Artist Of The Week #114 - Supermilk
This week’s Artist of the Week is Supermilk, the recording project of former Doe drummer Jake Popyura - who has just released his debut album ‘Death Is the Best Thing for You Now’. The album shows off his unique style of synth fueled fuzz rock, Jake took a moment to talk to us about creating new music, the TV show GLOW and how the album started on a four track recorder.
So your debut album is called ‘Death Is The Best Thing For You Now’, what does the title mean?
A few things. It’s a quote from my favourite movie, Freaked (1993), first and foremost. Secondly, it’s a summary of the kind of language I use towards myself when things are particularly rough. There are times when everything seems hopeless and that the only option for me is the final option, that it’s what I deserve. I’ve been fortunate enough to always make it back from that place but a lot of people don’t and it’s heartbreaking. The record is a lot about death in various forms but also entitlement and abuse of power, so I guess the third meaning is that there’s some people in this world, particularly in positions of authority, that we’d probably be better off without. I don’t think that needs any further explanation.
In 2019 - the band Doe, that you were a part of, sadly split. Did you consider taking a break from music? Or were you keen to start something again?
I did and was fully ready to not do anything for a long time but it just so happens that it’s when I felt most creative and songs just started coming very naturally, so for better or worse, here I am! Making music can be very stressful, particularly when it comes to sharing it and putting it out there for the judgement of others. But I also feel like I’m not capable of taking a break from it and whenever I’ve tried I just feel incomplete. The fulfilment always outweighs the negatives though (just about) and I’m incredibly proud of all the bands and projects I’ve been involved with over the years, so I’ll probably just keep going until my brain starts to trickle out of my nose.
Do you feel being on your own now, that there is more freedom to write?
Not really more freedom writing wise but naturally stuff gets done much quicker because the only person the music has to satisfy for it to get made is me. I love writing with other people, particularly Nicola and Dean in Doe as they’re such fantastic songwriters/musicians. But I’m also very obsessive and impatient and once we’d written something I would always want it to see the light of day immediately. With writing and recording stuff totally on your own you can make things happen at your own pace and have the autonomy to fulfil those obsessive requirements if you want.
You bought an old four track recorder before you recorded this album, was it all recorded using it?
It wasn’t but I wrote and demoed the whole album using that before I went to record it properly. It’s very similar to the one my Dad used to have in the 80s and 90s, and he taught me how to use that when I was super young. If you want to record more than four individual things you need to bounce everything down to one channel, which sort of forces you to make peace with what you’ve recorded already. That in itself is an approach to songwriting I find useful as you end up capturing noises and mistakes that end up becoming part of the song, or you might forget to record a bit or you’ll record an extra bit by accident which changes the course or flow and sparks new ideas in the process.
What would you say are the key influences and themes to the album?
Musically… as well as my well trodden love of various 90s alt/indie rock like Helium, Pavement, Juliana Hatfield, Weezer etc I feel like there’s more post-punk and new wave influences on this album and bands like Devo and B52s are favourites of mine. I was also listening to a lot more bands that exist now like Speedy Ortiz, Omni, Flasher, Jay Som, Bodega, Uranium Club… Thematically, it’s mostly an ‘isn’t death weird and aren’t people shit and aren’t we all fucked’ record. I was also watching all of GLOW whilst writing it and I like to think some of the energy from those characters made it in there.
Where was the album recorded? Any behind the scenes stories you are willing to share with us?
It was partially recorded at a rehearsal studio on an industrial estate in Watford. I felt pretty tense for most of it as my energy and the energy of the dude that runs the studio was very different and I sort of felt like I was just a pain in his arse the whole time. He was pretty sweet towards the end though and I think he got used to me. I also blew one of my amps whilst recording the bass and had to match the tone with another very last minute. I appreciate that’s less than interesting but it’s all I’ve got.
Do you have a favorite lyric from the album? If so, which one and why?
The water’s thicker when you’ve not got blood on your side’ from Thelma. The song is about how my mum’s side of the family all fell out when my grandad died and everyone (except my mum) started showing their true colours because money was involved. Just because you’re related to people, doesn’t mean they’re the best people to have in your life. Often the family that truly matters is the one you create yourself. I’m very fortunate to have a bunch of friends who feel like family to me and my life would be a lot shittier if they weren’t in it.
What next?
A Supermilk live band now exists that features some of my favourite people/musicians (members of Personal Best, Colour Me Wednesday and Finish Flag). We had some shows planned but obviously with the coronavirus pandemic the brakes have been put on all performances for now, as they have unfortunately for pretty much anyone who tours and plays live. Fingers crossed we’ll get to play some shows in the future but we’ll see. Aside from that, I’m currently holed up in self-isolation drinking wine, watching horror movies and getting started writing the next record, which will probably appeal to even less people than this one. But until that brain starts a-tricklin’...