Singer Jesse Smith of The Jury & The Saints answers our questions ahead of the release of their self-titled album on 2nd March via Long Branch/SPV Records…

What are you currently up to? (recording, gigs, plans etc.)

We have been getting ready for our self-titled album release on 2nd March. We’ve also made 3 new music videos in the last month so that’s taken up quite a bit of time! We also recently played a big NZ festival (Festival One) which was super fun – it was actually one of the first times we have played new songs from our forthcoming album to anyone and, luckily, the response was amazing! We’re psyched to get on and start touring as much as possible.

Brief history of the band…

The Jury & The Saints originally started out as a 2 piece back in 2009 to release and album and a EP. In 2011, we grew by 100% to become a 4 piece. Our sound changed and we released an EP mid-2012, which set the foundation. We signed with German label SPV in 2013 and spent 2 months over there working on our forthcoming album. We’ve toured a bunch in NZ and Australia as well.

Could you take us through your upcoming self-titled album? e.g. songwriting process, story behind the songs.

This album, The Jury & The Saints, has been a gradual process but we are super excited that it’s going to be released soon. We tracked the majority of the album in Germany with Alex Lysikov just outside Berlin. Since then we have been going back and forth finishing mixes, working on art work etc. The song writing process has always been pretty straight forward – usually I will come up with a verse and chorus and if the rest of the fellas are into it, we work on structure, they add musical ideas and it develops into a full song. Generally, the songs tend to be about the ups and downs of life, trying to make something out of nothing and never losing hope.

How did you hook-up with SPV a label more known for established hard rock and metal bands?

It was pretty out of the blue really! Back in 2012 we had a song do really well in the NZ chart off our EP – Brand New, which we re-recorded for this new album. The guys at SPV had been keeping an eye on the Kiwi chart and liked what they saw and heard I guess. They got in contact and we worked out a deal and the rest is history!

How important is social media like Facebook, Twitter etc for the band in getting your music out there?

It’s really important! A real good way of staying in contact with people who are into your band. We are fairly average at it but are getting better… I think! I haven’t had a phone with internet on it very long so could only check socials when I went to my parents’ house when we were starting out!

What have been the live highlights for you and why?

When we toured with Paramore at our Auckland show, we threw out sausages and lettuces for the crowd to snack on as we play our tunes. It kinda backfired and we spent the next 20 minutes trying to evade the meat when the folk started throwing it back at us. We also got in the most trouble EVER from the tour manager for getting sausage meat spread all over the stage and all over Paramore’s gear. People still ask us at almost every show we play if we have brought the snacks. It was worth it.

Is rock and metal in a healthy state right now? How easy/hard is it for a newer band like you to get onto tours and play live shows?

Rock music is in a pretty healthy state. Maybe it’s not on the TV and radio quite as much as when I was a kid, but there are still lots of people out there that want proper guitar music. For a newer band, we have been pretty lucky to have some great tours come our way but I think it can be pretty hard. We just take what comes our way and make the most of it.

Any good rock ‘n’ roll tales to tell…

Too many to mention here in this small space I think ha! Also I don’t wanna write a big story and then realise it’s the worst story in the world and not rock ‘n’ roll at all, but then have to commit to leaving it in cos I spent so much time writing it out.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time away from music?

When I’m not doing music I’m usually servicing coffee machines or cooking on the BBQ cos I love it. If I’m not doing that I’m probably hanging out with my kids or trying to fix my house which is a wreck. You will see what I mean when the video from our next single ‘Monday Morning’ comes out this Friday 20th Feb. we filmed the whole storyline part at my house.

Anything else to add and a message for your fans...

First off thanks for the interest in the band. We’re super excited to be taking to people on the other side of the world about our music so yeah big time thanks to our fan or fans maybe haha! Thanks if you bought any of our albums or singles or made it to a show. None of the cool stuff we have been able to do as a band would be possible without people supporting our music – thanks mates we appreciate it in a big way!

Album review:

[Released 02.03.15]

They set our to make an album full of anthems you could sing a long to and for the most part they succeeded. Vocalist Jesse Smith has a mighty scream on him when needed, although on the single ‘Monday Morning’ he veers from quieter vocals through to a vocal scream that would wake the most ardent sleeper!

‘Freedom Fighter’ is riff-tastic piece of punk pop complete with call and response gang vocals. A great tune and another for a single release. ‘City Lights’ is simply immense, combining the gang vocals and those Jesse Smith scream/shouts (bizarrely he reminds me of the vocalist in obscure Christian pop punk band One Bad Pig). Sum 41 fans will like these two tunes that’s for sure.

Jury & the Saints will certainly win news fans outside of their native New Zealand with this album. Big choruses, big vocals and big fun! ***1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

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