RESOUND catches up with J Fender as he grabs a few minutes of solitude in his (stationary) car to chat about new Afflecks Palace single Dancing Is Not A Crime, and how he manages his responsibilities as lead singer and producer of the band while running independent record label Spirit of Spike Island, with signings that include popular Liam Gallagher support act Pastel.
J formed Afflecks Palace with guitarist Dan Stapleton back in 2019, and with no record deal in place set up his own record label under his Spirit of Spike Island brand which was initially an online clothing store. The spirit continued to spread to signing up more promising talent with that baggy soul at heart, with Pastel, Vega Rally and Ava Carlyle currently on the roster.
DANCING IS NOT A CRIME
Afflecks Palace have just released their latest single Dancing Is Not A Crime, with J busy keeping the socials up to date to get the word out. 6 Music’s Steve Lamacq has also been on the case, premiering the number as well as featuring it on his Round Table review show and the radio station’s New Music Fix playlist. J says “there’s always some apprehension when you’re putting a release out, you always second guess yourself. When Steve Lamacq came through to say they were keen to premier it, that was a very good indicator that we were on to something that would connect with people and since it’s dropped, initial impressions are that people really like the song.” He’s pretty pragmatic though, adding “the fact is, if people really didn’t like it, it would be a shame but it wouldn’t be the end of the world. But I’d like to believe we have a reasonable barometer of taste when it comes to that.”
The single is first off sophomore album The Only Light In This Tunnel Is The Oncoming Train, lined up for release in early 2023, J explaining “we could just stay doing the same things we’ve done before but we choose to be brave and put out things we believe in.” With blistering riffs, addictive grooves and a new take on elements of the Madchester sound, Dancing Is Not A Crime brims with positive energy, building up a fuzz of nostalgia.
It’s just that sort of vibe that attracted the attentions of BT Sport, who approached Afflecks Palace to do a cover of Fat Boy Slim’s Praise You as the theme tune for their Premier League footage for the 2022/23 season. Unfortunately this fell through but J says they didn’t want to do what a lot of artists do and “leave it in the archives to never see light of day” and instead, thinking their fans would enjoy it, released it as a single before their last tour began.
RUNNING THE RECORD LABEL
But J’s talents goes well beyond Afflecks Palace, and although there’s a lot of focus on the band at the moment, he’s also absorbed in the running of his record label, shouldering a responsibility he doesn’t take lightly.
With the label it’s important that I don’t spread myself too thin. I’ve had a lot of artists approach me but I’ve had to refuse people who I like, people with potential in their music because I don’t think I can do them justice to release their music at the moment.”
He goes on to say that from an artist’s perspective he’d hate that himself, as realises how much focus is required to get the most out of a signing. “If somebody was to sign me I’d want them to give me focus when I needed it. So that’s why the roster’s quite small. For the artists who are already signed to us, I want to make sure that when a release cycle comes round I can give them the attention they deserve.”
He admits that although his original priority was Afflecks Palace, that has changed. “When you see that bands like Pastel are really connecting with quite a broad fan base, and they’re getting support slot offers from the likes of Liam Gallagher, I feel, especially for Pastel, so much responsibility for every release they put out. So when we recorded their new EP Isaiah, which will drop in October, I felt a huge burden on my shoulders because I was producing it and needed to ensure that the final result was the best thing they’d ever put out because every roll of the dice, with every release, it could be the last.” Understanding how fickle the industry is, he ensures the bands on his roster aren’t under any illusions either.
I’m completely transparent with the bands. If their music doesn’t connect with people then the label stops and that’s the end of it.”
He also feels great “responsibility and duty of care” towards the bands. “I feel like with the Pastel stuff, they’ve got so much potential that when we were recording the EP and I was mixing it, adding additional production and pulling out different elements of the recordings to ensure they were the best they could be, I found it an incredibly heavy burden on my shoulders. There are five young people in that band who really deserve to kick on and have the ability to kick on and I feel that presenting their music in the best possible way is my responsibility. So as a result yeah, what do I prioritise in that scenario? I prioritise Pastel and the other bands on my label.”
I can be a lot more free with Afflecks Palace because ultimately we can put out what we like and if people don’t like it, well that don’t matter. But for Pastel, Ava Carlyle and Vega Rally, when they release things it really matters that they connect.”
