Audioengine has entered a time machine, and our first trip is back to the 70’s. At least that’s what it will feel like when you hear our New Pick, Family Jools. This UK based band is adamant on making you dance or at least bop your head, with sounds that take you back to the “golden” age of pop-rock. We had the pleasure of sitting down with them and finding out what it takes to bring back something so familiar, yet so funky and fresh!
A Second Wind
Originally formed in 2016, George Sims recently reunited the band after moving to Manchester, recruiting Stan Tomkinson on drums, James Brogan on bass, and Josh Richardson on guitar. Together they’ve seen a resurgence in their passion to make hits and perform with shows coming up in both Dublin and Manchester. Talking to George, it was obvious to us that his drive to create music comes from a deeper place.
“It’s definitely an outlet to express feelings, both positive and negative.” A feeling familiar with anyone who’s tried to write lyrics on a pad before. “Sometimes I just have an attitude I need to channel, other times I’m feeling blue. It’s an energy thing for me.” It’s powerful to be able to express your feelings and channel your energy into music that clearly translates that level of emotion as Family Jools does.
Classic Roots
While listening to their tracks “Everybody Wants To Be A Star” and “Ain’t No Place For You” the blues inspiration starts to show heavily mixed with the 70’s pop-rock soundscape. It isn’t a surprise that when I asked who their biggest inspirations were as artists, they answered simply, “Stevie Wonder. Prince. John Lennon.” Family Jools captures the essence of these legends perfectly and still manages to create music that is undeniably original.
As for any sort of modern inspiration, George believes that there might be a full circle going on. “I do draw modern inspiration, but usually it’s modern artists that are also heavily influenced by older music! I’m not up to date with the newest music; I just like what I like.”
De-Mystifying the Funk
Sometimes music as funky and groovy as “Reaching” might seem like a mystery to make, but they helped solve it by letting us in on the process. “Sometimes I will write a song in a more traditional sense on the piano or acoustic guitar, chords, lyric and melody.” These musicians make it seem simple, but they didn’t stop there. “Other times I will make a ‘beat’ for lack of a better term, often I will start with a musical idea and build it up from there! More often than not I start with a baseline then build up more musical ideas; I usually refer to this as a ‘track’ as opposed to the more traditional ‘song’ that I feel comes from a different place.”
Love and Duct Tape
For any aspiring artists out there, Family Jools wants to make it clear that there’s no wrong way to get started, “Do it because you love it”. We fully agree, it doesn’t matter how you start making music, if it feels right and you’re making something you love. You don’t need to start with the best gear, a professional studio, and a record label, and Family Jools didn’t. We asked if they remembered what their first recording setup was like. “My earliest music setup was a line 6 Pod! It had one Line in and one mic input! And a knock off SM58, I didn’t even have a mic stand at first, so a lot of duct tape was involved! I was running my mic directly into Audacity. Shortly after I managed to get my hands on a Mac, I was able to use GarageBand.” Obviously getting the music recorded was important enough to go through a lot of struggle and duct tape rolls.
So what does music mean to them? “It’s a love hate relationship at times! High highs and low lows! But music has always been in my life and always will be.” It’s understandable when you create something so close and personal for it to be full of conflicting emotions, but Family Jools quicky brought it into what the high highs mean to them, and it happens to be Texas!
Deep In the Heart
“My Favorite place that I have performed so far has to be Austin Texas, USA. I just feel our music clicked with the city; the warmth and energy we received from the crowd was undeniable.” With Audioengine being born and raised in the Lone Star State, this was exciting to hear. A 70’s funk band out of Manchester UK couldn’t deny that the live scene in Austin has the best energy!? We await your return with open arms Family Jools!
This dream might not be too farfetched as they’ve expressed their love for touring. “I love touring for the shows but honestly the moments that stick with me the most, are the times of uncertainty, traveling in a completely unfamiliar land. The random events and pokey hotel rooms are a highlight for me!”
Family Jools has never been afraid to follow their heart, whether that meant rebuilding the band in Manchester or chasing the rush of a crowd in the unfamiliar lands of Austin Texas. That same passion drives their new single, “How’d You Like That?”, a track that’s a bit rockier and leans further into grit than familiar listeners might expect. Recorded at the Motor Museum Studio in Liverpool alongside producer Al Groves, the song pushes their sound into edgier territory while keeping the groove and melody that define them.
Listen to their new single now:
Follow their socials for news on new releases and touring dates:
