Supersweet

Interview

Gemma Ray

Jarring Gem-ma Ray

If you are one of the 10% calling in sick today then you can tell your boss the following: there's nothing like illness to spur your creativity. Well that’s according to Gemma Ray anyway. Struck down with a mystery bug, Gemma harnessed its energies into the fantastic debut album that is Leader. With sultry vocals and a real sense of film noir she has since been compared to both Nick Cave and Loretta Lynn in equal doses. SUPERSWEET's Matt Coxon caught up with Jarring Gems to find out that much more...

SS: How would you describe your style?
Gemma Ray: Primarily I would describe it as pure and honest. It’s true to the place it comes from without being too tampered with by my brain. There’s a fair share of influence from blues, soul and gospel freakouts reigned in by the work ethic of a classic 50s or 60s pop song. but there’s always something else lurking underneath.

SS: Your songs seem very appropriate for film noir and slasher movies. Are you a big slasher fan? If so, what are your favourite films in these genres?
Gemma: The only books and films in my house when I was growing up were horror and psychological thrillers so maybe that infiltrated my subconscious somehow! I wouldn’t say I’m a slasher obsessive but I like a good slasher film when I’m in the mood. Off the top off my head maybe Audition and Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

SS: Outside of film noir and slasher movies, what would you rate as your favourite movie? And why?
Gemma: Old Boy – it’s just the twist of all twists. Not one to watch with your dad though ladies…

SS: Mum & Dad premieres at the end of this month, have you had a chance to see it in its entirety yet? Is it any good?
Gemma: I saw a screening of it recently – it’s amazing. I never knew black comedy could be quite so black. Psychologically and physiologically damaging in equal parts, perfect.

SS: You originally released some material on your own label, Gamma Ray records. Did you ever intend to release material by other artists or was it always a vehicle for your own music?
Gemma: No, I’m far too self obsessed to release other artists material. It was more of an incentive for myself to finish albums and a reason to indulge in making special packaging etc…something to keep me on my toes - although I only officially released one single in the end.

SS: If you could sign any band, new or old, to your own label, who would it be? And why?
Gemma: The Groundhogs maybe, so I could watch the drummer fly over his toms at 1000mph. Sparks - Do they count as new? If so I would release their Little Beethoven album. Genius. I saw that album live and fainted because I got so overwhelmed – once the timpani drums kicked in I lost it.

SS: It's often noted that you and Seasick Steve are label-mates. Have you ever thought of adopting an alliterated pseudonym as well? (Gentle Gemma? Gestating Gems? Er….)
Gemma: Jarring Gem – I like washing out jars and keeping things in them.

SS: Talking of being seasick, it is well documented that you had a mystery illness recently. This is often presented in terms of the quantity of material produced in that period. How do you think the mystery illness actually influenced your songwriting?
Gemma: Creatively I became more prolific - I think that the semi-conscious state that illness and opiates can induce allowed ideas to unselfconsciously filter through me – everything felt special and valid. Rhythms, words and harmony ideas stuck in my head and a lot of songs just wrote themselves. I did a lot of drawing and painting too and I think because everything else was taken out of my life there was so much space for cool stuff. Hedonistic urges turned into something more productive. The myth that you need to go out and ‘experience the world’ to write is a rock and roll cliché, there’s so much weird stuff going on in the human brain to get out the way first you don’t need anything else outside it for inspiration. It’s a good excuse for getting hammered though I suppose…

SS: Which tracks in particular do you associate with your experiences in that period? 
Gemma: ‘I am the Leader’ and ‘On Your Own’ especially, the latter not being in a lyrical context -I wouldn’t be obviously self-pitying. Mainly because the harmony patterns and stuff were all born from popping in to my head involuntarily. One symptom I had/have is jumbled speech and random thought processes and this seems to aid the inception of most the tracks on the album. Even the few that I’d already written were inflicted with new arrangement and harmony ideas I messed around with on my 8-track. A lot of tracks I recorded were more literal about being in hospital like ‘Room 15’, but they weren’t chosen by ‘The Leader’. They’re on the waiting list.

SS: Would your songs have been different without the illness? If so, how?
Gemma: 11 out 13 of them wouldn’t have been written, as they popped out in a prolific bout of sickness and demanded to be record and released in preference to the album I had just finished with a band. The vibe would’ve been less orchestral because if I was well I probably would gone down the route of using kit drums and a studio, and they would’ve had a more abrasive feel. I had to strip things down again and realised it was more ‘me’ than using a bass/drums/guitar set-up and embraced a more solitary quirky approach.
I loved the limitation of not being able to use drums where I recorded and having to use more imagination for the rhythm section. Michael J. Sheehy who co-produced the album with me was responsible for much of that, which was perfect as I have always been driven by finding more unorthodox ways of making music yet without sacrificing any dynamic.

SS: Overall then, what has been a highlight of your career so far?
Gemma: Getting my 1966 Harmony Rocket, finding my perfect singing partner Mary Epworth (I have to break her legs and lock her in my cellar now), the whole recording process of this album (with Michael J. Sheehy) was great too. Lots of stuff.

SS: If SUPERSWEET were to come over to yours what would be the one thing you'd make us do? 
Gemma: Admire my guitars and any recent charity shop bargains, and then play caveman drums in my cellar/dungeon. 

SS: If you could give SUPERSWEET one piece of advice (on anything) what would it be?
Gemma: Be nice to old people.

Gemma Ray wears white vintage lace tea dress from Buffalo Exchange, New York. A big thank you to Albert & Pearl for location.

Words: Matt Coxon
Photography: SUPERSWEET