Exclusive Interview with JAMIE BOSANKO

Jamie Bosanko, a native of the English shipbuilding community of Barrow-in-Furness, quickly rose to prominence as a singer/songwriter in the region. His first full album, “Echolocation,” was released in 2015. Along the way, he appeared live on BBC Introducing and served as support for acts like Ocean Color Scene and The Wedding Present.

Jamie Bosanko, an independent musician, unleashes a glorious burst of energy on his song “Life Will Do.” Short, direct, and to the point, the song features Jamie and his band in full-on punk rock mode while never veering too far from the melodies that have made him a successful songwriter. Check out the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

JAMIE BOSANKO: Yeah, I come from a town called Barrow-in-Furness, in North West England. I’ve grown up around music so it just seemed obvious that I wanted to learn and write from a young age, started by playing in bands and progressed from there

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

JAMIE BOSANKO: No, no formal training it’s all self-taught, which is both & good, good in that I think you lean towards your instinct more than theory but bad because I probably have a lot of developed some bad habits and shortcuts ha! I do really admire people who have formal training though because I think it helps long term to have that discipline & structure in your toolkit, if i could give younger Jamie one piece of advice it might be to that! Having said that, don’t let it hold you back.

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘JAMIE BOSANKO? 

JAMIE BOSANKO: Well firstly my name is just my name, so I like to keep that simple haha My first musical influences were probably a mix of Beatles, Eric Clapton. The Beatles just because the songs are amazing and covered such a broad spectrum, Clapton was my first guitar hero and probably still my reference point. Later on from a songwriting point of view, my biggest influence is Tom Petty

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

JAMIE BOSANKO: Melody always comes first for me, even where there’s an indie or punk undertone, I always believe in having good melodies. I like strong old school guitar & drum sounds too, keep it simple and invite the listener in to the song.

5. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far? 

JAMIE BOSANKO: without doubt my children, they overtake everything about my music in terms of how happy and proud I am of them.

6. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as Indie rock?

JAMIE BOSANKO:

yeah definitely I would say while I was learning guitar and playing in bands I often emulated what I was listening too, particularly bands like REM and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. It’s an important step and I enjoyed that period, sometimes still reference those influences when I’m writing today. But I think when I started to write as a solo artist and a singer rather than a guitarist in a band, that’s when my own style started to emerge. You start to think about how to deliver the lyric and whether the melody fits your style and then suddenly, you realize that you have a style! That was a game changer for me, you get the confidence and you keep developing. 

7. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?

JAMIE BOSANKO: Big question! I think music’s primary function is to entertain but when you look back at human’s cultural development it’s clear that music and other art forms have played a pivotal role in shaping our journey, so I think it’s really important that people have a creative outlet to express themselves. I would usually focus on personal reflections or even fictional stories, but I have recently found more of my political/cultural opinions finding their way into my songs. There are many injustices today, the balance is off in terms of social & economic equality, music can certainly speak about that whilst also be entertaining.

8. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?

JAMIE BOSANKO: I’m a big believer that the listener can decide what a song means to them. The way it makes you feel, a memory it invokes, whatever that may be, is what it means to them. Often a video can convey some context of what the writer is trying to say, but as long as I know what I’m saying, and I’m happy with how I said it, the listener can take what they want or need from it and that’s one of the beautiful things about a song.

9. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

JAMIE BOSANKO: For me, it usually starts with a melody or a chord progression that I like, if I really like it, I’ll start to hum or sing random words and if I can hear a melody that I like then I’ll start to reel off some random lyrics. Sometimes a lyric will pop out that interests me, and that’s sort of the signpost for a song taking shape and what it might end up being about. From there it’s demo and into the studio to bring it to life

10. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?

JAMIE BOSANKO: ignore them, plain and simple, there’s absolutely nothing to be gained from paying any attention to social media critics or naysayers. Constructive criticism or advice from people you respect can be invaluable but when its a keyboard warrior with more time than talent on their hands? Just move one and keep doing what you know you are good at.

11. Creative work in a studio or home environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excites you most, and why?

JAMIE BOSANKO: It changes with time, it used to always be a live audience but more recently  it’s the studio. I get really excited when I can hear a song taking shape, the thing that was embryonic in your head and hands is now coming to life. Having said that i have just put a band together for some shows and that is exciting so if you asked me again in a month I would probably change my mind again !

12. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

JAMIE BOSANKO: Without doubt the loss of a very good friend, very sudden and very difficult for everyone who loved him and it coincided with the worst period of my music. I didn’t write anything for about 2 years, couldn’t get past a few chords and then would put the guitar down again.

KEEP IN TOUCH:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | SPOTIFY | BANDCAMP | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/garysphotograph