Introducing #124 - SKRUFF
Sheffield-based artist Joe Fish just released his solo debut as SKRUFF in the form of punchy alt rock single ‘The Juggler’, a sound a la early Arctic Monkeys. His energy and passion seep through his guitar-heavy sound, combine that with punchy synth-lines and you have my musical promise for 2021. So, time to get to know Joe, we talk about inspiration, mental health and future goals!
Congratulations on your debut single! What is 'The Juggler' about and where do you get your inspiration from?
So The Juggler lyrically is pretty close to home. The lockdowns have given us all a lot of time to reflect on how our life was before all of this stuff happened. On a night out in any city centre in the country, you’ll find hundreds of ‘Jugglers’ who are out to get themselves in a state, because they don’t want to feel anything. Sometimes it happens with full friendship circles, they’re all at it, but nobody sort of questions whether it’s a coping mechanism, which over a prolonged period of time isn’t healthy.
In the Juggler I wanted people to reflect, in the same way I have, and understand their own mental health, and challenge the way they look after themselves.
'The Juggler' is your debut single, how did you find preparing for your first single and what did you think was the hardest part of the preparation for your debut release?
It’s been really exciting. It’s been a whole new challenge, I’ve never sung on tracks before, or ever tried to put together drums. I’ve sort of just winged my way through it all to be honest but it’s been good to see it build over time.
I’d say the biggest challenge has been just sort of managing the time with it. I’m currently doing an apprenticeship so working around my full time job and qualification it’s really taken it out of me. Going forward I need to work on giving myself time to relax as this is going to help me create.
Are there any things in regards to releasing music that you would do differently in the future?
There are a lot of things I’ve learnt really. Personally I need to believe in myself a bit more, I spent too much time second guessing everything and it can ruin the creative flow. In terms of the actual release strategy I think it’s about taking the expectation away. With music it’s easy to get carried away, we all think our music is good or we wouldn’t release it, but understanding that not everybody is going to like it but appreciating the people that do is the main thing.
When did you start making music, who and what inspired you?
I was a late bloomer with music really. For my 14th birthday my dad took me to Manchester to see Arctic Monkeys in 2013 and to this day it’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen, I just remember thinking that’s what I want to do. Being from Sheffield they’re just my hero’s. That Christmas I got my first guitar and had a bash at playing some songs.
I joined my first band in 2015, The Paisley Royals, and that sort of gave me a buzz for playing in a band and writing guitar parts. Liam Ainger the frontman gave me so much confidence in my playing so I’m really grateful for that. Fast forward to 2019 I joined JupiterMoon and I think this has been my biggest push. I’ve learnt so much from these guys as they’re all far more experienced than me in terms of gigging and releasing music, so without these guys I wouldn’t know how to go about recording from home and releasing stuff, and I can’t wait to start working together again.
As you mentioned you’re based in Sheffield, how do you think this has influenced your music?
As I said before, Arctic Monkeys are a big part of why I do what I do, it sort of gives you that belief when people from your area have made it. Sheffield has a great music scene and so many influential people around, the likes of Richard Hawley and Jarvis Cocker. It’s a place where people respect artists trying to make music and makes it a safe place for me to be creative.
What role did your mental health play in the releasing of your debut single as well as on your musical journey?
It’s been a rollercoaster. In the early stages it was fun and exciting. Making music is a release, it’s what I enjoy and it’s amazing. There are times where I’ll try to sit down and write or record and I have a bad session and that can make you wanna pack it in but it’s understanding there’s good days and bad days. Ronaldo doesn’t score every time he plays football but he’s still a God of the game.
The actual release made me really anxious. It’s a really exposing time, nobody’s heard me sing before, people are going to judge what I’ve done. I have a great support network around me, I talk about my music a lot to my girlfriend and she sets me straight, in all honesty she’s the driving force behind SKRUFF.
How did the past year influence your mental health and did that influence your music?
Mentally, it’s been the hardest time of my life as I’m sure it has been for the majority of us. I’m quite an introverted person but spending so much time away from friends and family is so abnormal and probably takes it out of us more than we even realise. Following a health scare in 2019, that’s when my mental health really took a dip but I sort of didn’t accept it and tried to fight it, which I guess is a lot of what I’m trying to say in The Juggler. It was the summer of 2020 I started to seek help and it’s the best thing I’ve done for a while, since then I’ve started this project and if I didn’t have this to focus on I think I’d be in a darker place than I am now.
Whenever you have a bad day, what helps you to focus on the positive?
This is a really difficult question. On bad days it’s so easy to spiral at the moment. Simple things like seeing a friend that would normally lift you aren’t accessible. It’s important to be thankful and take advantage of what you have got. For me I can pick up the phone or FaceTime my girlfriend, or I can pick up the guitar and write a song, or even go out for a walk. Anything that just takes my mind off what’s getting me down.
It’s important to be open with people about how you’re feeling. If you’re having a bad day, just telling someone that can really lift a load, sometimes you’ll have a good cry and feel better afterwards. People help each other and it’s important not to isolate ourselves too much.
What (musical) goals have you got for the near future and how do you hope to achieve those?
So many! I want to make the most of 2021 so that later in life I can look back on this period and be like ‘I did that’. I’m always writing music and I’ve got time booked in soon with my producer to finalise a few more tracks. A big goal of mine is to get featured on local BBC Intro with at least one of them by the end of the year!
Another big goal is to maintain and build my audience. I’m really engaged with my Instagram following, I have some really constructive conversations with them, and the support they give me, especially so early on is insane. So yeah I really want to do it for them in a way as well.