Interview : Jeremy Warmsley
This week, Transgressive is celebrating his 5th birthday in London with a series of gigs. We chose to interview the young label's most promising artist, Jeremy Warmsley, who, after playing solo for a while, just started a new band, Acres Acres.
The Little Stalkers : We don't know much about your beginnings in music.
Jeremy : I started off just playing guitar and singing, and I realized I did'nt really like solo stuff, I thought it was a bit boring. So I started learning to produce electronic music on the computer instead. And I started combining my songs with electronic music. There's a lot of crazy studio stuff going on on my first record, it's not just « a guy and a band ». Taking songs and present them in an unusual way was always my thing – a way that would hopefully be interesting.
TLS : How long exactly have you been playing music ?
Jeremy : I started playing guitar when I was 16 or 17. I'm 26 now. It's been 10 years, waoh! Today is my 10th year anniversary of playing music ! (laughs)
TLS : Talking about celebration, how does it feel to play for Transgressive's 5th birthday ?
Jeremy : Great. It's a good label.
Jeremy : I wasn't actually doing my own tour in the U.S, I was playing guitar with another band, friends of mine. I haven't really been around the U.S. with a band before, and it was really good fun. It's much like touring the U.K, except there's a lot more flying, it's pretty crazy. America is such a wonderful country, you know – people say that Europe has history and America has geography : there is so much to see and to do ! Every bit is different, it's as varied as Europe but in just one country, and with one language of course. Beautiful place. It was very interesting to be there and to tour with people you like. We have a stereotype of what people in America are like, but I don't think it's true really.
TLS : Do you mean there's no differences then ?
Jeremy : Of course there are differences, but it'd be hard to say what it is.
TLS : What about your tour in Europe, with your band ?
Jeremy : Back in April (2009) ? It was really cool, especially thanks to promoters. I think that in England and America, people who put on shows think that you should consider yourself lucky to have a show - at least on a small level. And they're right, because there's a lot of competition with other bands. So when you do get a show, you feel really priviledged. Whereas in Europe, they feel really grateful to have the bands, because not so many bands go to Europe – I don't really know why. So when you go to Europe, people are really nice to you and feed you good food, that kind of things.
TLS : So you've got a new band now, Acres Acres ? Why did you feel the need to have a new band ?
Jeremy : Well, this is like a new project. I'm putting my solo project aside for a bit. We just had a few friends; we were playing together a lot, and I had some songs in the air, and we just tried... The way we played live with the guys in my solo project really changed so much over the years, it was so different to how the records sounded... I just thought - we all agreed - it made sense to start this new musical project. A new band, together, because we had a new set of songs, a new sound, and it was a much clever process than my solo project.
Jeremy : At the moment I prefer playing with my new band ! I'm excited about it. I'm sure in 5 years' time, when another opportunity will show up, I'll be more excited about this new thing. That's how it works.
TLS : It's according to your mood.
Jeremy : Yeah exactly. I've been involved in a lot of different projects in my life so far, and at the moment Acres Acres is the one I'm most excited about. I think that the songs we're putting on at the moment are the best songs – I think the band is the best band I've been a part of. I'm really proud of what we've done so far and the reactions we had from the people are much more positive than the ones in the past.
TLS : Is it Jeremy's band or Jeremy and friends as a band ?
Jeremy : It's a band and I'm a part of it. I'm the singer and I do a lot of the writings, so maybe, like in any other band, the singer has a big role to play, but I think that everyone has a big role to play. All 3 of us have a big role in shaping the sounds and the directions. It's very early, we've only written 8 songs even if we played shows. TLS : Do you write the lyrics mostly on your own or with the others ?
Jeremy : Yes, but they do participate, like «have you thought about trying this» - it's a real new way to make the songs as good as possible. TLS : What are your inspirations ?
Jeremy : We talked a lot about the kind of music we liked, especially about early Neil Young, when he was broken down and didn't know how to live anymore. There's a real desperation that you can hear in his music, which I really like. I think we all really like stuff that sounds like people who can barely go on anymore. TLS : Have you ever reached that point ?
Jeremy : Me, in my life ? Certainly. I'm sure everyone has, really. TLS : And that inspired a lot of songs.
Jeremy : Yes, definitely. And the idea when you think like you're just gonna die. And you don't know how to go on. And then, you find a way ! And that's quite a lot of our songs are about. I don't want to speak for the guys in the band, but I think they felt that too. TLS : It's time for your soundcheck now, so just to finish, I know your mum's French, can you say a word or two in French for our francophile readers ?
Jeremy : Oh, je parle couramment le Français. Mais je le fais pas très souvent, parce que ça abime ma gorge.*
And after several « Merci », Jeremy was off for his soundcheck. Later on that evening, his slot supporting Graham Coxon and Johnny Flynn was a hit, thanks to his awkward but charismatic figure. Around me, people were baffled. Check Acres Acres' tourdates and new sounds on www.myspace.com/acresacres
And don't forget to catch up on Jeremy's solo stuff on myspace.com/jeremywarmsley
CB.
*«I speak a fluent French. But I hardly speak, because it hurts my throat.»
