The records that made me
The story behind “Be Mine”
Wanted to pull together a list of all the records / artists that really shaped me as a songwriter. There are a lot, but these are the core ones:
Nick Drake - there was a period of three years where i basically only played nick drake and elliott smith, obsession to say the least. Fave songs River Man, Things Behind the Sun, when the strings come in during River Man, oh man, it wrecks me.
Elliott Smith - I can't really listen to Either / Or or XO (or any Elliott Smith) at this point cuz i've just run the songs into the ground and also it reminds me of a rather difficult time in my life, so that double whammy prevents me, as much as I want to from revisiting him. When he died, he was the only person I haven't known personally that I cried over.
Sunny Day Real Estate - arguably had a bigger influence on my songwriting than any other band. Or rather they came along at a time when i was learning how to write songs and shape my own sound. They showed me how to push the boundaries and just focus on what hits you in the gut.
Radiohead - Kid A was a huge record for me. I remember being out on tour and listening to that record as the sun was coming up, driving through Oklahoma or Kansas, and just feeling insanely overwhelmed by the combination of the music and the orange sky.
Massive Attack - the dark soundscapes had a big influence. The Mezzanine record, especially the song Angel that kicks off the record, had this strange slow draw... and the way it builds... damn.
Pet Sounds - As far as songwriting perfection (emotional songwriting), this is up there. There are certain songs that kill me. Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder) is so beautiful. And the harmonies... immaculate.
Love, J. xx
THE STORY OF “BE MINE”
The story behind “Be Mine”
Hey, a few thoughts about the making of Be Mine. The root of this song was a voice note. I hadn’t veered into this kind of noir soul territory before, but you gotta go where the songs lead you and keep pushing. I don’t wanna say what the tune is about, as that’s up to the listener, but let’s just say it’s extremely personal.
Part of the excitement of working on this tune was collaborating with one of my favorite drummers of all time, Matt Johnson. He played on Jeff Buckley’s GRACE, a record that meant a lot to me. I’d always admired his tasteful style. He knows just what to play and when.
Anyway, he lives in Texas and recorded everything remotely. When I got his work back, I was pretty knocked out. It sounded fucking great. When I recorded my guitars and voice to his tracks, let’s just say it was a trippy, out-of-body experience.
I feel very lucky.
I did my vocal sessions late at night or in the predawn hours when the Cricklewood noise had died down.
Cool thing is, Matt has contributed drums for another track I’m in the process of tracking vocals for. Can’t wait for you to hear it, a sprawling ballad.
Love, J. xx
Listen to Be Mine on Spotify, Apple Music, and everywhere else.
RIP Oz 🖤
I’ve only just found the words.
I was at the final Sabbath/Ozzy show in Birmingham at Villa Park last month. And fuck. What a show. Like walking into a dream. Singing the words back to Oz as he gave it his all… it was moving in a way I can’t fully explain. He killed it. Everyone in that place wanted him to feel how much he was loved. A true privilege to be there.
Gojira tearing it up. Steven Tyler on Whole Lotta Love. Yungblud ripping Changes. Twelve full hours of chills.
Then came the news. Which, in the context of just having seen him, floored me. Ozzy scared the shit out of me as a kid, in the best way. He was one of those who opened me up to the freedom of rock ’n’ roll.
Just adding another drop of love to the sea of affection for him. RIP Oz. 🖤 J.
The story behind “lover”
Out July 10
This one came out of nowhere, pretty much writing itself in an instant. It’s one of the simplest things I’ve written.
I wrote it as a Christmas gift last year. Never intended to release it, just recorded it raw, sitting on the edge of my bed, vocals tracked straight into a Shure 58.
“Lover” is out now. Listen on Spotify or the Listen page.
xx
J.
Inside the recording of the Better Man EP
The Better Man EP was recorded at Secret Hand Studios, and in my old L.A. apartment, with overdubs tracked in various derelict London hotels. With special thanks to Just for the Record Studios, Sun Valley, CA.
Performers:
Jesper - Vocals, guitars
Jeff Friedl (A Perfect Circle, Eagles of Death Metal, The Beta Machine) - Drums, percussion
Notes on the recording:
As the Diamond Meadows Better Man EP is my first multi-song release in a long time, I wanted to consciously push away from what I’d done before.
With lyrics, for example, I tried to make them as direct as possible, rather than hiding behind obliqueness—you get to a certain age where you want to shed all your armor and connect with people in the most open way.
There are some lyrics in which I dive into ambiguity and allusions but that’s just because some songs just work better with suggested meanings, with painting pictures, and so on.
Or maybe that’s just my excuse in my fear of leaving myself too open. xx J.