Check out our chat with JAWS THE SHARK ahead of his new self-titled EP!
S] Hey mate, how are you doing today?
I’m doing pretty good. Currently writing to you from Hamburg as it happens. Spent probably too much time and money on the Reeperbahn last night if I’m honest, but if you’ve ever been, you know it’s easily done. If you haven’t been….definitely go.
S] What does success mean to you as an artist?
I’ll tell you when I get it! I was just happy to have my music out on vinyl to be honest! To get my hands on something physical that I had created. That kind of felt like a successful point to me. The fact that anyone cared enough to want to have it made and released in the first place.
I suppose everyone’s idea of what success means is different, but to me, when I look back on what has happened since I started this, I could consider that a success. I’ve never doubted that I’d get there at some point, because I do genuinely believe in what I’m doing, but I want my goals to gradually get larger, with each new step of the ladder. I’m shooting for the stars, I may not get there, but I’m pointing in the right direction at least!
S] What about as a person?
I suppose if we’re honest it would come down to having some cold, hard, disposable cash! I’ve lived in London for quite a long time now, and i’ve always had to struggle just to survive, to be honest. I’ve been through patches where it’s been 20p noodles for breakfast, lunch and dinner, if I was lucky! Although, I do have some of my favourite memories from those times to be honest. When I’m able to walk into one of the vintage guitar shops on Denmark street and blow 6k on a guitar, that’s when i know I’ll have made it!
S] Do you think much about your legacy as a musician?
Not really, I suppose when you’re in the moment it’s quite hard to look back on things and appreciate them, because you’re always just moving forward and on to the next thing. Maybe one day when i’ve got a few more miles under my belt, I’ll be able to look back and feel proud of what I’ve managed to achieve. But I don’t really think much more about it than that.
S] What would you say your mission statement is as an artist and has that changed over time?
Always just to have fun and do what it is that you want to do. The moment I start to dislike anything or it feels like it’s become a chore to do, I stop doing it. That’s just how I live, whether that’s with a job, a relationship or whatever else. Life is way too short to have a shit time, and we only get one go at it.
S] What have you learned about yourself through the music that you’ve made, from the start, to now?
I’ve always been a hard worker and I’m not shy of pulling up my sleeves and getting stuck in, but being a musician is seriously hard, it works you to the bone and you don’t get a lot in return, a lot of the time. It’s a labour of love. But I’ve learned just how important music really is to me. If I’m unhappy I write, if i’m happy I write, it’s just my go to for everything and for expressing myself really. Literally, I have no idea what I’d be doing if I didn’t have it.
S] How are you looking forward to getting the EP out there?
Really excited, it’s pretty much there now, three out of the four tracks have been released. The last one to come out is quite different to what people have come to expect from me really. It’s more of a song song, if that makes sense. It’s got a cool melody and more than a couple of guitar chords for once!
Plus, I wrote it about someone that means a whole lot to me, so hopefully that can translate to everyone else when they hear it and they can relate to it in some way.
S] What were some of the best moments you had recording it?
Just hearing all of my demos blossom into big beautiful bangers really! I loved leaving at night and then coming back into the studio the next morning and listening back to what we’d done the previous day with a fresh set of ears. Just being really excited by how massive they sounded.
S] Is there anything else you’d like to plug?
This EP is out in November, I’m also on tour with Deaf Havana who are all lovely, so looking forward to that. I’m having some new merch made up for that as we speak. Buy it because it’s sick! That’s about it from me for now though. Until the next one.
