Jamiroquai - Richard Johnson

Jay Kay, the lead singer of Jamiroquai, believes that the world runs on vibrations. He reckons that the number 36 has an other-worldly relevance. And he fully intended that his fourth album - due out in June 1999 - would address the mystical significance of the millenium. "But everyone was doing it" says Kay, a Capricorn. "In the end I felt it would be corny and tacky. So I gave up on all of my ranting. Except in private". Instead Synkronized, an album of electro-funk rock, has a simple message. "All I'm trying to say is 'Let's boogie'."

With its synthesized bass notes and hand-claps, Synkronized ("the k and the z make it more synthesizery") has an early 80s feel. It flits from the lushness of Earth Wind And Fire - especially on 'Canned Heat' - to the rawness of Sly Stone on 'Butterfly'. All with the snare drum sound of George Clinton. "The album uses more computers than our previous work" says Kay. "We wanted to use programming to bring the danceability factor into it. The only reason I make music is that I want to boogie to it. And Synkronized gets closer to it than any other album for me."

The album's release was delayed when bassist Stuart Zender left in October. Kay had to dump Zender's tracks to avoid legal complications. There were further delays while Kay applied for planning permission for a new recording studio. It's on his 42-acre estate in the Buckinghamshire countryside. The manor house - a 20-minute drive to London in his Ferrari - dates from 1086. "But best of all, it's got a gate" says Kay, sat at the mixing desk. "So now people can't just bowl in. In London everybody came and partied while we were recording the last album. No more."

"What influenced the style of the album was the reception I got for Deeper Underground [from the Godzilla soundtrack]. Liam from the Prodigy said how much he liked it. And Brian May said 'I wasn't into Jamiroquai - but as soon as I heard that track I thought "Yeah".' So I've tried to be simple with my hooks. Listen to 'Canned Heat'. It's in blocks. Then compare it to Stillness In Time on the second album. It's all flowery - here, there and everywhere. Synkronized works on a first listen. Which is a bad thing and a good thing. People could get bored of it by listen eight."

Synkronized is very much Kay's work. "I refuse to sit here and let someone say 'So, you just write the lyrics, do you?' No I don't. I think of all the fucking parts. And construct it so. All in my head. When the brass guys came to the studio to record Synkronized, I was working on this tune. Hummed what I wanted. But they played something different. I said 'What's that?' They said 'You can't put a minor next to a major'. I said 'Yeah, but your version sounds shit. Just play what I'm singing. I can hear it all in my head'. And I was right."

Sony - who signed Jamiroquai with an eight-album deal back in 1993 - were happy to with Kay's decision. "Sony told me there were no singles on the last album [Travelling Without Moving] - it sold 8 million copies. They told me I couldn't have the money for the Virtual Insanity video - that won MTV video of the year. And they told me I had to go back to America for two months of solid work to have any chance of winning a Grammy. Not that I knew what one looked like. I didn't go back, but we won a Grammy anyway. I think I'll just keep trusting my instincts."



		Jamiroquai Jay Kay, the lead singer of Jamiroquai, believes that the world runs on vibrations. He reckons that the number 36 has an other-worldly relevance. And he fully intended that his fourth album - due out in June 1999 - would address the mystical significance of the millenium. "But everyone was doing it" says Kay, a Capricorn. "In the end I felt it would be corny and tacky. So I gave up on all of my ranting. Except in private". Instead Synkronized, an album of electro-funk rock, has a simple message. "All I'm trying to say is 'Let's boogie'." With its synthesized bass notes and hand-claps, Synkronized ("the k and the z make it more synthesizery") has an early 80s feel. It flits from the lushness of Earth Wind And Fire - especially on 'Canned Heat' - to the rawness of Sly Stone on 'Butterfly'. All with the snare drum sound of George Clinton. "The album uses more computers than our previous work" says Kay. "We wanted to use programming to bring the danceability factor into it. The only reason I make music is that I want to boogie to it. And Synkronized gets closer to it than any other album for me." The album's release was delayed when bassist Stuart Zender left in October. Kay had to dump Zender's tracks to avoid legal complications. There were further delays while Kay applied for planning permission for a new recording studio. It's on his 42-acre estate in the Buckinghamshire countryside. The manor house - a 20-minute drive to London in his Ferrari - dates from 1086. "But best of all, it's got a gate" says Kay, sat at the mixing desk. "So now people can't just bowl in. In London everybody came and partied while we were recording the last album. No more." "What influenced the style of the album was the reception I got for Deeper Underground [from the Godzilla soundtrack]. Liam from the Prodigy said how much he liked it. And Brian May said 'I wasn't into Jamiroquai - but as soon as I heard that track I thought "Yeah".' So I've tried to be simple with my hooks. Listen to 'Canned Heat'. It's in blocks. Then compare it to Stillness In Time on the second album. It's all flowery - here, there and everywhere. Synkronized works on a first listen. Which is a bad thing and a good thing. People could get bored of it by listen eight." Synkronized is very much Kay's work. "I refuse to sit here and let someone say 'So, you just write the lyrics, do you?' No I don't. I think of all the fucking parts. And construct it so. All in my head. When the brass guys came to the studio to record Synkronized, I was working on this tune. Hummed what I wanted. But they played something different. I said 'What's that?' They said 'You can't put a minor next to a major'. I said 'Yeah, but your version sounds shit. Just play what I'm singing. I can hear it all in my head'. And I was right." Sony - who signed Jamiroquai with an eight-album deal back in 1993 - were happy to with Kay's decision. "Sony told me there were no singles on the last album [Travelling Without Moving] - it sold 8 million copies. They told me I couldn't have the money for the Virtual Insanity video - that won MTV video of the year. And they told me I had to go back to America for two months of solid work to have any chance of winning a Grammy. Not that I knew what one looked like. I didn't go back, but we won a Grammy anyway. I think I'll just keep trusting my instincts."

		© Richard Johnson 2000 - 2009