March 2021

Where are you currently based?

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

How did you first start playing music?

I come from an incredibly musical family and in a way, music was a part of my life right from the beginning. I still have vivid memories of my mom singing in 5-part harmony with her brothers and sisters and father around campfires when I was very young and my parents singing to and with me even long before then. Music was a big part of my life until I started royal conservatory piano lessons, which honestly turned me away from it for a while, haha. 

After a bit of time away from the rigidness of the lessons, I started to fall in love with playing songs by ear again and making things up on guitar and piano. This led to me eventually write my first songs. I loved the process and the outlet so much that I never stopped and haven’t looked back since.

What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been?

If Covid had to hit, it happened at the perfect time for me. I absolutely love performing live and miss it like crazy, but because of how often I was playing for people before Covid, I never took the time to finish a recording project. In the forced solitude and open time that the pandemic gave me, I finally finished my first EP. My days consist now of everything that’s involved with sharing the music I made and it’s an incredible feeling that I didn’t know I was missing. 

Your debut EP ‘Only Pieces of The Truth’ will be released on March 12, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

The songs on this EP were written over the past 6 years of my life as a performing artist. They explore a desire to deepen my relationships with the people in my life and with myself. Sonically, I was influenced by all of the music that has inspired me most throughout my life as a musician. I think listeners will be able to hear everything from my love of roots, electronic, orchestral and experimental music. I think all of those influences thrown into a mixing pot with who I am as a live performer, and tossed around within the boundaries of my simple home studio set up created the unique and eclectic sound of this EP.

How did you go about writing Only Pieces of The Truth?

Only Pieces of the Truth was lyrically inspired by a couple in my life who really love each other but are fighting through a distance that came with a build-up of little unresolved tensions over a significant period of time. While I can say what it is about with confidence now, this inspiration happened subconsciously, as almost all of the melodies and lyrics in this song came from an improvisation. I find that my favourite lyrics and melodies that I write come when I am able to get my brain out of the way and flow in an improvisation. 

Where and when did you record/produce/master and who with?

I recorded and played all of the instruments myself in my home studio in Toronto, as well as a bit in Alberta while I was visiting family using my portable studio set up. The EP was then mixed by my friend Jason Dufour and mastered by Joao Carvalho.

How did you approach the recording process?

Each song on this EP came with a different approach. For example, Docks (the opening track), came together as a collage of improvised ideas. Nothing was pre-envisioned; it was all just done by playing with interesting delays and sounds, massaging them together and then improvising over the result. In contrast, I Don’t Want to Let You Go and Freedom (both of which I had been performing for quite a while before I brought them into the studio), were put together very intentionally with a clear vision in mind before laying down the first tracks. Only Pieces of the Truth was probably the most difficult. I must have produced more than 10 distinctly different versions of that song before I found one that felt right.

What programs/instruments did you use?

I primarily use Logic as my DAW and use software from UAD, Fabfilter and Soundtoys daily. In terms of instruments on this EP, I played a variety of guitars, percussion instruments and keys as well as many different software instruments ranging from pianos to synths that I created myself. 

What does the EP mean to you?

This one means a lot to me! It’s the first body of work that I created fully on my own. I am planning to explore collaboration with many different writers and producers in the future, but it will always be special to be able to look back and know that I started with something that was just me. With all of its flaws and imperfections, it’s a snapshot of who I am at this time in my life. I really hope that this music helps people find peace and vulnerability in themselves as they listen to it and that the songs become theirs now as much as they are mine.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Right now, I can’t seem to turn off Leif Vollebekk’s music! His vibe is just perfectly complimenting the way I’ve been feeling lately. Other than that, I always love to hear songs from Matt Corby, Frank Ocean, Bon Iver, Labrinth, Jacob Collier and Novo Amor, just to name a few. 

What do you like to do away from music?

I love playing basketball! It’s been tough now that it’s winter and the gyms are closed for the pandemic. I’m itching to get back out when it all clears up. Other than that and music, my favourite thing to do is to be in beautiful places with people I love. Give me a campfire by a mountain lake, a guitar and my friends and family and I will die a happy man. 

What’s planned for 2021?

I am actually just putting the finishing touches on another EP that I am planning to release soon after my first! After that, I hope the pandemic clears up so that I can sing with and for people again. I have so much pent-up performance energy. Feels like I could tour for a couple years straight now and not take it for granted. I hope that’s in the cards for this year or next!

Favourite food and place to hangout?

My favourite food right now is sushi and I love hanging out in this secluded spot by the water in Toronto where my friends and I go to have driftwood fires in the summer. I don’t want to say exactly where it is because for now, we seem to be some of the only people that know about it but if you ever come this way, we’d love to take you there! 

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Where are you currently based?

I live in Sydney, Australia

How did you first start playing music?

I started piano lessons when I was 7 or 8. I first realised I could sing in year 6 of primary school when I auditioned for the school musical and got a lead role. I wrote my first songs on piano and self-taught guitar when I was 13 (I recorded me playing them on my webcam at the time- humorous content which I may leak someday)

What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been?

Recently I’ve been doing a residency program at Church Street Studios and have been busy creating music there. I’m also working on songwriting and producing collaborations with a few international artists which I’m excited about!

I found myself making the most of quarantine- I wrote songs (I’ve got a quarantine-themed track called ‘All My Friends Have Boyfriends’), I became a better producer, I drank wine, and had plenty of time with my family and my dogs (one is sitting on my lap as I write this).

Your new single ‘Catastrophe’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?

