Many international Power Pop bands regularly tour in Spain. However, there are also a lot of nice Spanish bands. Jamie 4 President is my favorite.

SweetSweetMusicblog spoke to Jamie R. Green about Consolation Prize.

 

How did this record come together?

 

Basically, I started writing songs consciously for a new album towards the end of 2018 as we’d booked the recording studio for late April 2019. I started sending very basic home demos to the rest of the band and our producer Santi Garcia so in that sense there was more groundwork done as we’d never worked like that in the past and just gone straight in. In the new year, I and Pablo (drums) went to Sant Feliu where Borja (bass) and Xavi (guitar) live to work on the songs in the practice space. It’s a bit of an issue when 50% of the band live 700 km away but we get around it. After those sessions, some new stuff came up and we began to get a clearer idea of the songs. For the next few months until recording it was basically changing some stuff around, me finishing lyrics and adding bridges, etc. Then we went to a country house outside Barcelona where we recorded all drum tracks then traveled to Ultramarinos studio to do all the rest. I think we spent about 9 days in total and pulled an all-nighter on the last day to finish. The record ending up coming out 8th November so essentially a year elapsed from starting to write the songs to the record being released, which ain’t bad.

 

 

 

 

 

Any ideas about how to turn this one into a million-seller?

 

When was the last time you thought ‘I just wrote a hit!’? Haha good one. I used to think this quite often but then concluded that while by no means uncommercial our songs aren’t in any way “hit” material, at least not at this moment in music. That’s something that’s been happening to bands for years so it doesn’t worry us and who knows, they may be discovered in years to come and become smash hits. Though I think it’s unlikely for some reason haha.

 

What’s the gig you will always remember? And why?

 

With the current band line-up, we’ve had lots of memorable ones for good and not so good reasons. The first that comes to mind is quite recent actually. At the beginning of the year, we played our first shows in promotion of the album and started in Cataluña so we could squeeze in a couple of rehearsals after New Year. Half of us were suffering from flu including myself but we went to play the first show and things were a little shaky but it was fine. The problem was rather than taking it easy and getting some rest me and Borja (bass) got carried away and stayed up all night. We went to play the next day in Sant Feliu (which is like our second home) and we showed up a bit knackered. Anyway, we started playing our set and things were going ok till about the 6th song when suddenly while singing I didn’t know if I was gonna puke, blackout or shit myself. Flu and hangover combining to teach me a lesson for the schoolboy error. I turned around and the other guys took over vocals while I was leaning against my amp and gradually wilting to the floor. I did kind of blackout and came to my senses with a crowd of people standing over me then got carried out and the show put on hold until I got my shit together but I knew it was game over. We called it a night as I was in no state and the other guys sold our merch half-price to make up for the shitshow. The first and only time I’ve had the experience and definitely don’t want to repeat it but the funny thing was something similar almost happened to us a year earlier in the exact same venue but we survived.

 

 

 

 

Recording music and playing in front of a crowd. What’s all the fun about?

 

Well, I didn’t use to enjoy recording as much as playing live but now that’s not the case. I enjoy the creative element of recording and how things come up that you don’t have planned and those are the things sometimes which end up making the song. It’s an intense process that requires lots of focus but at least I find it super enjoyable. Playing live is more instantly gratifying and obviously the energy is totally different and in terms of interaction, it’s a different story. I can’t think of many things more enjoyable than going to different cities and countries with your friends playing music you’ve created every night that people actually pay to go and see.

 

 

Vinyl is back, Spotify is ruling, tickets for concerts are becoming more and more expensive, everybody can record songs, social media is the marketing tool, Coldplay stops touring … how will the music industry look like in 5 years?

 

I honestly have no idea and especially taking into account what’s hit with COVID and the implications of that on the music industry and scene. Who knows, maybe something positive will come out of it all because I personally wasn’t too happy with how it seemed everything was becoming geared around festivals and all the business side of that. I’m referring to the bigger ones, as I have friends who organize small to medium-sized ones and it sucks that all that’s gonna fall apart for them this year. I have no problem with Coldplay stopping touring, don’t think those guys need it. I think things will probably be like now but 5 years further down the line, let’s see.

 

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released November 8, 2019

Recorded at Cal Pau Recordings and Ultramarinos Costa Brava, end of April/beginning of May 2019.

Produced by Santi García, engineered by Santi García and Borja Pérez del Pozo.
Mastered by Victor García at Ultramarinos Mastering.
Artwork by Pablo´s Killers.
Cover photo by Florencia Rojas.

Jamie R. Green – Guitars, lead/backing vocals and bass.
Pablo González – Drums and backing vocals.
Borja Pérez del Pozo – Bass, backing vocals and synth
Xavi Calvet – Guitars and backing vocals (lead on “Cheap Perfume”)
Santi García – Bass and synth.