Interviews: The Joy Formidable

Mark: So Hi! I love Austere – what’s the inspiration behind the song?

TJF (Ritzy): It’s kind of autobiographical in a way, it was written in Wales when we were on the cusp of what we are doing now. We were messing around trying to see how high we could go which is pretty fuckin scary.

TJF: (Ryhdian) Someone asked us this before…we sort of had the bare bones down and I was reading some Oscar Wilde at the time. It kinda of doesn’t come from one thing it’s an amalgamation of things. The austerity thing you were talking about me is that right? Theres a bit of our relationship bit of everything really…

Mark: There’s a lot of Oscar Wilde and things of that sort of vein in the video dont you think?

TJF: Yea, yea it’s quite Dickensian, Victorian if you like. It’s all homegrown with friends and stuff.

Mark: I really like it.

TJF: We wanted to have control over it basically the song is sort of surreal and we wanted that to come over in the video as well. It’s kind of dark as well.

Mark: So we were chatting off the record about who we wanna see this weekend and I see White Lies in your top friends on Myspace. Do you know them? I really like them?

TJF: No but I really like what I have heard of them although I dont know much about them. Saw them on Jools Holland, kind of changes your perspective on a band when you see them on a show like that.

Mark: Who are you looking forward to seeing this weekend then?

TJF: We are looking forward to seeing Glasvegas! To be honest, it’s got a great line up. There is shit loads to see.

Mark: I’m going way off beam, but isn’t it great here?

TJF: Yea it’s so relaxed much more so than the bigger festivals.

[After a ten minute chat about bands and stuff we finally got back to the task in hand!!!]

Mark: So how do you feel it went today in the Sunrise Arena?

TJF: It was great! A large receptive crowd, perfect time and perfect stage.

Mark: It’s a good time you know, 11.45 am. None of the big stages are running and people are hungry for it.

TJF: It did feel really special today. There were a couple in the woods not sure what they were doing but it was interesting nonetheless!!!

Mark: I saw you live at Norwich Arts Centre when you did the Kabeedies single launch and you played the skins tour at UEA the same night. How mad was that!?

TJF: We didnt want to let either down and the tour came up a lot later than the Kabeedies show. We are real sticklers for doing what we have agreed to. Was a bit of a rush about but think it all kind of worked.

Mark: So whats next for TJF?

TJF: The single comes out next month so we are building some stuff around that and putting out another release before the year is out.

Mark: That’s Austere right? Sorry it’s just sometimes I get stuff so early before release dates I have to double-check.

TJF: Yea that’s right. It kind of has been around for a while but we try to make our stuff accesible for download. The release is really just a physical thing. We do a lot of our own artwork and we like to give something that people want to keep. It’s like presenting an ethic with the whole thing.

Mark: So what is the ethic then?

TJF: The ethic is not to take ourselves too seriously and have fun I guess, think our artwork compliments the music I hope. I think our music is quite evocative and emotional whatever the emotion might be. I think there is a lot of hope in it. For us as well it’s about being really honest not all about just being professional.

Mark: So if you were to make a mix tape for our readers what would the first three tracks be?

TJF: We have been doing our own club night in London so we have actually been making mixtapes and handing them out to people. We are mad on mixtapes! The first track would be Lipstick Vogue – Elvis Costello. There is a Maps track we really love from the first album but we can never remember the title. We are loving Fleet Foxes as well.

Mark: Yeah, I’m loving them as well, think they are a pretty universal favourite amongst my more illustrious peers on the site!!!

TJF: (Geraldine) Glasvegas, that would have to be on there I think. It’s all been stated but James Allen writes great lyrics more like a poem. It’s not far off to our approach really.

Mark: So lyrics then build a song around it?

TJF: (Ritzy) I put a lot of emphasis on lyrics to be honest the melody comes second.

Mark: That’s the way it is for me – the lyrics are the be-all and end-all of things for me.

TJF: (Ritzy) Talking about music is a whole language in itself. I just want to get in get things done when I get any idea.

Mark: Yeah, I know I dont understand the technicalities when people go on about like math rock and Foals and so many beats to a bar. This clever stuff, I’m like fuck what it is how does it sound.

TJF: (Rhydian) The art to a great song I think is even if it’s complicated if it comes over simple you have cracked it when it sounds as if it’s just trying to be clever and sometimes that doesn’t work.

Mark: Who are the major influences on your music?

TJF: (Ritzy) Costello for me without a shadow of doubt, he never misses the lyrical point and his songs are powerful musically as well. Also a lot of Motown and sixties soul, Roy Orbison.

Mark: So thats the lyrical side taken care of that would kind of be me all over. Rhydian how about musically?

TJF: (Rhydian) Lot’s of visual stuff (I actually lost the list of filmakers he gave me apologies all round), musically I grew up on Hendrix although I wouldn’t say we sound anything like him, but the flamboyant side. Ritzy grew up around a lot of music, her dad has the biggest LP collection I have ever seen.

Mark: Thanks so much for taking the time out this is has been a real pleasure! So my last question is there something you can tell us we cant find on Google?

TJF: Justin used to do stand-up and Ritzy likes to rehearse in the dark.

Mark: Lets switch off this machine or we will be here all night!!!!

Since this interview ‘Austere’ has made the rebel playlist on BBC6 music, beating the likes of Biffy Clyro. The band are also booked to be in the 6music Hub Session on the morning show. The Joy Formidable are another one of my tips to watch in 2008/09, many thanks to the band for giving such a fun interview. The version you have is slightly shortened as we went off on some crazy tangents.

Tags: the joy formidable