It was sad news to learn that everyone’s favourite party-starters, Bluejuice, would be calling it a day.
Infectiously cheeky frontmen Jake Stone and Stav Yiannoukas have been churning out records for over a decade, and although never truly reaching the commercial heights that their talents deserved, their departure will leave a noticeable void in the Australian music scene. They’re embarking on their final farewell tour, which will include their curtain closing appearance at Falls Festival. All of this, as well as releasing a new single and a compilation album to commemorate their time together!
When interviewing Jake he seems incredibly relaxed, poignantly listening to traditional Iraqi music to better understand the grassroots culture amid the turmoil in that region. He presses play and lets the music act as a moment to break the ice. "I started finding videos online that were very different to what Reuters and mainstream media were putting out about the conflict," Jake says. "I have been listening to the Jihad Nasheed Mujahidin — the music is beautiful, they create incredibly rich sound tracks, this dark, hectic music."
Bluejuice's sound has always been hard to verbalise. Always laced with humour and rightfully so given the fact Jake and Stav originally wanted to be stand-up comics before finding their calling with music. Such is the nature of a band that’s to straight for funk, to groovy for indie rock and to sweaty for pop — they’re just too hard to pigeonhole.
They released three albums — debut full-length ‘Problems’ (2007), breakout LP ‘Head Of The Hawk’ (2009) and 2011’s ‘Company’ — during their time together, and will be leaving fans with a parting gift; their new single 'I'll Go Crazy' produced by Dann Hume (Sticky Fingers, Alpine) and co-written by Alex Burnett (Sparkadia). "Looking back I think 'Act Your Age' has been the most satisfying song to put together and perform live — I think it should have been a bigger hit but it was always going to be difficult after the success of 'Broken Legs', and I think 'We Can Get Around It' would have to be my personal favourite off 'Head Of The Hawk'."
The decision to stop the band seems to have left Jake solemn and retrospective. “We don’t want to be a shit band and we don’t want to hang on until you lose interest in us. So we’re releasing one new song, and we’re punching as hard as we ever did. It’s not the worst thing that’s ever going to happen. We’re not dead yet.”
When asked about the sudden decision to end the band it seems that life and the responsibilities that go with it have caught up to the boys. "It really wasn't my decision, I was happy to continue with the band... it's hard to answer that question. I have been in the band forever, and my main concern with the break up was that it was done in the right way," he explains.
"Stav has two kids now and he made the decision and we had to plan for it. It's not an unreasonable thing to do. It has been heartening to see the response after feeling that no one really cared about the band for a long time."
To truly understand Bluejuice's legacy you have to see them in their element — live. Their raw energy, showmanship, comedic nature and pulsating engagement with audiences is what they’ll be remembered for.
With an eye to the future once this final Bluejuice tour is completed, Jake is looking at another musical project, a duo called Embankments. "I am not the world's greatest producer, but I worked on Embankments’ record with Henry Eastham, it was a really good record to produce. I normally like standing behind the producer and engineer and telling them what to do," he laughs.
"It's going to very difficult to completely step away from music, and I hope it doesn't come to that. It's been heartwarming to see so many people interested in the band again now that we are breaking up and that has made it difficult."
Their farewell tour kicks off in Adelaide later this month and rolls nationwide throughout October and November before culminating at Falls Festival in December. “It will be Bluejuice’s destructive last hurrah, so catch us going out the only way we know how: deafeningly loud, a bit drunk, and dancing maniacally into the night.”
