Page 27 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 114

BV114 pg 24-27 Jayler Interview.qxp_BV114 pg 27 11/06/2026 19:06 Page 4

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people in that kind of situation to be themselves. ing 'Riverboat Queen', the first single off the like to be, because the band is my life and music
"I think it's important, especially for our gen- album, he did that and he listened to everything is my life. So, that's going to take priority, and
eration", James responds. "Our music is for any- we had to say, and he knew how we wanted it the world forming around me is, I don't get to see
one: any generation, any age, but, especially, to sound, and he played with us about it and he as many people and I don't get to speak to as
our generation. We're being told what to do, didn't put up a fight, which was nice. He wasn't many people as I like to, because it's a busy
what not to do, and we're kind of repeating our- stern in his ways, where we know how we want lifestyle.
selves quite a lot in the sense of the history of to sound. "It's sad in a sense of, I don't get to talk to
man will always repeat itself, and it has and it's "So, now we're being listened to by manage- people as much as I like to. But it's sweet in the
proven. So, I think, for us, our generation needs ment, producers, record labels, which is nice, sense of I'm doing what I love and I've got to be
to kind of take the mantle and steer the ship and and we don't have to kind of fake it, in a sense. selfish and put myself forward, so that's what
try a different way, instead of doing what we've We just are who we are. And, especially with that lyric’s about. Bittersweet, man."
been doing for the past centuries, you know? So some people in the industry, like the bigwigs, it's
that's what it kind of is. quite cool that we're definitely being listened to here is a particularly thought-provoking
"Our generation, our people, should have now." Tlyric within 'Over The Mountain' – ‘Up the
their voice heard and have their say and not mountain, we embark on foot, to rid the world of
worry about elections or voting or anything. Just n 'Hate To See It End', James sings, ‘No evil soot’ - so we ask James and Tyler about any
listen to people. That's the one thing, you know, Imatter the weather, rain or shine, you'll be ‘evil soot’ they believe the world would be better
when you're listening to our music, you're listen- right there, right on time’. We ask if they can tell rid of.
ing to a message as well. us about some of the people who have been "Oh, man, just mainly hatred", James re-
"It's not just about, ‘Oh, here's a guitar solo.’ there to help them get to where they are now. sponds. "I don't want to be too political, you
It's great to have a guitar solo. Guitars are "Family is the big one," James tells us. know. Especially in the UK with all these differ-
great.” A point quickly echoed by Tyler. “It's all "Jayler is very family-oriented". ent parties and the elections and all that, you
about a message and you getting your message He continues, "From the start, we were all know, they're not particularly truthful. And I find
across. That's what Jayler is, just to make sure family. We still are! A big family, mums and dads, that to be evil, you know. They're using words to
your voice is heard." brothers and sisters, kind of being there. And get people to follow them, which isn't correct,
Lisa and Adam, from Adam Parsons Entertain- you know. They're leading us astray.
ighlights of the band’s career so far in- ment. They've been like family to us - which was "So I think that that's quite evil in its own lit-
Hclude playing the Monsters of Rock in odd, you know, because the people we met in tle, quirky way. But war, hatred, the evilness,
Sao Paolo, Brazil. “That was quite impressive to the industry before that didn't act like family. that's a lot of what it is."
play in front of what we estimate was 10,000 to They just acted like they were doing us a favour. Tyler adds, "A lot of people, instead of using
12,000 people,” says James. “It was our second But, with this, it's a completely different scenario. positives to try and entice people, they're putting
gig back this year and we were like, ‘What are And it's refreshing. other people in a negative light to make others
we doing?’ So that was quite interesting!” "I kind of wrote that line about us four, not like them; that's pretty evil, yeah."
