Sydney band J.O.Y (Jokes On You) are due to drop their debut 7 inch soon through New Ethic Records, so we caught up with Brooke, Stevie and Adam for the lowdown on what to expect...
(Live pics by Nicole Goodwin)
At what point did the band form and how did it all come together?
B - Coyle is eternally restless whilst also being the most patient, so he helped me learn how to fumble through bass and then we started getting the rest of the band together. Chris and Kelso were wrapping up with their old band and are incredibly good at every instrument they pick up so we were stoked when they were keen to jump on-board, and then we asked Stevie who we thought would be a sick front-person and voila!
Would readers recognize the members from any other bands?
B – Coyle had a little band in high school in Vincentia but apart from that, nothing of note..
Kelso has played in Persist, Homesick and Pure Instinct.
Chris has played in Floral Sheets and Pure Instinct.
Me, Quick Fix.
In your own words how would you describe the sound of J.O.Y?
B - Meat and potatoes, NY HC, for the moshers. We’re not necessarily inspired by anyone, we are just trying to write the sickest shit we can.
Is the name Jokes On You a nod to Excel at all?
B – We have some crossover fans in the band but nah. Basically, it was a case of us churning through name suggestion after name suggestion until we arrived at something that wasn’t already taken, and didn’t sound shit. We had come up with the name well before people had heard any of our stuff and while we were sitting on it, Toy and World of Joy put some shit out but at that point, we were not prepared to go back through to arduous process of trying to rename the band. Five people trying to agree on anything is a real challenge!
What bands are influencing the sound of J.O.Y?
A – Heavy and aggressive music.
S - I’m influenced by my friends making any kind of music or art that makes them happy. I could list those bands but it's about authenticity in what they do rather than what they sound like sonically.
B – Anything and everything. We can’t fully be pigeon-holed. Who knows what our next song will sound like.
What would be a dream line up of bands to play with?
B – No one wanted to answer this one. We don’t know what’s up ahead and we’re pretty stoked to have been asked to play some pretty cool shows, so maybe our 7” release show will be our dream line up. Relentless Fest just happened this weekend past and honestly, it was pretty dreamy to be part of a weekend that wasn’t just full of the same dudes in the same bands, rinsed and repeated. Shout out Christina and Nellie. Check them both out because they do a lot of cool shit.
PS would also kinda love to play with TUI lol.
You’re due to release your debut 7” soon. How did the recording process come together?
B – We recorded a promo end of last year with Ben at Burial Sound Studio and we loved the finished product so we decided to go with them again. Recording has been done in parts and we’re about to have it all mixed/mastered and sent off and then it’s the old waiting game. Looking like it could be a mid-year release. Just got a sketch for the art which took us an eternity to agree on, so it’s all coming along now. Full credit to Kelso for recording my bass bits, because efficiency is key when you’re paying for them recording hours.
Lyrically what are some of the songs about on the EP?
S - I’ve said this before but a lot of the songs are about having a brain that doesn’t feel like it cooperates with you. I think in reflection a lot of the songs are about how the rest of the world can perceive that. Some of the other songs are just about being a hateful fuck. Whether the two are connected is entirely up for debate.
Got a fave track on the EP, why that one?
B – Hmm I reckon Cos I Gotta, just cos it has this big stompy bit and it’s just really fun to play and hopefully fun for people to dance to. And any song with a fat Kelso divebomb in it (most of them).
What else is in store in the foreseeable future for your band?
The 7” and playing a few shows off the back of that. Hopefully get asked to play a couple of other sick shows to round out the year (who knew hardcore shows would be regular sell outs, post-covid). Just riding this current wave of excitement, we are stoked to be a part of it. HC4HC.
How can people get in touch, grab a copy of the EP or keep up with what’s happening in the band?
Tell us how much you love us on Instagram - @j.o.y.hc
Email – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Or come say hello/smooch us at a show.
Once the EP is sorted, we will let everyone know where to cop.