UTG INTERVIEW: Max Jury @ 80/35

July 16th, 2014

Matthew Leimkuehler

Max Jury is one of the fastest solo artists moving. Creating a dazzling name for himself both nationally and internationally, Jury has a seductive style of songwriting that is able to sweep you off your feet. Opening up for Lana Del Rey both in Chicago and overseas (including a show in Cork, Ireland this week), Jury is on the edge of tipping into full-time mainstream success. His latest EP, Something in the Air, is a swift listen that keeps your toe tappin’ and your lips humming. Jury is poised with a voice so seductive that anyone 1 to 100 will be taken away in the subtle power he delivers both on stage and in the studio.

Under The Gun Review had the chance to sit down with Max at this year’s 80/35 festival in his hometown of Des Moines, Iowa. We chatted about playing with Lana Del Rey, his latest EP and what’s next for one of modern music’s potential saviors.

UTG: Hi, Max. Thanks for taking the time. What’s been going on?

Max Jury: Not much. I just got back a couple weeks ago. I played a show in Paris at this little club called the Silencio which was actually designed and masterminded by David Lynch. A really cool club. Then I did the Lana gig and I have two more shows with her this summer. One in Cork, Ireland and one in Tel Aviv, Israel.

So tell me about opening up for Lana Del Rey.

It’s cool! She’s really nice, her band’s really nice. Our management knows each other kind of and we played a show like a year ago with her. A lot of her fans are really devoted fans. They will totally support you, which is nice. You play 30 minutes, they like it and then Lana does her play. Watching her play is really cool because in the last 30 minutes of her set she just goes down and signs autographs and takes selfies with fans while the band plays.

Interesting. You pick up a thing or two from watching her?

Yeah, absolutely. You learn a lot. She’s got a cool light show and she plays her videos on the drop screen. It’s cool.

Do you go over solo or do you have a backing band when you’re overseas?

When we played with her in Chicago we played with a backing band, but just for money and logistics I’ve been playing solo with her overseas.

How is it to step in front of those crowds with just you and a piano?

It’s nerve-wracking. You go up to the stage and you go, “Should I look out?” and then you look out and you go, “Oh, my God. That’s a lot of people.” It could be a lot worse. Her fans are supportive and nice and listen which is a lot to ask. Nobody’s really rude and her team is nice and supportive so it turns out to be a lot of fun and not nerve-wracking. The first time we played with her was scary. We played at the House of Blues in Chicago and it was sold out. Kind of scary [laughs].

So Something in the Air, your three-song EP, has been for a while now. How was reception been?

It’s been good. In London especially, I’ve played two sold out shows, which is cool. BBC Radio has been behind it, which is nice. It’s been good. It’s just a little three-song EP. It’s a start. We have another EP coming out in September so we’ll start releasing tracks in August. It’s four songs. I think the new songs are better received live. It’s a little poppier.

Tell me a little bit more about this new record.

We recorded it live at the Sonic Factory in Des Moines. It was just all of us in a room hammering out the songs. We tracked 5 songs in like three days and we chose four. That was a cool environment, doing it in Des Moines. It felt relaxed. They have a pop vibe but they’re loose — they don’t sound manufactured or anything. They still have life in them, I feel like. A little raw, I wanna say, because we cut it fast and it was live.

So what was the biggest difference between tracking live and doing multi-tracking?

It took less time, first of all. I think it inspired us to practice the songs a lot more and get to know them better and feel more comfortable in our performances. I love records that are overdubbed, I love records that are live — but I think the live thing has a certain energy that is hard to re-create if you are just in your bedroom overdubbing and overdubbing. What we wanted to do was have that energy and roughness. It was great to have a band of great musicians who really know how to play their instruments. That was really cool.

Can’t wait to hear it. Talk to me about your international success. How does a dude from Des Moines, Iowa build himself up to sell out shows in London?

Yeah, it’s weird. My management company is based in London. It’s a new start-up conglomerate company. It’s a publishing company, recording company, management company and I’m managed and published by them. But I’m not signed to them as a recording artist. It’s based in London but the guy who owns it, his background is in Paris. He kind of discovered Daft Punk and Air and those French bands. And so everything’s based over there and that’s how I got my start over there. We haven’t even tried entering the American market — whatever that means. From what I understand is it’s hard. I feel like people in Europe are hungry for new music, hungry for the arts. I think it’s much easier to work yourself in.

Out of all the cities you’ve played in overseas, is there one that has responded to you best?

Probably London. Yeah, I just feel really comfortable there. I feel really at home. I played a smallish venue and it’s packed and people were really, really listening. You could hear a pin drop. It’s just amazing. It was an honor. Yeah, London.

So bringing it back to Des Moines, how does it feel to come home and play a festival in your hometown?

Amazing, too. I’ve never played it before and I went to it so many years as a kid. I remember the first year I was here I struggled through Yonder Mountain String Band because I wanted to be front row for The Roots. I took my shirt off and was grinding. I was like 15, it was amazing [laughs].

Anything else you have planned for the year?

We’re doing a video for the new EP coming out and releasing a single. September through Octoberish I’m going to be doing a solo tour through Europe. Touching all the major cities, doing little clubs. The plan is to come back and try and do CMJ and go from there. I don’t have any American dates yet.