Following the release of their debut album ‘Be Slowly’ and the success of it’s accompanying UK tour, Birmingham lads JAWS are finally starting to get the acclaim that they really deserve. After forming in 2012, the indie pop quartet have stolen the hearts of the dream pop, grunge and synth-loving youth all across the UK and further still. Over the summer we caught up with Connor, Jake, Eddy and Alex to have a chat about the new album, summer anthems and their journey so far.

We’re at Redfest 2014 and we’re here to catch up with JAWS! So, how was your set and what are your first impressions of Redfest? 

Connor: Sick, sick, sick!

Eddy: It was also very wet as well. As soon as we started playing it was just torrential downpour.. it was really good though ’cause they all stayed!

Well the sun’s just about to come back out for us now so I want to know, individually what are your all time favourite summer anthems?

Alex: Tinie Tempah – Drinking From The Bottle, *laughs* massive tune.

Eddy: I’ve always liked Rihanna and Calvin Harris’ We Found Love, banger.

Connor: Like The Deserts Miss The Rain, can’t remember who sings it.

Eddy: That’s an all round year one!

Jake: Probably, Hall and Oates – You Make My Dreams Come True. That’s a very, very cheerful song.

Going back to the beginning of you guys as a band, how did you find your sound? What was that journey like to establish the sound that you’ve got now?

Eddy: I don’t know really, ’cause Connor wrote some songs by himself and then we all just went into the practice room, jammed them out and it kinda just ended up sounding the way it does by accident. I don’t think we really found it, it was just sort of ‘right.. this what we sound like’ and stuck with it.

Did any other quirkier sounds come about along the way? Kind of different to what you’ve got now? 

Alex: Yeah, it was getting a bit metal.

Eddy: Yeah we’re kinda getting heavier by the day. *laughs*

Is that something to expect on the new album then? Heavier?

Eddy: Yeah, yeah, definitely. There’s more distortion on the new album than on the Milkshake EP, which we like.

Jake: It seems like if you go back to Milkshake the colours represent it, it’s like pink and blue and really light songs. Then sort of, when you see the cover of Be Slowly it says it all, it’s like dark and angrier.

Eddy: It is happy as well, there is the happier bits.

Jake: Yeah, there is.

So since that point, what’s been the most overwhelming thing to happen to you? That real ‘pinch me’ moment.

Jake: Probably Reading and Leeds. I mean as soon as we got to Reading and Leeds we walked along into the field, looked at the main stage and were like ‘Jesus Christ, why are we here’. I mean we were only doing the introducing, but it’s like we don’t even belong on this field.

Connor: Someone told me yesterday that when they listen to the songs we write they forget about everything and they don’t care anymore. That.. I don’t know..

Jake: Deep.

Connor: Yeah, that’s deep. That’s something I never thought would happen, I didn’t think these songs would ever connect with anyone on any kind of level so it means a lot that someone can sit back and enjoy a shit song that much.

Who would you say has been the most influential person to you guys as a band? So not your musical influence, but someone that’s been around supporting and inspiring you?

Alex: Eddy.

All: *laughs*

Alex: If I don’t write a good riff Eddy hurts me.

Eddy: I don’t know, I mean that’s a hard question.

Connor: My dad’s always around.

Alex: Neil Handy.

Eddy: Yeah there’s a guy who follows us around every gig called Neil Handy and we met him at the Nottingham date while we were on tour with The Twang and since then he’s come to every single show ’cause he just believes in us that much. I think he’s spent like over three grand coming to watch us and travelling and stuff like that. So yeah, he inspires us to carry on.

Alex: Big up Neil Handy.

Eddy: Yeah big up Neil Handy!

Jake: Probably the people we’re around while we’re on tour anyway. Just like bands and stuff that we go on tour with or people that are working the stages or sound or something. They’re all pretty cool.

Yeah, definitely!

So, we’d like to have a quick chat about the album, ‘Be Slowly’ out on 15th September. How does it feel to finally be releasing your debut album?

Jake: Relief. It’s a massive, massive weight off. We’re not sitting on it anymore, it’s like actually out.

Personally, what are your favourite tracks off the album?

Eddy: There’s a few that stick out for me. I think the one that we all agree on is one called ‘Home’. It’s a bit different to what we usually play and it’s really fun to play live. We played it last night actually, at the past two gigs we’ve played and it’s been real fun.

Alex: A song called ‘New Years Eve’ (NYE)

Eddy: It’s the finishing track and it’s just a bit…

Alex: It’s emosh.

Eddy: Yeah you’ll definitely shed a tear.

Connor: It’s got nothing to do with New Year’s Eve but I thought if you add in the sort of festive nature to the song, it sort of makes it a little bit more emotional.

Alex: No, no don’t lie, me and you had nothing to do on New Year’s Eve! *laughs* That’s what it was, we had nothing to do.

Connor: Oh yeah, it does have loads to do with New Year’s Eve, sorry guys.

Along with the album you’re doing a huge tour across the UK, is there anywhere specifically that you’re most excited to play?

Alex: Everywhere.

Jake: Probably London and Birmingham. I mean every day’s gonna be sick but they just… and it’s the first time we’re headlining The Belgrave in Leeds as well which was a good show we did with Spector.

Speaking of Spector, you guys have supported them as well as Peace and Swim Deep and all sorts, but you’ve also had the chance to have people support you. When we saw you last you had a band called The Magic Gang with you that you seemed to be loving. What does it mean to you to be able to have support bands with you and being able to promote music you like?

Eddy: It’s good cause we can give them the opportunity that Peace and Swim Deep and Spector gave us when we were starting out. When we got offered our first tour, I think it was with Swim Deep, we were so excited and we just completely upped our game as a band. It makes you better, you learn tricks of the trade on the road and stuff. What to do, what not to do. The more that bands do that, the more music people will be able to hear and it’s bands we like as well. We’ll listen to them and it’s good to see them progress and the fact we’re giving them the opportunity to do that is really good.

From your experience, how do support tours compare to your own headline shows?

Eddy: Obviously we prefer a headline show cause they’re our fans but at the same time support tours are good and have loads of positive aspects.

Alex: It’s quite good to let go of the pressure.

Eddy: Yeah, like the pressure that you’d have to deliver every night spot on. It’s not a problem. Like when we supported The Twang, their audience isn’t exactly our demographic but we still got quite a lot of lifelong fans from that and they still come and watch us. It’s good in that way ’cause you broaden your horizons.

So for bands that are like that, starting out and not really knowing where to go, what advice would you give them?

Connor: Keep going.

Jake: Yeah get as many shows as possible.

Connor: Do it because you love it, not to try and look cool or brag or anything. If you’re going to try and write music, do it and be honest. Just don’t ever try and do it to look cool, ’cause you’re not going to look cool you’re going to look like a dick. So yeah, just do it but do it right.

Jake: Yeah, do it honestly or you don’t get a fan base in the end.

Eddy: Yeah, you don’t start a band to get signed or anything, you start a band ’cause you want to start a band.

Well that’s about everything! Thanks a lot for chatting to us and good luck with the new album and touring!
JAWS’ debut album ‘Be Slowly’ is out NOW. Be sure to go and check it out.