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Unsigned518 - Episode 126 - Jay Mullen · Unsigned518

• 0:01
  Speaker A: He was born on a Saturday in 73. He loves park rock music. Fighting the 13th cabin in the dazzle roll now on the beast guitar with a short whip radio back his motherfucking Andy scolding look at motherfucker. Cause here he comes Andy scrolling, wearing his own.
• 0:27
  Speaker B: All right, so welcome to unsigned five and eight. Today I'm here with Jay Mullen. How's it going, man?
• 0:32
  Speaker C: It's going. It's going well, man.
• 0:34
  Speaker B: And is it, is it is Jay for short for Jason?
• 0:38
  Speaker C: It is.
• 0:38
  Speaker B: It is.
• 0:39
  Speaker C: It is short for Jason. Yes.
• 0:40
  Speaker B: Nice. And you. You are. Cause people who listen to the show, obviously, and in the scene know who your brother James is, correct. He's your older brother.
• 0:48
  Speaker C: Older brother, yes. Yes. I'm the middle of three.
• 0:52
  Speaker B: Nice. And we actually. Even though, like, you know, James and I go back couple years and, like, we know each other, we played several shows. I'm sitting in with cease Atlantis on base in, like, two weeks. Yeah, yeah, but we've never met.
• 1:06
  Speaker C: Yeah, that's true. I think we may have played on one show together, one of the Putnam shows.
• 1:10
  Speaker B: Did we.
• 1:11
  Speaker C: I don't know. Or maybe I was just at a show or C's and you played together.
• 1:14
  Speaker B: Yeah, it might have been. Because I don't. I don't think we've. I mean. And also, I'm old to, like, you.
• 1:19
  Speaker C: Know, it's also possible.
• 1:20
  Speaker B: Yeah.
• 1:21
  Speaker D: But this is our first cordial.
• 1:23
  Speaker B: Yes. This is our first introduction. And just, like, with a lot of guests that come on, we went back and forth a hundred times to try to figure out. To make something work. So, like, it's always fun. Like, those. Like, some of them are, like, very easy, and then sometimes it's like, well, what about the. Oh, I can't do that. What about this? Ooh, I can. You know, like, so when it does work out, I really love that. Cause I'm like. That means, like, you were like, yeah, I really want to be on the show because it took us three or four times to make it happen.
• 1:53
  Speaker D: Yeah, man. I mean, I really love what you've been doing with the show. Obviously, having my older brother on, I know that he had experience here, and just seeing, like, the 518 community as it is, as a local music scene.
• 2:03
  Speaker C: It'S been really cool.
• 2:04
  Speaker D: And seeing this grow with that has been really awesome.
• 2:06
  Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. And that's, you know, really what the show's been about from the beginning is, like, trying to make. Cause it's. For me, it's always gonna be about the people, and I've always been someone that likes all kinds of music. And, like, you know, socially, when I was younger, I felt you had to pick a, you know what I mean? You had to pick a pocket. But I was always like, but, you know, sure, I love Metallica and punk rock, but I also really love steely Dan, but, like, I couldn't tell anybody back then. So, like, now that, you know, it's. I'm in a scene, I'm always like, it's all about the people. Like, bring the people together. The type of music they're making doesn't matter because you'd be surprised at how many people like many kinds of music.
• 2:52
  Speaker C: Exactly.
• 2:54
  Speaker B: That's my little piece. But so speaking of music, I really just kind of want to go back with you. Obviously, with James as your brother, he's very musical. I'm sure music has been a part of you for a while, but I want to kind of hear your story of your relationship with music leading kind of up to now.
• 3:18
  Speaker D: Yeah, I mean, I've always, I find it very interesting that James and I like our musicians and play in bands and play in shows and, you know, like, play music, write music, play out, because while music has always been, like, a part of our lives, like, my mom, huge fan of, you know, Bono.
• 3:37
  Speaker C: And U two in Chicago and Dave Matthews, like, we always had music playing in the house, so, like, that's always been ingrained in me. But she didn't, like, play piano or play guitar or anything like, she sang. But luckily I was always able to be in a chorus or I picked up the violin when I was in middle school and was able to dip my toes in that way. But once I got to high school, James had an acoustic guitar that I would steal when he wasn't around and try to learn chords to songs. First song I learned was the a team by Ed Sheeran. Great song, but I didn't really start to play out or, like, start write to write more material, I suppose, until I was in college. I was living with my roommate at the time, Brendan Crowley. Shout out to him. Living in Vermont right now, but he and I wrote some material together while we were out there for school and ended up starting a group that was known as the spot at the time. And that was, like, right when Covid happened. And so, you know, Covid, we had a handful of rehearsals, like, kind of, like the end of 2019 going into 2020, and we were like, oh, this is really great. It's going to be a really good experience. Like, we're going to be heading in like, a summer where we can kind of play out. We're starting to write some music, and then when the unfortunate thing happened and we all had to go home from school, Brendan at the time, lived in Connecticut, and so he was kind of, like, out. He couldn't really commit to anything. And so it was me, Greg offerdew, who I'm sure you've seen him maybe doing some things up in, like, Lake George, Queensbury. He played Adirondack winery yesterday, doing steel drum stuff. He was the drummer for us. Michael Basford was the lead guitarist. And we are all. We were all sort of based, like, in this area, so we kind of kept rehearsing and stuff for trying to figure out what to do throughout the pandemic. Like, Mike and I would kind of be out in the Saratoga parks and just kind of playing acoustic, trying to jam together, trying to get some sort of chemistry and songwriting stuff done. There was a few times I remember it was really awesome. Like, we would have some kind of, you know, families walking by and listening to us, and he's just noodling away. And it was a really fun experience. And through trials and tribulations, you know, members came and went. And most recently, I've been playing under the moniker J. Mullen and the spotters with the backing of, like, a major faction from the band, you know, Tom's house. And they played some shows. They play a lot of platinum shows. They play sort of, like, funk jam style music. And so that's when I play with a band around here, it's with them. Otherwise, it's been a lot of solo stuff for me, and that sort of brought me to songwriting here today in 2024, so.
• 7:06
  Speaker B: And now that you're going as J. Mullen and the Spotters, how much of do you have a catalog of original music that you've built up going back to that pre pandemic stuff and now you're keeping it alive through that.
• 7:22
  Speaker C: Yeah. So what I would say there's gonna be, like, we've recorded some of that stuff together. It hasn't come out yet. There's been a lot of things, like. Cause I'm currently living in Burlington, Vermont, in kind of Trent, and, you know, taking the train back and forth here when I got shows, and we were kind of trying to get schedules to work and all that. So there's going to be kind of like a J. Mullen and the spotters, like, with them, that sort of creative engine. And I'm also going to be recording stuff, like, sort of myself, more like solo, like, diy kind of project when I'm out in Vermont and trying to get some of that stuff also just out there, because it is sort of different creative energies, and I want to keep those kind of separate, which will be fun moving forward.
• 8:09
  Speaker B: Right. And talking about recording stuff. Is there anything out there now that's recorded, or is there something?
• 8:18
  Speaker C: Unfortunately, not yet. We had recorded a demo of one of our songs, mile 9.5, which hasn't gone out yet. It's still kind of in, like, the mastering process, and that can kind of. That can get stuck in the. I mean, I'm sure you know exactly how that is, so. But we're working on it. We're working on it.
• 8:37
  Speaker B: Nice. Nice. But, you know, you did bring a. Bring a guitar, so. And, you know, we will play it, or I'll ask you to play a song in a little bit. But, like, the. You know, being with a band and, like, writing songs and, like, obviously you can perform solo, and, like, that's something that, for me, personally, like, I've never been able to, like, balance both. You know what I mean? Like, I could, like, try to be someone that plays solo shows, but, like, it would take every bit of my. Bit of my energy, and then I can play bass in a punk band, and that takes every bit of my energy. But, like, to do both, you know, to work in an outfit and to work solo, like. Like, how do you find the. How do you find the switch to, like, you know?