Closer to home, they loved playing the main mainly, when I jotted that line down. It was like,
stage at Steelhouse Festival in Wales. e end by asking what they
“That one meant a lot. Tyler has been Whope is over the mountain
going since he was, like, ten. I've "We live, breathe, eat, sleep music,” for Jayler.
been going for the past couple years "Hopefully bringing people to-
and it's such a homely vibe, and to fi- - James Bartholomew, Jayler gether," James tells Black Velvet. "Not
nally play that stage and to get off and just the music, but for the vibe we
for people to say, ‘I remember when bring of peace, love and unity and,
you used to play in the car park,’ was amazing." no matter where I'm going to be or where those like, just making the world a little bit more har-
Tyler explains, "We used to play cover guys are going to be, we will be there for each monised.
songs in the campsite. But it got to a point where other." "That's what I believe is over the mountain.
we were drawing crowds of, like, 100 people, Offering his thoughts, Tyler adds, "I think And, for individual listeners, it could be about
who were coming to say hi and enjoy it, because what's great about the band is we all have these anything. Getting over to a better place, it could
it didn't have any music on the Thursday night, individual things, you know. Obviously, James be getting over addiction to drugs, about a bad
which was campsite only, so we started doing does a lot of songwriting and I might do stuff be- relationship. It could be anything. Something
it.” hind the scenes, like editing songs and mixing that's holding you back and you need to get over
Future plans include the aforementioned songs, and the other two guys don't always do that hurdle. That's what this song is about, get-
support slots to both Sammy Hagar and Deep as much stuff production-wise, but they're like, ting over the mountain and seeing the better
Purple. The latter will see the band being in a super focused on other stuff. place."
bus for the first time. "Ricky, no matter what instrument we chuck Tyler adds, "It's already been such a fantas-
"It'll be our first time spending time in close at him, he learns straight away. Ed is so partic- tic, wild ride already. So we are going to carry
quarters as a band, for a while, because we've ular about his practising and rehearsing and he on do what we're doing. We love our community.
never done anything like that. So, you know, just nails everything. So, we've got such a good, We call them 'The Voices', some people call
Jayler might be done by the end of that tour!" I'm going to say team, but I don't mean like the them fans, but we call them our community. And
James laughs. entire team. I mean, just the four of us, we all we want to build this community, we want to
have our own little thing that just works well to- keep going.
ith Jayler’s album being titled 'Voices gether, so yeah, anything that any of us need off "What's over the mountain, maybe it's an-
WUnheard', we ask whether they feel the other guys, I think we are always there for other mountain! You know, we're going to keep
the release of the album will finally mean the each other, you know." pushing, we're going to keep looking for the light
band having their voices heard and whether it at the end of the tunnel or at the top of the moun-
has been a difficult process, given the time it has genuinely lovely track on 'Voices Un- tain. We love what we're doing, and we hope
taken for it to be released into the world since Aheard' is 'Bittersweet', which starts with everyone else does too and we're just going to
their debut EP, 'A Piece In Our Time', at the tail the line, ‘I see the world form around me’. We keep going."
end of 2023. ask the pair how they see the world forming But, alas, our time with Jayler is not meant
"I think it was difficult in the sense of getting around them at this point in their career. to keep on going and, on this positive note, we
the right management, getting the right people James offers an explanation that the words bid farewell to James and Tyler, safe in the com-
behind us," James tells us. "And I think the one refer to the pros and cons of the lifestyle they fort that we know this will not be the last time we
thing we were all worried about, because we've have plumped for. will see them. Rock has gained another excep-
done it before, was just going to the producer, "I think, when I was writing that one, there tional talent with potential in abundance and cer-
who wanted the quickest and easiest route, but was the world forming around me. We just tainly the enthusiasm, work ethic and desire are
it doesn't turn out to be the easiest. You know started getting into management, and manage- all there. The future is definitely bright for Jayler.
they'll tell you what to do and how you should ment started playing a big role in looking at the Visit https://www.jayler.co.uk for more info.
sound, but, for this album, we worked with future and what we could achieve. So, I was
George Perks. It was our first time meeting a kind of visualising it as if I was already there and Words By Michael Coventry
producer since we tried to record the album the we'd already had this success. And so, a world
first time, which didn't work out. forming around me is like I might not be in touch Photos By Andy Ford
"So, we were a bit hesitant, but then, record- with people outside of the band as much as I'd
JAYLER