In the Chair is a regular feature on Eventalaide, highlighting artists from across Australia and occasionally overseas. Everyone gets the same questions. It is just meant to be a bit of fun so please treat it as such.
Questions by Geoff Jenke
Top photo credit Lewis Robert
Originally from Glasgow, Scotland, Millar Jukes has been based in Melbourne for over ten years now, curating a well-respected music career in that time, with numerous singles, EPs, and even a self-titled album last year. However, it was only recently that fans got a taste of The Muscle, with June single ‘Tongue Tied’ introducing the expansive sound that the combination resulted in. As Millar Jukes recalls, “I started out singing more folk and Americana singer songwriter stuff but then moved into a more indie-soul kind of vibe. our drummer, Ben Yarram, got the whole Muscle together. He was like, ‘Let me put the band together’, and away he went. He’s put together some of the best musos I’ve ever played with. I feel so lucky that these people have decided to form The Muscle. I’m much more confident, not only as a performer but as a songwriter knowing that The Muscle are behind me.”
Name: Millar Jukes
In less than 50 words
describe your music, your band and yourself.
Millar Jukes and his 7-piece soul band The Muscle have built their own unique
blend of soul, indie rock and blues – and the result is electrifying!
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What was the first
record you bought with your own money and where from?
I’m not 100% sure but it would’ve been Limp Bizkit’s Chocolate Starfish and the
Hotdog Flavored Water or something like that. It was a time where shite dance
music was big in Scotland and I wanted something different. My brother was
listening to Deftones and Rage Against the Machine so I leaned more into that
stuff.
80’s or 90’s
Music:
Ooft that’s tough..I’ll go with 90s. Rage Against the Machine were 90s so I’m
going with that.
What music are currently
listening to?
Can’t stop listening to Khruangbin at the moment. Started listening to them on
holiday and just can’t get enough. Also listening to a lot of Lettuce as well.
Great band!
The Best live
artist/band you’ve seen:
Rage Against the Machine at T in the Park (Scotland). Absolutely mental. Never
see a band control 70,000 people like that. From start to finish everyone was
just bouncing and smashing into each other. My favourite band of all time did
not disappoint. Would love to see them live one more time though.
Your “In the mood for
love” song:
Bahaha I dunno man. I don’t have one. The weirdest song that came on though was
Guns N’ Roses ‘Welcome to the Jungle’. We burst out laughing and changed the
song. Think we actually changed the playlist as Warrant’s ‘Cherry Pie’ came on
after it.
Your favourite Sunday
morning chill out record?
I’ll
put on Tycho’s Dive album or Emancipator’s Dusk to Dawn. Really chilled and
nice to have a coffee out on the balcony with.
Which song do you wish
you had written?
I don’t wish that to be honest. I’d say I’d love to write songs like Jacob
Banks who’s just got this insane groove with so much emotion in all his songs.
If I could do what he does then I’d be happy.
Roger Daltry once said
“Rock N Roll has no future”. Do you agree with him?
Ummm I think everything comes in waves. They’ll be another Rock N Roll surge at
some point. It’s just timing. You just need one band to kick it all off again.
People don’t want to hear the same style over and over again. I think Beyonce
new album is a throwback to 90s dance music and maybe that’ll be popular now in
the coming months. It just depends.
Vinyl, CD or Streaming?
As long as I can hear the record, I’m not too fussed, but I’d say Vinyl and/or
CDs purely because the money goes to the artist or band. It’s an expensive
thing to do when you’re independent so every penny helps. Streaming platforms
need to pay more and hopefully non-musicians realise that.
If you could record or
play live with any artist (dead or alive), who would it be?
Chris Cornell. I would love to get a singing lesson from him. How he controls
his voice is an art.
What is the most useless
talent you have?
I can quote from any movie or TV show I’ve seen. It’s impressive at the start
and then it gets annoying as I can’t stop.
Your finest recorded moment?
Creating our own mini festival called Jukebox. Organising an 8-band line-up was
stressful but seeing it all come together was something special. The crowd was
amazing the whole day and were singing all our songs at our set. It’s
definitely a core memory for me now.
Who is your musical hero
and what one question would you ask them?
Ray Lamontagne but I’d just shake his hand and say thank you
Dying, peacefully on
your death bed, what song would you like to hear?
Rocky Mountain High by John Denver. It was my dad’s favourite artist and if I’m
going out then I want to hear something I grew up with.
Stuck on a desert island
for a year and can only take three albums. What would they be?
Aha Shake Heartbreak – Kings of Leon
Sam’s Town – The Killers
Ray Lamontange – Trouble
Favourite all time movie:
Hook.
Robin Williams vs Dustin Hoffman….let’s gooo!
If you drove an ice
cream van, what music would you play?
Cream
– Prince
Best show you have ever
played in your career:
I’d say our Album Launch at the Curtin or our mini festival Jukebox at the
Brunswick Ballroom.
Any backstage incident
that makes you laugh?
I can’t remember anything specifically. Most recently I’d say having a laugh
with Yungblud and his band at John Cain Arena. His guitarist, Adam, is Scottish
and is some laugh. Ended up at Heartbreaker with them and got very drunk. I
woke up still in my clothes and had no idea how I got home. Work was a struggle
that day. I don’t remember saying goodbye to them but I’m sure I’ll meet them
again.
Neil Young or Paul
McCartney?
Paul McCartney.
Who is the nicest person
in Rock n Roll at the moment?
Yungblud and his crew. Such a great bunch of people. My brothers toured with
them and talk so highly of them so it was great to finally meet them.
What do you hope the next 12 months holds for you?
We release our new EP and playing our launch show on the 26th Aug at the Evelyn Hotel. Also going on a regional tour in October. Hopefully we’ll pick up some festivals too.
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As Millar Jukes moves on from his 2021 album, he’s released his new EP, GIT IT. Recorded, engineered, and produced by Brent Quick for Headstone Records, and mastered by Tony Mantz, the EP captures the live sound of Millar Jukes & The Muscle, all while showcasing an element of maturity and growth within the songwriting. Gone are the days of leaning into the sadness, GIT IT instead moves away from the ideas of moving on after a breakup, and instead looks at having new relationships and getting caught up in the moment – sometimes a little too much.
As Millar Jukes explains, “We wanted to explore a more blues-rock sound when we started writing. These new songs came together pretty organically. Lemon Haze was completely different until we got into the studio and recorded the other tracks. It went from the weird reggae beat to this more driven indie song. It was awesome to see the whole band completely change it on the spot. Recording the whole EP was a brilliant experience, and I hope people like the new direction for this one.”
Also, weeks after the release of their latest single, Scotland-born and Melbourne-based indie-soul rocker Millar Jukes is back with his latest release, teaming up with his band The Muscle to unleash the ferocious Gittinit. The first taste from forthcoming EP GIT IT, it’s a blistering piece of blues rock, bolstered by catchy vocals, an irresistible groove, and a sense of power that few other artists could even come close to matching.
Millar Jukes & The Muscle new single GITTINIT and E.P. GIT IT out now.
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