Rated-M Indie Band of the Month: The Jessie Project
Who is "The Jessie Project"? Well, besides being the first Rated-M Indie Band of the Month, they are a very unique band made up of Jessie Lynn, RudeMoody, and F. Xavier Calabrese. A mix-up of rock, techno and 80's hip-hop, their songs are a fresh break away from the norm. The band has a wide range of sounds. From the slow and dramatic to the funky rock to the club bangers, each song sounds unique and different. Jessie does a great job of showcasing her voice over the blend of syles, definately showing how versatile she is. You can't easily compare TJP to another band either, which is another thing I like about them. We forsee good things in the future of this trio!
I had a chance to speak with TJP's RudeMoody about the band.
JT: How long have you guys been on the indie music scene?
RM: The band has been around for about four years, but the current lineup is
less than a year old. The debut album, "Break The Radio", was mostly
RudeMoody doing all the music production and Jessie Lynn singing. The new
stuff will still have that retro/electronic/industrial vibe we began with,
but with our new guitarist, Frank, we're taking it to a higher level. Check
out "Behind These Eyes" to see an example of our more "mature" sound. It's
been described as "70's hard rock mated with modern electronic music".
JT: If you could describe the indie music scene in one word, what would you
choose?
RM: One word? VITAL. The pop music scene is mostly over-produced,
over-calculated "product" to be spoon-fed to people too lazy to look for an
artist or band that they can really connect with. Our song "Break The Radio"
is about that - the decline of mainstream music as an art form. Some of the
indie music scene can truly amaze the uninitiated with it's diversity and
creativity. Check out our website for more of our thoughts on that subject.
JT: How did you guys come up with the name for your band? I know the singer
is Jessie, but how did you arrive at the name you did?
RM: It was the name of the original folder on Rude's hard drive that he was
working out of when he was making a three-track demo for Jessie Lynn. After
a while, we decided to go on the web and share some of our work, and the
positive feedback inspired us to do more. Then, after the enthusiastic
response we got at our first real gig, we were psyched enough to put
together a full album. Now, with our new guitarist, the tunes are much more
musically complex and nuanced; he was the missing-link we needed to advance.
We still keep the name "The Jessie Project" because it's straightforward and
describes us well - the music is a constant learning experience and evolves
into whatever it ultimately becomes.
JT: How would you describe the state of indie music on the net today? What I
mean by this is, with MySpace, CDBaby, MP3.com and many other sites, do you
find it easy to self promote and sell your stuff, or do you think there is
more that could be available?
RM: There's plenty of ways to get your stuff out there. Without the web, indie
bands would still have to sell 45's out of the back of their van. Now, you
have access to people across the world. It's cool to know that there are
radio stations in Europe playing our stuff right now, thanks to exposure on
MySpace and similar sites. Although, we think bands need to spam less and
let people discover their music on their own. MySpace seems to be a
popularity contest with bands these days. A band will have ten-thousand
"friends" and maybe only a couple hundred really like their music. What's
the point in that?
JT: If you could collaborate with one musician, famous or not, who would it
be and why?
RM: Your own music is a collaboration of sorts - just as life experiences shape
your personality and mentality, the music you've been exposed to affects
your style and your own creation, both consciously and subconsciously. So
we'd say that all musicians have already collaborated with the ones they've
admired. Check our bios on our website for our influences and to figure out
a more direct answer.
JT: What are some of the passions that drive you as a band?
RM: True-life experiences in love and relationships, a general anger towards the
current state of the world and the apathetic mentality of the average joe,
and, of course, the drive to artistically express oneself.
JT: What is in the future for TJP?
RM: We've got about four songs done towards the completion of our second record,
and hope to finish it by the end of the year, while doing some shows here
and there to keep sharp. We'll be making some more videos and posting them
on our website, too. After the new album is pressed and done, we'll kick it
into high gear and take it wherever it takes us.
JT: What do you want the world to know about TJP?
RM: Our music is a combination of three people's distinct visions, combined,
evolved, and brought to life to the best of our abilities. It is from our
hearts and our souls. It is not designed to please everyone and rake in a
quick buck. We hope to help open the eyes of some of the people out there
and show them there is more to music than the stuff you can buy at WalMart.
As we say on our website, "An emotional bond cannot be bought, or sold, or
played in rotation. The art of one person will connect only to whom it was meant for."
JT: Thanks for your time!
RM: Thanks, Jason. We appreciate the support!
So head on over to http://www.thejessieproject.com and see for yourself. You can find MP3 downloads, videos, bios and more. I'm fond of DeadEye, Day of Confession, and the Break the Radio video!