I was listening to a lot of contemporary rnb around the time I made Catastrophe, artists like Snoh Aalegra, Lolo Zouai, H.E.R. I can definitely hear a combination of the genres of music that I love: pop, indie, rnb. I think my production style of including lots of vocal harmony is a defining factor to my music. I have a degree in classical composition which has influenced the way that I arrange vocal harmony in all my tracks, and especially in catastrophe.

How did Catastrophe come about?

Catastrophe was an assortment of different ideas that came together. I first had the ‘ah’ melody (which is heard behind the verse melody at the start of the song, and in the ‘breakdown’ sections).

I developed the main melody off of a few samples – I’ve never done production before melody before but that’s kind of how it turned out. I had the words ‘lean on me’ but I quickly realised the song was destined for a different meaning and it became ‘catastrophe’. The rest of the lyrics rolled out after that.

I’ve spoken a lot about the creation process on my Instagram (@jofimusic) if you’re interested to know more.

What does the single mean to you?

It was pretty cathartic to write about my character flaws and lay them all on the table for me to reflect on (and for everybody who hears it, whoops). Making the track was healing, to reflect on the times I did things I regret, learn from it and move forward with the hope of not being much of a catastrophe in the future.

Where and when did you record/produce/master and who did you work with?

Most of it I recorded and produced at home. I had mixing done by Jerome Blazé and a final mix + tightening of production ideas with David Muratore. The track was mastered by Becki Whitton (Aphir). I worked with Robbie Walcott on producing the retro-90s music video which you can find on my YouTube channel.

How did you approach the recording process and what programs/equipment did you use?

I lay down all the vocals at home, and I had the opportunity to redo some using a great mic at Noodle Music Studio. I originally took a can opening sample off the internet, but David and I recorded it live by opening a beer can next to a mic in the studio. Everything else heard in the track is midi! The DAW I use is Logic Pro X.

Please tell us about any new music on the way:

Catastrophe is the first single from an EP of tracks I made last year! Very excited to get more music out this year.

What do you like to do away from music?

Listen to true crime podcasts, read, go running.

Who are you listening to at the moment?

Becky and the Birds, Kelsey Lu, Sevdaliza.

What’s planned for 2021?

I’m currently working on a live show so definitely some shows plus more music!

Favourite food and place to hang out?

I’m too indecisive a person to know what my favourite food is. Favourite place to hang out is wherever live music is happening.

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Where are you currently based? 

Locked down in Liverpool, baby. 

How did Generation form? 

We just fell into it, really. Music presented itself to us and we took to it like  fishes to water. We’re constantly changing. 

What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid  experience been? 

We’ve just released a retrospective album with Tri-Tone – Full of teenage  angst and fast guitars. The whole covid thing has kind of put us on pause.  Gigs are looking *fingers crossed* like they may be happening again this  Summer, so we have that to look forward to, at least. Other than that  we’ve been writing. The sound has completely changed – we’re more  electronic now. Distorted saw synths, massive drum machines – that sort  of thing.  

Your new mini album ‘Suicidal Champagne’ is out now,  what influenced the sound and songwriting? 

It’s literally an album about us being dead young. We didn’t really think  about what it was about whilst we were making it, we probably didn’t even  know what music was back then. I guess it’s just about things we were  feeling at that time and the things every 17/18 year old goes through  (coping with becoming an adult by excessively drinking and partying). It’s  one big, self-indulgent party – and everyones invited.  

How did the concept for the mini album come about?

Drinking. 

How did you go about writing the album?

We write most days, so we just had loads of songs knocking about  with nothing to do but play them live (circa 2016), then Simon – who  we recently released the album with – approached us and threw us in  the studio. From there the songs just developed and became what  they are now. 

Where and when did you record/produce/master and who  with? 

It was in this lovely converted barn house in the countryside of Leeds  or something. There were two new foundland dogs (massive) that  would walk around the studio while you were tracking. Was a stay  over experience in the barn. I don’t think it’s there anymore. It was  with James Kenosha, who is a great producer and musician (he  played drums on the album also).  

What programs/equipment did you use? 

For all our demos we use Logic Pro X, but James probably used  Pro Tools, I can’t remember to be honest. In terms of gear, we  used all kinds. I remember putting my guitar through a vintage  Selmer bass cab, but that’s about it. The rest is clouded by red  wine and beer.  

What did you find most challenging and rewarding during  the creation of Suicidal Champagne? 

It’s always the vocals at the end. Trying to find the right tone for  deans voice. The most rewarding thing will probably happen  when we’re 40 and we listen back and go “ah remember that  time, we had a good time making that”.  

Who are you listening to at the moment? 

Loads of stuff. Our music taste has no range like. A lot of 90s rave  stuff, hip-hop, bit of industrial, bit of reggae/dancehall. A musical  cocktail of debauchery, really.  

What do you like to do away from music?

Tough question that one. All we really do is music. Feels like the  hobbies section on your CV this question. Should I put ‘Reading,  exercising…’ 

Urm, we do all kinds really. Mostly mad Sh** no one would believe or  even understand the reasons why. I guess we don’t either. Recently  got back into skating, which is a blast from the past.  

What’s planned for 2021? 

HOPEFULLY, lots of gigs (toward the second half of the year). We’ve  been hard at work recording new songs as well, so there should be  some new music soon(ish).  

Favourite food and place to hangout? 

Tough one this ‘cos we’ve been in lockdown for like a year. I’d say Elif on  Lark lane provides the best scran. It’s a Turkish grill joint and it’s so good.  Favourite place to hang out right now is our mums conservatory aka the  beat laboratory.  

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