By Daffs (@TwoDaff)
Ahead of his forthcoming album release ‘Forever Roses’ on 24th June, I managed to catch up with Midlands singer-songwriter Jay Tennant to chat about his music and the new album.
Hi Jay and thanks for taking the time to speak to Awayday Radio. Can you tell me a little about yourself and your musical history?
Hey! Big thanks for asking me! Yeah, so I’m a singer-songwriter from the Midlands and I write passionate indie rock ‘n’ roll but with some other genres blended in. I was in bands for 10 years around the Midlands before going solo. I started a bit late really but am trying to catch up now!
What are your previous releases?
I’ve released two solo albums before this new one, ‘From The Far Field’ in 2018 and ‘Escape Routes’ in 2019, plus an EP called ‘Extra Roses’ recently, which is a companion piece to my new album ‘Forever Roses’. I’ve also released a lot of singles. You can listen to it all on my Spotify page and Bandcamp site.
What inspires you to write music and what are your influences?
I think I’ve always had songs in me and things I want to say, so it’s always been about channelling that. I’m generally inspired by films, books, life experiences and other people, as well as other music. I don’t really talk about influences because I don’t want to get tagged to one particular artist or sound, but I’ve definitely learned a lot from some of the greats – bands like the Stones, The Doors and The Cure.
What would you say your musical vision is?
I think I’m always trying to take the listener on a journey, basically, and either tell a story or communicate something about life, love or the human condition. Sometimes it’s just a snapshot of a scenario – I don’t think every song should be obvious or have a clear message. But I try to wrap it all up in songs that are hopefully catchy, melodic, exciting and anthemic.
Anthemic, cinematic rock ‘n’ roll with epic riffs and big choruses…
If you had to describe your sound, what would you say?
I try to mix it up a bit to keep things fresh, but I’d generally say “Anthemic, cinematic rock ‘n’ roll with epic riffs and big choruses…”
The Midlands music scene is vibrant at the moment who else have you been listening to lately?
Yeah, it really is. There are loads of great bands and artists emerging and starting to break through. As well as some of the more well-known ones, I really like Marseille from Derby and The Drift from Birmingham; YNES and Lissy Taylor are both smashing it at the moment and have big futures I think; I have a lot of time for SHADER and Sam Lambeth as well. Too many to mention really!
Your up-and-coming album ‘Forever Roses’ seems to have a central theme, space, night stars etc…what was the thinking behind it and what message (if any are you trying to get across)?
Yeah, it’s definitely a bit of a concept record really. It’s an epic journey of an album and I wanted it to feel and sound cinematic, so that’s where some of those themes come through in the lyrics, like you say. I wrote it like chapters from a film or novel in a way, but not in sequential order. There’s a big romantic theme because all of the songs are inspired by a muse. Songs last forever and people live and breathe in those songs every time you play them. That’s why it’s called ‘Forever Roses’.
Where was it recorded, which label and any info regarding production?
It was all recorded at Deadline Studios in Leicester. I’m not on a label but I release everything through a distributor so that it’s available on all the online platforms. The production is all done by the mega-talented Adam Ellis who owns the studio.
Where have you been gigging this year and what’s lined up for the rest of the year?
I played a great gig for Listen Up promoters in Manchester a couple of months ago. I was lucky enough to have Martin Leary playing guitar with me and we supported Arcade State and The Shop Window. That was an amazing night and great to meet loads of Twitter people there. I also supported Paul Nixon in Winsford which was another top night. I’m mainly going to be writing and recording for the rest of the year. I’ve got Album 4 to finish and am also up and running with writing Album 5!
It’s been amazing to see the vinyl resurgence
I’m kind of old school, I used to buy music from record shops on vinyl as that was the only option, how do you feel about the way music is accessed these days in the world of technology?
I think there are pros and cons to it. It’s amazing to have all this music at your fingertips, any time of day or night, but I also think that it’s reduced people’s attention spans because there’s so much choice. But there are definitely still lots of us who, like you, still listen to albums as a whole piece of work and still love the physical formats of vinyl and CDs. It’s been amazing to see the vinyl resurgence in recent years and to find out that people still believe in the album as a format and a piece of art. But I think maybe if you’re growing up now it’s probably much more about Spotify and skipping between individual songs.
Have you any other releases in the pipeline?
Yeah, I’m working to finish Album 4 soon which follows on well from ‘Forever Roses’, I think. It’s different – it’s even more cinematic and darker-sounding in a way, but thematically it’s definitely a continuation and is just as passionate.
How important are radio stations such as Awayday Radio for up-and-coming artists/unsigned acts?
Really important, I think. When you’re trying to get your music heard by a wider audience, any radio station playing your songs is a massive help. Awayday Radio have been legends for me the past couple of years. Really supportive, and it’s been amazing seeing you guys moving into putting on loads of quality gigs and signing exciting new bands now too.
And finally, if you could have written one song from history what would it be and why?
That’s a really tough question but I would probably say either ‘Gimme Shelter’ by The Rolling Stones or ‘Wichita Lineman’ by Glen Campbell – they’re both absolute classics and really timeless.
Many Thanks, Jay and good luck with everything you do.
Thank you, mate. Really appreciate it!
Social Media
Twitter – @jaytennant_
Instagram – @jaytennant_
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/jaytennantmusic
Bandcamp – https://jaytennant1.bandcamp.com
Merch – A range of Jay Tennant t-shirts are available on request – all tailor-made and featuring any cover art from my albums and singles.
