Jamie Scott & The Town
Exclusive Interview
“Taking the Town by storm”
The moment I enter the room, the energy in the air strikes me like a flash of lightning. Like their presence on stage, Jamie Scott & the Town are even more electrifying up close. Laughter bounces off the walls, as do the boys - casually clad in sportswear - playfully wrestling with each other like brothers. Definitely not the kind of tension you might think a band would be feeling only a couple of hours before a live gig. There is no trace of hostility that many group members, who have to spend days on end touring together, might be experiencing. These fellas just seem excited, happy to be alive and in each other’s company. On stage, JS & the Town may take your breathe away with their soulful, sexy and reflective music, but off-stage, they’ll steal your attention away with their sense of humour and fun.
Singer/songwriter Jamie Scott (who just celebrated his 27th birthday), and two of his band members, Chris Dodd (bass) and Nick Squires (Cello), who have accompanied him out to the island of Cyprus to perform for a few days at the 7 Seas Live Music Bar, finally settle down around a large table. We are joined by their manager, Ricky Wilson, who is extremely easy on the eyes and just as captivating as Jamie. Owner of the talent agency, Town Management (thus, the ‘Town’ part of the band’s name), it is apparent that Ricky is just as much one of the group as he is their representation. As the lads banter between themselves, I am already feeling at ease in their company, and I discover that chatting away with JS & the Town is just like hanging out with old mates.
So how does this friendly bunch all know each other? Jamie met Chris about 6 years ago at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Bar in London, and they hit it off musically. When they were looking for another band member to go on tour with them, Nick, who trained as a cellist at the Royal College of Music, stepped into the picture. And who is the shadow of the band – ever present, yet a tad more silent than the rest? Jamie’s father, who follows them around on tour, seems to be the perfect mascot: the desired mixture of father figure and just another one of the boys.
I turn to Jamie - who is extremely sweet in person - and Rick - who blows me away with his charm - and ask the pair of them what lies behind their success together in business. “Ricky may be my agent, and our manager,” Jamie tells me, “but we are also the best of friends. Actually, we were mates first, before going into business together. Ricky not only was my brother’s friend before he was mine but he actually went to school with my ex-girlfriend too. When I broke up with her, I was very depressed – I desperately needed someone to talk to… I’d get up before 6am every morning and couldn’t get back to sleep!” Chuckling away, Ricky agrees: “Yeah, that’s true. He would ring me up and ask me to hang out at the crack of dawn…I was the only person crazy enough to accept to go jogging with him in the park at that time of morning! Ha ha!”
“We became mates,” explains Jamie, “and then we ended up living together. Finally, we decided that Ricky, who was already an agent for comedic talent, would represent me. In fact, it was so funny when we decided to work together - we had to be all business-like, which was strange for housemates!”
“True,” says Ricky, with a massive grin on his face. “He made me change into a suit before our meetings so they would be more official - it was the only way he would take me seriously! I even had to put on glasses!” As the entire band cracks up at this remark, it’s obvious that these guys know how lucky they are to be able to work with people they get along with so well. They all agree that nothing beats hanging out and having a laugh with your best mates… “especially since Ricky and I are both are as lonely as each other!” Jamie jokes (the other band members are married). “Seriously though, it’s good fun getting to travel with your best mates,” he explains, “what better job is there than this?”
Speaking of travel, I knew that Jamie had been to Cyprus before, but I find out that the connection runs even deeper: his mother was actually born on the island, and his uncle bought a home here some time ago. In fact, Jamie first came out here on holiday when he was 18, and he’s been back several times since. All the guys express how much they like the island (and the women, adds Ricky with a bashful smile), and that it’s been fun performing out here.
When I ask them where they prefer to perform in general - in large or small venues - and if there is a country or place in particular which they love best, Jamie replies, “The sound in an intimate gig is great but the buzz you feel in a large crowd is amazing. We’ve played for around 400 people at Ronnie Scott’s, and we really loved our regular Sunday gig there, but supporting Take That on tour in Europe recently was incredible – there was an audience of about 17,000 people in the stadium in Holland.”
“That was great,” jumps in Chris, “but I loved playing in Hong Kong too. We didn’t even know how popular we were out there until we actually went on stage and saw for ourselves! Same in Singapore – we had no idea we were no.1 out there.” Nicks nods and adds, “Yeah, that’s true, but I really loved Thailand – we were treated so well there.” Jamie is a huge fan of Switzerland. “I loved it when we performed in Zurich,” he tells me. “Another of my favourite places is Bush Hall back home in England. That place is the pinnacle of our last album.”
Jamie is talking about JS & the Town’s first album, ‘Park Bench Theories’, off which the hit single ‘When Will I See Your Face Again’ came from. Although it was inspired by the aftermath of a heart-wrenching break-up, with the launch of their new album (‘Gold –After the Crossroads’ is its working title) set for next year, the future for Jamie and his group looks nothing but bright and cheery. Their latest song ‘Gold’ – one of their favourites, and mine – has such a beautiful acoustic feel to it that I predict it won’t have any trouble whatsoever making them some gold.
Read More...