So how is it going so far?
It’s only just started, we’ve been to Belfast, Dublin, Manchester, Glasgow and it gets better each time. You get more confident as it goes along, I think that’s the case with all bands on tour.
And everyone gets on really well?
Yeah, it’s good ‘coz all the bands’ music is really different but we all get along great.
Any sneaky antics backstage?
No, we’re not very rock and roll.
So, you have a Panda in the band (the bassist) and Bummer Jong (the drummer), what’s with the dodgy names?
Well our bassist resembles a Panda, that sounds harsh, but he does! Bummer was always called that, just one of those things.
And the band name?
I don’t even know where it came from; it just sounds like a fun name. It’s better than being called The Shins or something!
So Joe Lean was in The Pipettes?
Yeah but he left, my sister was in the band too but she’s left now!
Why’s everyone leaving The Pipettes?!
I don’t know! They both just wanted to do their own thing, Joe Lean does this and my sister writes and records songs too.
You have quite the musical family?
Yeah actually, my dad’s a musician so we just kind of did the same.
The band are based in London, do you have a big following there?
I’m from Brighton but yes the band is based in London, there’s a lot more going on there. We don’t really have a big London following though. We haven’t done that many shows there, we play more up North! It seems in London and Brighton people are more cynical whereas up North people just want to have fun, I seem get on with Northerners more! We got put on tours quite quickly, they’re great for seeing new places, we’ve been to Paris too, and are heading to the US for SXSW.
How would you describe Joe Lean and the JJJs musically?
Difficult question! I guess it’s on the boundaries of what you’d call indie pop but we’re trying to push it as far as we can. Sort of new-edgy. I think we’re getting better and more unique as we go along, I don’t think we’ve achieved our full potential yet. We’ve recorded our album and it’s a really good pop record, but the stuff we’ve been writing recently is quite different. The album is great because it captured us at a band when we were in those early stages, like a snap shot. B-sides are a really good way to keep getting new stuff out there as well as that.
And how would you describe yourselves as a live act?
I think that’s where we come into our own, it’s really exciting, and obviously the more we play the better we get.
Do you prefer playing the bigger venues or the smaller ones?
We played a headline tour and played some pubs. Sometimes the crowd can be shit at a big venue; at smaller ones you can tell when they’re having a good time and when we sound good too.
Festivals this year?
All of them! I don’t know, no one tells me till a few days before...
You’ve not been together for long and have become popular quite quickly, do you think the internet has helped?
We’ve been together only just over a year. It’s really strange how it’s happened, we’re just lucky. Obviously the internet helps, but every band has a myspace page now. It’s a combination of everything.
Could you see yourself doing anything else?
No I’m useless! This is great ‘coz everything gets sorted out for you and I get to play guitar, it’s the only skill I have!
Joe Lean appeared in Peep Show?
Yeah, he doesn’t see himself as an actor though; I think he did it for the money. It’s quite boring waiting around on a set, even for music videos.
How do you all know each other?
Mostly from college and hanging out. We just started playing guitar together, and Joe used to go out with my sister.
Finally, hopes for 2008?
Just to carry on, the album comes out in May, I really like it. Loads more shows to play, new music coming out all the time and promising things to come, so I hope it works out!
Marzena Dabrowska
