Jakey

Jakey the musician
Powered by myChristianBands.comElectric, bass, 12string, classical guitar. Mandolin (acoustic and solid bodied). Lead vocals in truth2tell . Singer/songwriter.
I can admit in the twilight of my youth (referring only my decrepid rusting body - I never grew up in my head!!!) that I am one of those just that leeeedle bit too comfy to push the boat out and live on my dreams, which could be a great loss to the world. A classical violinist from age 4, got to grade VIII by 14yrs old (I am told that is rather good), I then discovered rawk'n'roll at 14-15 -
[Prime influences were Alice Cooper (the band, not the singer, at that time), Led Zep, Tyrannosausus Rex AND T Rex, Deep Purple, Quo, Jimi and Curved Air & early Slade - electric fiddles!]
-dropped the fiddle - like the fool I was/am :( - for a cruddy plank of a guitar (and eventually a mandolin). But hey! it was a guitar, it had a jack socket and made LOUD noises.
Got a C in music A level in two terms, no music GCSE to help me. That was cool.
When 17 had a band put together with my bestest school buddy Dave "I am Bristol's own Jimi" Gentry. Did one gig, in WSM's Three Queens, before it imploded. Great memory though :)
Then noodled about (including a stint in US-based culty faith band "agape")until invited to help put together a small Christian worship band in my then home village of Pucklechurch. Charisma was born, lasting about 13 years in its low-key outreach.
In the meantime I had taken the plunge in 1998 and played an open mic, met some good friends who helped me get into the Bristol (UK) acoustic scene and meet who was, in Sept 1999, to become Mrs. Jakey - my wife Lhina.
Saw, met and eventually joined Bluehorses for a couple of interesting and exciting years, only leaving after an eventful weekend Prog-Rocking for the tsunami appeal "Prog-Aid", in which it was agreed that family issues were getting in the way (Lhina has ME. Yup, it does exist) and I stepped down from that hallowed guitar slot.
Now fronting a Christian rock outfit, truth2tell , gigging occasionally in the South West, and looking to grow maybe to festival-quality in the next two years. truth2tell are made up of myself on lead vox, lead & 12string guitars and mandolin; Dave Perry (my Charisma drummer) on err, drums!; Steve Nuttall on rhythm guitar and backing vox; Ewan Hackett ..s and backing vox; and Dave Edwards on bass and backing vox. We perform a mix of originals and mostly Christian covers, and cover prog, folk, bluegrass, electronica, metal, classic rock, blues, acapella bits...quite a mix! Details - and a song or two - will be on MySpace soon, but in the meantime there is always the website.
I also very recently had an interesting side project with Mick Kirton - drummist with Groundhogs, Dumpy's, Hawkwind, etc - melding East and West musical ideas. A CD eventually, but for the moment there are rushes on my jakeygraupner MySpace music site - just needs mastering, and redoing the lead vocal..... It's good tho'!!!!
Jakey the teacher
Yup, teaching peeps to play a guitar turns out to be the most rewarding dayjob I ever had - at least, rewarding in terms of job satisfaction. There are others listed below...
I teach privately, as well as for South Gloucestershire. This gets me to push THE GRANGE ROCK ORCHESTRA [any of you out there, guys?] which I am proud to help co-ordinate.
We're doing School's Out, as it happens, for the end of summer term. Old influences NEVER fade...:)
Jakey the family man
Married twice. Not at the same time, I could not handle two mothers-in-law;-)
Two no-longer-so-wee ones - Emily (20, in Hull) and Charlie (17, Final year of 6th form)). Lhina, as I mentioned, has ME, but not quite so she needs any walking aids, other than the occasional stick to lean on. It's a frustrating condition that never gives clues as to how you will be one day to the next. But it is not terminal or permanent, praise God! "Praise God"? Next bit...
Jakey the Christian
Spent 15 months in Dublin (well, Glenageary to be precise) in the early 80s with a US based cult called "The Way International". I will give no views on this here, but it did cement my belief in Jesus as the Son of God, and not God the Son (that's a biggie...), plus some excellently interesting and conflict-creating learnings, which I still adhere to, because it's there in that Book...
I attend St Stephen's C of E Church in Soundwell, Bristol UK on a regular basis, and am a part of the worship group of musicians - which includes my boys Steve Nuttall and Dave Perry.
Jakey the Gashead
BRISTOL ROVERS FC :)
My dad [SO not a footie fan] took me to Eastville one day way back because football had to be done, and it was closer than Ashton Gate. Brilliant! I was hooked from the start, the North Stand trumpeter, the "'AAAROLD" chant, the singing, and the matches themselves. Oh yes!
seen 'em many many times, as far north as Preston, as far East as WemBerLey, but stopped seeing them regularly some time back, let the truth be told here, but for some reason, since the dreaded Drop, I have become so emotionally linked with the Gas it's untrue. Bawled my eyes out in 2002 when we stayed in the Leauge by beating Kidderminster, rejoiced in every triumph, felt every defeat, lost my voice at the two DAF/JP finals and - finances permitting - am seriously looking into a season ticket again...
From a distance I know I can truthfully say
Gas for life, me - Gas for LIFE
Jakey the "anything else?" bit
Oh yeah - DAYJOBS I do/have done (no particular order)
- window cleaner
- IT network manager (my brain has been wiped, no techie questions please!) (and I despise microshaft)
- sausage maker
- industrial hose sales rep
- ladies shoeshop
- guitar teacher
- J Sainsbury Traywash (great summer job!)
- wine warehouse (where I developed my taste for good booze and bad liver)
- milkman
- building site labourer (in Dublin, one week. that was enough)
- barman
- heating & plumbing depot office manager
- coldcall telesales (nasty job - I was desperate. Never again)
- Cannot recall any others right now...
....but have also been a Bluehorse
I am going to find time to totally gloss up my MySpace pages. LOL:) I will not put money on that....