JJ72 are one of those bands who truly polarise opinion out there. This writer can include both true believers and (almost) violent detractors in his own coterie of friends. Their recently released second album "I To Sky" is liable to widen the gap further as its' huge,uncompromising sound broadens the scope of the band's self-titled debut and sees their songs take on an altogether darker hue. Wanting to discover more, TIM PEACOCK catches up with bassist HILLARY WOODS in her dressing room before JJ72'S recent Cork headlining show.
In itself, this is an interesting development, as guitarist/ vocalist MARK GREANEY usually handles the majority of the band's interviews, but a chat with Hillary allows her to put her own thoughts into perspective. Indeed, popular wisdom has unfairly painted her and drummer Fergal Matthews as merely puppets in Greaney's scheme, but this is patently untrue when you speak with them and see them in action onstage.
Perhaps inevitably, talk soon comes around to the new album, "I To Sky." How have the band changed since you made your debut?
"Well, the new album's very much a natural progression," Hillary considers.
"The first one seems so long ago now and we were only 18 when we made it, all of three years back. We've changed a lot. I mean, we still enjoy playing the older stuff: "Bumble Bee"s always great, and "Oxygen"s been re-animated of late, but it's nice to play the new songs now."
Of course, "I To Sky"s expansive sound came from sessions with in-demand producers/ mixers FLOOD and ALAN MOULDER (responsible for the likes of Depeche Mode, Ride, The Smashing Pumpkins and...ooh, the list is endless). How did they help shape the JJ72 sound?
"We've always been big fans of their work," enthuses Hillary. "We love what they've done with the likes of The Smashing Pumpkins over the years and we gained great confidence ourselves because they placed great faith in what we do musically."
"Song-wise, everything was tracked very live. This time around we wanted to capture the live energy we have and we did. We think it sounds very warm, actually."
JJ72'S sound is not exactly happy-clappy pop per se. Does it worry you that what you do gets easily trivialised as POP music?
"No, I think it's nearer the other way around,actually. I think we often get taken as being way too serious," laughs Hillary.
"I mean, we do take what we do seriously and it means a lot to us because it's our chosen form of expression. But we're not the miserable bastards we seem to get taken for. We do this for the enjoyment and the laughs and because we enjoy going out in front of an audience. We don't mind what angle people take, really."
It must be said that you DO polarise opinion more than is often the case for a "rock band." Is it Mark's songs or because he's outspoken in interviews?
"Well, we DO provoke an exteme reaction, yeah, " says Hillary brightly.
"I dunno. When we released the first album, we were so naive, we just thought all this attention was quite charming. We didn't expect to be so loved or so hated."
"I mean, yeah, that element's there, especially in the media," she continues, after a pause. "But, y'know we don't really give a fuck at the end of the day. We know what we want to do and that won't stop us."
Meanwhile, "I To Sky" features more of a 'band' sound, with lenghy songs like the huge Cure-like "Sinking" beginning with the most subterranean bassline you're ever liable to hear this side of a Black Ark production. Where did it come from?
|
"Just a happy accident, really," shrugs Hillary. "I was messing around with sounds in the studio and everyone loved that sound at the beginning. It's a delay pedal, but i sounds so weird we got into it and kept it."
Meanwhile, Hillary is understandably keen to stress that JJ72 is very much a BAND, not just the Mark Greaney show, as some people will have it...
"It's true that Fergal and I do generally work around what Mark brings in. It must be emphasised, though, that we ARE a band. It's hard to technically put into words whast all or four roles are, but we're all instrumental in translating Mark's songs into what they end up as."
"I To Sky," meanwhile - in songs like the damning "Serpent Sky" - does contain a fair smattering of religious-based imagery. I realise Hillary can't speak directly for Greaney here, but what are her thoughts about his lyrical input on these songs. There's a lot made of his upbringing at Jesuit college, isn't there?
"I don't think he's any problem in how people interpret his songs," Hillary muses.
"But to me, his lyrics are more about aspiring to ideals. He is a very idealistic person. The problem is, the media and suchlike can't be bothered to spend the time to work on that, so they put his songs into a little box marked "religious imagery" or whatever. To me, they're just romantic. That's much closer."
What about the future for JJ72, then. Can you see yourselves developing this current sound further still?
"Yeah, I think we're developing constantly," Hillary shoots back. "It got too frustrating after playing the same set with the first album for two full years. We were itching to work on new stuff. It's essential to keep evolving, so we don't wanna get into that situation again."
"I mean, we're not so affacted we try to deliberately emulate anyone else," she continues.
"We didn't feel pressure to "make a follow up" from anyone except ourselves when we made "I To Sky." Maybe we'd feel different if we were like Coldplay and selling 8 million albums in the States or whatever."
I'd like to develop this further, but sadly Hillary gets a call to say they're due onstage any time. Finally, Hillary: how did you react to that whole 'Pin up' thing the NME tried to foist upon you. Did that affect you?
"No, we tend to live in our own bubble in the band," says Hillary.
"When we get home to Ireland, we're...well, not indifferent, but we ignore a lot of the peripheral stuff. We're disappointed if we get a bad review, but it's not good to dwell on it. I know I'd get far too weird and analytical if I did! (Laughs)."
|
