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Son of JayJamJah · 12-23-2008, 10:13 PM

Interview #1

Subject: Jackhammer

Inquisitor: Bulldog

Here is the condensed edited transcript

[18:23] Bulldog: So you're from Birmingham aren't you?
[18:24] Jackhammer: Not quite. I have lived in Cheltenham for 17 years now. Was born in Wolverhampton but grew up in Telford (it's in Shropshire) but both sides of family going back many generations are all from Birmingham. I don't know where I would call home really.
[18:26] Bulldog: Yeah, I'm pretty much the same.
[18:31] Bulldog: So you're married man aren't you? With a kid as well I seem to remember
[18:32] Jackhammer: Not married but may as well be. Got two kids. Two boys. 14 (nearly 15) and the youngest is ten. We have been together for 16 years now.
[18:34] Bulldog: Congrats man. Have you managed to sway them towards Villa fandom as well?
[18:36] Jackhammer: The eldest hates footie-we are not much alike at all but the little fella is. In fact I have just got him the new villa shirt with Barry on the back for him for x-mas. Cost me forty quid! He wants me to take him for a game in the New Year so time to get the pennies out.
[18:37] Bulldog: lol Seems footie shirts cost their weight in gold these days, nevermind Premiership tickets. I haven't been to a Wigan game for 3 years now - the prices keep scaring me off
[18:38] Bulldog: Speaking of which, what was the last game you saw at Villa Park?
[18:40] Jackhammer: Years ago. It was a UEFA Cup Game and we lost 2-1. Can't even remember the team. I think they were Croatian. I have never been able to go because I don't drive and worked every Saturday for the past 4 years.
[18:42] Bulldog: UEFA Cup... that wasn't when David O'Leary was in charge was it? Or am I hilariously wide of the mark?
[18:43] Jackhammer: Yeah. Juan Pablo Angel scored so was many moons ago!
[18:44] Bulldog: I remember that bloke! Good little player he was. He was no Nathan Ellington though lol
[18:44] Jackhammer: You’re a Wigan fan no?
[18:45] Bulldog: Yeah. Have been since we were in the old Second Division. It's been quite an interesting 7 years, I've gotta say
[18:46] Bulldog: I think the only time I've ever cried tears of joy was when we Sheffield Utd to stay up on goal difference. What a match

[18:49] Bulldog: Since we all love lists, if you could give someone 10 albums to define everything good about music, what do you reckon they'd be?
[18:50] Bulldog: Pretty harsh question I know...
[18:50] Jackhammer: Oh jeez. Well that would be MY representation of what music should sound like but they may not be the most suitable for you to get a full appreciation of music.
[18:52] Bulldog: Well, that's alright. I was forgetting, you've got a thread about this going haven't you.
[18:52] Jackhammer: No, no worries. Let's chuck out a few.
[18:53] Jackhammer: Erik Satie-Piano works. Beautiful simplicity
[18:53] Jackhammer: Slayer Reign In Blood because it's still arguably the most intense album ever
[18:54] Jackhammer: Pink Floyd Animals-some of the best guitar work ever
[18:54] Jackhammer: Fat Freddy’s Drop- based on a true story-because its the sexiest album ever and makes we want to jump someone’s bones
[18:55] Jackhammer: Joy Division - unknown pleasures - nihilism has never sounded so exquisite
[18:56] Jackhammer: Dubmatix - champion soundclash-a brilliant electro dub/reggae album that represents everything that’s great about the Reggae genre
[18:57] Jackhammer: Fela Kuti- expensive Shit. because music belongs to the entire world not just the first world
[18:57] Jackhammer: John Martyn -Grace and Danger. Because there is nothing quite cathartic as a man pouring his heart out into his music
[18:59] Jackhammer: Wire - Missing Chairs. Who says one genre is enough? mind blowing punk that was anything but.
[18:59] Jackhammer: Massive Attack - mezzanine. Possibly the greatest electronic album of all time
[19:00] Jackhammer: there ya go. that was random
[19:00] Bulldog: Great list there man. As ashamed as I am to admit, I've never actually heard Animals before
[19:00] Bulldog: Gotta get hold of that Dubmatix album at some point too
[19:01] Jackhammer: oh yeah they are fantastic. Canadian of all things but their music was built for sound systems. I can sort that for ya no worries

