Jack Jones has spoken to God Is In The TV about his debut solo album (out now via Strap Originals), life as Peter Doherty‘s lead guitarist, his band Trampolene and his creative process and influences as a musician and wordsmith.
For this album Jack Jones has put away his guitar and embraced a fresh and highly contemporary sound in which to couch his hard-hitting state of the nation poems of existential fear and loathing. His lyrics tackle many of today’s burning issues: mental health, drug addiction, mortality, and the tortuous demands of technology. There’s also joy and hope in there. The new direction arose out of an introduction to Mancunian artist/producer/songwriter/laptop warrior Adam French. For Jones, French’s way of composing and recording was like being teleported into a parallel dimension.
Jones was speaking ahead of his upcoming November UK headline tour, which comes after he debuted his solo show at Glastonbury festival this year. Jones’ tour kicks off on 2 November at the Poetry Club in Glasgow before hitting Liverpool (3 November), North Shields (6th), Manchester (7th), Cambridge (8th), Shrewsbury (9th), Bristol (13th), London (14th), Swansea (15th) and Cardiff (16th).
How would you describe your music to the uninitiated?
A lad from a working class background who grew up in South Wales with big dreams. Trying to navigate his life, from growing up and not really realising that there’s a big bad world. Experiencing the big bad world. Not really being able to deal with the big bad world. And then finding a way to deal with the big bad world. And in-turn thriving in the big bad world.
Your first band Trampolene earned a riotous reputation. Tell us about some of the craziest situations you found yourself in.
There were loads! But there’s two that spring to mind. At Jimmy’s in Liverpool, I spent longer swinging from the ceiling than on the stage and by the time I got down there was a stage invasion…It blurred all boundaries between the band and the crowd. In York, a bunch of people stripped to their pants and were swinging from the rafters above the stage. The promoter hadn’t sussed that we were that much of a riot so didn’t book any security! It was just mayhem! Naked bodies, sweat and blood for hours…
You also perform your punk poetry live on stage. What came first, the music or the poetry? And do you find it more nerve-wracking, speaking out on stage alone with the support of bandmates or blasting guitars?
The music came first and then I decided I wanted to be the best lyricist in the world so I got sucked into a wormhole of poetry that I’ve never been able to get out of. It’s mainly thanks to Dylan Thomas.
It’s more nerve wrecking alone because when you have a guitar on stage you do feel protected. But on the plus side, when I’m on my own, I don’t have to feel bad about the boys sitting there waiting to play whilst I do poetry.
You were also recruited as the guitarist for Peter Doherty’s band The Puta Madras. How did it feel to get whisked away to Argentina at the last minute?
Oh, mate, it was incredible! I thought Trampolene selling out Water Rats was as good as my life was ever going to get, then Peter’s manager rings me and says: “Put some socks and pants in a bag because Peter wants you to be his new guitarist! I’ve booked you a flight to Buenos Aires at 7pm tonight…” Since then I’ve never looked back.
The Puta Madras were amongst the first to play Bataclan in Paris following the terror attacks. Was that a moving experience? Tell us what you were feeling.
I’m as proud of being a part of that as I am of anything else in my career. It was really emotional. Everyone was quite daunted, scared and security was through the roof because of worries it would happen again. I remember Miki, the violinist, went out and played the French national anthem and everything fell silent…And then it erupted! It was – pretty much – my first proper gig because when we went to Argentina we didn’t do much, apart from get off our cake…I’m only joking (partly)! Oh – I remember not being sure on what to wear for the gig so I asked Pete what he thought of my shirt. He then ripped it clean off and took a marker pen and started writing the British victims’ names on my chest…So I didn’t wear a top that night!
Did you ever find it difficult working with Doherty after being used to leading your own band? Did you ever feel jealous, or is there a sense of relief in letting someone else take the spotlight?
I feel like it’s a bit of both because I’d always dreamed of being Johnny Marr or Noel Gallagher; or John Frusciante, Johnny Greenwood or Tom Morello. You know, a cool guitar player. And Pete gave me a chance to live that dream so I was really happy. But on the other hand, I wished I could have the success that he had, the welfare he had, and have the influence he had. There were things I wished I could have for myself and my family. But I believe in Peter, and at the end of the day we’ve been in trenches together and I’ve been one of his soldiers. I would do anything for him, really. I really genuinely would. I love him to bits.
You’ve published a lot of your early experiences in your Jack Jones’ Tour Diary Vol. 1. How does it feel to look back at your formative years and share your memories with the world?
When I look back I can’t believe how naïve and chuffed I was to be doing anything. But that naivety really helped me because had I known what I was getting into – bloody hell – I wouldn’t have started the whole thing!
What can we expect from the second volume? Any anecdotes you can’t wait to share?
In the second one it gets a bit darker because I started drinking towards the end of the second one and it gets a bit weirder and crazy. But, yeah, looking forward to getting it out there.
Words are clearly important to you. Which wordsmiths, poets and lyricists do you derive most influence from? John Cooper Clarke seems like a big possibility.
John Cooper Clarke is a big one but the biggest by a mile is Dylan Thomas. I grew up with his words all around me. I went to the same school as him and I think he is the greatest. I know he’s from Swansea and he’s Welsh so I’m biased, but he does have perfect form. Not even Bob Dylan has perfect form. If anyone mentioned me in the same breath as Dylan Thomas as a son of Swansea I’d see my life as a success.
How important is being Welsh to your work and identity? Do you feel it has had an impact on shaping your sound and lyrical style?
Yes of course it has because where you’re from and who you are always reflects in your work. It’s because you’re dissecting, digesting and processing who you are all the time. And so where you’re from ultimately has a huge effect on the DNA of your soul. And I identify as a Welsh lad, completely.
