Newcastle rockers Boy Jumps Ship opened one of the stages at Sonisphere this year – just one of the many things they’ve managed to fit in to 2014. After the release of their new EP there’s no doubt that Boy Jumps Ship are on the rise and have no intention of stopping just yet. Check out what they had to say about their Sonisphere show, and everything else they’ve been up to.
This is Lisa Fox from Rock Sins and I am here with Boy Jumps Ship. Could you guys introduce yourselves?
GG: Hi I’m Gav I play the drums in Boy Jumps Ship.
JR: And I’m Jonny, I play bass in Boy Jumps Ship.
How’s it going?
GG: It’s going excellent we’re having a great weekend.
JR: It’s not raining.
Well no that’s always good.
JR: Yes.
Have you been here all weekend?
GG: We have. We’ve been since Friday so, sort of middayish, so we got here in sort of time to watch Limp Bizkit.
Did you roll?
JR: Yes we did, aye.
GG: We loved it.
JR: It was, they were great like. We literally walked in and like they started five minutes later, so considering we drove like five hours to get here we had canned it down just in time, you know, it’s good timing.
You’ve got to love Limp Bizkit, you know what they’re so fun.
GG: Oh they were amazing.
JR: Yes they’re amazing.
GG: That band, like when you’re 12, you just love Limp Bizkit don’t you?
Definitely. You guys played this morning, how was the show?
GG: It was great, it was great.
JR: Really good turnout, we were expecting to play like five people but there was sort of a really good, being so early and a Sunday but it was a really good turnout and really cool stage, good sound, all the people were great.
And you were in one of the tents were you?
GG: Jägermeister
JR: Jägermeister tent, yes.
GG: It was great like, I think it was, I think mostly, I don’t know about you but I found it, like even though it’s a heavy music festival…and we’re boys at the other end of the scale, everyone’s been really open you know and just happy to see like any band that’s been, you know and, anyone from like 100 Reasons yesterday you know to like us, coming to see us and some people in the crowd who you wouldn’t exactly think we’d be their band to see.
Sonisphere is quite good for a variety of different acts.
JR: Yes. Yes.
GG: There’s not much music snobbery, like people are totally open to checking out who’s on.
JR: It’s first time we’ve been, I have never even been as a punter, but I’ve been to like Leeds and stuff and found that everyone’s just really cool like. So it’s nice.
GG: It is.
Yes I saw Lounge Kittens yesterday and they did a version of a Backstreet Boys song and there were grown men, grown metallers in the audiences singing along merrily.
GG: Well there you go, guilty pleasure.
I know! I think it sums up the spirit of Sonisphere that does for sure. So you guys have released a single recently, Still Alive?
GG: Yes we released Still Alive with the EP sort of back in early June and then we’ve bought Call to Arms out more recently which is just literally like sort of went out the last week. We got two, so that’s out and about in circulation at the minute.
How’s the EP been received?
JR: Really well actually.
GG: Yes. Yes.
JR: In terms of you know sort of press in general and then just people, you know just normal fans and stuff on social media have been really, really kind about it, you know and it’s, it’s, considering how much sort of blood and sweat went into it and you know we recorded it like just before Christmas. So it’s release time was nearly like six months you know before we got to release it so we were sitting on it for a while for one reason and another and to get it out there was, and have such positive reviews is really satisfying you know.
GG: It’s nice.
So what’s the plans for the rest of the year?
GG: We’ve got a couple of more festivals, a few more festivals for the summer, we’re busy writing the album at the moment, which we’re really excited to record. We’re hopefully going to get it done at some point this year, towards the back end of the year around whatever tours we’re doing. Which hopefully we’ll jump on a few tours, sort of to go out the winter like but obviously we’ll only do the album.
What tours do you have coming up?
GG: So we’re opening for We Are The Ocean.
JR: Yes doing the We Are The Ocean tour in October.
GG: Sort of like 10, no it’s like 10 dates isn’t it.
JR: Yes something like that, just less than two weeks, so that will be really cool and that’s all the UK, it’s cool venues, you know, we’ve played for We Are The Ocean before a couple of times.
GG: Yes we get on really well, they’re nice guys like.
It’s always good to out with people that you get on with.
GG: It is. It is.
JR: Yes we were really lucky we went out with Arcane Roots at the beginning of the year and we got on really well and we spent three weeks on the road with them, you know two in Europe and one in the UK and got on really well with them and it just makes like so much easier. You know.
Yes definitely, you’ve got a good vibe before you even start the show.
GG: That’s true.
JR: Yes. And when you’re thousands of miles away from home, like in Vienna or in Rome or something like that you know it’s nice to sort of get to a venue and see people you know, that you’re happy to see. It’s nice.
Well touring can be lonely as well so being there with guys that you’re good mates with…
Both: Yes.
JR: Because everyone’s in the same boat.
You did a tour in April with Arcane Roots?
