Jay Expendable Expands

Rip It Up, Issue 95, 1 June 1985, Page 12

Jay Expendable Expands

Fiona Rae

Jay Clarkson’s first experience in a band was a one-nighter at the infamous Mollet Street in Christchurch. Then it was two years with the Playthings, a year with They Were Expendable and now nearly two years with the Expendables... Could you sum up how far you've come since the Playthings? "Singing-wise, a lot more loosened up, much more inclined to be more emotional in singing, not holding back, I used to feel hesitant about letting go because people might think you're a wanker, but then I thought what the hell, this is my life. I've grown more and more to really love singing and I'm learning to sing fairly softly now and just turn it up out front, that way you get some expression in your voice, whereas if you’re singing hard it tends to be all one tone.

“Songwriting-wise I think the structures have become more simple. Less bitsy. I find it hard to write really simple songs, but one reason for simplifying is that I can play more simple guitar and it's easier to sing. It’s hard to concentrate on singing if the songs are chopping and changing."

The current Expendables lineup is Michael Kime (bass), Chris Matthews (drums) and Anthony Nevison (guitar).

"I've had various lineup changes, which is a drag, but music’s what I know, it’s a skill I've developed, so I’ll just keep doing it. I always thought that a three-piece would be ideal, that there would be something really raw and bare about it, but it means I have to play really hard on guitar and it was impossible to get the arrangements I wanted. The initial idea with the fourpiece was that I would stop playing guitar, but it sounded such fun with two guitars that I'm playing just as much."

You’ve been the motivating force with They Were Expendable and the Expendables. Is there a burn-out factor?

"Well, you never know. I don’t know how much longer I want to keep going so that’s why I thought we should go for it now not that we really go for it, there are large pauses! The songs have been coming solidly for eight years or so, but I don't know how much longer they'll keep coming. I've felt at times before a gig, farting around with posters and stuff, 'Why do this, I can't be stuffed, this is our last gig,' but then it’ll be so good at the gig that it's all worth it."

Obviously, too, Jay is one of the few women in New Zealand's "alternative" music scene, although she has no direct feminist message like, say, the Freudian Slips did. "Well, I do in that I'm a woman up there doing it, so there's the message. It's obvious so I almost feel I don't have to say anything, it’s just that I’m doing it amongst men because I want to and I can do it. It’s no more of a struggle, it’s a matter of knowing the scene and developing your craft, but then I'm not in an all-women band and I don't know how much prejudice they get. I suppose I do remember in the past feeling funny about a woman playing guitar. That was one of the reasons I held off getting into a band even though I was capable of being in one for quite some time. New Zealanders didn’t seem to have much respect for New Zealand musicians then, they only believed in overseas musicians, but that’s changed." And you’re a Mum too.

"That’s difficult at times. There have been times when it’s good and I’ve had a supportive group around me but then they’ll move or I'll move and it’s difficult again. It’s not superawkward but slightly stressful trying to practice when Dane’s bursting in every five minutes." How’s the solo album going? "Really well, I'm using lots of people, mainly This Kind Of Punishment and the Expendables. Peter Allison of the Chills plays keyboards on one song and there are a couple of just acoustic songs Michael and I. It should be out about Sep-

tember. It’s at Progressive with Terry King. He's a good engineer to work with, not pushy but he gives good suggestions and knows when to knuckle down when you’re farting around. It’s a really good atmosphere.” Jay says she’ll probably always record. The Playthings had two singles (‘Coloured’/'Sit Down’ and 'Birdseye View'/’Dumb’, ‘Pure Frost’). There was the Big Strain EP from They Were Expendable and a single ('The Flower’/'Man With No Desire 1 ) and now an LR In Between Gears from the Expendables. "I love vinyl it’s just nice, this piece of stuff with all these songs on it. It’s amazing! With the first single I wasn’t expecting to feel anything and was really surprised about my reaction really thrilled. The new album was recorded about a year and a half ago, all except one track, ‘Say Cheese’. It’s on eighttrack, as opposed to 16, which the single was. It’s very uneven because it was mixed in three different control rooms the equalisation is different and it was impossible to balance it out and even it up. Rex

tried really hard but the volume differs from song to song. There’s some good songs and some good playing, it’s just this three different studios thing. ‘Say Cheese’ was recorded and mixed at Lab recently and a couple of the others we mixed at Progressive when we did them, but the rest were mixed at Progressive after its control room was changed and that’s why its so uneven.” The other news is that a friend in Christchurch is getting together a Playthings EP or album to be released through (yep) Flying Nun. "Oily taped practically every Playthings gig, so he’s got a really good range to choose from. It'll be great to have more of Janine’s songs on vinyl too.” Your songs seem to deal with intangibles moods created by people, like ‘Little Hitlers' and The Man With No Desire’. Would you agree? "I suppose they do. I suppose I’m trying to make a statement but in an evasive way so I try to give a vague feeling, although some are fairly outright! I tend to write about people, I guess a lot of my songs

sound very critical and negative but I don’t feel like that all the time. I actually feel that all human urges are based in purity anyway, so even though some of my songs sound like I’m short-sighted I’m not really. “When I finish writing a song I really do believe in it, because I’m quite ruthless when I’m writing. Even if they're not perfect it’s a growing thing. I'm learning and learning and when I’m finished I want to perform it.” How was the last tour?

“It was really good in Dunedin, great audience, so attentive, they really listen hard down there. Auckland audiences are good too, but Christchurch are the worst I reckon. A lot bands feel that they’re lethargic. We should be playing again soon at the Windsor.

"We can only tour because we are taking people like Rex Visible (sound), and Craig Mason (lights) with us and Dave W.ishart, who’s driven his van up and down New Zealand so many times. I find it quite heartbreaking when we do a tour, not being able to pay those people a good wage. I can cope if

I don’t make any money but I don't know how long I can keep doing that to those people. It would be nice to have more money behind you, to make touring easier. Nice not to have to pay for your own posters, not to have to worry about the cost of things. You need someone to do your PR I believe in myself and I know I’ve developed skill as a singer, but for me to say ‘Hey, I'm this great singer,’ I can’t do that. I guess I was brought up to be too nice! Actually, it seems hard to break through that whole New Zealand niceness things where to believe in yourself is almost to be egotistical.” Chris Knox has done a video for the Expendables of ‘The Flower’, which Jay says will be “typical Chris Knox I suppose, fast and done in his back yard with me rolling around in the weeds!” and she’ll do something for the solo album. It was a bloody good chat with Jay. I guess the thing that struck me the most is that she’s a strong woman, there’s no bullshit, no stupid theories she does what she does.