[19:04] Bulldog: Speaking of favorites, who are the leading lights in music for you?
[19:05] Jackhammer: No one lol
[19:06] Jackhammer: Nobody has TRULY TRULY blew me away recently. I love Bon Iver but it is hardly original is it?
[19:06] Bulldog: I see where you're coming from. It all smacks of pale imitation doesn't it?
[19:07] Bulldog: From what I'm told dance music is still fleeting nicely, but I'm no expert at all on it
[19:07] Jackhammer: Sure does. I still think that Bowie has got one truly great album left in him and we are still waiting for the My Bloody Valentine album
[19:08] Bulldog: And Madness are doing an album next year too. lol
[19:09] Jackhammer: I suppose what is going in the dubstep scene is great as it is splintering into grime and hip hop, reggae and even ambience etc. it's great to have a scene in UK that is recognisably ours
[19:09] Jackhammer: UK. I mean. Unfortunately it's not big on MB
[19:10] Bulldog: Unfortunately not. There's a pretty lively thread on it, but it's not exactly setting the site alight
[19:12] Jackhammer: Electronic music full stop seems to be frowned on a little which is understandable in a way but just because of the lack of instruments, doesn’t mean it lacks any less skill. A lot of the scene is just a guy with his Mac in the bedroom
[19:13] Bulldog: I see what you mean. It can be a plus point as well though. Real music being made by real people sort of thing (if that makes any sense)
[19:14] Bulldog: There are some truly awful elements of it though. Happy hardcore for example
[19:14] Bulldog: Which leads onto my next question, are there any genres of music that you flat-out hate?
[19:17] Jackhammer: Happy hardcore is definitely awful and I hate all that diva warbling crap. I even cover my ears if a Celine Dion ad is on the TV. I listen to absolutely anything but I just cannot do twee pop or jangly Indie Belle and Sebastian etc. It goes nowhere for me and bores the crap out of me
[19:18] Bulldog: Same here man. I thought Belle and Sebastian had one okish song though. Can't remember what it was called - it's about the blues still being blues or something...

[19:19] Bulldog: How about film soundtracks? Are you into your fair share of those?
[19:20] Jackhammer: Oh yeah absolutely love them and try to convince MB'ers to give them a chance as they are as interesting as anything out there. I usually fail
[19:21] Bulldog: Trouble is the only place you can post about them is in that tiny forum that's hidden away wherever it is. There are some terrific ones out there though
[19:21] Bulldog: For example, the Proposition soundtrack
[19:22] Jackhammer: yeah great film too as is clint Mansells work
[19:23] Bulldog: Very undervalued part of music, as you say. Dunno about yourself, but the first CD I ever bought was a soundtrack
[19:24] Jackhammer: I cannot remember my first ever CD my first album was Adam and the Ants!
[19:25] Bulldog: Nice one! Kings of the Wild Frontier was it?
[19:25] Bulldog: I love that album
[19:25] Jackhammer: Dirk wears white sox; great band actually
[19:26] Bulldog: Their first three albums are top stuff. Haven't heard them in a while though

[19:27] Bulldog: What do you think of Prince Charming? A bit too poppy would you say?
[19:27] Jackhammer: Yeah they definitely lost their edge but I’m sure that was record label pressure
[19:28] Bulldog: Happened to all of them in the 80s didn't it? Costello, Bowie, Numan, Reed...
[19:29] Jackhammer: yeah but dig beneath the surface and there was some fantastic music around in the 80's
[19:30] Bulldog: Oh yeah, there's plenty of the stuff. Who'd you say your favourites were/are?
[19:30] Bulldog: From the 80s I mean
[19:33] Jackhammer: Talk Talk developed into a brilliant band but we also had Flux of Pink Indians, Echo & The Bunnymen, G.B.H, Cocteau Twins, dinosaur Jr, Big Black, The Cure, Foetus, Jesus and Mary Chain, Five or Six as well as all the metal that exploded in the mid 80's too
[19:35] Bulldog: Tons of the stuff really. The 80s is unfairly frowned on by a lot of people I've met who claim to be into music. The kinds who just associate it big hair, Top Gun and Huey Lewis