jjray

jjray has something. a knack for writing songs that hook themselves into your consciousness with a single listen. instant classics that feel like old friends.the band formed in west london in april 2004 when lead singer and guitarist james eaton emerged from a lengthy self-imposed seclusion having written and demo’d a collection of amazing songs. he played them first to old friend and former wheatus keyboard player shannon harris, then to the former white buffalo rhythm section of rex (bass) and evan (drums), who signed up on the spot. locked in lengthy rehearsals at the aptly named survival studios in acton, sustained only by their belief in the music and the nearby lebanese takeaway, jjray prepared to unleash their music on the world.jjray’s first london gig at the metro in sept 2004 supporting us band ok go resulted in an immediate rebooking for a sold out headline slot, followed by a blazing gig at water rat’s in kings cross. early gig-goers were blown away by the quality of the songs and the energy and musicianship of the live show. meanwhile, a cd of demos had found its way into the hands of grammy award-winning producer matt howe who immediately offered to record a 5 track ep at london’s famous metropolis studios.with not a skinny tie or hitler hair-do in sight, jjray harks back to a time when songwriting and musicianship were the tools of the trade. their eponymous ep artfully combines a particularly british set of influences. the foot-stomping sass of vintage t-rex or bowie (fixin’ leaks) combines with the easy groove of early dire straits (take this feeling home) and classic mccartney-esque balladry (say the word).back on the live circuit in march 2005, jjray touched down at water rat’s again to launch the ep and win over yet more converts. word of mouth alone has seen the band’s website database swell to an incredible 1,400 names and sales of the ep are already in the hundreds.with more sold out shows and an album in the pipeline, jjray is set for a breakthrough in 2005.