PREVIEW: Jake Minch @ High Noon Saloon
Interview by James Norcross
Album cover for Jake’s newest release George
In anticipation of Jake Minch’s show at the High Noon Saloon on Tuesday, November 11, we asked Jake some questions about his new album George and his tour.
Interview has been edited for clarity.
Q1: How did moving to New York Influence your creative process after being in Connecticut and Los Angeles?
A: “I’m grateful I had two years in LA that did not go well! By the time I got to New York, there was an eagerness I hadn’t felt before. I’ve been challenging myself to always have a pen on me. Being around people all the time and gleaning random stuff has been really cool for the writing. I cranked out a song last night that I think is my favorite I’ve ever written!”
Q2: How do you deal with the backlog of unfinished ideas and voice memos when songwriting?
A: “For a long time, I used to get swallowed by it. Now I’m a lyrics-first guy. I collect all the random phrases and ideas—now my voice memos are like a time capsule of the past year of my life. The idea for the song kind of happens on its own, tying pieces together. If an idea is good enough, it will stick, so I just try to trust that instinct.”
Q3: The visuals for the album George are so cohesive. How did you arrive at this aesthetic?
A: “We started working on the visuals after having a conversation about how all my favorite artists are the funniest people you’ve ever met. I’d been angry for a long time and forgot how to be funny! I knew my strengths and weaknesses, so we looked for collaborators. I was on a huge Harmony Korine kick, so I wanted the photography to be real and ugly—I’m grateful we did that instead of a typical album cover shoot!”
Q4: What has it been like playing live with a full backing band on tour versus working in the studio?
A: “It’s been an incredible comfort thing. I’ve been introduced to some of my best friends this way. While I prefer writing on my own, there’s nothing like getting to play music live—it’s its own beast. Going on tour and learning to make the music fun helped me fall back in love with songwriting again.”
EMMIE will return to Jake Minch, but for now we hope Madison enjoys the show!