Hiya Jake (SPEAK!) thanks for joining us in the virtual RGM lounge today. Grab a brew and take a seat.
Thanks for having me!
What was life like for you before you got into music?
There wasn’t much of it to be honest. My parents took me to my first gig at 2-years-old. Just the small affair of Fatboy Slim on Brighton Beach with 250,000 others! Chili Peppers with James Brown supporting at 7-years-old wasn’t bad either.
My auntie bought me a keyboard when I was 7 and I started lessons shortly after. Guitar followed at 11, and I started writing songs around that time too.
Other than that, I loved – and still love – playing and watching sport; playing (or making up numbers) in the school football, rugby and cricket teams. It was always 50:50 music and sport, but some injuries in my teens meant music took over. Could’ve played for Arsenal if it wasn’t for my knees… NOT
What’s the live music scene like in Birmingham right now? Anyone we should be looking out for (bar you, of course)?
I think it’s got to a really nice place. A dodgy promoter had a monopoly over the scene a few years back and the fallout from that, when he rightly got unanimously dropped by bands and venues alike, was tough as there was a bit of a void.
But some great promoters like Sonic Gun (RIP), Back of the Bar and the ever-present ThisisTmrw/Leftfoot took the reins, and it became such a supportive scene again.
In terms of local acts to check out, start with Lobby, Czafari, The White Lakes, Midge, Brian Lightning, AMIKA, Louis D. Prince, The New Consistent and you’ll be in a great place!
It seems like being a social media curator has become added to the many jobs of a musician, how do you feel about this?
So if you’d asked me before the CAN YOU FEEL IT? campaign, I’d have said I absolutely dread it. But I’ve actually really enjoyed this rollout. Working with a super-limited budget has been really useful as I’ve been able to manage everything myself and balance high-quality press shots and PR, with short-form TikTok esque content.
Also, having DAME on board for this song has been a blessing because Shannon nails that kind of content every time. And has put up with all my boomer TikTok questions!
How do you manage engagement on your socials?
I don’t really pay much attention to it to be honest. At the end of the day, it’s a way to promote the records and the gigs which I’ll put all my energy into. The moment that changes, it’s time to hang up my boots!
What’s your view on the Music industry today?
Well, outside of SPEAK!, I actually work in the industry. I’m not sure if that makes me more, or less qualified to give an opinion. I work in event production/tech and its certainly nice to see more women enter that space as its traditional VERY male dominated.
Where do you feel you currently sit within the music industry?
As SPEAK!, who knows? We’re just getting started to be honest. I’m definitely trying to strike the balance between calling in the odd favour from colleagues in the industry and keeping my work and band lives entirely separate. Still working that out to be honest.
What’s the biggest thing you have learned recently as you progress with your music?
So, it might be a bit of a deep one. I was talking to a friend last year about how I go through extended periods of feeling quite up or down and feel like my entire personality can shift for months on end. She told me that, while she understood where I was coming from, that actually there’s probably a 5% difference externally whichever way I’m feeling inside.
That was an absolute game-changer for me, both in life and music. I’ve started to do things, including writing music, during those “down” periods which I would never have done this time last year. Two songs that will come out with our debut EP next year were actually written during one of those periods. They were a bit of a struggle and certainly didn’t flow out of me, but I’m really proud of them and the live band have developed them into some of my favourite songs in the set.
So yeah, shoutout to Clare, low-key changed my life!
What was your best experience on stage?
We recently played Mostly Jazz Festival which was honestly the PERFECT festival for us. Mid-afternoon slot, beaming sun and a super-engaged audience who were really up for having a boogie with us.
We also played Free Jazz Friday at Symphony Hall a couple weeks ago. That was a really special gig for us, as Lucy, our singer, had played the same event as a solo artist a couple years back. I’ve also spent the last three years working there! We covered songs by some of the artists I’ve had the pleasure of working with during my time at Symphony Hall and Town Hall, alongside all of the SPEAK! repertoire. Arran got to play a Steinway too, so I know he was happy!
What was your worst experience on stage?
It was actually when I played with DAME. We were on our first tour and the promoter in London had assured me I didn’t need to bring a guitar amp. I rocked up and the house guitar amp was honestly the size of a shoe-box and didn’t sounded much better than one!
The venue only had a couple monitors, so I couldn’t really hear any guitar on stage. We got halfway through the first song, and I realised I’d been playing in the wrong key for 2 mins…NIGHTMARE!
Tell us something about you / each member that you think people would be surprised about.
I (Jake) used to play Steel Drums growing up.
5/6 of the rest of the band play in a function band together called Vivid Soul. Cheeky plug but if you’re ever after a wedding/party band, honestly look no further. They’re the best in the biz!
I hear you have new music. What can you tell us about it?
CAN YOU FEEL IT? is summer all over. I remember starting to write it on some of the hottest days of summer 2020, just as the world was starting to open up again. I think that’s really reflected in some of Shannon’s (DAME) lyrics, talking of ‘endless opportunity’ and a real feeling of nostalgia. Me and Shannon originally wrote it for the band we used to be in, but when that ended, this song stuck around and I’m really glad it’s found its home as a SPEAK! track.
What was the recording process like?
It’s been my favourite ever recording process for a song by far. As with all the SPEAK! tunes, I produced it but also got engineer this one alongside Lucy Hill. Last September, I gathered 3 of my best friends in my favourite little studio in London (Zig Zag) to record the drums, piano and do all the vocals. I then came back up to Brum and had Tom, Arran, Sam and Mark from the live band add their touches to the song, got my best mate Joe to mix it and it was done! Felt like such a family affair and very much in keeping with the good vibes of the tune.
I can’t lie, I love this record! And I hope people have as fun a time listening to it as we did making it.
What was the biggest learning curve in writing the new tunes?
You CAN do it all yourself, it just might take some time to figure it out!
Would you change anything now it’s finished?
I would probably mute some bits; it really is a throw-the-kitchen-sink-at-it style production.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?
We’ll have a couple more singles out this year from the batch of the songs that I started the band with. Then the plan is to have our first EP out properly as a “band”, recorded with the 6 other musicians who make up the live act, in February. Launched with a mini tour!
Come join the SPEAK! clan, you can find us on socials @speak.jpg ☺
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