Jayk

With his short dark hair and long drooping bangs, the words “cheer up emo kid” nearly leap from my mouth as I shake his hand. The local musician simply known as Jayk has an initial appearance that would easily mistake him for a typical indie scenester. The difference is that this 24-year-old Milwaukee artist actually lives the scene. Armed with a brilliant voice, infectious personality, and an upcoming album, Jayk has quickly hurled himself away from the open mic and toward the open road.
You’re currently still working on your debut album “Everything Ever” but have already been on tour?

A couple of times. It’s odd touring without a product to sell, I can say that. It is real weird. I have a lot of friends in the action sports community, like X-Games medalists and stuff. I did what was basically a mobile X-Games tour with Mountain Dew called the “Action Sports Tour” [AST Dew Tour]. Through friends I got put on that and I played all over the country in this thing they had set up called “House of Dew”. That was amazing. I met Dave Mira one year. It was crazy.

When was your last tour?

The last tour was “Local Exposure.” It was about a year ago. That one was in the Southwest. We were in New Mexico, Arizona, California…it was a real short one, like three weeks and it was super cool.

What was best about going the road?

Just getting away. It’s just like a vacation, you know. You’re being put up at hotels and experiencing new things. A lot of people have to work for months to be able to go and do something like that, to go take a vacation. When someone just gives me a call and says they want to send me out there, and I’m able to do that, to travel and see the world on someone else’s pocket… The crazy thing is that they give you a per diam, but at most of the places we went, the people were so happy to see us and they had catering set up anyway so all you had to spend your money on was going out and partying (laughs). Just being lucky enough to go and do that though is the most rewarding thing.

What’s kept you from putting an album out sooner?

That’s a good question. Money...Money has been a huge thing. We’ve had investors come in and then fall through or we’ve backed out. It’s a real tricky thing when you have people who come in with large amounts of money and they expect something from you. You have your own opinions about what kind of art you want to make and they have their own opinions about what they want out of you. It’s just hard to find a mid point, especially when some of your investors don’t know the first thing about music and are just in it for a return on their investment. It sucks but it’s business. Sometimes you’ve got to burn a bridge or walk away from something that just doesn’t feel right. We’re getting there now though and in August we’ll be finished.

As far as action sports media goes, weren’t you also featured on Fuel TV?

I was. That was “The Daily Habit” on Fuel TV that I did. It’s like an action sports television. To me, [The Daily Habit] is kind of like their version of “The Tonight Show. ” They bring on an athlete, a guest host, and special guest performer. I was lucky enough right when I was on the “Dew Tour” to get invited to that show.

That’s a pretty big deal. Recently they’ve had guests like Kelly Slater and acts like Pennywise featured.

Yeah, I was watching just a few weeks ago. I saw Alkaline Trio just did it for the first time. I thought it was pretty awesome that I did that show before Alkaline Trio, and those guys have been around for like fifteen years. It’s just cool to be in the ranks of those kinds of people.
Did the Dew Tour end up getting you a lot of publicity?

Yeah, definitely. It’s crazy how this other realm, which really has nothing to do with music, has kind of opened up all these doors for me. The music industry is so saturated with so much of the same things. In action sports media, everyone there rides something and when you’re the one guy who doesn’t it’s kind of like ‘oh, this is interesting, I want to find out what he’s about, I don’t know that many musicians;’ and me, I don’t know that many action sports guys so there’s a lot to feed off of. - Alt-Magazine - Brian McComb

With Robert Smith hair and a smooth yet commanding baritone that evokes a maturity and polish beyond his young age, Jayk is poised for big things. His debut album, everything ever, will be released any minute now, and yet Jayk has already landed a sponsorship deal with DC Shoes, toured the country from coast to coast and appeared on MTV2 and Fuel TV; not bad for a 22-year-old kid from West Bend. To hear more from Jayk, check out http://www.myspace.com/thatjaykwhosings.

1. What are your musical influences?

I’ve always really appreciated the bands that I thought were great at writing lyrically as well as musically: Death Cab for Cutie, Rachael Yamagata, Tegan and Sara, City & Colour, Decibully… Most recently, Imogen Heap has really struck a chord with me. There is a side of me that still loves metal and hardcore too.

2. What was your earliest experience with music?

Both my parents were involved with the church choir when I was very young; my father played the guitar and my mother sang. My dad was very much a jazz/blues guy, but he definitely had a lot of great classic rock albums. The first album I ever got into was a Yes album my dad kept in his collection. I remember being about 5 years old and I would sit in front of the record player and listen to “Roundabout” over and over.

