

Jagwar Twin Interview;
Playing House Of Blues
On May 3rd
Watch "Long Time Coming" Video Below
Jagwar Twin, other wise known as Roy English has recently released a catchy new single titled “Loser” from his upcoming debut album Subject To Flooding. The full length album is set to drop on April 26th which will feature two new songs and a few new mixes.
Jagwar Twin will be appearing with lovelytheband at the House Of Blues on May 3rd.
We recently chatted with Roy to discuss his new album, his influences and his upcoming appearance in Cleveland.
Greg Drugan: Hey Roy! How are you doing?
Roy English: Hey, what’s good Greg?
GD: I’m great! Where are you calling me from today?
RE: I am currently in a parking lot in Sacramento.
GD: I’ve been listening to your music for the past couple of weeks and I’m really getting into it. How would you describe your music?
RE: I would say it’s a blend of a lot of different things: cultural, spiritual, my feelings and influences all put together under the lens of alternative music.
GD: Very good. Your new video for “Long Time Coming” is going to drop the same day as your new album. What was it like working on the video?
RE: It was great. We worked with an incredible director. We went out to Joshua Tree (National Park) and one of my favorite places to be is out in the desert. We watched the sun rise and it was beautiful.
GD: I’m looking forward to seeing it. Now, how did you come up with the name Jagwar Twin?
RE: Jagwar Twin came as S1, Linus and I started making this album. We quickly realized that the type of songs we were writing were coming from a very different place than any of us had ever created from. I felt like it wouldn’t be right just putting my name, Roy English on the project because it felt like something so much bigger than me as an individual.
I look at a lot of different mythologies from around the world and in the Myan mythology, the jaguar is a creature that can see into itself very deeply and can therefore see into other people. We are all mirrors to each other and can teach each other things. We are really from one, and there is so much commonality. So I wanted to incorporate that. Then the twin, reflects the dual nature of things, the light and the dark. We are on this continual ebb and flow of light and dark and that’s what the songs were sounding like. The name needed to reflect that trend.
GD: That totally makes sense. So, who were some of your musical influences growing up?
RE: Wow, I had a lot of influences. My mom listened to a lot of celtic music, gospel music, a bunch of different world music from Australia to Africa to India. My dad listened to country and rock. There were so many different things around, I kinda just picked up the things that I liked from everything. A lot of music right now is the eclectic consciousness of influences.
GD: Who was the first artist that you saw live and how did that impact you?
RE: I think the first artist I saw live was 98 Degrees! That was, I don’t know what that was! (laughs) It was cool I guess.
GD: Sure! How many instruments do you play?
RE: I don’t really play any instruments. The instruments play me.
GD: I saw a video where you were in a coffee house and you were playing rhythm guitar.
RE: Yeah, I’ll pick up a guitar sometimes or whatever instrument is appropriate for the song. I don’t consider myself a guitar player or piano player or a singer or musician. That’s a disservice to real musicians. But I find those tools to express myself. I allow them to play me. I don’t have a school of knowledge of singing or piano or guitar, but I can pick them up and make sounds that I think are cool.
GD: You definitely have a positive vibe to your music. That is something that we need more of in this day and age. How do you remain positive?
RE: I think it’s less about remaining positive and more about learning who we are in ourselves. When we shed some of that ego and insecurity, we find what really makes us, us. We can start to see the world through a different lens. Our world is so beautiful and abundant. We have all the tools inside ourselves already. When you learn about yourself, you learn about others too.
GD: What is your favorite track on the new record? I really like “Move To You” and “Superhuman,” those two tracks really stand out to me.
RE: I don’t know if I could pick a favorite. Emotionally, I think “Move To You.” The process of that song was so beautiful. That wasn’t one where it wrote me, I didn’t write it. I was out in the desert, and I get there as often as I can. I recorded the vocals in Florence, Italy at this incredible villa. It’s so full of history and art and there’s a beautiful energy in Florence. I feel like we captured that in the performance.
GD: It is a beautiful song. You are hitting the road with lovelytheband, are you going to be playing with a full band?
RE: Oh yeah, we got a full band! We got Pete and Luke and Frank Garrett on drums for this tour. It’s been so much fun to play with these dudes. Everyone in the band is number one, incredible human beings. They are incredible, kind-hearted, selfless people. They are also incredible musicians. It’s really, really fun and freeing.
GD: You will be playing the House of Blues here in Cleveland on May 3rd, what can fans expect from your show?
RE: I think they can expect a freedom and an environment where everyone on stage and everyone in the audience is connected as one. It doesn’t matter if you are crazy dancing like a lunatic or singing. We want to be free in a true expression of ourselves and that echo’s into our world where we can be free with no judgement about anything. I think freedom is a good word for it. It doesn’t matter if you are on stage or in the audience, we are all making noises as one collective at the show.
GD: That sounds like a very positive vibe! I’m looking forward to the show. Roy, thank you so much for your time. I wish you success on your new album and tour and I look forward to seeing you in a few weeks.
RE: Yep, I look forward to seeing you too!
Be sure to check out Jagwar Twin’s brand new album Subject To Flooding, which is out now and watch the brand new video for "Long Time Coming" below!
You can check them out when they open for the lovelytheband at the House Of Blues on May 3rd. Tickets are available by clicking here.
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