Jack Galloway – Only Hours In

By starrymag | November 9, 2021

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

A) Ahh, well, really that’s more for my listeners to say, rather than me. I always love hearing what other people perceive my sound to be and compare it with what I think I sound like!

I guess I would have to say I’m a pop-rock inspired singer-songwriter with elements of country and pop-punk peppered into the sound!

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

A) Ahh, I’ve got loads depending on what mood I’m in / what musical mood I’m in. Keith Urban, Tim McGraw and Kip Moore are probably my three biggest influences in the way of modern country music.

I also absolutely love classic and 80s rock. Bon Jovi is definitely one of my biggest influences, and at the heart of my pop-rock roots. I just love that big reverb-filled stadium sound that 80s rock brought. And Blink-182 were my favorite band as a childhood and pop-punk texture seems to creep into a lot of my songs, even when I’m not conscious of it.

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “End of This Road.”

A) Ahh, that was a tough one. I’d say “End of This Road” is probably my favorite song on the EP, definitely my favorite to play live, and absolutely the most personal song I’ve released to date. Without getting too heavily into it, it’s an existential reflection about the worst relationship I’ve ever been in, how out of control it felt and the emotional toll it took on me. Emotional abuse comes in many forms and, for some people, they don’t even realize they’re doing it.

The relationship itself was so long ago and is so far removed from my current life, but it taught me a great deal of lessons about boundaries, knowing when to say “when” and essentially that life is too goddam short to be miserable at the whim of someone else’s personality traits. So, I wrote this song basically as a tribute to that particular time in my life and a reminder to not let myself repeat it. The line at the end of the chorus “but then we did it again” is an ironic face-palm moment regarding exactly what NOT to do in these situations. Don’t go back. Go forward!

The thing I find about so many breakup songs is they’re often told in the immediate aftermath of the breakup. And the emotions they focus on are usually anger, sadness or that feel-good “I’m happy to be free” sort of thing. How this relationship affected me was way more complex. To this day I still get a little rattled when I think about it, and not because of “her” but more because of how out of sorts I felt when I was with her and how much the whole experience seemed to somehow diminish the essence of who I am and what I believe! I never want to be in a situation like that ever again.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

A) I think it’s got a fast-paced energy and a very catchy melody. But there’s a darkness and brutal raw honesty to it, that I think you often get these days with ’sad songs’. There’s nothing about this song that’s ’sad’. Its whole tone is angry, indignant, exasperated, enraged. And I think you hear that not only in the lyrics but in the rhythm of the music too.

Also, my fans (at least the ones I know and have spoken to) are by and large, incredibly empathetic people, so I’m not surprised this song resonates.

I’ve had lots of my followers contact me telling me they’ve been in or are still in similar situations. So, it’s actually given me the chance to chat with some of them about not only my experience, but also their own experiences in toxic relationships, and I’ve been able to give them some of my advice – for what it’s worth. [smiles]

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

A) The video itself isn’t particularly related to the lyrical content. We just found a really cool warehouse spot in East London and hired it for a couple of hours to shoot a performance – just me and my band.

Initially, we were going to have these performance shots run alongside a story arc which loosely follows the lyrics of the song.

But when we were going through the shots in the editing room, we decided the addition of a storyline would be overkill because we had so much good content already and to add more would be unnecessary and could even make the whole thing a little convoluted.

My band absolutely killed it in this video too – they’re also such legends!

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

A) Ahh, it changes every time! I don’t really have a particular writing process, in the way of “lyrics or music first,” but one thing I can say is that I ALWAYS rely on spontaneous inspiration to kick if off. I can’t just write a good song on cue! I need the inspiration.

And for me, that could come in the form of a new song I hear that I immediately love.

It could be a really deep, insightful conversation I’m having with someone or even just something that touches me in a TV show I’m watching or a philosophical quote I hear or something that happens during my day to day.

Sometimes, when I hear a new song that really grips me, I’ll listen closely to the first few seconds of the track to inspire me, and then I’ll pause the track before the chorus, so that I can then write my own interpretation of what I would do.

 

Q) How much of a hand do you have in the production of your music?

A) I produce all my own songs actually and usually mix/master them, too.

Over the years I’ve acquired quite the home-studio setup and have basically converted my flat into a semi-professional recording studio. I’m always open to working with other producers, but I tend to work quite well in isolation, bringing in session musicians / co-writers / musician friends as and when I feel the song needs another set of ears and a little help.

 

Q) What are some themes you explore on your new Only Hours In EP?

A) I think the main theme is an existential exploration of “love” – but in quite a deep sense, insofar as over four songs we’re looking at “love” from very different perspectives. Across the record, it kind of comes full circle on this theme.

“Falling For You” is about falling head over heels for someone quickly.

“Anima” captures the idolization of someone who you’re into as an “anima” type figure.

“Blame It on The Rain” describes the complete heartbreak you feel in the aftermath of a breakup.

And “End of This Road” looks at a more bitter take on anger / frustration you may be feeling toward someone who wasn’t particularly good for you.

The only song which doesn’t follow this theme is “2020 Won. “But I actually never wrote that song to be on this EP. It was a last-minute decision to add it on… but I’m glad I did as a politically charged 80s rock anthem is the exact kind of way, I would want to finish a record!

Q) What tracks challenged you the most to create for this EP?

