JESUS HOOLIGAN EXPOSED
Most punks instinctively turn their ears away from the humdrum mainstream popular noise and are drawn towards the new, creative and often avant garde sounds of lesser known artistes. And so it was with Jesus Hooligan, on the hairy face of it someone who would be more at home on the cover of a Jethro Tull album than looking out at you from the seldom seen punk section of a trendy Guardian review. Here is a solo artist and a band (both perform as Jesus Hooligan or Devilin Me) whose music is drawn from the percussion of a tractors engine or the clanking of chains and the mind of a tortured and, let's say 'forthright' suitor.
I decided to throw caution to the wind and sent a series of questions to his Suffolk homestead in an attempt at understanding what the prolific and rustically romantic Jesus Hooligan is all about.
Anyone new to the noisy tribal love songs can get in the mood with this track.
I decided to throw caution to the wind and sent a series of questions to his Suffolk homestead in an attempt at understanding what the prolific and rustically romantic Jesus Hooligan is all about.
Anyone new to the noisy tribal love songs can get in the mood with this track.
Here you are then, I gave Jesus Hooligan free rein, hope you get to know him a little better....
Are you alone right now
Nope, I’m sitting on the sofa with wife and the dog who is fast asleep on my lap
(said dog is often referred to as 'Wanker' in most social media posts)
Can you talk freely
Yep, I’m lucky I can talk freely and I do often, which in the past has caused me loads of problems
What are you wearing
I’m wearing a old Jesus Hooligan gig t shirt, as they are massive and comfortable and at the moment I need massive as I have a major lockdown body. Oh and a knackered pair of pyjama bottoms, as we are all having a sofa day binge watching Lillyhammer
Having realised that I had copied the first few questions from the nuisance caller handbook I reverted to a more relevant line of enquiry
What is the most useless talent you have
My most useless talent is being able too really piss off and annoy all my children’s mothers, it seems by just having the ability to breathe causes them untold amounts of displeasure
What first got you into music
I think being from an Irish background, music seemed to be always floating about somewhere. Be it from going to do’s at the Irish centre in London when we were little, or going to houses in Ireland, where people would usually be singing or something, it just seemed to be a natural thing
Where do you find it easiest to write your lyrics
From an early age, I was always working out songs in my head, like trying to get things to rhyme, or working out tunes, that would fit the words. I think I have a little bit of ocd or maybe a slight bit of madness, because I’m basically thinking of words or noises 24/7. I think I’ve just continued that, as I got older. I started some bands and that was good, because it seemed to get these words and noise out, that means there never really is a songwriting process, as I’m continuously writing or trying to create what is in my head. The problem is, not creating, the problem is not having the time to create what needs creating
How would you describe the music that you typically create
I call it Industrial folk Punk. I think my problem is, I’m not a musician, But I like noises, a lot of the tunes from my songs in the past have come from me singing along to machinery at work. I sometimes would just sing along to different tempos of a tractor or a cement mixer, drill or angle grinder and I’ve worked out albums of stuff like that. While recovering from one of my many illnesses, I had to have a few ultrasounds, and this would mean being stuck in a tube with different banging sounds going off, I managed to write two eps under the name of Devilin Me to those noises, (that’s where the industrial comes from). I suppose being able to form songs and poetry out of that is the folk and in my eyes punk should be the freedom to do whatever you want. That’s where Industrial Folk Punk comes from
If you could go open a show for any artist who would it be
If I had a choice opening a show for anyone, it would have to be Killing Joke. I admire them so much and their drummer Paul Ferguson, and one of their old drummers Martin Atkins are both masters at their craft
What would be your opening number
We always open with WomanGirlManBoy as it is a simple full on eargasm of noise that really introduces the audience to the way forward. The thing is, part of what I do is with complete crowd participation, as they play along with barrels or anything they can hit and that song usually gets them going
What are your favourite and least favourite venues
I don’t really have a least favourite venue, I like them all, I think my favourite venue is Club 85 in Hitchin, it’s just a great venue that is run by great people
Where would you like to perform
I actually like performing anywhere, the beauty of of what I do now is, it can be done at a large venue with a full on band and drum circle with up to 30 barrels, or it could be just me on my own in a small room with a chain. I think as I work all my songs originally out in my head, I can easily perform them on my own
What is your encore track
The final track is usually I met a woman, this always gets everyone singing as the chorus is just Yeah, Yeah, Yeah it always takes the roof off
Please complete. If I had a hammer…….
If I had a hammer, I would always be paid on time
Have you ever been asked about your name, where did it come from
Ha I’ve been often asked about the name, some people think it’s a dig at religion, it’s not, I don’t have any issues with religion, as long as you don’t try and force it on me. The name comes from two bands I was involved with in the past, one was a band called Godshatter, that’s the Jesus and the other was a band I was in the Lager Louts and that’s the Hooligan
I meant Stephen
What’s next for you
What’s next? I’m so lucky with what I do, I started Jesus Hooligan after I became ill with throat cancer many years ago. I found I was basically dropped by the guitarist in the band I was in as I was Ill. So I thought I would just do recordings as and when my health would allow, with whatever or whoever was around me at the time. From that period years ago I learned never to wait for anyone and don’t allow dickheads around you, who will slow you down and stop your creativity and leave you when you’re ill. I think that’s why I’ve been so prolific. Now I have a great circle of musicians around me, especially Jason, Dave and Arup and a feckin load more who get what I do and love getting involved. That means I can continue to do whatever I want to do and that means you can grow and be really creative. I love what this has become and I will be doing it in one form or another until I die.
Thank you for your time, and exposing a little of what you're about. I look forward to seeing you in real life and to be part of the barrel thumping, screaming ensemble.
Jesus Hooligan has a number of videos on you tube and on Facebook where you can follow his songs for Valentines Day releases.
Here's a link to the Jesus Hooligan bandcamp section
A couple of unrelated snatches.
Here's a link to the Jesus Hooligan bandcamp section
A couple of unrelated snatches.
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