We’ve got some trans-Pacific goodness for you today.
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
The Karly Jewell Band are a Melbourne based four-piece Australian rock band. Mars, Dave, Nic and Karly Jewell who fronts the band.
How did you meet?
Mariano Marcos and I first started the band eight years ago, both having a passion for music and live rock shows. Dave heard we were in need of a bass player, came to see us at the Espy and well, the rest is history. We have recently welcomed our new lead guitarist so we’ve been hard at it again.
How long have you been playing as a band?
Playing live now, we’re going into our 8th year.
Where does the band name come from?
I was always inspired to just be me as an artist, maybe even influenced by Joan Jett just being Joan Jett. I mean, how cool is she? We play as a band, same members so we just named it as it is: Karly Jewell Band.
What are your influences?
We all have different artists and musical backgrounds that made us who we are today. Mars, Dave and Nic are all influenced by Alice In Chains, Mötley Crüe, AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses and so much more, anything hard-hitting rock, basically. I find myself influenced by the art of creating and being the music. I mean, I do love Sebastian Bach, Joan Jett, Dolores O’Riordan, Blondie and Australia’s very own late Chrissy Amphlett. I could keep going and to throw something way out in here, my biggest Idol of all time is Marilyn Manson. He inspired me to never lie to music and say exactly what I mean, speak out and let music free my thoughts. My 14-year-old self can remember the day like it was yesterday; listening to his album and deciding I would start writing lyrics and getting an electric guitar was a must.
Describe your music, what makes you unique?
I would say we keep it pretty real. Mars is known for his hard hitting so the loudest drummer I’ve ever seen keeps him unique. Dave has an energy that is basically contagious when he picks up that bass, well, that’s it. The show’s not over until the bass is over. My vocals stand out to others. For a small person, I have a big voice, often being compared to Dolores O’Riorden. I’m still discovering new things with my voice all the time. I know one thing: it’s getting louder and bigger all the time so I’m known for that and to the fans, friends and family, we always have a new song for them every show.
Do you have any particular lyrical themes?
Lyrical themes, I don’t really know. I kind of just let the songs write themselves if that makes sense. It’s whatever is close to my heart or important at the time. Music is a journey so I guess it just keeps growing and adapting with surroundings and being inspired by musical adventures and life.
What’s your live show like and how many shows have you played?
Our live shows, well, there’s no holding back. It’s very real, we get very loud we plug in and rock out as hard as we can every time. It’s high energy from start to finish. Sometimes the music takes over and you become another part of yourself you didn’t even know you had in you. You cross over from making the music to being the music.
The crowds are always involved at every single show they are always our number one priority and because without them we’d be playing to empty rooms. It’s a journey we do together so we keep building our rock and roll family here in Australia and in the States, our home away from home.
As for live shows, honestly, I couldn’t say. I spent years saying yes to every single show and support I was offered just to get our names out there. Our 10th show was booked at the famous Sunset Strip Whiskey A Go Go. For my own personal self, I needed to feel the real deal, the passion behind it and stand where all my idols had once stood to answer my question “Was I really ready to rock?” The answer was “Yes, harder then ever,” and I haven’t looked back.
Whats the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
Craziest thing ever on stage would of had to be the night Dave cut his finger open on stage while playing his bass at the Whiskey A Go Go. It all felt like it was in slow motion, I saw all this blood and thought, “That’s it, I’m going to faint,” my legs turned to jelly. I looked over to the corner of the stage the sound guy starts yelling, “Stop the show! He needs help!” People can’t tell if this was apart of the show. I’m trying to play guitar and sing with weak legs, freaking out but not Dave, he’s still rocking out, harder then ever. Sound guy’s now on stage with us saying “You need a bandage!” Dave turns around puts his hand in a glass filled with Jack Daniel’s and yells, “Keeps going, I’m fine!”
There was blood all over his bass but we were in the middle of rocking out. Dave was in his element and nothing was going to stop him so we kept playing. At the end of the song, Dave put some black tape on his hand and the show continued. We didn’t fly 16 hours to the other side of the world to end our last show with one song. We all thought Dave might need some blood after that show but the Jack Daniel’s fixed that problem. He was one hell of a boss that night and showed us the show must go on. It was the best show ever.
What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc ?
Mars loves his PDP drums and Soultone cymbals. Dave likes to use his Gibson bass and Ampeg amplifiers. Nic uses Gibson Firebird, SG, Les Paul, amp head, Jet City and Marshall speakers. I love my acoustic Tanglewood. I don’t play much guitar on the new songs. My favourite guitar to use would be my John 5 Fender Telecaster. Also being very versatile with sound, it’s great for me.
What if anything are you plugging/promoting at the moment ?
The focus on now is recording and getting back in the studio, preparing for 2019. The band have already started planning the next tour with Texas-based Hell On Wheels. That will see us covering California and new areas and we can’t wait to get to Texas. We have started locking in dates already for Melbourne and other states in Australia alongside Fight The Sun.
Earlier this year, we headed back to my hometown Mildura, Victoria, taking with us Fight The Sun, a hard-hitting rock band from Melbourne, adding another show to their tour for the EP Animal and supporting us was Mildura band Of Axion. The Karly Jewell Band has spent years travelling to Los Angeles to play and teaming up with Hell On Wheels and Gravity Layne. Touring with them last year was something we can never forget so we are getting ready to do it all again with all the new tracks.
What are your plans for 2018?
The plans for the rest of 2018 sees us recording four new tracks, also releasing the “Sid and Nancy” track and film clip along with “I Won’t Cry” to follow up the release of “Feels Like” earlier this year that we released on all the digital platforms Spotify, iTunes etc.
If you were second on a three band bill, which band would you love to be supporting and which band would you choose to open for you? A change to plug someone you’ve toured with, or a mates band we’ve not heard of before!
Hell on Wheels for sure would be the band we would love to play with along with and Fight The Sun.
