“Music is always an escape, you know? That’s what it is. It’s the best way to go into your own world and really just shut everything off and get away from what’s actually happening.”
Jake Bugg is as far from your run-of-the-mill teenager as you’ll get. At 19, he’s been nominated for a BRIT Award, written and released two best-selling records, worked with Rick Rubin, and supported The Rolling Stones. Do you feel inadequate yet?
Interviews with Bugg, born Jacob Edwin Kennedy, speak of his amazing success despite being so young, and his maturity for someone with such little life experience. But Bugg isn’t just a kid who happens to be a successful musician.
Despite his sudden rise to success, he calls the shots for himself, and his self-assuredness and professionalism rival even the most seasoned adult performers.
From a fellow member of Generation Y, however, the question is not how he’s achieved so much so young. What’s more important is how Bugg feels being the odd one out – the ‘young one’ – in an industry full of influential adults.
“I mean, I’ve definitely had to grow up a lot very fast. I’d never been out of England before this music thing, and now I’m travelling the world playing music. It is always hard to be away from your family and friends, but I really can’t complain!”
When speaking of the media’s tendency to focus on Bugg’s age and his quick rise to success, the musician is surprisingly understanding for someone who appears quite headstrong.
“I mean, it does happen – I always get asked about it, but it’s going to happen, you know. I guess because that is something different, the media notices it.”
“…I left school to just write songs. It kept me out of trouble, definitely!”From his roots in Clifton, a council estate in Nottingham, England, Bugg has shot to international fame in less than two years. His songs are largely anecdotal, often telling stories of things he’s seen living in a rough area.
“Music got me out of that, I suppose. I would be spending all of my time inside playing, then I left school to just write songs. It kept me out of trouble, definitely!”
Bugg’s eponymous first record is evidently straight from those experiences, with its raw simplicity reflecting the young musician’s background perfectly. His second album Shangri La, however, released in 2013 and produced by music legend Rick Rubin, is darker – full of layers and little nuances that you rediscover with each listen.
“I definitely wanted to make it more like that, yeah. Working with Rick was amazing. He’s so great, and recording almost felt like a little holiday for me. The studio is so beautiful, the sun was shining, and you could see the Pacific Ocean and Zuma Beach. The last album was just recorded all over England; a lot of the songs were demos, so it’s definitely been different.”
“I think, too, the last album was about things that my friends back home were going through, you know, they could relate to them – and this time, I’m doing things that not a lot of people get to experience, so it can be hard to explain it to people and I just lock it up. My way to express that now is through my music, I think.”
Bugg really is just all about the music, a fact that’s especially evident upon hearing that he doesn’t read any press or interviews with himself. Therefore, the comparisons he receives to acts like Oasis and, increasingly, the Arctic Monkeys go unnoticed.
From an observer’s point of view, it seems there’s some sort of archetype with songwriters from the northern end of England being lumped together like that. Does being painted with that brush irk the singer-songwriter?
“People are always going to make comparisons, and I can see why, but at the same time, I think comparisons like that can be quite lazy. People always compare me to Bob Dylan, but for me, he’s not the only person who can write great songs, you know?”
Returning to Australia to play Bluesfest in April, with sideshows in Sydney and Melbourne, he says he’s excited for a bit of time off in Australia.
“I’m looking forward to having a bit of free time to go and see these places. Last time I was there [for Splendour In The Grass 2013] was so quick, and it’ll be nice to have a bit more time.”
As an avid football (soccer to us Down Under) fan and dedicated Nottingham County supporter, would Bugg consider heading down to an AFL match?
“Absolutely not! No way.”
“People always compare me to Bob Dylan, but for me, he’s not the only person who can write great songs”“Although for you Australians it seems to be all about cricket, innit? Whenever I see Australians, like if I’m in a lift with one, all they’ll talk to me about is the cricket. I suppose now that you’ve got the Ashes it happens more now, but you always give us shit about it!”
On tour, Bugg’s football addiction is kept fuelled by catching up on Nottingham County games, no matter where he is.
“I’ve also been reading a bit of Hemingway, he’s quite funny.”
As for music, the incredibly particular Bugg hasn’t found much in the way of outstanding records recently.
“Sorry! I wish I could have an album that I could listen to all the way through. But even the good ones who actually write their own songs, there are three or four songs on the album I like, and the rest aren’t good.”
It’s inevitable that a young male musician, particularly in the age of the Internet and social media, is going to attract a ‘fangirl’ base. The brooding Bugg is no different, but he says he doesn’t mind.
“I mean, it’s strange when you see people who are at your gigs maybe 10 nights in a row, but in the end they’re the ones who are supporting you and who are going to keep buying records, so I’m just grateful, actually.”
Ever humble and never forgetting his roots, Bugg’s stoicism and commitment solely to music as opposed to the ‘celebrity’ lifestyle is bona fide. Surely, though, there’s a bit of glory involved for him?
“Well, I’m not in it for the fame. I never have been, but I suppose getting noticed for something I love is a very good feeling, yeah.”
“But at the same time, if people like my music – great. If they don’t, I don’t really care, you know? I’m just living my dream.”
Jake Bugg Bluesfest 2014 Sideshows
with special guests The Creases and The Growl
Thurs 17 April – MELBOURNE – PALACE THEATRE
Sun 20 April – SYDNEY – ENMORE THEATRE
Wed 23 April – BRISBANE – THE HIFI
Tickets at secret-sounds.com.au
Bluesfest 2014 Dates & Tickets
25th Annual Byron Bay Bluesfest
Thursday 17th – Monday 21st April, 2014
All Single Day, Camping, Festival tickets are on sale now through www.bluesfest.com.au and Bluefest office on 02 6685 8310
Tickets are also available through Ticketmaster on www.ticketmaster.com.au
Bluesfest playing schedule is available on www.bluesfest.com.au
West Coast Blues N’ Roots 2014
Sunday 13th April, 2014
For more info visit www.westcoastbluesnroots.com.au
