ghost theme. We went out to Joshua Tree and shot from the afternoon until dusk for more of the 'golden hour' effect. We were greatly helped by the work of Britney Cherry who co-produced and did costume, as well as make-up, work for us. Hope you dig it!" – William Richard Wadsworth


Photo credit: Matt Wignall

LISTEN: Melaena Cadiz, ‘California’

Artist: Melaena Cadiz
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Song: “California"
Album: Sunfair
Release Date: March 4
Label: Misra

In Their Words: "This is one of the songs on the record I wrote back in New York, after I’d spent a month in Joshua Tree on a writing retreat. Everything had been so simple there — waking up at sunrise, writing all day, going for walks in the desert, and going to bed at sundown. I had time to really sit with myself and my thoughts. It seemed like, in the city, we’d been in the same cycle for years, the frenetic pace of New York. I won’t get into it — all the same age-old complaints about New York City you've heard a million times. It can be so exhilarating, but also exhausting. I had this longing to get back to the center of things, and being away gave me a taste of what life could really be. So 'California,' more than being about a place, is this possibility that life can be different. You’re in charge of it. Life can be whatever you decide it’s going to be." — Melaena Cadiz


Photo credit: Mikael Kennedy