The label’s also attracting interest from within the industry, for artists who have a little more experience under their belts and J admits that although he really likes discovering people at a very early stage, “I now understand why labels want bands to do a little bit of the legwork, to start a bit of a fire so you can build from that, rather than starting from ground zero as there’s obviously a lot more work to put in and it’s a lot more difficult to kick on from there.”
J’s incredibly chilled for someone bearing so much responsibility. So who does he go crying to when the chips are down? “Well, no one,” he grins, “the buck stops with me, really.” That said, Spirit of Spike Island have just signed a worldwide deal with Red Eye Distribution, who are helping him take physical releases into the retail market, ‘for example, making sure our vinyl is in Rough Trade and so on. It’s a very good partnership and I think it will bear fruit. It’s a wonderful company to be attached to but ultimately the buck stops with me!”
TOURING WITH PASTEL AND VEGA RALLY
Afflecks Palace have spent the summer touring with Spirit of Spike Island label-mates Pastel and Vega Rally, and we caught them back in July in Glasgow’s King Tut’s. That night J was zooming about all over the place, overseeing his flock. “There are a lot of moving parts when we go on tour. We need to make sure the merch is set up, Pastel and Vega Rally get a good sound check, Afflecks Palace are happy and the venue and lighting guys are on point. When the show starts I need to make sure the moment is captured on camera because that’s a massive part of the experience, so people who aren’t able to attend the gig get a flavour of what we’re doing and the excitement surrounding it.” And he’s not wrong, there’s a definite excitement and appetite for the music Spirit of Spike Island are producing, and a real feeling that people have been waiting a very long time for something like this.
Glasgow’s King Tut’s gig was an exceptional demonstration of the excitement around what we’re doing. People were in as soon as the doors opened and the venue was pretty much full by the time Vega Rally started at 7.50pm. Then it was rammed until Afflecks Palace finished.”
As “manager, producer, video maker and general dogsbody” to Pastel, another milestone is on the cards next week, when the band open for Liam Gallagher at Cardiff Bay. The Swansea five-piece, whose music infuses a Madchester swagger with the dreamy haze of shoegaze, have already supported Gallagher at Knebworth, so were any lessons learnt from that experience?
Well, I learnt that Pastel can take big shows in their stride. I expected them to be a lot more nervous but they weren’t at all, and they played an exceptional gig. That has pacified any anxieties we have for the Cardiff Show. It’s completely within their grasp and I think it’s more about enjoying it this time.”
CONNECTING WITH THE FAN BASE
Although J’s always busy on the socials, he says it’s Spirit of Spike Island’s mailing list that is the key to dialling into their fans “because with email, exciting stuff like limited editions releases, vinyl releases, gig tickets and radio play can all be piped directly into people’s phones without having to rely on algorithms for social media, which is a killer.” It also means he’s not into wasting time with “eccentric, nonsensical behaviour just to try to go viral,” adding, “as a result it does take a little more time to connect but the fan base that you build will have more longevity because there’s more depth to the releases we put out and more depth to the label, the story.”
SO WHAT’S NEXT?
It’s an exciting time for J and Spirit of Spike Island, with more touring for Afflecks Palace with Pastel and Vega Rally this month, Afflecks’ new bassist Steve Jackson replacing original bassist Pete Darling and joining J, Dan and drummer Pete Redshaw. Pastel’s new single, S.O.H.O. drops on 13th September just before the Liam Gallagher gig, and on top of this, Ava Carlyle has new music coming in October and another Vega Rally single is expected in November. Looking further ahead, Afflecks Palace will be touring in the spring of 2023 to coincide with the release of The Only Light In This Tunnel Is The Oncoming Train and Pastel’s debut album should be hitting the shelves around the same time, J adding “there’s no rush for the debut album, we want to make sure it’s the best it can be.”
The way we work is kind of like a snowball effect and I hope at some point there will be a critical mass moment where it breaks out and that’s when you reap the rewards for all the work you’ve been putting in.”
“There’s a lot going,” he smiles, “but it’s staggered so doesn’t feel like an overload.” Well I think his calm, efficient approach and decision to not saturate the roster will pay dividends in the not too distant future. But right now it’s time for him to get back to the “good chaos” of a newborn and three year old…the real priority!
Get streaming Dancing Is Not A Crime and sign up to become a member of The Movement with Spirit Of Spike Island’s mailing list to keep ahead of the game. And don’t forget to shop the spirit and catch Afflecks Palace in action.
Words and interview: Shirley Mack @musingsbymarie