• 9:29
  Speaker C: Yeah, it's interesting. I think it's sort of based on the fact that I've sort of had to force myself to learn how to do it because of the nature of me living in a different state and having to travel back and forth for both. But it is tricky. But I've. I've always very much loved, and I wanted to cultivate this energy with the spot all the way at the beginning, is, I didn't want it to be like my band initially, obviously. Now it's more like a lot of my songwriting has kind of gone into it, and they're like their own sort of entity, so they kind of form the spotters in that regard. But I always wanted to sort of cultivate a creative space where everyone can kind of throw something at the canvas and see if it sticks and see how it looks, and we can formulate whatever it is around it. I'm always gonna want to continue to do that. So whether, like, I have solo shows, I have a run of solo shows that are booked now through July, which I can talk about a little bit later on, but I am hoping that there's some spotters gigs that we can book throughout the summer, as well, because I love getting together with those guys and even just jamming and messing around and having that creative section of my brain itched. I don't think I'm ever gonna not yearn for something like that, so.
• 10:51
  Speaker B: Yeah, like, there's just, like, there's something about working with other creatives, like, towards the same. You know, there's, like, that's a un. You know, you can't. You can't replace that. To me, I mean, to me, anyway, like, you just can't replay, and I don't want to be like, oh, I'm, like, hiding behind them, but, like, when you're part of something, it's. It's like, you're part of. You know, it's. And when you're by yourself, it's just like, here I am.
• 11:19
  Speaker C: There's something especially in the songwriting process, too. Like, I. One of the songs that I'm playing on the show today, I wrote in a span of a couple of days at my mom and dad's place, and I was kind of in, like, a zone myself, and that was, like, I love getting in those spaces. But the collaborative energy that you can have with somebody else, like, going back to the start of the spot with my roommate Brendan, he was, like, a ra, so he was, like, on duty one night, making sure no one was too intoxicated or whatever ras are supposed to do on a university campus. And there was an hour left of his shift, and it was kind of a slow night, so I went over and I brought my acoustic, and we just wrote the song in, like, less than an hour, and just like, that was kind of what the song became. And just, like, it was that experience. It just. It just, like, happened, and I really don't know how else to really speak on it. Just like, that sort of, like, euphoria that you feel of, like, something just kind of, like, I feel like it would have. I don't know, maybe happened either way, but we had to be there to formulate it.
• 12:38
  Speaker D: You know what I mean?
• 12:39
  Speaker C: It was sort of, like, just, like a right place, right time, right?
• 12:43
  Speaker B: And the working of someone else, like, it's almost like solving a puzzle where, like, you do one little thing, and then the person you're with is like, well, what if we did this thing here? And then you're like, ooh, and then what about this? And then that's how, you know, that's why working with the band and working. And especially people who do other instruments, you know, like, I have a lot of respect for. You know, I play acoustic guitar, and I play bass in the band, but, like, playing leads and writing riffs and doing all that stuff, and, like, I respect that. Cause I'm like, I can't fucking do that. You know what I mean? And that's why I get a charge out of, like, when we're playing and I'm watching Ryan and Lonnie, like, doing their guitar things, I'm like, that's so fucking rad that they get to be a part of that.
• 13:32
  Speaker C: Yeah.
• 13:32
  Speaker D: I like to say I can, like, fumble my way around instruments so I can kind of, like, maybe give some sort of beat on the drum. Like, I recorded bass on, like, the James song that he put out over the holiday season or whatever, with that Ep, which was fun, but I wouldn't consider myself, like, a bassist. You know what I mean?
• 13:49
  Speaker B: Like, neither would I. Yeah. And, I mean, same. Like, I could keep, like, a steady beat on the drums and, like, I can play some. Some stuff on the piano, like, simple things, but, like, to go all in on an instrument, to me, is, like. So, I mean, it's impressive.
• 14:07
  Speaker C: It's wild.
• 14:08
  Speaker A: Yeah.
