Four scruffy (in a cool indie way) boys rocked up to have a chat about music. It all started with a nice cup of tea as they talked of how they all came to be here, in London, tonight.
The Jude originate from all over the place, each of them leaving their hometown to come to London to join the music scene and do what they love - which simply is to make music. Originally, frontman Gav Duffy met guitarist Lewis Parker in a band that folded; they stayed together and were joined by Dean Meekings on bass and Liam Sinnot on drums. The foursome deciding this was the right mix and it's one that will surely see them achieve their aim of being part of a new wave of British indie rock.
And indeed they think the time is ripe for a change. Each of them expressed their disappointment in the current scene, while at the same time talking of a few bands here and there that have caught their eye. Gav would like nothing more than to see a number of British bands show their talent, get their music out and have an impact; and he wants The Jude to be a part of that.
All four have a strong opinon of what results in high quality music, and it's not, to paraphrase Dean & Liam, super polished, shiny, souless records. It's about working hard and staying true to your passion and The Jude plan on doing just that. This ethos is what lead them to their band name, which is a reference to St Jude. He is the patron saint of lost causes, the champion of the underdog and the band see themselves as fitting that mould. They want to keep the idea of being the underdog; of having to work hard and constantly push themselves to reach the next goal, without compromising their convictions.
Which is one reason they're out there connecting with fans, both at gigs and online. The buzz is growing with people from all over the UK and indeed the world getting in touch and connecting with their music. One way that they're doing this is through Pledge Music, where they can let fans be a part of what they create and, as Liam stresses, this is a good thing!
So, to the big question, what do The Jude sound like? Well, we'd call it Brit indie punk/rock... but they call it 'Vicious Skiffle'. Coined by Lewis it is a great description of their punchy upbeat sound for which they've been garnering rave reviews. Forming a couple of years back, they settled into their sound and last year headlined the Kings of Leon aftershow party as well as hitting the festival scene with sets at Standon Calling, Relentless Boardmasters and City Showcase London, where they played to excited crowds and connected with other strong up and coming bands. They continue the festival trend this year with an invitation to join Badly Drawn Boy, Black Lips & Detoriot Social Club at the Friends of Mine Festival on May 21st.
2011 is all about getting things happening, they've a few other shows confirmed and are currently working on plans for more festivals as well as a possible National tour - or even, maybe, a European one. Alongside this they're planning to spend a day in the studio recording all their ideas to see how they come out, with the main aim being another single or even an EP towards the end of the year.
But first, they're releasing their single 'Ha Ha Goodbye' on April 25th, with a single launch party at Proud Galleries in Camden on the 21st. It'll be available through iTunes, Amazon MP3 and Spotify and, in their words, it's upbeat, it's fun and it aims to get you moving.
By now the tea has progressed to red wine and the boys are heading off on a tanget about how to keep your sound fresh when you've been around for 10 or so years, so it's time to end the chat. The Jude are intelligent, passionate musicians who just want to make music that people love, and judging by their attitudes today, they're going to do just that.