INTERVIEW MONSTRE: SPACE JAGUAR: "Just meeting terrific people. And getting to work with some real heroes"

 

Space Jaguar (en fait Marc Grassick) bénéficie de la complicité amicale d'Andrew Taylor (Dropkick ...) pour nous proposer un rock foisonnant de guitares affutées et bénéficiant de mélodies prenantes. Ils se placent ainsi dans la brillante lignée des grands anciens de la scène indie des années 90 que cite d'ailleurs Mark dans son interview (Fountains Of Wayne, Connells, Teenage Fan Club, Matthew Sweet..)

Nous sommes donc ravis que Mark ait accepté avec enthousiasme de répondre en nos questions.

Taste question: Which artists have influenced you the most, and can you tell us examples about this influence? Who is the artist you dislike and why will he/she never influence you?


A friend once said that your music taste stops developing when you leave university. I’m living proof of this. Most of the bands I love either existed in the 90s or sound like they did. The records that I was listening to most while I wrote and recorded our debut were Teenage Fanclub’s Grand Prix, Gin Blossoms’ New Miserable Experience, The Connells’ Ring, Matthew Sweet’s Girlfriend and the first Fountains of Wayne one. They’re all stunning examples of tightly constructed, hook-heavy guitar pop, the kind of stuff that plays over important scenes in 90s coming of age films. Growing up in rural Ireland in the 90s, the main way I discovered new music from further afield was through soundtracks to US comedies. When we’re writing and recording, that’s my litmus test – does it sound like it could sit on the soundtrack to something like Empire Records or Angus?

As for stuff I dislike, I don’t know that I can answer that. Sure, there’s stuff I don’t love but I’ll listen to anything if it’s got a hook. My record collection runs from Big Star and The Beatles to the Pet Shop Boys and Carli Rae Jepsen. I’ve been trying to convince the guys to do a jangle pop cover of Def Leppard’s ‘Hysteria’. I don’t know that I’d rule out being influenced by anything. Except jazz. 


 Intellectual question: Which non-musical artist (filmmaker, writer, painter...) played important role in the way the band evolved…


Good question. Lyrically, I think I get more inspiration from films and books than I do from music. I was reading Richard Flanagan’s book Question 7 while I was writing our next record, which led to a song about the Hungarian nuclear physicist Leo Szilard. Writers such as George Saunders, Raymond Carver, Elmore Leonard, Percival Everett and Anne Enright have left indelible marks on me. I’d hope that some of it has worked its way into my lyrics, not that I’d dare to compare myself to any of them. If they’re the Premier League, I’m a five-a-side team of out of shape middle-aged dads that only plays as an excuse to go to the pub afterwards.

 

History question: Can you sum up the life of your group?


I’d just bought a new guitar and figured I needed to justify it so I started writing again for the first time since my last band split up in 2016. The first song I finished was Please Come Around. I had this feeling that there was something there so I sent it to a few people I knew, which led to working on an EP with a producer in the US but that all fell apart. I was left feeling a bit stuck and not terribly enthused at the idea of starting again. Gonzalo at Bobo Integral suggested getting in touch with Andrew Taylor, his bandmate in The Boys with The Perpetual Nervousness. Andrew and I hit it off right away. An old bandmate Michael Wood joined on bass and that was that. It was just supposed to be one record to get me over my midlife crisis but we kept on going. I think Andrew’s only just figuring out that he’s never getting rid of me.

Champollion question: What is the meaning of the band's name?

My daughter came up with it. She was dressed up in a jaguar outfit, chasing my son who was dressed as an astronaut. Hence, space jaguar. 

 
Buddy question: Who has helped you most in your band's adventure and without whom you wouldn't have had the same evolution?


So many people but Andrew Taylor has been an absolute hero. I think I would have just given up and never finished the first album if it wasn’t for him. He’s got the patience of a saint, which is a hugely important quality when you’re working with me. Honorary mentions to Matt Scottoline, Josh Salter, Mike Connell and Matt Ashton, all of whom play in bands that I absolutely adore and all of whom contributed to our first record.

Spinal Tap question: What's the most stupid thing that's ever happened to you?

Personally? So many things. I once set fire to my head with a gas barbecue. That was pretty stupid.

Question Happy Few: What's the biggest benefit you've derived from your band, and can you tell us about it?

Just meeting terrific people. And getting to work with some real heroes. The Connells’ Ring was one of my favourite albums as a teenager, so having Mike Connell play guitar on two songs was pretty amazing.

Book: I mentioned Question 7 by Richard Flanagan earlier. I don’t think any other book has had such a profound effect on me. His brain makes me feel like the rest of us are just pretending to be smart.

Film: One Battle After Another is maybe my favourite film this year. I love Paul Thomas Anderson but this feels like a whole new string to his bow, like a leaner, more direct Inherent Vice. It’s so damn funny. Less obviously cerebral but equally entertaining and oddly hilarious was Weapons, one of the best horror films in years.

Record: It’s an oldie but I’ve been obsessed with The Outfield’s 1985 debut Play Deep lately. ‘Your Love’ is a perfect pop song.
Band: I’ve been pretty bad about listening to new music but Sharp Pins and Prism Shores have really impressed me. Tony Molina too. That dude just fits the most amazing fully formed pop songs into tiny packages.

Funny question. What's the funniest thing that's ever happened to you?

Man, I don’t know. I once ended up as guitarist for the American band Cracker for two shows and a BBC 6 Music session, with about 40 minutes to learn their whole set before a sold-out show at the Borderline in London. I screwed up so many songs that some guy in the front row started shouting out the chords to me.

Camembert question: What's France to you, apart from the land of wine and cheese? (you're allowed to Google it, the theme is rock and underground culture).

I’ve a glass of pinot noir in front of me so I’m struggling to get past the wine bit. Phoenix? I love Phoenix. I worked in a Virgin Megastore when United came out and one of the guys played it endlessly. I think I was a bit of a guitar rock dufus at the time so the synths and dance pop energy really rewired my brain.

Sponsorship question: Who can you sponsor for Les Monstres Sacrés, and how can you convince us to talk about them?

I don’t know that I can suggest anyone you won’t already know but one of my favourite records of the last few years is the debut by Canadian band Laughing. Josh, who also plays in Nap Eyes, played and sang on one song on our debut. He’s such a good dude. That record is just wall to wall power pop brilliance. ‘Will She Ever be a Friend of Mine?’ makes me insanely jealous that I didn’t write it.

 

Patriotic question: Make the list (between 5 & 10) of the top records made par artists of our country.

My knowledge of French music is embarrassingly poor, so I apologise that the first two records are both by Phoenix. In truth, if I knew every French record ever made, the first two would probably still be Phoenix.
Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Phoenix – United
Eggs – A Glitter Year
Air – Moon Safari
Granville – Les voiles

Patriotic question 2 : Make the list (between 5 & 10) of the top records made by artists of your country.

Whipping Boy – Heartworm
Revelino – Revelino
The Cranberries – Everybody Else is Doing it, So Why Can’t We?
Ash – 1977
Thin Lizzy – Jailbreak
U2 – Joshua Tree
The Frank & Walters – Grand Parade
Silverbacks – Archive Material
Melts – Maelstrom
The Undertones – The Undertones


We thank you, Mark.