Building a reputation as one of the most exciting live bands to come out of Scotland, San Jose released their latest single ‘I’ve Got You’ almost a month ago now. The new single captures raw and expressive post-punk energy through sporadic, biting guitars, squeals of feedback, intense drums, and subtle choral backing. Moving from the opening chorus into a lull of delirious, warping saxophone, the track soon erupts into another intense barrage of chantable noise.
Comparable to early Black Country, New Road and Cabbage, San Jose perpetuate their penchant for balancing abrasive, overbearing punk tones with more nuanced delivery. Check out the new single, but before that, let’s get to know them shall we...
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
The trombone
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
Ahh a wide range. It’s hard to narrow in on anything in particular, especially cause all six of us have been subject to strange music for all our lives. In all honesty, the only thing that likely links us musically is Crazy Frog and that fucking dancing gummy bear.
Perhaps there are signs of annoying orange within our music, in fact there probably is, whether that’s a good thing or not, you can decide. Obviously all that musical patter is present within our music, and that’s certainly an artifact from our youth. What child doesn’t enjoy a shitty pantomime?
What was the first album you remember owning?
NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL MUSIC: DISNEY CLASSICS.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
Crazy Frog.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Once we get something going, we just try and let it breathe. That’s probably why our songs end up sprawling like they do. We love pulling stuff together from our collective consciousness and the rambling debate that follows.
Bands ought to push themselves to be better than what they enjoy, or else we become the gimps of stagnation, and no one wants that. Well, no one is interested anyway. We have to get excited, because that excitement is infectious. If you try and force something disingenuous, it’ll come out disingenuous, and we’re two-faced pricks enough of the time.
Who are your favorite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Glen, George, Gabriel, Gilmour, Guthrie, Greep, Gonstatinopal (now Gistanbul), Gregor, Gonzo (of muppets fame), Gris McGrory, Gristipoher Galwken. Nancy Sinatra.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
The Pope at Ibrox. With Frank Ocean and Gelton Gohn.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Playing live and having the best time ever, and then waking in the morning up next to Adam’s Dad.
And what is the most frustrating part?
Getting caught by Adam’s mum.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
There's really none, there is no good advice. Don’t listen to anyone. But if you were to listen to anything, it should be this; there is no blueprint, no project line, no set route you should follow. Just get fucking excited, and piss people off.
So much music now is a reflection of our constraints, and not our capacity and it’s time people take that back. Now’s a better time than ever, all the higher up bams are occupied trying to insider trade. Art has lost its way a bit, in terms of its function to subvert, annoy and frustrate, we have to encourage bands to pursue that and not become hit generating machines. But then again, don’t listen to us.
Check out San Jose's latest single 'I Got You' on the player below: