London-based singer-songwriter Justin James Hayward-Young, aka Jay Jay Pistolet, isn't the new rave maniac you might expect from his pseudonym. Far from it, in fact. His delicate and sometimes melancholic acoustic songs are tinged with keys, brass and strings, but not a bleep anywhere.
His first single, 'We Are Free', was released in late 2007 to much acclaim, and now, a year on, EP 'Happy Birthday To You' will be released on 17 Nov through Stiff Records. Here's an insight into his musical background through the medium of the Same Six Questions.
Q1 How did you start out making music?
I was around music from an early age. My father was a musician and always encouraged me to listen to his records, pick up his instruments and exhibit the sort of extroverted behavior associated with performers. From as early an age as I can remember I toyed with the notion that I might really be Elvis and I let everyone around me know it, too. It wasn't until I was handed a cassette with Nirvana's 'Nevermind' on it though that I started playing in bands and taking music seriously (along with every other thirteen year old I knew). I spent my teenage years playing in punk bands that I thought were really good and everything I do now evolved from that. I actually wrote the first set of Jay Jay Pistolet songs in hospital.
Q2 What inspired your latest single?
Spending birthdays alone. Not mine but somebody else's. Sometimes writing a song about someone is the best way of reaching them and that's the reason I wrote 'Happy Birthday You'. The song is cheesy and crude but it's true and I was feeling lonely. I just wrote down everything that was going through my head at the time. Sometimes it's fun to be clever, but I chose to be honest.
Q3 What process do you go through in creating a track?
When you're making music I don't think you should ever cut corners. It shouldn't necessarily be a painstaking process, but you need to do your art justice. Straightforward pop songs are my favourite type of songs and I often employ simplicity when writing. For me, the most important thing is production. I think the recording of a song is the point at which it comes alive and obtains an identity. As a solo artist I'm not restricted by the same boundaries that I think a lot of bands are. Recording is so exciting for me because it gives me a chance to experiment and get creative with the mood and the sound. I don't think people realise how big a difference production makes. Sometimes minimalism is your best bet and I don't do things for the sake of doing things, but I like to explore every avenue.
Q4 Which artists influence your work?
I love all kinds of music and being open minded is so healthy. When I think of the people that have influenced me though, I immediately think of artists that I think have contributed to music. People like The Beach Boys, Paul Simon, The Velvet Underground and The Zombies all gave to popular music qualities that had not existed before them. They make pop songs, but they do so unlike anybody else. I think these bands often get overlooked when people namecheck more obvious artists like Bob Dylan and The Beatles for the same reasons. I borrow heavily from all of these acts because what they did excites me. I'm also lucky enough to live in a creative environment where lots of my friends make music too. Respect, admiration and even jealousy are all powerful fuels.
Q5 What would you say to someone experiencing your music for the first time?
It would be impossible to prep people objectively. It's always good to just let people listen in those situations. I say that, but I'd probably narcissistically pester them to listen out for all the small and subtle things within the song that I thought were really clever. But most people enjoy listening to music on face value. I think you should allow them to do that.
Q6 What are your ambitions for your latest single, and for the future?
I'm quite an ambitious person in general but I prefer to approach music on a day-to-day basis. I can genuinely say that as long as people understand where I'm coming from, and really listen to my music, I'll be a happy man. I just want people to appreciate it for what it is.