A) They all had their own challenges, I guess. “2020 Won” was a challenge because of the time and place I was writing it in (a/k/a Winter in the UK, during a national lockdown). It was hard to not let the anger / frustration of the song feed into what I was already feeling so strongly. When you’re writing something political about a situation as it’s playing out, you feel a lot of things about the song, and some days you don’t even like the track!

From a purely technical perspective, I think “Blame It on The Rain” was the biggest challenge for me to produce because I didn’t write the song and the actual writer of the song is a good friend of mine and someone I respect immensely. I didn’t want to let her down by producing a half-ass version of the song. In a funny way, when it’s your own song, you don’t feel the pressure as much as if it’s someone else’s and you want to make sure you do it justice!

 

Q) “Falling For You” is such a standout track for me. What songs hold a special place in your heart and why?

A) Thank you so much! [smiles] And so many! One of the most beautiful songs I’ve heard in recent years that holds a special place in my heart is Lady Gaga’s “I’ll Never Love Again” from A Star Is Born. I’m no stranger to loss in my life, and I think there are elements you can only understand if you’ve experienced something truly tragic of this nature. And “I’ll Never Love Again” does that in a way I’ve not heard many other songs do.

On a lighter note, “Highway Don’t Care” still holds its place as one of my favorite songs of all time. My old band used to cover it at all our live gigs too, so it makes me super nostalgic for all those fun times we had and the shows we played!

Q) “2020 Won” is so strong and powerful. What makes this song so significant to our current times?

A) There is a great deal of differing opinions about the pandemic we’re dealing with. It’s not just “2020” as year that I was taking issue with, but also other motifs I see during this time we’re in such as: “consumerism over meaning;” “propaganda over truthfulness;” “censorship over robust discussion.”

I think there are precedents being laid out right now, which are worrisome for the future, and I think that it’s far easier to ignore these and bury our head in the sand when we have our “Netflix Amazon bubble” like I explain in the song.

There’s this fantastic line by the author of Brave New World Aldous Huxley where he wrote “Give me television and hamburgers, but don’t bother me with the responsibilities of liberty.” As well as this, Carl Jung explained that the truest essence of our personality / self is hidden by our “mask” – aka the persona we wear on a day-to-day basis, which buries away a lot of us, and only shows the most convenient ten percent of what we are.

And there are deep existential questions about life and meaning that I think a lot of people aren’t asking themselves because the world we’re in allows for us to avoid it through various shallow mediums, whether it be designer clothing, TV shows or dating apps. “Everybody lives behind their mask” is a descriptive way to look at this – and I guess an ironic literal description of and comparison to the covid-world, giving it a double-meaning.

I know my words are strong and might upset a few people. But I don’t think I should let fear of people who won’t agree with me stop be from stating my own observations and concerns about the world.

“2020 Won” was never meant to win over everyone to my ideas or be an easy-to-digest radio song. I was just writing what I felt at the time.

 

Q) What do you hope listeners take away from checking out Only Hours In?

A) I hope they get some insight into not only my sound, but also who I am as an artist, and who I am as a person!

Whilst my music is of course a ‘brand’, I’m doing this whole thing independently, and writing all my own songs, so I’m definitely not shying away from singing about what I think! I’m being as honest as I can.

Hopefully, this EP finds kindred spirits who feel they can relate and enjoy the pop-rock sound of the record!

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

A) The Half Moon in Putney is a fantastic small venue in London. It’s very local to me and I’ve played there various times over the years. Amazing memories! ’ll also rarely say no to a festival stage! I love performing in the outdoors in the summer!

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

A) Ahh, I’d love to produce some tracks with Travis Barker or to collaborate on a song with Keith Urban / Miley Cyrus… But I think these guys are all currently a little busy for me! [laughs]

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

A) Right now, I’m listening to John Mayer’s new record Sob Rock. I mean John Mayer is an absolute legend and, whilst this record may not objectively be his best, I’m an absolute sucker for that 80s sound. And Sob Rock really nails it in this regard.

Currently, I’m also listening to a lot of Kip Moore / Ryan Hurd. These guys aren’t as mainstream as a lot of other pop-country artists, but the authenticity of their writing and rocky singer-songwriter type productions are awesome.

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

A) In essence, it’s the ONLY way to connect unless you are playing a gig that gives you the space / time enough to speak directly to your listeners. Even then, unless you actually go into the crowd afterwards and say hi to people, there’s a level of connection not attained.

Believe it or not, I’m not the biggest fan of social media. I find the whole thing a bit of a drag and that it convolutes real-life experiences quite a bit. That said, it’s given me the ability to connect with fans in ways I never otherwise would have. For some of them they are aware that I know them by their first name and that I “recognize” them. I think that’s awesome.

And especially during the past couple of years, where more and more has been consumed and witnessed through social media, it’s really become a gateway between me and my fans, much more-so than gigging. My Instagram followers and YouTube subscribers are awesome and incredibly loyal to me.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) Thanks so much for being with me on this journey so far! It means a great deal to me that you’re following me and following my work!

If you really wanna help me out, and you haven’t done it yet, please make sure you’re following me across all the main platforms – Spotify, YouTube, Instagram. [smiles]

And if there are any of my songs or videos that have really touched you, please reach out to me and let me know. I love hearing from you guys!