Jay Watson

Jay Watson
Background information
Birth name Jay Watson
Also known as GUM
Born (1990-05-27) 27 May 1990
Australia
Origin Northam, Western Australia
Genres Psychedelic rock, alternative rock, Neo-psychedelia, dream pop, psychedelic pop, space rock
Occupation(s) Musician, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist
Instruments Vocals, guitar, drums, bass, synthesizer, piano, organ
Years active 2005–present
Labels Modular Recordings
Associated acts Tame Impala
Pond
GUM

Jay Watson (born 27 May 1990) is an Australian multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the psychedelic rock bands Tame Impala and Pond. Watson records solo material under the name GUM and has released three albums under this name.[1]

Career

Watson was born in Canarvon,[2] and grew up in Northam, Western Australia.[3] He was given the nickname Gumby, which refereded the clay animation tv show of the same name.[2] When he began recording his own material, Watson shortened the name to GUM.[3]

Under the Gum moniker, Watson released Delorean Highway digitally in Australia on 30 May 2014. Most of the material had been recorded in 2011, leaving Watson to note that "when it finally came out it felt so good! But it felt so old to me".[4] An LP release of Delorean Highway was restricted to a thousand copies.[4] The album was described as as a collection of "paranoid pop songs" that are "mostly about falling in love and all of the things that he [Watson] thinks are going to kill him."[5]

In September 2014, Watson recorded his second album in London with the assistance of Jerome Watson.[4] The thirteen track Glamorous Damage, was announced in September 2015 and was released on November 13, 2015.[6] It was preceded by the single "Anaesthetized Lesson",[6] which was remixed by Kevin Parker and released in March 2016.[7][8] Watson described the title of the album as "about people glamorizing getting fucked up or being weirdos, when there is always a danger you could end up damaged yourself just through putting it on a pedestal".[3] Watson occasionally performs live, using backing tracks.

On November 3, 2016, a third album titled Flash In The Pan, was teased on YouTube,[9] and released on November 11, 2016.[10] It was preceded by the single "Gemini".[11][12] described by the NME as "a swirl of looped vocals, Pond-y synth work and dreamy, subtle bass".[13] Watson explained that it was "the first song I recorded for the album, and probably the most immediate".[14] It featured a contribution by Sergio Flores on saxophone.[15][16]

Watson resides in London.[2][3]

Style

Watson described his music as " it is basically quite rock’n’roll, indeed, but still it’s very electro music-inspired, all the instruments, even the guitars, are made through these MS20 synths".[4]

Discography

As GUM

with Pond

with Tame Impala

References

  1. "Jay Watson Interview". Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 Bochat, Maggie (16 November 2015). "A chat about bogans, Myspace, Jay Watson and Gum". hhhhappy.com. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Tame Impala's Jay Watson Talks His Solo Act, GUM". Myspace. March 2016. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  4. 1 2 3 4 H., Martin (17 September 2014). "Interview: Jay Watson (Gum, Pond, Tame Impala)". Trendsylvania. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  5. Al Newstead (11 December 2013). "Tame Impala, Pond Members Release First Taste of Solo Albums". Tone Deaf. Tone Deaf. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  6. 1 2 Bentley-Hawkins, Will (November 2015). "Tame Impala's Jay Watson is poised to release his second solo album as GUM". PILERATS. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  7. Minsker, Evan (29 March 2016). "Tame Impala's Kevin Parker Remixes His Bandmate Jay Watson's GUM Track "Anesthetized Lesson" | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  8. "Tame Impala frontman Kevin Parker remixes track by bandmate's side project GUM". NME. 29 March 2016. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  9. Hunt, El (4 November 2016). "GUM (Jay Watson of Pond and Tame Impala) announces new album 'Flash in the Pan'". DIY. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  10. Yoo, Noah (4 November 2016). "Tame Impala's Jay Watson Announces New GUM Album Flash In The Pan, Shares New Song "Gemini":". pitchfork.com. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  11. Kaye, Ben (4 November 2016). "Tame Impala's Jay Watson announces new album as GUM, shares lead single "Gemini" — listen". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  12. Wilson, Zanda (4 November 2016). "Tame Impala's Jay Watson Announces New GUM Album, Shares Fresh Track 'Gemini' - Music Feeds". Music Feeds. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  13. Bartleet, Larry (4 November 2016). "Tame Impala's Jay Watson Gets Dreamy On New Gum Single 'Gemini'". NME. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  14. Helman, Peter (3 November 2016). "GUM – "Gemini"". Stereogum. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  15. Roberts, Christopher (4 November 2016). "GUM (Jay Watson of Tame Impala and POND) Announces New Album, Shares "Gemini"". www.undertheradarmag.com. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  16. Olsen, Ben (4 November 2016). "Tame Impala's Jay Watson Teases New GUM Album With Lead Single "Gemini"". Hypebeast. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  17. "Tame Impala - Innerspeaker". Discogs. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
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