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JIMMY O' KEEFE TALKS DEMONS, TEACHING AND ENYA

Writer's picture: photogroupiephotogroupie


PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR US WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH YOU AND YOUR MUSIC AND TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.


I am a solo artist, and I go by the name, Jimmy O'Keefe and Friends. My music is stuff that I mostly recorded in my house using whatever I had available. I was lucky enough to link up with The Animal Farm Records who mixed and remastered the tracks. I've been in bands most of my life and played around Baltimore, Maryland for the better part of a decade. I had recorded for this solo project back when I was in college, mostly for my own pleasure. I thought, "What the heck, I'll share it with a few people." They seemed to like it. That's what put me on the path I'm on today - playing in bands and such. I revisited this solo project during the pandemic, and here I am. I really like the freedom and abandon that recording by myself can afford me. I have plans to bring more musicians into the fold once the project starts to gain momentum.


TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR NEW ALBUM OR SINGLE?


The new single is called Racing Against My Fate. It's the first one that's being released under The Animal Farm. I'm really happy with it. It has folk elements, psychedelic elements, and the imaginative grandioseness that I really like, that also comes from the sort-of podunk process I have for recording. I think that The Animal Farm really captured the energy I was going for. People have said the vocals are really interesting and different, but in a way that is somehow familiar. I'm like a singer-songwriter, but the way I sing is not something that's necessarily popular. I think it feels fresh to people.


WHAT INSPIRED THE ALBUM OR SINGLE?


Anxiety. Fear. Running yourself ragged trying to escape from something that haunts you.


CAN YOU SUM UP THE ALBUM IN A FEW WORDS?


Stuck in a state of desperation.


WHAT RECORD CHANGED YOUR LIFE AND WHY?


Californication. I was at that age where everything just hits you really hard emotionally. I felt like Anthony Keidis was literally speaking directly to me. Either that or Brand New Day by Sting; it was the first album I stole from my parents when I was 10. Also, anything by Enya. My mom listened to a lot of Enya. Enya lives deep in my subconscious.


DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE MUSIC VIDEO FILMED BY YOUR BAND OR ANOTHER

ARTIST?


That one where Jamiroquai is on a floor that's moving around the whole time. I also like the Lady Marmalade music video.


WHAT WOULD WE FIND YOU DOING WHEN YOU'RE NOT MAKING MUSIC?


I am a teacher. Teachers are underpaid and overworked, so I spend a lot of time thinking about my job. I also like to spend time with my wife. We're getting really into hiking, walking - being places where we aren't surrounded by technology.


DO YOU GET NERVOUS PERFORMING LIVE, IF SO HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT?


The last show I played was the first show where I was really nervous. I was on the stage completely alone, with just an acoustic guitar. Most of the time, I can deal with it because I'm on stage with other people. This time, when I was all alone on the stage, I felt super vulnerable and exposed. I'm still working on how to channel that energy towards my performance.


HOW DO YOU WRITE?


I work together with my demons :)


WHAT INSPIRES YOU?


Honesty and vulnerability.


WHAT IS NEXT?


I will be releasing another single through The Animal Farm in late April/early May. We're in a momentum building phase, just trying to build an audience.


PLEASE TELL US ANY SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS SO WE CAN SHARE.


https://linktr.ee/jimmyokeefeandfriends

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