Blair Jollands Talks New Single, Album And More

ILondon based singer-songwriter/ musician Blair Jollands and friend of JLTT has released his latest single Don’t Cry’, lifted from the upcoming album ‘Little Comet’. He sat down with us to talk about the single, album and more: 

When did you begin songwriting?
When I was a teenager

What is your earliest musical memory?
As a young kid growing up in NZ I’d sometimes go with my mum to the local Marae (Māori meeting house) and would soak up their music – Waiata Tangi – for example- I found it extremely powerful.

Your new album ‘Little Comet’ is scheduled for release in March 2025. How did you want to approach the making of the album?
I made a conscious decision to stick to organic instrumentation on this LP and I had a clear vision of the sound I wanted which was a closer, more intimate sound especially with the vocals. I wanted to write a classic album that wasn’t time stamped with a particular genre but just focused on good, classic songwriting. My previous records has been very diverse in styles and I wanted to avoid doing that this time.

Where did you record the album and who produced it?
I recorded and produced the LP. We used a couple of places – my own studio in East London – Good Shepherd Studios, Fortress for The Breaking and North Seven for a few of the tracks.

Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the album recording sessions?
My 14yr old son was helping me work out some of the arrangements and it turned out that we used his piano playing and drumming on 2 of the final mixes.

Did you use any particular instruments, microphones, recording equipment to help you get a particular sound/tone for the record?
The drum skins were muted and covered with sheets to get that 70’s dead, dry sound. Vocals were all captured on the Neve 1073 preamp and some overdriven.. the upright piano’s baffles were removed and Mic’d up permanently ready to go as were all the amps and the drum kit throughout the recording process so as to be ready to capture the moment. We captured alot of the LP with live takes. All channels went through an old analog mixing consol which added further dirt to eradicate the risk of any ‘clean’ signal getting through to tape.

One of the tracks is the new single ‘Don’t Cry’ which is released on 5th September 2024. What was the story/inspiration behind the track?
I actually wrote this song about 10 yrs ago, inspired by the then current situation in the Middle East namely Palestine/Israel. But now 10 yrs on it’s still relevant. Fundamentally it’s a song about loss and grieving- as is a lot of the record. The 6 months leading up to the making of Little Comet, for me, have been scattered with a lot of these emotions so I had plenty of inspiration.

Was it a difficult album to write?
With this record I was lucky enough to feel the flood of divine inspiration and fell quickly into zone once poised with pen. Having a clear picture of the sonic outcome really helped. I’d learned a lot from making my previous records and the areas i felt were mistakes I had made helped shape a record where I felt I had grown as an artist and as a writer. I self produced this record. This is not my preferred way only that it was the only option because of lack of funds and no ideal producer had come forward. Another thing that I really believe helped was a firm deadline that I coudn’t delay. This avoided any temptation to over tweak or over produce the record. Bouncing ideas off the band and some close, trusted friends of mine really got me through the last week of production when I was starting to lose a little clarity.

Which of your new album tracks hear you at your a) happiest, b) angriest and c) most reflective?
A – Little Comet
B – No Turning Back
C – Are We Gonna Make It On Time?

What two things do you hope to have achieved once you have left the stage?
I hope to have inspired at least one person in the audience. I hope to have broken any barriers between the stage and the crowd. Music can bridge divides. I hope that me and the band have delivered some healing to those in need.

Do you have any favoured stage instruments, effects, pedals, microphones etc?
I like to incorporate some trumpet in places. Brass cuts through and grabs people’s attention but like the human voice it can communicate a lot of emotion. I incorporate vocal loops occasionally and build on them however when I can afford several backing singers I’ll be happy to lose the looper.

Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?
Grey Lynn, Auckland NZ.
Familiar / peaceful / eclectic / space / home

How do you look after your voice?
I try to sing regularly to keep in shape. A headline set as a singer is quite a workout so staying fit and hydrated is crucial.

You are given the opportunity to write the score for a film adaptation of a novel that you enjoy. Which novel is it and why?
Earth Sea Trilogy by Ursula Le Guin
Because it’s the most magical of novels and would be a dream to create a soundtrack to.

Who are some of your musical influences? Do you have any recommendations?

Al Green, Bjork, Elvis, Dylan, Bowie, Leadbelly, Nina Simone, Muddy Waters, JJ Cale, Camaron, Leonard Cohen…

Who created/designed the album artwork?

We’re still working on it!

Do you have any live dates planned in the UK/Europe in 2024/2025?
We’re currently putting together a tour to support the LP Release

What makes Blair Jollands happy and what makes you unhappy?
Songwriting = Happy
Injustice = Unhappy