Hiya Mulholland Jive, thanks for joining us in the virtual RGM lounge today. Grab a brew and take a seat.
Introduce us to you all and your musical history.
Hello! I’m Ben, leader of Mulholland Jive. We’re a 9-piece instrumental jazz-funk-rock band based in Cambridge, UK. We’ve been releasing music for the past 4 years. In that time we’ve performed at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Ely Arts Festival and Strawberry Fair, headlined the John Peel Centre and the Portland Arms, performed at the NMG Awards and been played on radio stations across the globe, including BBC Introducing, Banks Radio Australia and San Francisco’s KXSFfm to name a few.
What made you decide that music is a thing for you?
Lots of things. I gravitated towards the piano when I was very young and started working out how to play songs I heard on the radio. I then progressed on to composing my own tunes. I was also exposed to lots of great music at a very early age thanks to my parents – Bob Dylan (my hero), Randy Newman, Ralph McTell were all regulars on long car journeys! Years of piano lessons, and an obsession with discovering new music, made it no surprise to anyone that I ended up being a musician.
What’s the live music scene like in Cambridge right now? Anyone we should be looking out for (bar you, of course)?
There’s some great venues and some fantastic bands in the area – Fred’s House, Dan Bond, The Routine and Dude Safari are just a few of my favourites.
I’ve seen a lot of people struggling for support recently online. What’s your view on the industry?
It’s a catch 22; the market is so saturated that it is practically impossible to break through without the backing of a big record company, which you’re unlikely to get without huge streaming numbers and a significant social media presence, which you’re unlikely to get without the backing of a big record company! The almost non-existent royalties from streaming services and the requests to perform “for exposure” means finding success as an independent artist is really tough!
Tell us two truths and a lie about you.
I’m Irish, I’m colourblind, I’m 6 foot 2.
What was your best experience on stage?
Cheltenham Jazz Festival, playing to a packed tent, everyone bouncing along to our tunes. It was ace!
What was your worst experience on stage?
Playing at a festival outdoors with no PA in the rain. Not great!
Tell us something about you that you think people would be surprised about.
Officially, I’m the only member of Mulholland Jive. I write and arrange all the tunes and record a lot of the music by myself. I bring in a rotating roster of amazing musicians to perform live and help record anything I can’t do myself. So technically Mulholland Jive is a solo artist!
I hear you have new music. What can you tell us about it?
Hyperspace: Reloaded is an alternative mix of one of the first Mulholland Jive tunes called Hyperspace. Hyperspace was originally released in 2021 as track 1 on Mulholland Jive’s debut EP Intergalactic. A fan favourite from the beginning, Hyperspace has been played at every Mulholland Jive gig so far and always gets the crowd going. It’s attention-grabbing intro, catchy melody and finger-clicking rhythm makes it easy to see why the original is so popular, and why it deserved an updated version and single release of it’s own.
What are the next steps you plan to take as a band to reach the next level?
We’ve got a couple of local gigs coming up over the next few months then it’s back to writing new tunes. We’ve released 3 EPs plus a live EP so far so the next goal is to release a full album then tour!
What was the biggest learning curve in composing music?
You can go back and forth making changes to a tune for a very long time but, at some point, you have to let it go. Also, go with your gut – don’t let other people tell you how your music should sound.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE
FOR LOTS OF AWESOME MULHOLLAND JIVE STUFF – VIDEOS, PHOTOS, GIG DATES ETC: HERE
HYPERSPACE: RELOADED WILL BE AVAILABLE ON ALL STREAMING SERVICES ON 21ST FEBRUARY 2025.
MORE RGM NEWS HERE