Jake Hays – Overcomplicated

By starrymag | May 29, 2021

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

A) This is surprisingly one of the hardest questions for me because I’ve never really had a good answer. [laughs] I’ve been told I sound like Alex Turner at times, and that there’s a bit of an Electric Guest / X Ambassadors-vibe, but I tend to just classify it as alternative pop!

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

A) I’m honestly influenced more by singles than the bands themselves, but there are bands I never get tired of listening to like Queens of the Stone Age, Arctic Monkeys, Electric Guest and Bad Suns. Lately though, I’ve been super into Dua Lipa and X Ambassadors, so it all varies. [laughs]

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Overcomplicated.”

A) The song is about being on a date and having that feeling that it just doesn’t work, and while trying to get out of it, some things are said that shouldn’t have to be said.

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

A) I feel we’ve all been in a position where we’ve felt uncomfortable and have had to be more polite about it due to social pressure and anxiety, that this song is a bit of a f**k you to someone who isn’t listening to your boundaries

Q) You co-directed the video with Olivia DeLaurentis. How did you two come to work together on the concept?

A) Olivia and I actually started directing music videos over the pandemic (because we live together and figured a music video would be a fun way to pass the time) and it ended up being such a fun experience that we began doing more music videos together and even recently started our own production company called HELLBENT Creative (www.hellbentcreative.com). She’s also so insanely talented on her own as a director, producer and editor that what she brings to the projects is really what gets them done and across the finish line.

Q) How did the series Goosebumps and the film SAW influence your idea for the video?

A) I’ve been a fan of the Goosebumps series since preschool (and I know this because I have vivid memories of the Welcome to Camp Nightmare book during my pre-school time [laughs]) and I’ve always wanted to pair this relatively pop sound with a palatable horror-vibe. It’s been something I’ve loved all my life and speaks the most true to me, so for this video we felt playing with a horror story in an absurd, oddly non-threatening setting would be the most fun for us. We also had to figure out something we could do with minimal cast/crew due to COVID and everyone’s personal safety.

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

A) I would say for just about every song I write the music and melody first, and out of the gibberish I sing while I’m forming melodies, more often than not a line or word comes from it that I base the rest of the song off of.

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

A) I write, play and produce 100% of the songs. Only recently have I started collabing with an insanely talented friend of mine, Alexander Morgan (who also plays keys/guitar in my live band; check out his released music under Schmorgle), on some of the upcoming singles.

Q) How do you shake off a long day in the studio?

A) Weed gets me through everything. [laughs] Being a Californian, it’s just part of the daily life. I should probs give it up at some point though, but I suppose I could have a way worse vice.

Q) Will there be a full album or EP coming in the near future?

A) At the moment, I’m focusing on singles because with the attention span of people nowadays, I feel like Song 2 onward on an EP or album would go unheard or underappreciated. Singles allow me to shine a light on each song a bit more.

Q) With concerts currently on hold, what do you miss most about being on stage?

A) Absolutely everything. [laughs] I miss physically feeling loud music. The soundwaves and bass just pulsing through that bod. I miss being on stage and being a dweeb in front of people. It’s gonna be back with a vengeance though, so I think we’re all gearing up for it. It’s like 2 Fast 2 Furious, only when that green light hits, there’s gonna be a freakin’ traffic jam.

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

A) I love playing in LA because all my friends can come hang, which makes it extra special. My favorite venue to perform in of all time was probably Terminal 5 in NYC when my band Maudlin Strangers was opening up for Cold War Kids. That venue is INSANE.

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

A) I wanna write a song with Ryan Tedder because he’s the king of hooks.

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

A) I just painted a room and had Dua Lipa’s discography on loop and she is a total badass. There’s some groovy shit on there. DAYUM.

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

A) Social media is honestly pretty evil and mind melting, BUT it’s really the only way to be connected to thousands of people at lightning speed. The world has never been as connected as it is right now, but it’s also never been as saturated with artists which makes it much harder to be heard, so there are big pros and big cons.

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

A) That they are the reason why I’m excited to do what I do. I have a curse of NEEDING to make music and if it wasn’t for them, it would be such a lonely experience. Nothing makes me feel more heard (literally) or understood than when I put new music out and get that feedback, good or bad, from friends, family and followers.