Since the release of her first single Black Heart Rum, Australian born Eliza Jaye has made quite a name for herself, with an already expanding fan base and newly released single Big Tin Heart generating more response; we caught up with Eliza herself to discuss album plans, animation and the inspiration behind this talented singer's unique music.
R13:So firstly, your single Big Tin Heart is set for release on June 4; I can imagine these are exciting times for you?
EJ:Yes exciting times! We have a new bass player, have just filmed our first music video & we have some exciting gigs coming up.
R13:You're going on to launch it at The Hydrant in Brighton, on June 8 supporting The Ramonas; have you ever played with them before and how successful do you think the night will be?
EJ:We've not played with them before but I think it will be a really successful night. The Ramona's have not played Brighton for a couple of years now & have quite a following. It's great to be on a bill with an all girl line up.
R13:Your debut single Black Heart Rum was released back in September last year, having had a fair amount of plays on Soundcloud and being played out by Steve Lamacq and Tom Robinson, 2011 must have been a pretty good year for you guys?
EJ:We were really pleased with how the Black Heart Rum single went down. We had a great response from radio & people seemed to really like it.
R13:What inspired the theme for the music video of Black Heart Rum?
EJ:The animation for Black Heart Rum was done by Plume Animation. He was living in Switzerland at the time working at a ski lodge in winter & as an animator in the off season. He interpreted the theme of the song & put together a storyboard. It was a situation where I said to him 'Hey I really love what you do' and gave him pretty much complete creative license. He is a super creative guy.
R13:You have an album titled The Seed coming out later this year in October, seeing how much positive response your singles got; how well do you think this will be accepted by fans?
EJ:I think people are excited to hear more. The album is full of potential singles & really strong tracks. With lots of people liking us on fb & twitter now it feels like there is a buzz building & excitement from fans.
R13:In your child years, you trained as a classical violinist; have you ever considered bringing that in to your current music, or any other instruments for that matter?
EJ:There is violin all over the album! I originally moved to the UK so I could record an album with my sister Anna McInerney. She co-arranged the strings on the first Bat For Lashes album. Anna has moved back to Australia recently & our sound has evolved to accommodate that. We go out as a three piece now which has its own magic.
R13:You're labelled as an Indie band, would you agree on terms of genre?
EJ: It's really difficult to label oneself. I have such a broad range of influences which all pop out in the music. If I was to pick a label I would say it is blues rock punk folk. Umm...does that make it Alternative??
R13:You relocated from Australia while you were still quite young, what sparked the decision to settle in Brighton?
EJ:I originally landed in London. It was a difficult time for me & the big city was not helping. My friend came over from Australia & took me to Brighton one day. It made me feel relaxed, I found some great friends & made myself at home thank you very much...
R13:Do you feel that Brighton is an ideal homing ground for musicians?
EJ:Brighton is a fantastic place to live, there is just so much going on all the time. The bar for musicians is high throughout the UK & to cut ones teeth here is a privilege. I have met incredible musicians, made wonderful friends & it is lovely being by the sea.
R13:You're influenced by a mix of Rock, Blues, Folk and Punk, which band or musician would you say has been the strongest?
EJ:Patti Smith
R13:I see you did the 12 hour Jamathon which is in aid of Cancer Research, are there any other charitable events you're keen on doing?
EJ:We are keen to play Brightona this year. It is a free motorbike festival on Brighton sea front in October. It has thousands of people attend each year. They raise funds for medical equipment for hospitals & have already raised 123 000 pound.
R13:What are your thoughts on Great Escape Festival and have you got any slots lined up for festivals this summer?
EJ:I am keen to play TGE next year. I volunteered for the festival last year & had an amazing time. It really is inspiring to be in the hub of so much breaking talent. Listen, watch and learn!
R13:Do you have any other plans for the rest of this year?
EJ:We are about to release our very first music video for our new single 'Big Tin Heart'. All my favourite bands were on The Old Grey Whistle Test & I wished that I could be on it. We have recreated live footage of us playing so it looks like we were on the show. We are going back into the studio to record our next single in the coming weeks. It will be out in October just before our album release followed by another single.
Looking forward to playing Arundel festival and planning a tour of Europe.