• 14:08
  Speaker B: It's, like, really impressive. So, speaking of music and guitars and solo stuff and songs, should you grab the guitar and play a song right now?
• 14:19
  Speaker C: Yeah, sure. I can go ahead and play my song. Awoken. I wrote this song, like I said, in a stretch of time last year, where I was staying with my folks for about a week or two, living in Vermont. I had a friend who was from the midwest who was there for the year, and there were just kind of conversations about sort of like a homesickness of sorts. And that's just through some of those conversations, that's sort of how the song came to be. So. Hope you like it.
• 14:51
  Speaker B: All right, cool. So this is Jay Mullen. Awoken. And then we'll be right back.
• 15:23
  Speaker A: You know I can't stay the roads close at midnight and you're my right I can see I've awoken I can see I've awoken I can see I've awoken can see I've awoken eyes I can see this city don't feel like.
• 16:09
  Speaker C: Home.
• 16:13
  Speaker A: I miss that midwestern warmness New England shaped me into fall into your hand you wish I missed oh, you wish I missed I can see I've awoken I can see I've awoken I can see I've awoken I can see I've awoken eyes. I can see that I need you now. Your kind eyes. Beautiful smile, infectious vibes. You don't know how hard it can be. Passing through a world not built for me before the first time. I can see I've awoken I can see I've awoken I can see I've awoken I can see I've awoken I I can see I've awoken I can see I've awoken I can't see I've awoken I can't see I've awoken I.
• 18:01
  Speaker B: All right, that was awoken. J. Mullen. And so, you know, we were talking earlier before you played the song, about recorded stuff, you said you'd been working on some demos, and you're up in Burlington and doing some gigs and solo gigs. But where's the. I guess, what's the path to get some of the songs recorded?
• 18:19
  Speaker D: Yeah, so I guess in terms of the J. Mullen and the spotters stuff, that setup is pretty much set in stone. Like, we have all of the setup and everything organized and situated. It's more about getting schedules situated. So really, it's trying to work with them around when they've got any sort of, you know, Tom's house obligations that they're going to be rehearsing for and recording their own music.
• 18:44
  Speaker C: And when I'll be able to kind of travel back and forth.
• 18:48
  Speaker D: So hopefully getting some of those batches of songs kind of wrapped up and finished, I would love to say by the end of the summer for that, but that could be ambitious with travel. So I would just say by the end of the year to be safe. And then in terms of my own solo stuff, like, just more solo, I would say probably same kind of timeframe, just because I'll also be trying to figure out I'm moving to a new spot over the coming weeks, trying to situate how I can record in that space or figure out how I can utilize a space out in Burlington that I can rent out with funds that I can somehow get out of thin air, maybe. But, yeah, I mean, I've got some microphones for, like, setup for just, like, solo acoustic stuff, so I can totally get something out.
• 19:41
  Speaker C: I'd been toying with this idea of.
• 19:43
  Speaker D: Just kind of doing, like, a kind of solo live performance in, like, my kitchen or something and just, like, putting that out on, like, a bandcamp thing. So maybe look out for that in the coming weeks even. Cause that wouldn't take that much back end work if I'm just like, here it is, live, and go for it. But. So that could be something to look out for the gram on, but, yeah. And end of the year, for anything, like, set in stone, I would say.
• 20:10
  Speaker B: Nice. Yeah. And that's what I love about, you know, this day and age, so to speak, is that the ability to just put something out, like, if you wanted, like, really, you need a microphone or two.
• 20:22
  Speaker D: Yeah.
• 20:23
  Speaker B: And, like, an Instagram account, that's really all you need. And you can at least be like, hey, I'm working on some shit. And here's like a. You know, here's a stripped down version of it. Here's what it's gonna sound like.
• 20:39
  Speaker D: Exactly.
• 20:39
  Speaker B: You know, 20 years ago, you really can. I mean, you could do that, I guess. Cause, like, you know, YouTube probably existed 20 years ago. Yeah.
• 20:48
  Speaker C: Now we're now really dating ourselves what year we think.