Have you ever experienced any arrogance from the English/London-centric press and music industry because of your background?
I think so. Perhaps not directly but maybe indirect snobbery does exist. It probably has happened, but I try not to let it affect me. I think it definitely taints what people see of Trampolene because they just think of it as the same old indie landfill bullshit and they don’t realise that there’s a fuckload of work gone into every single note of poetry and ounce of music. People judge it before they’ve heard it a lot of the time. I suppose that’s partly your job as an artist – to prove yourself.
Is it true you went to the same school as famed poet Dylan Thomas. Does the shadow of his tremendous legacy linger over your work at all?
It is true and I do feel it. I feel like his footsteps are the only thing I had to tread in to find out who I wanted to be and how I wanted to navigate my life as a poet. As I said earlier, I’d fall over sideways for being mentioned in the same breath as him…I don’t feel like it’s a shadow over my work…Any shadow he can pass is an honour.
Are there any lyrics or poems that you’re envious of, that you wish you’d written? Tell us some of your favourite lines penned by others.
For poetry it’s Fern Hill by Dylan Thomas. It has an amazing ending, it says:
“Oh as I was young and easy in the mercy of his means
Time held me green and dying
Though I sang in my chains like the sea.”
I see that like although you’re dying you’re still defiant right until the end. It’s a bit of a Dylan Thomas theme actually.
As for lyrics, last night, I was listening to ‘Chop Suey’ by System of a Down – dancing in my room on my own – and the lyric “I cry when angels deserve to die” is pretty amazing.
If I’d written ‘Chop Suey’ I’d be pretty happy. It’s an incredible piece of music.
Your latest work, the Jack Jones album, comes after a challenging period, recovering from COVID and battling mental health issues. How do you find writing helps with the healing process?
There’s many things I could live without but I need writing because without it there’s no other way to get out those things that I need to get out. To let go of that anger, regret, pain or that thing that’s looping around my head I have to write it down. The catharsis behind writing is one of my greatest saviors.
Was it a strange feeling putting away the six string to explore brooding beats and soundscapes? Or did it feel like a natural extension of where you first began?
It was surprisingly natural to be honest. I loved it being me and my little diary and dissecting the poems and making them scan. It felt totally natural. I feel like this is a bit of an easier home for poetry than trying to fit it into a Trampolene melody or riff. This is a chance for my words to fit front and centre. It feels like an extension of where I first began and who I am.
The album possibly sounds indebted to the likes of Tricky and Massive Attack. Did you listen to either of these trip-hop greats before recording or did you turn elsewhere for sonic inspiration? There are lazy comparisons to Mike Skinner to be made too.
I’m glad you picked up on that! I’d always been into lots of weird 90s and noughties trip-hop things and I was doing a gig with Peter and Tricky was supporting him. It was in the Reunion Islands. I started speaking to him and thought he was an inspirational guy and so I read his book and he was a big influence on the album. He’s got a mad story and we ended up steaming in this mad 5-star hotel. I actually missed the flight and stayed in the Reunion Islands for a week! We were listening to lots of other things too, like Daft Punk, Justice, Kavinsky, LCD Soundsystem, Jungle, Delirium, Faithless, Kraftwerk, Underworld, Chemical Brothers.
Recent years has seen a massive rise in artists that are centred around spoken word, almost using DIY beats or post-punk as a backdrop. I’m thinking Sleaford Mods and Kneecap plus sprechgesang bands like Yard Act or Dry Cleaning. Why do you think audiences are currently responding to such direct lines of communication from the vocalists, with more emphasis on complex lyrics?
I think it’s because of podcasts. Basically everyone is always listening to a podcast, always so plugged into what people are saying, so plugged into the cadence of the way anyone is saying anything that it’s become a natural way to hear now. And also your spoken voice can be a bit more distinct because it’s you. Whereas how many singers sound the same? They all sound the same…They all could be from the same factory of some sort of singer. I think that makes people stand out a little more – the accent of their talking voice. I love Sleaford Mods…I haven’t heard much of Kneecap…I can take or leave Yard Act…I haven’t heard much of Dry Cleaning. One thing I would say, though, it does annoy me when the spoken word is any old rubbish being said and there’s no form to anything and it’s all just random words just said with no form. That doesn’t really impress me much. I still like to see form even where it’s spoken word.
You’ll soon be hitting the road once again. What do you miss most when you’re away from home? And what advice would you have for fledgling artists who may be touring for the first time?
I miss having the privilege of my own toilet. I miss waking up in my own time. I miss arguing with my girlfriend over what we’re going to watch on the projector. I miss home cooked food. I miss being able to have a shower. I miss being able to go for a run. I pretty much miss my whole life and everything about it. It makes me think what the fuck am I doing here! Haha of course, I love having the chance of being able to do what feels important to me and what gives me purpose otherwise I would just fold in on myself. I suppose the advice I would give to any fledgling artist would be not to expect to earn any money from it and go out there and find some sort of catharsis in it and use it to build yourself and find who you are and who you want to be in this world. That’s really the most you can learn from it anyway.
And what can we expect from Jack Jones in the future? Maybe another novel following last year’s Swansea to Hornsey?
That first one killed me. It killed me dead. It turned me into stone. It turned my brain to mashed potato. I know I have to do another one but it’s so much hard work. It will have to be done and come out with the next Trampolene album. And if it takes me to do that book as long as it took me to do the first then it won’t be ready until about 2045! So don’t hold your breath! I do have the germ in my gut that realises it’s an important thing that needs to happen.