GG: Yes we did Arcane Roots and then we came straight back and done Marmozets a couple of weeks later. We did a week UK.
JR: Was it a week UK?
GG: It was yes.
JR: Just over a week.
GG: Just over a week UK with them, which was awesome I mean they’re blown up at the minute so it was great to see and watch, it was just great to watch them every night, they’re a great band like so got nothing but nice things to say about those guys as well like…
JR: Yes they’ve got like quite a sort of spikey persona on stage and stuff but they’re the nicest people in the world.
GG: Aye they are.
JR: Like off stage they’re just lovely people like, so.
I heard they freaked out the BBC at Glastonbury because they were climbing up the tent.
GG: Yes Sam, nothing surprises me with that boy…
JR: Sam’s a little terror.
GG: He is.
JR: He, where was it Oxford wasn’t it where he climbed on top of his amps and knocked about three grand’s worth of guitar gear over as he jumped on the rigging…
GG: He climbed on the, remember when he climbed on the balcony in Liverpool…
JR: Yes.
GG: …he climbed up this balcony, I mean it was 30 foot like. And there was a photographer on the top taking photos and he sort of butted his camera as he climbed up, crazy man. Some boys. He likes to jump about.
JR: Yes.
So what’s your stage show like?
GG: Well it’s not really for us to say, but I would say we were super, super energetic, definitely super energetic isn’t it?
JR: Yes I think it’s just a combination of sort of getting sort of like, we’re all sort of raw, well taught musicians so it’s like, there’s a bit of pride in sort of, you know, your musicianship. Getting a balance between that and having a genuine sort of like stage show that like excites people and you know like keeps people sort of you know…
GG: And having a good time isn’t it?
JR: …you know, yes. Yes. Definitely. You just got to have a good time and just, that’s what you’re there to do so do it, you know, like we were.
It is amazing how many older bands get jaded by it though and then see it as job.
Both: Yes.
GG: I can’t see that ever becoming the case for us because we just have a right laugh even before like, two seconds before we’re about to walk on we’re still taking the mick out of each other you know. That’s just the way we are but, in fact we play better that way because we’re just relaxed and having fun.
JR: Yes. But it was like Tom Araya from Slayer yesterday like, don’t get us wrong I love Slayer and that you know, who are brilliant and stuff but he just sort of just stood there and just had this aura about him. He didn’t have to rock out.
GG: He was just terrifying, you know, like, and they were brilliant.
He did keep smiling.
JR: Yes. Yes.
I’ve never seen him look so happy.
GG: It’s like an evil smile though isn’t it?
Yes but you could tell he was enjoying it, he doesn’t usually give that sort of vibe off, so it was nice.
GG: They were great like.
So what other bands are you going to check out?
GG: Really excited to see Metallica tonight, massively excited to see the The Bronx who have just walked in. They’re like one of our favourite bands so every time they’re playing like round our way or like anywhere near us we always go and watch them so we’re definitely going to catch them. Who else?
JR: Mastodon.
GG: Mastodon.
JR: …if we get to see them like to see them like so yes. Definitely like.
Fabulous. So to close out the interviewer, the site that I write for is called Rock Sins, what would you say is your biggest rock sin?
GG: Maybe the amount of Jägermeister I’ve drank this weekend.
JR: Aye same here, I like, I’m, I’m flagging at the minute like.
GG: Yes we’ve still got Jägermeister tokens left.
JR: Four vouchers left. A few vouchers down and I had a couple yesterday.
You need to get on the Jager tour that’s what you need to do.
GG: Aye that’s it, that’s what it’s about, Jager and ginger, that’s our new tipple isn’t it?
Jager and ginger’s a great drink. It actually is.
JR: I’ve never had until this morning.
GG: Never had it until today.
Bloody good drink, I ordered one of them at the bar the other day and the guy gave me three for six quid, so either I stole somebody else’s drinks or I got a really good deal…
GG: Sounds like a good deal to me.
…I was like I’ll just pour that all in to one pint glass and have that. It’s a good drink.
GG: Two quid for a Jager and ginger ale’s good.
I just saw one of the guys from Defiled and Jager have given him a bike that’s got like a keyboard attached to it and also a little bar underneath, I was like that’s fucking awesome, you can cycle then play your keyboard when you want and have a Jager.
GG: That’s incredible.
JR: That’s amazing that.
GG: That’s right up his street, he’s a keen cyclist.
Well there you go you need to befriend Jager.
JR: Yes.
GG: I’m sure we’ll try.
For sure, thank you very much for taking the time to chat guys.
JR: Alright thanks.
GG: Thank you.
No any time that’s awesome.
Boy Jumps Ship will shortly embark on a run of UK shows in support to We Are The Ocean alongside fellow UK rockers Decade. Tickets for the nine date tour can be snapped up from https://www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/boy-jumps-ship. You can also follow Boy Jumps Ship on Twitter at @BoyJumpsShip.
