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Monthly Feature. |
         
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Every band that finds success should be credited for their hard work, but it's safe to say that some acts often inherit their audience from others. Interpol provides a visceral live experience for teary-eyed Joy Division fans; Coldplay enthusiasts who can't wait for the next tour can go see Snow Patrol. In a market where the average listener is risk-weary, there is only one option for artists who refuse to surf the sonic wake of their elders: put on the best live show possible and blow everyone's mind. Project Jenny Project Jan understand this. Sporting one of the most unclassifiable, danceable and hilarious live shows in New York, the duo is reeling in their fans one booty at a time. "When I'm paying to see live bands, I want to be entertained... at least a little bit," states vocalist/MC Jeremy Haines. He and programmer/keyboardist Sammy Rubin are calling from the road somewhere on the West Coast. PJPJ's idea of "entertained" is a little edgier than most bands. "[We] wanted to freak people out... get them scared," is the way Raimes describes the original intention of the music which has become the opening theme for the bands live shows. From there, most PJPJ newcomers are often dumbfounded during the first three or four numbers as they try and get their ears around on the band's act. This party music is packed to the brim with jumping genres and runs the lyrical gamut from the innocent humor of "Chinatown Bus" to the Slick Rick, potty-mouth porn story "Negative." Like any good frontperson (or comedian), Haines aims to achieve consistency in his control of the crowd. A self-described "snake-oil salesman," he studies up on legendary performers like James Brown in order to do this. "If I'm not getting feedback, I kind of sulk," he says. If the numerous live performance clips that can be found on the internet are any indication, however, this "sulking" is done on the inside. Rubin programs dense musical backdrops that thump, funk and swing with an almost schizophrenic intensity. With his shades, suits and winning charisma, Haines ties it all together. Onstage, Project Jenny Project Jan makes its goal known from the start: deliver the good times; getting a reaction is crucial. "At least they're listening and not talking," says Haines. One of the band's favorite fan quotes comes hearsay from a friend. At a recent Mercury Lounge performance, the crowd was hanging out at the bar. A patron returned to the backroom to find his friend transfixed by PJPJ on stage.
Patron #2: "I don't know... but it's amazing!" Project Jenny Project Jan have an EP and new full-length CD "XOXOXOXOXO" under their belt. The recordings are fun, but they're really just a teaser for the live show, and that may always be the case; the music might be hot, the videos might be nifty, but since the main event has all of that and more, it's clear where PJPJ's strength lies. According to Haines and Rubin, the songs evolve naturally from the two of them just hanging out. The music pulls sound from so many different corners of the music world that the band is tricky to pigeonhole, which is as satisfying for them artistically as it's frustrating from a business standpoint. The band is looking forward to the next record, and if there are any concerns about how to market the act, all a prospective fan really needs to know is that PJPJ should be recommended if you like to party your ass off. |
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