• 20:51
  Speaker B: Totally. I'm like, I just turned 50 and I'm like, 20 years ago. Oh, wait, no. Maybe I shouldn't go down this road. Yeah, 20 years ago, you know, you remember when the Atari came out?
• 21:01
  Speaker C: Yeah, exactly. Exactly, exactly.
• 21:06
  Speaker B: Yeah. So end of the end of the year, most likely gonna have some recorded stuff. And I mean, the other thing, too is that being in unsigned bands and local bands and. And doing what we do, like, on our own, like, you gotta fit it in with your life. You know what I mean? You got to fit it in with life. And, like, that kind of hit when you're like, well, I got to see what I can do in the new place, you know? Like, I don't know what's going to happen because I got to get there and figure it out first, make shit happen.
• 21:40
  Speaker D: A lot of trying to get settled while things are moving, you know? But that's just life, you know, you got to be able to work around it, I suppose.
• 21:48
  Speaker B: Yeah. And when you write something, you know, because I'm so someone that, like, write song writing is, like, newer to me. And actually in the band now, I've, like, honestly and taken kind of a backseat to the writing because I have two guys, like Lonnie and Ryan are really good at, like, writing and, you know, doing like, oh, and then have it go to this court and this and this, you know, and I'm like, I play root notes. You know what I mean? You just tell me what root notes to play. It's just. I don't know. But, like, as a songwriter yourself, like, do you find, like, you hear something in your head and then you try to get it out to the guitar or do you grab the guitar and use that as a, you know, see what comes out of that?
• 22:36
  Speaker C: I would say it's a mix of both of those and just other things as well. Like, I've found, you know, times where I'll have sort of, like, a lyric, maybe more like a line of, you know, poetry and nature of, like, a thought that I can, like, oh, I could maybe sort of formulate that into this idea of, like, a song title or something that, like, if I had, like, a voice recording of just a guitar, trying to get some sort of motivation that way, or vibe check to see what kind of song would sort of come out with how I'm feeling, I will usually kind of save a bunch of those, listen to them, and kind of try to come up with lines that way. But I loved the way. Maybe it was John Mayer, but I don't want to give him credit. He doesn't need it. He's got it. If it wasn't him. But somebody talking about songwriting, comparing it to surfing, and it's like, sometimes you can go out to surf and you're ready for it, but the wave isn't there. And sometimes you're either there and you're not ready for it or you're not there, and the wave, you know, like, the perfect wave comes, but there's sometimes where you're there and you're on it and the wave comes, and it's amazing and great, and that's sort of like that, you know, weak stretch. Last year where I wrote a handful of songs, I sort of felt like I was in, like, a flow state of, like, things going right. I'm getting the motivation from what I'm playing that kind of matches with the ideas that are kind of being formulated in my head or in my notes app or whatever. Yeah.
• 24:18
  Speaker D: So a mix of everything. I don't really have any set way.
• 24:23
  Speaker C: I want to try and get into.
• 24:24
  Speaker D: More of, like, a routine of songwriting. Like, there was. I read Jeff Tweedy's book.
• 24:31
  Speaker C: I'm blanking on the title of it now, but it was, like, a songwriting sort of, like, tip book, and I loved it, but there was, like, a lot of talk about, like, exercises to do and to be able to sit down and kind of focus on that. I would really like to enjoy to do that, I guess.
• 24:55
  Speaker B: Is it how to write one song?
• 24:57
  Speaker C: Yes. Yes, it was.
• 24:59
  Speaker B: I just googled it for the listeners. It didn't just come to me, but, yeah. How to write one song?
• 25:04
  Speaker C: Yeah, I definitely recommend it. Jeff Tweedy is a great songwriter. I've always just really been drawn to in terms of music lyrics. I think, like, I think there's some songwriters like Father John, misty. I think lyrically is great. I think Mihaly from Twiddle is great. Jeff Tweedy is great. Noah Khan, I think now with his sort of, he's become more mainstream with more folk music. I say more mainstream. That sounds like I've been living under a rock. Like, he's, he's, he's huge. But, yeah, I think that I always kind of search for lyrics that stick to me and that are, like, well written, and I try to do that as well. Maybe I fail or maybe I pass. I guess that's for you to decide.
