Jay Holmes has been actively making noise for a long time. The American-born, Tokyo resident was the lead singer and songwriter in the epic indie math rock band The Ladderback in the late 90’s up until his overseas move in 2003 after the band ended a successful nine show tour of Japan. From then, Jay took time off from music to get centred in his new surroundings where he is currently a full-time artist and graphic designer who has created designs for Black Sabbath, Neil Young, Sebadoh, Babes In Toyland, Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, The Dead Milkmen, Windhand, and many more.
Just released, Back To The Whip is the fourth studio album from his band FVRMN (formerly Fevermoon) and is full of hefty songs that with a deep inner sense of musical drive, and a wicked balance of both sincerity and a sick sense of humour.
We thought it time to learn more about FVRMN’s lunar calendar. so we asked Jay to share four records that have been hugely influential on his musical direction.
SOUL ASYLUM – Hangtime
This was the first tape I ever bought because I had heard the song ‘Cartoon’ on my local college radio. They had a late-night show where the DJ would play scads of great songs. I got deeply into many bands through that show, and this early TwinTone Soul Asylum record continues to blow me away and influenced the new record a lot in its wall-of-sound big guitars, but also just a ragged sense of melody. Hangtime will forever be a killer.
PUBLIC ENEMY – It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
Another cassette that has been seared into my DNA from the time I first heard it.
Groups like this really introduced me to not being afraid to throw in a few wild and off-kilter ideas into the mix. This record is a classic for a reason; but when you sit down and think about how many bizarre and risky choices that were made when creating it . . . it’s really something.
Public Enemy are not just a killer group; they are also such a strong identity. That sort of style and aesthetic goes a long way
. . . especially when it adds some mythos and mystery to the band. I wanted to have some of that sort of “what’s going on here?” feeling with the front cover artwork to Back To The Whip – some weird spark in the look that makes you wanna pick up the record and see what the song titles are like.
ELECTRIC LOVE MUFFIN – Rassafrana
It’s truly a shame that this band is not more talked about. Perhaps their somewhat whimsical name implies to the casual music fan that this is gonna be a silly listen. Nope . . . far from it.
This Philly group has been a huge influence of me ever since I heard this banger of a record. Instrumentally, the band is a standard set up, but they play like they’re running out of time. The band digs into these slamming solid chunks of super well-written jams but they occasionally sound like they are about to lose control and steer off the road. That perfect amount of loose/tight dominates this record and it’s one of those things that I play for someone and they all love.
Come on world . . . it’s time to check out Electric Love Muffin!
MALIGNUS YOUTH – More To It
I’ve somehow always been mildly obsessed with Arizona. Something about the land out there just seems to spawn some real art and music that drives in deep.
When I first heard this band it was through the old tape-trading network and I had never heard anything like it. Blazing fast speeding tempos . . . yet insanely melodic and ultra catchy. The vocals were shifting into different melodic modes and the harmonies were absolutely unique and cool. I was a fan instantly – so much so that I even cold-called the singer and told him how much I loved their songs.
It’s funny . . . you can play the same stuff again and again until your fingers bleed, and then a random kid calls you up to tell you how much your music matters . . . and maybe that’s enough to get you through the day.
