FEATURED INTERVIEWS 07                         

Jeremy Fisher

This talented singer-songwriter is a force to be wreckoned with. Boasting catchy hooks, soulful vocals, and exceptional songwriting on his latest relase, "Goodbye Blue Monday," Jeremy Fisher is a gift to tired, worn out ears. We talked to Jeremy to take a closer look at the man behind the talent.

By: Gian Erguiza

Gian: Hey Jeremy! How are you doing?

Jeremy: Feeling really good, thanks. How about we get it on like a Marvin Gaye song?

Gian: Alright let's get it on. Your new album, "Goodbye Blue Monday" has just been released in America through Barnes and Noble and is also now in stores in Canada, how excited are you about the release of your latest musical work?

Jeremy: I'm most excited to get out and tour everywhere and bring the songs new life on the road. I have a couple different bands and will be working with both of them (a trio and a 4-piece) as well as a bunch of solo shows. I love that I get to re-create the experience each time I got out.

Gian: How much work went into making this album Jeremy, as far as production, songwriting, and recording?

Jeremy: Songwriting was probably the most labor-intensive part of the process. Once I had about 30 songs the producer Hawksley Workman and I went through the lot and chose 11 that would make an album. After that we banged out a song a day in the studio, which was fun because it kept the energy level up and forced us to be creative sometimes in spite of ourselves. What I mean by that is we tried to let the momentum of the song and the process dictate where we would go, nothing was forced. If something wasn't working we'd come at it from a different angle until we had what we were after. It is essentially a live record, no lead vocal overdubs or compiling of millions of takes, we just hit record and went with it. I think that's why I can still listen to it today and not feel like cringing, because we just went for it unapologetically.

Gian: What is your favorite song to play live off your new album and why?

Jeremy: Scar that never heals, which is the first track. It's a simple song, but really vocally demanding so you can't go halfway on it. I always put it in the first few songs of the set because if I'm feeling tired or lazy it forces me out of that state of mind and sets the pace for the rest of the show. And it's heavy on kick drum and shakers, which is the sonic equivalent of espresso. Espresso for the soul, that could be a book for Oprah's club.

Gian: So is it safe to say that you might be planning a US tour sometime soon?

Jeremy: Yeah, in September I'm touring the midwest and westcoast with a great Canadian band called The Weakerthans, and The Last Town Chorus. I'm off overseas after that until the end of the year, but starting in 2008 I will go every place in America that will have me.

Gian: After listening to your music, I get this feeling like it's a throwback to the 60's, 70's era of rock where music sounded free and uninhibited. What do you think is the biggest contribution to the sound of your music sounding like something that came from that era of rock?

Jeremy: My guitar is a 1947 Gibson LG-2, and when I got that thing it really changed my life. I still get excited to play it live because it is such a bad mutherfucker full of evil soul-sold mojo. I already have a tendency toward 60s folk revival stuff and the music it inspired so I think once I threw that instrument into the signal path we just let it be the benchmark by which we measured all the other sounds. Back in the 20s and 30s guys and girls would play those little guitars in juke joints and get everybody dancing, they must have smacked the hell out of them. So that's how I play mine, even when I'm running through a massive sound system.

Gian: You just got signed to Wind-up Records, how's the relationship coming along and how did this all happen?

Jeremy: It's great, you know we're just getting started but it feels like a big family - and in essence it is the mom and pop shop of record labels. That's most important for me, and that's how I started out with my manager, we're like brothers. I know when people hear that I'm signed to Wind-up it seems like a strange fit because of their mainly hard-rock roster, but that's what's most exciting about it for all of us. It gives them a chance to break new ground as a company and be creative in every facet of what goes into promoting and marketing a record. With the state of the record business that's so important and maybe it allows me to be more involved in the process. As for how I got involved with them, it came about through a few channels all meeting together. My manager had a relationship with them because of another act he works with, so he was pitching their music to the A&R department. A friend of mine who works for Wind-Up Canada had mentioned my music to them and then one day YouTube featured my video for Cigarette on their front page - which I guess alot of people look at. That last detail made alot of A&R reps seek out my manager but in my gut I felt like Wind-up was the place to be so from there it moved pretty quickly from holding hands to having a baby together.

Gian: I love your philosophy man, how you use metaphors, how you play with the words in your lyrics and how you make light of an issue in your own way, has it always been this easy for you to make music or did you gradually ease into becoming a singer/songwriter through the years?

Jeremy: Thanks for the compliment, I guess making it look easy is the idea. Sometimes it feels easy and those are my lucky days, but most of the time I have to work hard at it like any other job. The easy part is that I love doing it, so I'm fortunate to have such a fun thing to work hard at.

Gian: Alright let's see, you rode a bike through your last tour, you've been in a lot of places here and there….Is there a story, incident or moment that stays with you always?

Jeremy: I once stayed with a Spy from WWII on a little Gulf Island up in British Columbia. He was originally French, but was an agent for England who had to pretend to be German in the war. He had a million stories, and even a couple books on espionage that mentioned him but didn't know where he ended up. I found him walking his dogs in a park by the ocean. When I was touring by bike it seemed like a met an interesting person like that every day, but he definitely stands out.

Gian: Now I read on your website that you played solo for a while. How do you think playing solo has helped your music and your musical stance?

Jeremy: Learning to pull off a show all by myself is one of the hardest things I've aspired to do in my life and I feel like I'm still improving. I can't recall a moment when I've felt like I really know what I'm doing, but there are certainly milestones. I'll get to a place where I have about 5 amazing shows in a row and I feel like I've arrived and have a handle on it, but then the next one will be really tough and I have to pay close attention to what will make me better. It requires constant attention, and I'm grateful for that because it prevents me from turning into an 'act', and I'm a crappy actor so I know that wouldn't fly. It requires me to write songs that will stand up on their own with an acoustic guitar and I'm told that is the yard stick for measuring good songs. I believe that too, if you need a drum machine, a protools engineer and a Kool and the Gang sample, chances are your song blows and you're just riding the coattails of somebody else's success. On the other hand, that can be a good way to make money I bet.

Gian: Your video for "Cigarette" is absolutely fantastic and has had an overwhelming response. Are you planning to shoot a new video and if so, can we get a hint as to which song that may be?

Jeremy: I've been working on a couple more ideas, but I can't say which song yet because I never know what's going to happen until I start moving stuff around on the camera. The videos are kind of like little shorts, and the songs are soundtracks so they become secondary to the visuals believe it or not. Obviously in the case of Cigarette there was a bit of a concept with the model cigarette, but maybe that only made it easier for me to pick the backing track.

Gian: Alright Jeremy, If I was to come to your hometown of Victoria, BC Canada, where would I go for a good time?

Jeremy: For a day? We would start with a cup of coffee at the Spiral Cafe in Vic West, buy a couple cruiser bicycles at North Park Bike Shop, hit the beach to watch some kiteboarders in the afternoon, Stop in at Rebar for a nice vegetarian dinner and then head over to Logan's Pub to see some great live music - maybe we'd be lucky enough to catch Immaculate Machine but they're probably too popular to play there anymore.

Gian: Speaking of a good time, what do you consider to be a good time?

Jeremy: Time is not good or bad, timelessness is the way. There is no good and there is no bad grasshoppa, there is only now and it is certainly happening so enjoy it.

Gian: Jeremy Fisher loves ___________.

Jeremy: You

Gian: Thanks Jeremy!

Make sure to pick up a copy of "Goodbye Blue Monday," out now on Wind-up Records! Jeremy Fisher is also out on tour now supporting his latest relase, check on jeremyfishermusic.com or www.myspace.com/jeremyfisher for more info!