• 25:53
  Speaker B: Do we want to play another song?
• 25:55
  Speaker C: Yeah, sure. Yeah. I can play one more for you.
• 25:57
  Speaker B: Which one is this one?
• 25:59
  Speaker C: So this one's called it's just life. I don't know if there are any fans of the bear out there, the television program I love the bear. So there was one of the monologues he had from one of the AA meetings of a posthumous relative or whatever that really inspired this song lyrically. I'll just leave that there. And I'm excited for June 27 when the bear season three comes out and. Yeah.
• 26:27
  Speaker B: All right, cool.
• 26:28
  Speaker C: Hope you enjoy it.
• 26:28
  Speaker B: Well, let's listen to it's just life, Jay Mullen, and then we'll be right back to wrap it up.
• 26:55
  Speaker A: Every time you turn to look away, you hear every dog will have his day try to remind yourself to breathe but there's always another shoe falling your.
• 27:11
  Speaker C: Way.
• 27:16
  Speaker A: Looking down at you from the sky, stars, I know it's easy to get lost in the dark well, it's just life don't let it get you down we've all been around the sky isn't falling learn to be present in the moment sometimes they try too hard to keep their words, promises get broken looking down at you from the stars I know it's easy to get lost in the dark it's just life don't let it get you down we've all been around it's just light it's just light it's just life every time you turn, you hear every dog will have his day try to remind yourself to breathe but there's always another shoe falling.
• 29:20
  Speaker C: Your way.
• 29:24
  Speaker A: Looking down at you from the stars, I know it's easy to get lost in in the dark it's just life don't let it get you down we've all been around.
• 29:55
  Speaker C: All right.
• 29:55
  Speaker B: That was, it's just life. Jay Mullen performed live here in the dazzle den. So, Jay, thank you so much for taking time out of your day to come down here. I really appreciate it, and it was a great conversation. Great to finally meet you. And before we go, I want to do like I do with all my guests and give you a chance to say what I refer to as your gratitude. So, microphone is all yours.
• 30:16
  Speaker C: Thank you, sir. Thank you again for providing me with this opportunity. It's been great, and I hope to come back in the future for other things. I will run through the list of kind of gigs I've got coming up. I've got a May 31, this Friday from when we're recording this at Sweetside Records that's being run by House of m Entertainment. James Mullen will be on that bill. Angelina Valenti will be on that bill. She's so great. And a bandit queen of Sorrows, who is a traveling artist. She'll also be on the bill. It's like a solo, kind of more singer songwritery bill there. I believe it's a $10 cover at Sweetside Records in Glens Falls. Please come. It'll be a lot of fun. Then the next day, I'm playing a three hour set at Adirondack winery. 04:00 p.m. start for that. June 21, I have my first Burlington, Vermont, booking, which is pretty cool, at the venetian soda lounge. I'm playing 2 hours with Jesse Taylor, who's in a bunch of projects out there. Look her up on Spotify. She's great. Then June 24, I'm gonna be a member of James Mullen and the Strangers who are recording their live album show at the Jivehive Live, which will be really exciting. It'll be my first time there. That'll be really sick. Super excited for that. And then July 18 is my first time playing the Glens Falls food truck corral on those Thursdays. So July I'll be playing and enjoying some food truck eating, which would be great. And the share factory is a great place. I love it there. So that's all I got.
• 31:53
  Speaker B: Well, that is Jay Mullin. I am Andy Scullen. This is unsigned 518. I'll see you on the road. Unsigned 518 is produced and hosted by me, Andy Scullen. New episodes are available every week wherever you stream podcasts. If you would like to help support the show, please let and subscribe wherever you are listening. Or you could buy me a coffee@buymeacoffee.com. unsigned 518 if you would like to advertise on the show. Send me an email at unsigned five one eight mail.com. and to be a guest on the show, reach out to me through instagram, unsigned 518. Take care of one another, and I'll see you next week.