Neu Jamie N Commons: ‘I Tend To Write At Times Of Turmoil’

Jamie N Commons is a little different to most of what you’ll see and hear here on DIY, but he’s had a rather unusual journey. The 22-year-old was born in the UK, but quickly moved over to Chicago with his parents before returning not so long ago to study music at Goldsmiths in New Cross. As such, he takes his influences from a few not-so-obvious sources, including the likes of Johnny Cash and Tom Waits. There’s no hiding this on his recent debut EP, ‘The Baron’ - not that he’d want to, with titles including ‘The Preacher’ and ‘Lola’; besides, the hat is a bit of a give away. We sit him down for a chat about the release, and where he’ll be going next.

Hello Jamie N Commons. How are you? What’ve you been up to today?
Today I have mostly been recovering. Just got back from a really fun little trip to Amsterdam, we drove up in the morning, played a really good show at the London Calling festival and then went exploring… So yeah, recovering! Nowadays rest comes at far and few between junctures. It’s as much a skill being able to turn off (when you got the opportunity) as it is to be on the ball and focused.

So, we’re a little late sending these questions over - your new EP, ‘The Baron’, is already out. How did the release go?
Ah you missed out! We got in a P.A. speaker system that was about three times too big for the room… it was amazingly loud. The 10’ vinyls are apparently flying off the shelves also. So yeah, EP launch went, and is continuing to a positive trajectory.

You released it through Luv Luv Luv Records, didn’t you? They seem to have a lot of good names on their roster.
Yeah and quite a varied bunch to boot, think the girls over there just love music, whatever genre it is. Been a pleasure to have them on board.

The press release we’ve got here says the EP attempts ‘to convey the haunting, violent and arresting sound this young man is creating.’ Does your music come from a bit of a dark place?
It comes from wherever I can get it. When songs are coming I just try and get it onto the page before the stream dries up. My song writing style does seem to be very polarised recently though… maybe it’s because I tend to write at times of turmoil. I try to keep as naive and as far away from a process as possible up until I think there’s enough elements to work with. Then you figure out the structure, arrangement etc.

You give the impression of being rather heavily influenced by your stint in the States. Do you think your style will change now you’re back in the UK?
I think you learn most of your musical style at quite an early age. It’s working backwards and finding out what that style is once you obtained the skills to purvey it, that’s the ticket. I think you know what you know after a certain age… old dog, new tricks etc.

You seem to have a knack for storytelling. Which is more important to you: music or lyrics?
I always do the music first and then try and find the narrative within the emotion the chords and the line are giving me. It takes forever that way and sometimes it makes the narrative quite unclear… but I try and put as much of the story in the musical line as much as the lyrics. There’s usually much more to the story than just in the lyrics.

Finally: we hear you have an album due next year. Is there anything you can tell us about it? How close is it to completion?
Not much I’m afraid, it’s all quite hush hush. We’re just trying to find the right producer at the moment, some very exciting names in the mix though, hopefully more on the album next time we chat…

Jamie N Commons by Jamie N Commons

Jamie N Commons’ debut EP ‘The Baron’ is out now via Luv Luv Luv Records.