Jack Eye Jones

‘Playground’ – the latest monster tune sliding our way from Scotland’s finest

Interview : Dan Prince

Dude welcome to DMCWORLD, where in the world are you today?

“Just back from a very cold NY. I had a couple days in the studio in London where I get to work on a lot of stuff at Brixton Jamm with a variety of musicians, and now back in Scotland for a week then off to play in Miami for the first time.”

You have the Buzz Chart office dancing on the tables this week thanks to your awesome ‘Playground’ track swinging our way on your own IBZ label. Tiesto is such a massive fan of yours he has done his own remix of the track, how did that come about?

“Tiësto has been supporting my mashups and bootlegs over the last year on numerous occasions both in his live sets, podcasts and on Radio 1. So we sent him over some original productions of mine and he jumped on playground, which was incredible. In all respect what he has done with the stems is something I wish I could do one day, he took it to such another level, still cant believe he remixed it, so thanks Tijs. The feedback on the track has been amazing and had 100,00 plays on soundcloud in the first few days, and my twitter and Facebook has been going mental with message and support for the track.”

Who are the producers that YOU are bigging up at the moment?

“Tiësto obviously, Deorro has this great sound just now, it’s quite different, Blasterjaxx who are remixing one of my best tracks Far East, I haven’t heard their remix yet its due any day, so excited to hear it.”

We were in Ibiza last summer and saw you spinning as part of the Colours mini take over…what was the highlight of that trip?

“Surviving it.”

I have known Colours head honcho for over 20 years. One of his party tricks used to be taking all his clothes off and walking around his club naked. What is the worst state you have seen Ricardo?

“Hahahahahhahahahaha omg. Yeah I know many stories like that including in Privilege I believe he jumped in the pool as well, Ricky is now sober and has been since that date. I have never seen him even looking at a beer never mind get in a state…yeah right – the guy is a legend, everyone loves him, he looks after me and gave me a chance and I proved myself when others didn’t. I’m eternally in his debt for believing in me.”

Let’s kick back for a moment. How old were you when you first heard your first dance music?

“I would be about 16. Atlantic 252 on Long Wave used to play some great stuff, wow that goes back a bit.”

What came first, DJing or producing?

“I owned a recording studio when I was about 20 was used mostly for bands, there would be a set of 1210’s there on occasions so I got taught on them, looking back I must have been pretty bad as I didn’t keep it up…”

Early DJ heroes?

“Tiësto, John Digweed, Sasha to name a few….”

Can you remember the first club you DJ’d at?

“I had a radio show in Romania on a Friday night…Kickstart to the Weekend. What I played was completely different to what was being played on the radio and in clubs, someone thought it would be a good idea to introduce this to the biggest club under a brand of I Love Ibiza. I remember the owner saying on the first night, “what is this music”, and the resident DJ saying, this is what I’ve been telling you happens outside this town and I’ve been trying to play for ages. The nights went on to be a great success and I’d love to go back one day, I made a lot of mistakes and I learned from it. I know how to entertain and it’s not just about what you play, although picking the right tracks really helps. That person went on to be my agent for the next year until it got too big to handle, again eternally in that persons debt, my first agent Alex.”

Finest record you have ever played to a dancefloor?

“I have a bootleg of Born Slippy, by underworld its called called Born Trippy, I tried to clear it with the label, but they werent interested, it gets playd by loads of people inc Avicii, I suppose its not good enough for them, I don’t promote it much, and it has to be the right time the right place and the right feeling before I play it in my sets.

Here’s the link:

https://soundcloud.com/jackeyejones/born-trippy-bootleg-born-slippy-jack-eye-jones

What was your first big break in the industry?

“Tiësto supporting one of my mashups on his clublife podcast, he still continues to support them.”

What is the current top 10 you are spinning…

“A lot of my mashups, I have this knack of finding vocals that go well in key with tracks that are in the beatport top 10  so if it isnt some of my original work then its my mashups, which would be the beatport top 10 but have acapellas from the 80’s and 90s over the top of them, here is a few that I would always play…

https://soundcloud.com/jackeyejones/dvbbs-stampede-with-pride-as

https://soundcloud.com/jackeyejones/martin-garrix-vs-jack-eye-jones-animals

https://soundcloud.com/jackeyejones/standing-in-the-way-of-that-1

https://soundcloud.com/jackeyejones/daddys-groove-vs-public-domain

https://soundcloud.com/jackeyejones/firebeatz-schella-vs-chase

https://soundcloud.com/jackeyejones/as-the-project-t-comes

https://soundcloud.com/jackeyejones/martin-garrix-vs-olive-vs-fat-boy-slim-skandy-wizard

https://soundcloud.com/jackeyejones/new-world-sound-thomas-newman

https://soundcloud.com/jackeyejones/adagio-for-chattahoochee-tiesto-dimitri-vegas-tomorrowlands-jackeyejones

https://soundcloud.com/jackeyejones/avicii-wake-me-up-at-midnight

It may not be good for my image but Jack Eye Jones really loves…

“Spending time with my friends.”

Away from a pounding dancefloor, who are some of the artists you like to chill out to?

“Eric Prydz, I always have his podcast on, I’m a great fan of his, he cooked me dinner last year, was all a shock, still can’t believe someone of his aurora made me dinner. The Cafe Mambo podcast is also amazing, at least once a week I would be listening to each of these.”

Best piece of advice you have ever been given?

“Don’t go on twitter when drunk “Jon Mancini”.”

What is coming out next from the label…? 

“Next out is the Tiësto remix of ‘Playground’ and 2 other version from myself which have a lot of vocals, I used the girl from Alabama 3 who has an amazing soulful voice, there is a stage version and an ibiza chillout version, next is Far East which has been remixed by BlasterJaxx, otherwise I would have released it by now, its crazy, I have started signing other producers to the label one producer is 16 and has been producing since he was 12, I have a massive opportunity to spotlight new acts though my Ibiza Sessions podcast and at gigs.

Tell us about the first time you went to Ibiza…

“First time I loved it, I used to stay all the time at my friends hotel Pikes. I even have my picture on the wall of fame wall in reception, Tony is a very good friend of mine and I’m working on helping him release a book about his life and the hotel, I have my friend Howard Marks (Mr Nice) working with him on this.”

What is it about the white isle that means so much to you?

“Ibiza has so many levels to it, it’s not perfect and things are getting better, the best part for me is it inspires you, it makes me much more productive – although it has to be respected as it can destroy you, which it has to me on many many occasions.”

Talk us through your monthly podcast series ‘Ibiza Sessions’ which regularly rides high in the Top 10 iTunes UK chart…

“They are different, I get to play what I’m currently playing in clubs, its a good way for people to have an idea what your going to play in a club, rather than an album which could be well out of date of what a DJ is going to play, I used to swear a lot on it at the start it probably offended a lot of people, but I got a lot of listeners and followers as it was different, I have now stopped my potty mouth and trying to be more professional. They were funny though. Here is one…

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/jack-eye-jones-ibiza-sessions/id589144448

And finally when I was telling the Buzz Chart crew I was interviewing you today they shouted “tell him he is the biggest thing to come out of Scotland since Lorraine Kelly”. Thoughts on that sunshine?

“Did she ever come out of Scotland?”

Thanks pal. Dan Prince.

“Thanks pal. Jack King.”

 

http://www.jackjones.dj

https://www.facebook.com/JackEyeJones