Dye
Correspondent & Expert
Joined: 16 Nov 2003
Posts: 5146
Location: Planet Home; Buenos Aires, Argentina
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 Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2005 18:15 |
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Jay Kay interview for MTV Asia in January 2002!!
Hello Jamirotalkers,
During my usual search on the net -still no news-
I found this interview for MTV Asia I never read before. So here it is:
By EILEEN KEH
"What? No hat?!" It was weird seeing Jay Kay without his trademark fashion accessory. Since Jamiroquai’s debut in 1992, Jay has always been spotted with headgear, mostly outrageous and attention-grabbing ones. So when Jay walked in with just his blue-tinted shades, it felt like a piece of the puzzle was missing.
The whole band -- Jason Kay, Toby Smith, Derrick McKenzie, Sola Akingbola, Nick Fyffe and Rob Harris -- arrived for their first ever concert in Singapore. Although Jay was suffering from a coarse throat, he gladly took on all questions during the press conference. The rest of the band chipped in from time to time, but it was obvious who the real star was.
Jamiroquai’s latest record, "A Funk Odyssey" has gone platinum in Singapore and it’s no surprise judging by the turnout at their concert! Before the lads hit the stage, MTVAsia.com’s EILEEN KEH hopped onto Jamiroquai’s galaxy of funk and found out more about Jay’s and his first love. Nope, not the hats!
Jay, you once said that you’re a kid at heart, how old do you feel?
Me? (removes his shades) Today I feel about 54! Well, you know, I’m lucky because the job I do keeps me young and it keeps me moving around. It’s quite a physical job. To be honest with you, I don’t feel much older than when I was 21 or 22! Things change and I have mellowed a little bit. I used to be a lot wilder in those days. I have calmed down a bit, but not too much because only people who retain a little bit of child or youth in them live longer and happier lives.
So you’ve mellowed over the years since "Emergency On Planet Earth." Lyrically, you’re not going on about the environment, it’s more on the subject of love now. What are all these about?
Yeah well, it’s a type of stuff that we like to do. You know, it’s not always conducive, to clubby-type tracks, to have native lyrics or perhaps over thought-provoking lyrics. That’s why on the third album ("Travelling Without Moving"), there was a conscious change away from that. But saying that, "Virtual Insanity" was self-explanatory, the track was released the same day that Dolly the sheep was cloned in Scotland, which I thought was unusual!
On this record, there are tracks like "Black Crow" and "Corner Of The Earth" which are not all about love. There is a framework there, but I think I also want to make music that makes people happy and obviously, I’m sure you’re aware that I have my fair share of love troubles. So, as long as you reflect on what happened in your life, through the lyrics, then that’s fine because that’s what songs are about -- putting out what happens in your life and hoping people who have been through the same experience as yourself can sort of get something out of it.
This album is essentially different from the previous albums and it was all done in your residence. What was it like producing "A Funk Odyssey" in your own home?
There are now two studios -- one analog studio and one digital studio. That’s how this album was given a more contemporary feel. It’s difficult for me sometimes because these people are always putting their feet up on the kitchen table and stuff! (laughs) But, we managed and did well, which is good.
I remember when me and Toby were younger, before the first album, we’ll be up in little attics and things like that and just try to grab a space and it wasn’t at all conducive for a band. You know, a band needs to play, a band needs to develop and work together. Now, it’s great to have a place where we could all be set up and rehearse in a room. If we feel like we’ve got something cracking, we just hit that button and those two-inch tapes start to roll and that’s it, we record it.
You have obviously been through a lot in the music industry after releasing five albums, what is your opinion of the music scene at the moment?
I think there is a lot of real rubbish out there today. (Starts to mimic) "Hey, what are we gonna do? We’re gonna take five guys, anybody can write in! You wanna be in a band? Write in! Let’s see now. Your name is Mark, yours is Michael, and Jeffrey, Philip and Richard. Okay, we’re gonna put you altogether even though you don’t f**king know each other. We’re going to put you in some nice long coats -- you’ve got a choice of black leather or black cotton. You could ’ooh’ and ’aah’ and sit on some stools. You just make sure you keep those girls screaming."
Right now back home, there is this "Pop Idols" program -- what a perfect marketing tool! (Starts to mimic again) "I know, we’ll get the public to vote for Richard, the one with the lovely eyes and hairdo! Vote for the person you want. Great, we know we’ve just sold 500,000 copies of the record."
Unfortunately, this is what’s happening. Why don’t we become a boyband? We’re all boys!
You’ve got two really big and fearsome dogs, are they there to keep off the paparazzi?
Yeah, they’re for the English media journalists! (laughs) They are specifically trained to attack people from The Sun and News Of The World. They receive police dog training every Thursday from a guy who used to do dog training in the Oxford and Buckinghamshire area. It’s good for them because it keeps them active. To be honest, I don’t like to leave them, it’s the most painful thing I have to do. If I could bring them here, I would. But they are coming on tour in England.
You’ve been nominated again for a Brit Award this year...
Yes! Number 17! I’ve been nominated for more Brit Awards than anybody else ever!
Is there a feeling that this time it could very well be your year?
No, it was the feeling like that the first year! To be honest with you, I’m never quite sure about what goes on at the Brit Awards. We were supposed to perform with Elton John and now there is a possibility we will be performing with Anastacia. But at the end of the day, I’m a little dubious about how those awards are chosen. To be honest, when you’ve got a Grammy under your belt, Brit Awards don’t seem so important!
Let’s talk about your love for cars. What are you driving right now?
I’m driving a 360 Spyder Ferrari at the moment, a sliver one that’s specially ordered from the factory. I happen to know the chairman of Ferrari very well, which is good, let’s face it, because I’ve bought enough cars off him! I’m also on the list at the moment for the new F60. I’ll be one of the first five people to receive that car.
Now, about those hats, which one is the most expensive to date?
By far, there are three most expensive hats and I’ve got two with me here. They’re made of solid sliver and they’re about 10,000 English Sterling pounds each.
So do you have a museum of some sort for your hats at home?
A lot of them go to charity after I’m done with them. I try to keep a couple so if I ever have kids I can hand it all to them. Then they can sit and laugh and go, "Look! That’s what my dad used to wear on stage! What an idiot!"
They’re very important because they’re part of my character. The one I’ve got at the moment, which we’ve really worked really hard on is the feathered Native American thing, so I can bring it into the 21st century. It’s very gladiator and it makes you feel real good when you got it on! Of course, there is the payoff and the payoff is that you have to suffer a bit. It’s actually three or four pieces put together. It has to be actually screwed in with a screwdriver into my head like Frankenstein! (laughs) No, actually, it has to be screwed up tight, but if you screw up too tight, it completely constricts with the blood flow to the head, because I have quite a large forehead!
Your dance moves have become a part of you. Certain moves have been coined as Jay Kay’s signature movements. Where do they come from?
I’ve never had a choreographer -- it’s just made up on the spot and very spontaneous. Well, "Virtual Insanity" (the video) was completely spontaneous, which is why I nearly got eaten by a sofa at one point! It’s against my freedom thing -- I don’t want to be constricted by dance routines. It just wouldn’t be me. I just feel stupid doing that. A lot of those come from lots and lots dancing in clubs and skateboarding. Dancing is not about set movements -- it’s about expression.
Alright Jay, when you retire, where will you be heading off to?
Well, there are lots of different places. Phuket would be nice! I think perhaps the South of France would be a nice place to have summer. When you live in England, you don’t get to see much sun and you forget what it looks like!
'And nothing else matters... until you're in my arms, girl'
D! (diego) |
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. It was too short :S