Project Description

Interview with

JACK R. REILLY

Interviewer – Mirrin Gray

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Raised in Kiama, NSW, before making the pilgrimage to Sydney, Jack R. Reilly has been a fixture of the Sydney and south coast music scene for years, bringing gut wrenching and heart warming songwriting to many a dimly lit corner. The strength and consistency of his work has earned him the prized support slots of some huge international headline shows. Jack has also found himself in good company locally, playing alongside praised Aus acts including Rat!Hammock, Bec Sandridge and Slowly Slowly, and on the revered Yours and Owls Festival line-up. 2018 saw Jack release his EP Pursuing Balance with very positive reception, earning triple j spins and drawing crowds to both his local and interstate shows. 

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For any new fans, how did it all begin? How did you discover your love of making and performing music?
I guess it started from growing up being a really big fan of The Monkees show and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I was lucky enough to have both of those things on VHS, and they got a huge work out when I was growing up. I watched them basically on repeat. That was the initial spark, but it wasn’t until I was about 10 years old and watching the ARIA awards on TV. Frenzal Rhomb performed Never HAd So Much Fun and it was life changing for me. I decided the next day that I was going to be doing music with the rest of my life.

Which musician is your biggest inspiration?
I really love so much stuff, it’s very hard to choose. Frenzal will always be close to my heart, but there are five artists that I always turn to for inspo when I feel lost or depleted. Obscura Hail, Skepta, Kevin Devine and Phoebe Bridgers. Obscura Hail has been inspiring me for so many years. Especially in the sense of like; I’m so amazed that such pure talent and creativity can exist in someone that I actually have the privilege to know. Skepta and Kevin have a similar energy to me. Both have had long careers. To me their success and their longevity is sort of an upshot of of them being true to themselves as artists. Phoebe Bridgers is always a beautiful reminder to me about the power of subtly, and not over-doing things. Her stuff feels very effortless to me, and I just love her voice just takes up space so perfectly.
I also have to give an honorable mention to Bloc Party and The National, who I can listen to non stop and still find joy in.

What is it about your music that you think people resonate with?
I hope it’s because there’s a sense of presence with it. A lot of my work comes from just trying to be aware and mindful. For me, those things result in a lot of healing and growth. It’s something I try very hard with when playing live especially.

Your new single ‘I Don’t Like To See Us Like This’ is out now. Can you tell us about it and what it means to you?
I Don’t Like To See US Like This is a meditation on the idea of knowing and feeling when something is just over. Knowing when to call it quits.

What inspired this track?
I just found myself on either side of that coin a whole bunch and had to write about it. Musically, I wanted to really to balance the contrast of the sadness in the voice, with the optimistic sounds of the melodic hook. I wanted there to balance the sadness with the curiosity, opportunity and growth that comes with things ending.

How do you think your sound has developed since the release of your EP last year?
I’ve definitely become more collaborative. It used to just be me and Jonno (Tooke) in his little studio in his old house. Since putting a live band around me, I’ve just been really interested in the ways other people could contribute.

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What’s the process of song writing like for you? Do you have a favourite/least favourite part?
It’s just an ongoing thing. I’m constantly writing lyrics as I think of them. I’m constantly jamming on chords and also messing around with Garageband on my ipad. I try to look at it as just play, with no expectations or anything. For a few months anyway. Then really slowly things come together, and I when I feel like it i put time aside to finish songs and stuff. My favourite part is things coming together effortlessly, and my least favourite is trying to force stuff that isn’t working.

You’ve got some tour dates coming up in October. In all your touring and festival performances, what is a particular memory that has really stuck with you?
Yeah, I’ve been so lucky. I’m just aprriciative of it all. One thing that’s sticking in my memory at the moment is a couple years back I played a sold out show at the metro theatre. I had literally just finished an east coast tour where it was basically all just house shows. So I was feeling pretty out of my comfort zone. During the show I did a cover of Mercury by Bloc Party, where I would usually step way back from the mic to really yell the bridge. It got to the part of the song, stepped back and just let my voice get thrown around the whole room. The crowd went completely silent, it was a great feeling.

If you could tour with anyone, who would it be and why? (Dead or alive)
Bloc Party or The National I think, I dunno.

What’s the next achievement you would like to take on in your career?
I just hope to keep writing and releasing music, playing shows and connecting with people.

Finally, a few questions for some quick answers –

FAVOURITE:

Album – Stranger In The Alps
Artist – Devonte Hynes
Movie – Beetlejuice
Place to visit – Canberra
Venue to play – 113 Doonside
Food – chocolate
Drink – vanilla coke
Person in History – Ian Mackaye
Tattoo – (If you don’t have one, what would you get?)
I haven’t got one. I hadn’t really thought about it haha. I was half considering getting the title of that Henry Rollins poem “I Know You” as a stick n poke when I was feeling really low, but I’m pretty psyched that I didn’t haha.

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JACK R. REILLY
‘I DON’T LIKE TO SEE US LIKE THIS’
SINGLE TOUR

Friday October 18
The Hideaway Bar, Sydney
with Chemical Restraint, Howlite and Birthday Girl

Friday October 25
The Grace Darling, Melbourne
with Wolfjay, Blue Green and Pocket Money

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Check out JACK R. REILLY below
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AMNPLIFY – MG