Jingo are a transatlantic, alt-rock, four-piece formed in early 2013 by couple, Jack and Katie Buckett, and rhythm section, Joe Reeves and Chris Smith.

Jack and Joe met Katie, a painter and singer, in New York. Jack lured Katie back to a warehouse in East London, where they started the Cable Street Electric open mic night, which became a meeting place for all kinds of musicians. Then Jack and Katie got married. So did Joe. (Not to Chris.) Then they started Jingo. Their first show was supporting Graham Coxon of Blur. It’s basically a sweaty fairytale.

We met up with Katie at her favourite pie n' mash joint to feast on some good old fashioned East End soul food and chat about meteorological phenomenon's, Radiohead and why their last gig was busted by the NYPD, read on to find out more....

Please introduce the band and your music in one sentence....

Greetings young pilgrims, we are Jingo and we want to enter your heart through your ears.

You’re called Jingo, how did you come to choose this name?

Jingo is an underused word that describes almost everyone in one way or another.  Jingo is a person that blindly supports their ‘side’ to the death solely because it’s ‘their side’.  Sort of like a blind patriot.  I used to do some political cartoons when I was in college that I would sign with the pen name Jingo, Jack thought it sounded like a good name for the band.

We love the track ‘Sky Punch’, very haunting, what is the story behind the track?

A skypunch is a meteorological phenomenon.  This tune invites you to examine opposites and exceptions in order to keep your mind fa-fa-fa-fa-fresh.  The wisest know-it-alls realize they don’t know shit and have to always be re-educating their noggins, we’re not robots that just download information, we’ve got to form opinions about truth.  Did you know the Ultra Deep Field (our best, brightest picture of concentrated galaxies and cosmic loveliness) was taken because someone decided to point it at the darkest part of the sky? ..iz about dat kinda shit.

Which act/band made you want to get a band together?

I can’t speak for the boys, but probably Radiohead and The Commas which was an unknown band that doesn’t exist anymore who I lived with right after leaving college in Brooklyn.  I was solely a visual artist at the time, but there seemed to be something more romantic and profound about the collaborative spirit of a band.

In your opinion, what is the BEST album/record ever released and why?

In Rainbows, Radiohead.  I don’t speak for anyone but myself and yes I’m aware it’s not your favourite Radiohead album. 

You guys recently toured the U.S. what experiences did you have, any stories that you wish to share? 

We got to tour with our favourite Brooklyn band who happen to be our good friends and the most gentlemenly of beasts.  Our last gig was broken up by the NYPD doing a ‘routine’ electrical check.  We staged a sort of yoga-ohming protest and then moved to another venue, by then the anxious energy made for a really raucous last show not to mention being surrounded by amazing friends we hadn’t seen in too long.

I love the artwork for your album cover of ‘The Art of Loving’ who designed this?

Thanks, I did!  I’m also a full-time painter. (www.katiebuckettart.com)

Jack and Katie are married, can you tell us how Jack proposed or was it vice versa?

It was a whirlwind romance.  Jack’s band was living in my building in Bushwick Brooklyn where I ran an open mic.  When we couldn’t stand being away from each other, Jack suggested we just get married and I could move to England and live happily ever after.  He proposed at the top of his parents farm that looks over the countryside with his grandmother’s ring, he’s a keeper.

What classic song do you wish had written and why? 

White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane. We occasionally cover that song and its amazing how much goes in within 2 and a half minutes, how much of a journey it takes you on. We have changed it a little mind.

First gig you ever went to?

Weezer, I was sitting on a hill, it was great. That was Jack’s first ever gig too but before I met him and in a different place, different time.

What advice would you offer to an aspiring musician or a band concerning labels, touring

Work really hard, ask lots of questions and make friends with bands you respect.  We don’t have a label so I can’t really comment on that but I think these still apply.

and writing music?

Have a beer in the shower once in awhile.  Don’t limit your influences, take inspiration from everything, especially the common and mundane.  I like art that acts as a mirror for everything and everyone. 

You guys appear to be friends with the wonder Simonne of Simonne and the Darkstars, would there possible be a track featuring all of you at one stage? 

I think it’s just a matter of time before that happens.  We had a cancellation of a gig we were both set to play, but I’m sure we’ll rectify that situation soon.  Simonne is dreamy.

Where did you record your album, and what made you choose that studio?

Jack did most of the recording with the help of Ganesh who we met at Strongroom Studios where we recorded “When You Want Me” after winning the Made in Shoreditch competition.  We recorded the other songs in our own studio and got our tracks mastered at our neighbour’s studio called Soup Studios.  Jack really wanted to learn everything on his own and did it for the first time for this album, pretty impressive me thinks.

‘When You Want Me’ has that bass which drives the track, what was the process of making this track?

Jack bought me a harmonix vocal harmonizing pedal for Christmas and I wrote the general melody which is the bass riff on the piano and the vocals pretty much the day I got the pedal, I was really excited to add a new element to the voice.

Name three people (alive, dead or fictional) that you would like as dinner party guests?

Jeff Buckley
Johnny Cash
Huruki Murakami

There are many good bands and musicians out there, who would you ask the readers of musicmuso to look out for?

BRNS (Belgium)

Bailiff (Chicago)

NOT BLOOD PAINT (tour buddies)

Bird Courage (friends)

If you could describe your music in the form of a fictional character, who/what would it be?

Stitch from Lilo & Stitch

Do you think we can ever live in a world where a chicken can cross the road without having its motives questioned?

A chicken can never cross the road in Limehouse because Jack will eat it.

What are your plans for the remainder of 2014? 

Continue writing songs for our new album, plan our tours of Europe for 2015,  and drink lots of sloe gin.

 

We had just finished our pies and Katie was considering trying some jellied eels, we opted in the end for jelly and ice cream, which sounded a lot more appealing! Prior to letting her go on her way, we thought it only fair that we should run her through the quick fire questions, here's how we got on....

 

Coffee or Tea? Tea

 

Coke or Pepsi?  Coca Cola

 

Drum machine or the real deal? Real deal

 

Mac or PC?  Mac

 

Fry up or Sunday roast?  Roast

 

Lemmy (Motorhead) or Ozzy (Black Sabbath)?  Lemmy

 

CD or Vinyl?  Vinyl

 

Elvis or Frank Sinatra?  Elvis

 

Car or Motorbike?  Car

 

Acoustic or electric?  Electric

 

Shower or Bath?  Bath

 

Tattoos or Piercings?  I get my tattoos pierced.

 

Robert De Niro or Al Pacino?  Robert De Niro

 

God or Google?  Part and Parcel!

 

SOCIAL MEDIA

Bandcamp 
Soundcloud
Youtube
Twitter
Instagram

 

Jingo are set to play The Finsbury pub on November 21st, if you're in London, then get you asses down there and go check them out, tell them Steve from MusicMuso sent you!

 

We'd like to thank Katie for sparing her time to chat to us and we wish her all the best for the future, we're excited about hearing tracks from their new EP (Release date TBC)....

 

Interview by Mark Wincott