Artist: Jackson Analogue
Label:
Island/Universal Records
Label Mates: Bon Jovi,
PJ Harvey, The Killers, Sum 41, The Bravery, Elvis Costello, Under The Influence
of Giants, DJ Shadow, MOS Def, The Features, Mars Volta, Pulp, The Roots, Keane.Here's
the deal. Here's the BiG DeaL. That shitty four-piece you've been in with your
mates since Year 8 eventually managed to get some daft industry type to hand over
a blank cheque and to tell you were going to be famous. Very famous. You wouldn't
have to talk to your former classmates at school. You wouldn't have to get up
early. You wouldn't have to curb your tongue. They only thing they didn't tell
you was that music was more than just writing songs and shaking your balls on
stage. It was about being there on time. Releasing something on time. Getting
hammered on time. It was about being famous on time. How the Isle of
Wight's Jackson Analogue cope with it all is still in the hands of the
gods. They've just signed to Island Universal Records, released their debut
EP, 'The West Of Here' in March of this year and are currently lugging
their gear around the Universities, Voodoo Rooms and Barflies country-wide. Thus
far, Jackson Analogue have provided a solid, granite monolith of monster chords
and sandpaper vocals. Kings Of Leon, QOTSA, Pearl Jam provides the nearest points
of reference but the gentle, moving simplicity of tracks like 'Disco' suggests
there's something warm and wonderful brushing beneath the grain. The press
sheet suggests: 'A deep respect for the blues-rock of Muddy Waters, Lynyrd
Skynyrd and Credence Clearwater Revival, a classic British sensibility that derives
from a love of the Who, Led Zep and Family an appreciation of the '60s R&B sound
of labels such as Stax, Chess and King and an affinity with the '90s grunge of
their own youth are all mixed and matched to create a sound that is uniquely their
own'. Is it likely to last? Well, whilst we've got them before they
were famous, let's risk the wrath of Jackson bassman, James Homes and find
out. He's bound to know all the chords.....
1.
How did you get signed?
Recorded some demo’s at home, got a manager.
The Managing Director of Island Records heard the songs, wanted to sign us, we
had a brief affair and the deal was done. 2. How did you celebrate?
By selling some 1210 turntables and going out for food. 3. Did you have
any other labels biting at your heels?
I wouldn’t say biting but yeah
enough interest off the back of the independent 7” we released. 4. What
would you NOT be prepared to do to promote yourselves?
Fill in Q & As,
wank-off a tramp, wear tight jeans, appear on Pop World, Big Brother. That sort
of thing. 5. How famous would you say you are right now?
As famous
as we want to be right now. 6. Live circuit or showcase? Did you do it
the hard or easy way?
Both, we did a showcase and then did a bunch of
shows. I wouldn’t say it was hard. If a record company likes you then they like
you. 7. How did you blow your advance?
Premium Bonds, ISA’s and
a new studio. Oh and some crazy plants from Kew that are hallucinogens. Nazi gold.
Some slaves. 8. On signing was there anything you were asked to do that
you didn’t want to do?
Nope, we never do anything we don’t want to, people
know better than that. 9. Who was the last band they said they wanted
you to sound like?
Again they never have, but they are having fun trying
to fit us in somewhere. It isn’t working though, so Island Records have now resigned
themselves to the fact that we are a one off. It took a while but we all got there
in the end. 10. How much did getting signed rely on being tied to a scene?
None at all, there is no scene on the Isle Of Wight, although we were tied to
a bed and expensive call girls were sent in for a few days in March of this year. 11.
Daftest story they’ve ever invented about you for the press?
That we
were the sons of U2 and their road manager. 12. Does your label or your
management support or discourage unruly rock n’ roll behaviour?
Both,
depending on time and place baby.. 13. Where’s the strangest place you’ve
been asked to do publicity?
In London. 14. Have they made you
tour with anyone you didn’t like?
Not yet. 15. Ever burned a
copy of an album put out by your label for a friend?
Nope but sold a few.
Why would we burn them? Bad for the environment - all that plastic. 16.
What was the last major decision your label or your management made that you
didn’t like?
Record a set of covers ready for b-sides. 17. If
it were all to collapse tomorrow would you go back to your old job?
Nope,
we would go crazy on drugs and haunt other artists and make them as unhappy as
we could. If we had wife and kids though, we’d probably go and get some job or
move abroad. Or both. 18. How many years do you give yourself in the
industry?
As long as the industry is willing to behave itself. 19.
How dirty a word is the word ‘industry’ to you?
It’s not dirty at all.
‘Cunt’ is much worse. 20. Here’s the deal: you’ve made an excellent record
and some unscrupulous hack handling the press release is about to screw it all
up with some grotesque misuse of our mother-tongue. What words would YOU use to
describe the release?
‘Here it is, bam and you say goddamn, this is a
dope jam’ (copyright Chuck D).
'The West Of
Here' EP - Out now on Island/Universal
Records.
May 11th supporting
The Little Flames @ The Barfly
May 12th supporting The Spinto Band @ The Barfly relevant
sites:
www.jacksonanalogue.com
www.myspace.com/jacksonanalogue
Nosey Bastard for Crud Magazine 2006©
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