Bloody Jug Band - Sound In The Signals Interview
Your new album Coffin Up Blood has been getting some really good reviews around the internet. I’ve really enjoyed this release. What was the song writing process like for this new album?
In general our writing process is pretty painless. Having so many diverse members in the band means we are never short on creativity or new ideas. And being in a ‘Jug Band’ also lends itself to keeping things rather straight forward when it comes to chord structures…etc. In addition to that, we tend to write songs that are very visual in nature or story-driven, so as long as we figure out what topic or subject-matter we want to cover in a song, the rest starts falling into place lyrically.
The musicianship on the new album is really standout. What do you start with when you write a song and how does it go from infancy to a finished song?
Almost all of our songs start out on acoustic guitar, originating from either Brian Shredder or Myself. We play around until we find a basic chord structure that piques our interest, or something that is suggested by another band member. That becomes the foundation of the song, but it cannot truly move forward until we figure out what story we are trying to tell. Once that is decided and the lyrics get added, it is ready to be fleshed out as a full band. That ‘story’ dictates a lot because it cues everyone else into what tone or vibe we are going for. Is it a dark cautionary tale? A spooky love song?...etc.
The great thing about being surrounded by so many talented musicians is that you usually don’t have to ‘Tell’ anyone what to do. They are all extremely savvy at their respective instruments, and do not let their egos influence what they play. They simply come up with parts that feel right to them, and in most cases, if it feels right to them it feels right to the rest of us. From there it is just a matter fine tuning, and everyone figuring out their cues to make the song as dynamic as possible.
For those who aren’t familiar with your music or group how did you guys get together and what made you want to start a band?
It all started as an effort to create something drastically different from what was being done in the realm of mass consumption. I found myself enticed by this crazy idea to take the instrumentation of an old Jug Band and refashion it for a Modern Day audience. Although the ‘idea’ of the band may have been my initial brain-child, due to my love of Roots/Americana Music and Dark Imagery, it wasn’t until I started recruiting members that the actual Bloody Jug band took shape. This is truly a band of very different individuals from different walks of life, different generations, and different musical influences who all came together for a common goal. That melting pot of personalities dictated what we would eventually evolve into and we continue to inspire eachother along the way.
One thing I like about the album is the mix of male and female vocals. Is that something you originally knew you wanted to do or is it something that just kind of happened as you were writing songs?
Initially we knew we wanted to have female vocals adding to the mix, especially because my vocal style is so low and gravelly, but it wasn’t until Stormy Jean joined our JUG-ly crew that we truly realized where we could take this combined vocal dynamic. There is something about our two distinct vocal styles that when put together creates something very powerful, almost magical. Stormy is the one who really sells the vibe of the songs, much more than I could ever do solo. Of course, we do this on stage when performing live, but it’s also something we explored a little more intently on the Album because we had the freedom to try new things, and had a great Producer pushing us every step of the way.
To anyone who hasn’t heard your group what song of yours do you think is the best introduction to your music and why?
Well every song on the Album is there for its own distinct reason, but overall I’d say that ‘Chained to the Bottom’ or ‘Hidden Good’ act as a great introduction to what we do. Both songs are dark cautionary tales, and showcase much of our Americana sensibilities and dynamic.
I had not heard your group until this album and when I saw the album artwork I was instantly drawn into wanting to hear the music. In this day and time with .mp3 files being the norm and people having tons of new music thrown at them how important do you think it is to have eye catching artwork that draws people into wanting to hear the music?
For us, the visual dynamic is VERY important to the overall promotion of the band and certainly to entice new audiences. Many of us are visual artists as well, so we take the marketing and branding very seriously. In regards to the Album artwork, that was a commission piece created by an artist from North Carolina named Tim Lee, and the intent behind it to visually grab people’s attention was there from the onset. There is so much amazing music out today (as well as crap), every little bit helps. And having amazing artwork on an album or on a gig poster may be the difference of someone picking it up or attending, or going elsewhere.
I guess that about wraps it up. Thanks for taking the time to answer the questions. Do you have any closing comments you’d like to make?
We are simply a band of genuine souls that likes to break down boundaries with our unique approach to our ‘Jug Band’ vibe, take people on a journey with our dark tales, and strive to put on very dynamic live performances to bring our JUG-ly Jamboree to the masses…
please check us out at www.BloodyJugBand.com and LIKE us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/bloodyjugband
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