Meet Juan Licon | Lead singer / Band manager

We had the good fortune of connecting with Juan Licon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Juan, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor behind my band’s (WILD BOYS) success, and my personal success as owner and manager is to be “ALL IN”. What do I mean by that? It’s very simple, here’s my story:

Before I even thought of starting a band, I had already established myself as one of the pioneers of the Dallas tribute scene. There were a few successful tribute bands in DFW before I moved to TX, but the scene had not yet exploded into what it is now. Today, there are over 100 tribute bands in DFW alone, and together they have turned this city into the world’s tribute band mecca. Tributes all around the globe can only dream of getting booked into one of the premier tribute venues in Dallas TX and to be able to perform in front of hundreds (and even thousands) of fans.

The moment I arrived in DFW, I realized the music scene was beginning to thrive, from party bands, cover bands, and a few dedicated tribute bands, they would all perform at small bars all over DFW once or twice a month. Once I noticed the potential, I immediately started networking, meeting musicians, bar owners, booking agents, and started following the few tribute bands in town pretty much everywhere they played. I supported all those bands and the venues where they performed and that’s how everyone in the tribute scene started to get to know “JJ”.

Bands would ask me to come see them, to promote and share their events, other bands would constantly ask me to join them as their singer, and venues and bar owners would often offer me complimentary meals and drinks just to come out and support them. They knew that wherever I went, a lot of other tribute band enthusiasts would follow. All of that happened because I was “ALL IN”, I never took a break, I was always out (and still am) supporting every time there’s a good tribute show to go to.

At that point I was committed to the tribute scene, always supporting all bands, every time they performed, always supporting all live music venues, making my presence felt by getting up on stage and introducing the bands, promoting future events, networking, talking to owners, managers, introducing myself to all the talent, etc. Eventually a lot more musicians began asking me for contact information, advice on how to start a band or how to improve their already established band, who to call, how to book gigs, etc. Venues would ask me what bands I would recommend, how to promote their events, among other things, and that’s when I decided to start my own band and get serious about this. At this point I had already laid all the groundwork; success was inevitable.

I originally started a smaller project with a few people that were already familiar with the local music scene, but my vision and “ALL IN” attitude was a bit much for what those folks envisioned, even though they are still around, they never got to enjoy the success my current band had from day 1.

That’s the secret of WILD BOYS’ success, every single member of my band is 100% ALL IN. We are a tribute to the band Duran Duran and we are one of the biggest and most successful tributes in the nation and the biggest Duran Duran tribute in the world, and that’s because every single one of us absolutely loves Duran Duran and we are committed to this project with heart and soul. When we are on stage we literally become them, from the music, the vocals, the outfits, the production, the mannerisms, they way we talk, sing, dance, move, etc. Our goal is to make everyone feel like they are watching the real Duran Duran and every single time we perform, we are told that we are an exact match in every single way, in many occasions we have actually been told that we’re better than them, now that’s something I don’t believe, but I’ll take the compliment!

There are a handful of other bands in the local tribute scene that are as successful as WILD BOYS, These are bands that regularly headline big festivals, perform on the biggest stages, and for the largest crowds. Tributes to Kiss, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Madonna, ACDC, Journey, among a few others have made the Dallas music scene the world’s greatest destination for anyone who appreciates Tribute bands. The key to all those bands’ success is… yes you guessed it, they’re 100% ALL IN.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My story is a bit different than most people, the whole left brain/right brain dynamic doesn’t seem to apply to me.

I am a Rocket Scientist, an Aerospace Engineer who specializes in aerodynamics and spacecraft propulsion. Also I own a few restaurants in DFW, and I am the band manager and lead singer of Wild Boys the Duran Duran Experience. That’s what sets me apart from literally everyone. Yes it may sound a bit egotistical, but it’s true and I’m not ashamed to admit and accept what makes me special.

Was it all easy? No. Lots of hard work, dedication, motivation, work ethic, people skills, confidence, risk management, etc, all of that mixed with a God-given ability to understand math, science, music, and money.

What do I want the world to know about me? I am the person I always dreamed to be

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take him to downtown Ft Worth for a day so he can see the real “Texas”, then spend the rest of the week in Dallas and the suburbs. Texas has some of the most amazing restaurants and bars in the nation, so I would make sure to take him for dinner and enjoy the nightlife in areas such as Uptown, Downtown, Lower Greenville, Addison, The Colony, Shops of Legacy and Legacy West in Plano, and I would definitely take him to one of my restaurants (JuBa pizza bar) in North Texas. And to end a perfect week, I would take him to see some of the best tribute bands in the world as there would be plenty of good shows all over DFW on Friday and Saturday night.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My guitarist Bart Van Bemmel, he inspired me and taught me the secret to be “ALL IN” when it comes down to impersonating Duran Duran. He’s not only the biggest Duran Duran fan I know, he’s also one of the most talented, and passionate musicians I’ve ever met. I can only dream of one day being able to have half the talent he has in his pinky finger.

Website: www.wildboysdd.com

Instagram: @durandurandallas

Twitter: @WildBoysDallas1

Facebook: @wildboysDD

Youtube: Wild Boys The Duran Duran Experience