3. What has been the most memorable moment of your career so far?

The first real show I did was opening for Since By Man and Misery Signals. Apparently the original opener dropped off, and I was really worried that no one would like me. These were hardcore bands, for Christ’s sake, and I’m pretty much the furthest thing from it. I played like 5 songs and got the shakes really bad, but I got through it and with a very good response from the crowd.

4. How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it?

I’ve heard myself compared to many things I like (Jeff Buckley, City & Colour) and many things I dislike (Jason Mraz, Howie Day, even Ryan Cabrera). I like to let everyone make their own assumptions about what they think they hear. I play guitar and I sing. To me, I sound like me.

5. Where were you a year ago, and where do you see yourself this time next year?

A year ago I was a struggling, inexperienced kid chasing what seemed like the impossible – no job and barely a roof over my head. Although I am now making giant steps in my career, it will always be a struggle to consistently create great music and keep everybody’s ears tuned in. By next year I hope to have settled with a record label that I am comfortable with, and be writing and recording more than I currently am; I’ve got a lot yet to say. VS
- Vital Source Magazine

1 interview going up in the next month @:

http://www.mkewired.com
- 1 More New Ones Coming This Month

Playing shows regularly over the past couple of years at venues like Bad Genie, Yield and Jackalope Lounge, young solo artist Jayk has secured a reputation as one of Milwaukee’s most promising up-and-coming artists.

The Post had a chance to sit down with Jayk and ask him a few questions while he was preparing for his performance as part of the UWM Union’s Gasthaus Entertainment Series, Thursday, Nov. 20 at 9 p.m.

Post: Jayk, you have been working on your debut album “Everything Ever” for a little over two years now. What are the chances of seeing a Jayk album available for purchase within the next six months?

Jayk: We actually have all the money now. So, I can say that financially it’s paid for. It’s just a matter of getting the work done. We have three or four songs complete for a demo, and it’s just a matter of getting the other six tracked out and mixed. So, I mean it could be done by the end of the month. It could be done by New Years. You just can’t force it. I don’t have anything else to do besides work on it. So, I would like to say in December it will be done.

P: Since your performance at this year’s Summer Soulstice festival you have modified your live show by performing with a full band. What has the chemistry been like?

J: It’s definitely been interesting because it’s a new dynamic playing with a band, especially considering how long I played without a band. Where before I was able to slow down and speed up for dramatics, now there’s not really that option. It was just a matter of getting everyone on the same page. It’s one of those things; practice makes perfect. The more we practice, the better everyone gets.

P: Can you give us a feel for what’s going to be on the album? Will it be a mix of your solo acoustic material and the band?

J: Everything you are going to hear on the record is going to have a band, with the exception of possibly “For the Taking,” which I think is going to be a stripped down, acoustic-and-vocals song. Otherwise, everything else is going to be a more broad rock n’ roll type sound, featuring a full band.

P: What sort of artists that you listen to inspire you in your writing?

J: I guess Tegan and Sara, Death Cab for Cutie, The Killers. I like that kind of stuff. I like strong vocals. Ben Gibbard from Death Cab For Cutie is probably one of my all-time favorite writers. When I started writing, I guess I took a lot of what he did and incorporated it into what I do, without being him, you know? I feel like my vocal range is far different from his. I try to take bits and pieces and do my own thing with it.

P: I understand you have just finished recording some tracks with Andy Hurley of Fall Out Boy. What was it like having Andy in the studio, and what kind of advice has Andy been helpful with for you on your journey?

J: Well, Andy played on a couple songs. He played on a song called “Everything Ever” and another song called “Time Stand Still.” We’re hoping to get him in on one or two more before the process is concluded. But yeah, he’s been great playing in the studio. He came in after only having a brief period of time to listen to the songs I gave him, and he nailed ‘em. It was pretty incredible to watch. I mean somebody who has had that much experience in the studio, to watch how quick he moves compared to most of the guys we brought in.

As far as advice, we don’t really talk about the music business that often. What we have talked about, it’s been how he came to be in his career, how his band had to fight for it… basically shoved the record down people’s throats. As far as putting it in the right place, he could do that, but as far as making something happen, that’s basically on me. - UW-Milwaukee Post - By Jacob Schneider