I first came across Jamie in the summer of 2009 whilst searching for models on a well known photographer/model profile hosting site. As we got chatting and whilst arranging a suitable date for a location shoot it soon transpired that Jamie as well as being a model was also a singer/songwriter with a few well written songs and performances under his belt. He directed me to his Myspace page and in particular his recordings of three songs; Here and Now, Fire in Your Eyes and Different Kind of Trust. It was apparent that Jamie had great talent and potential, although as many new artists find, breaking into the world of rock and roll and getting the exposure he needed wasn't an easy task. I offered to work with Jamie in producing some promotional images which he could use to promote himself and we arranged a shoot at one of my favourite locations, View Island, a small beautiful and picturesque island on the River Thames in Caversham, Berkshire. Jamie brought along his guitar and travelled some three hours by train from his home in Sussex. Following a successful shoot I conducted the following interview with him. That was some two years ago and since then Jamie has toured in Australia, given up his full-time office job and now works the London Underground as a licenced busker. We are currently in the process of arranging another shoot and catching up on where he is now with his singer/songwriting endevours.
What were your earliest musical influences and what led you to writing and singing your own songs?
Well, interestingly, my first musical influence was probably my dad! He has been playing in bands, trying to make it since he was about 18. He was in 3 bands between me being born and being about 15 year’s old, playing original material. He has since given up on becoming signed, and is now in a (very good) Jimi Hendrix tribute band, playing gigs all over the south coast.
So my first influence was going to his gigs as a small child with my mum. They've always been heavily influenced by the likes of the who, Jimi Hendrix, Clapton, the Jam, and Free, to name a few, so at home that was generally what was being played, and because my dad's bands always did covers of Hendrix, Until I was about 15 or 16 I actually thought a lot of those songs were theirs!! Not the case of course but their stuff is also very good!
Also playing in the car when I was little were artists like the Beatles, Bryan Adams, Belinda Carlisle....I'm sure because my dad fancied her!!
The first album i remember actually listening to was Electric Ladyland by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and also Sergeant Pepper’s by the Beatles, I remember loving a lot of songs on those albums. I'd also sing along to songs like 'All Along The Watchtower', and 'Heaven is a Place On Earth' when out for Sunday drives with my parents!
So I have always been able to sing, and have always loved singing, but interestingly I never sang in front of anyone until I was 23!! A very late starter. I was working in a pub and a few guys used to come in who had a band. Now at this pub we used to have after hours drinks a lot, and one of the girls played guitar, and had been learning some Oasis songs, so I always sung along.....everyone was very surprised and impressed, and when this girl was doing a music course at college (I was 23 at the time) she asked me to record a song with her.....that song was 'Talk Tonight', by Oasis, which is still one of my favourite songs. We did it in 2 takes, not bad for a beginner, and that was where the journey really kind of started for me.
Going back to the guys in the band, they used to come in drinking, and were a few years younger than me, and one week they said to the landlady that they'd lost their singer......she straight away thought of me and said 'give Jamie B a go, he's wicked!' she told me this, I was very embarrassed, but thought - hey why not, they can only say no!! I went along to practice, and they liked what I did!! From that point on I’ve never looked back really!
We played a lot of covers, and eventually began writing some of our own tunes, I couldn't play guitar until a couple of years ago so I generally did the lyrics and melody. Looking back, they were pretty bad, but i guess it's all a learning curve isn't it!!
Can you tell us about how your songs come together? Is it a matter of an idea being put into words or does the melody for you come first?
Ha! Good question! My songs kind of come together in a different way each time, which is possibly why i am not happy with a lot of what I write. I find that sometimes my lyrics are far too simplistic, and I sit for hours trying to get something clever together!! However, I decided simple was the best way! the chords structure is very simple, and the lyrics are to the point and pretty much just say how I am feeling about a particular subject at a specific time.
I normally have an idea for the guitar chords first, just jamming on my own and working out a nice chord progression, I then usually start from the beginning, and try telling the story as it comes out of my head!
I am trying with the new stuff i am writing to start with the chorus, as I feel that is the most important part of the song. The guitar 'hook' then comes afterwards......my favourite part of 'Here and Now' is the little jangly guitar part during the chorus!!
So i am experimenting with different ways of writing, as I gave up hope about a year ago of being able to write really good songs that I’d be ok with people hearing, and only recently decided to try again, so hopefully I will be able to produce more now that I am making the effort to put more time and thought into it.
About the words, can you tell us about the inspiration and background behind your songs?
Well, as an example, 'Here and Now', is essentially about a failing relationship....to put it simply. but more specifically, it's about trying to save a failing relationship, and not feeling like the other person is really putting the same amount of effort into saving it as you are, to quote a line 'please tell me, what we can do to turn this ride around' it's a cry for help to my girlfriend at the time of writing the song. I go into the horrible feeling you get in your stomach when you now it's over but aren't ready to admit it and walk away....She is still a good friend of mine and says that it brings a lump to her throat every time she hears the song!! So there's one person I have touched with my music!! Now I want to speak to a wider audience!!
But essentially, I try to write from the heart, about the thoughts and feelings involved in whatever subject I am writing about.
Can you tell us about your buddy Rob Booker, your friendship and your song writing collaboration?
Rob Booker....or just Booker as we know him.....well he was an original member of the band I first joined. a bass playing wannabe guitarist! And these days....a guitarist!! We play covers gigs together. He is a very good friend, we actually used to live together too, which was great, I remember many a very late night chatting about all sorts of (sometimes very personal things) over a beer and a cigarette or 12!! He needs pushing a little bit in order to get him writing, but is a very good lyricist. the lyrics on Here and Now and Fire in Your Eyes, along with the melodies are mostly mine, but different kind of trust is pretty much all him, which is why it has a different feel to it. This one is actually about being in a shitty job!! 'everyday i think of packing up and walking out on you', whilst it sounds as if it is about leaving a lover or girlfriend, it is actually talking about a job he hates!!
His song writing is sporadic, but recently we have been talking about getting some more stuff together, and I am hoping we'll be able to write many more songs together!
He and I travelled to Australia together earlier this year, which was a great experience, and provided me with some great inspiration, which I am still trying to put into lyrics, but we'll get there!! He is someone who doesn't find it easy to leave home, so this was an immensely difficult thing for him to do in some ways, but it is an experience which he now says he would have regretted not doing for the rest of his life! We had such a good time, and after he went off to see relatives and I went off to do some work (I’d gone with far less money than him!) I then went out busking everyday, which was one of the most rewarding things in terms of playing I think I’ve ever done! it is easy enough these days to go to a pub or a party where I’ve been booked to play, and get up on stage, knowing that everyone there was expecting me.....It is a completely different experience to walk into a crowded promenade, or shopping area, set my guitar case down and just play to passers by!! They were not expecting me, and I felt like I was intruding the first few times, but eventually I started getting compliments, and more importantly....money in the hat as it were!! I even got offered a couple of paid gigs as a result of people stopping to listen!! Lots of fun!!
To be continued . . .
Here's a link to Jamie's MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/jamiebalcanquall
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