Parallel Press and PR - with a focus on green.
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Parallel Press and PR - with a focus on green. |
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Starting his singing career in the local school choir, the vicar immediately saw potential. Many years later that was proved correct when singer/song writer Jarvis Smith signed his band The Phoenix Rose to the UK’s 1st green label Archangel Green. Here in an exclusive interview, TPR frontman Jarvis Smith spends an afternoon bearing his soul so we can find out a little more about this musical phenomenon.
Jarvis: To be the first ever band signed to a green label is huge, it makes history! We will not play a gig just because the money’s right, we will play because the people who organize it care! Parallel: what made you sign to a lesser known yet green label & not one of the bigger corporate brands? Jarvis: The bee in my bonnet is quite simple…. If the music industry really wants to be green, then only sign and support bands that will adhere to greener ways of doing things. It’s the money that rules the industry, our way will be ruled by nature and serving the whole. Is this for the greater good, or to make loads of cash? Parallel: And do you think this is a wise move? Jarvis: We will try our hardest to be in an industry with environmental and social integrity, and hopefully be part of reshaping music for the future Parallel: Describe TPR’s sound? Jarvis: In one song there are five different instruments from different countries, the power of this brings people together without it being fully understood, kinda bypasses the intellect. We have taken that one step further, and consciously used rhythms and sounds that speak directly to the body. Parallel: That explains why the tune feels familiar. Jarvis: It’s the old fruit pastel effect, can you play sick and tired without any part of your body joining in??? Parallel: Sick & Tired is your debut single with Archangel Green. Where did it come from? Jarvis: It came from me being upset at living the way society dictates, being controlled by untrue man made laws, these laws do not serve humanity as a whole, they serve the lack and greed of governments and corporations!
Jarvis: If you are pissed off with the controlled environments that we live, ie, education that suppresses creativity, work that enslaves us to bills & stops us being with our children, friends, & family, Hollywood films that dictate how love should be, religion that says how and why we should be… blah blah blah, Parallel: You mention religion. Are you religious? Jarvis: I have looked at many religions including Christianity, Buddhism, Shintoism, and others, I have connected with some aspects (the ones that feel true) of all religions and I have chosen to live a spiritual life, a life that honour’s, nature, magic and wholeness. Parallel: So what are your beliefs? Jarvis: I believe we have the power to be what we want to be as long as that is in accord with the divine plan and nature, I believe we are all destined to be part of sacred art, cliché I know, some of us came here with a divine purpose, some recognize that quickly, and then allow themselves to surf the cosmic waves, my spiritual mentor once said, “what if you are already, what you are trying to become”, I liked that! Is seeing believing, or is believing seeing/feeling, I believe the latter! Parallel: We know you sang in the church choir as a boy. Did you want to pursue that? Jarvis: My choir sent me to St. Paul’s cathedral for an audition, I past the singing and failed the academic tests, therefore refused, I remember getting the letter of refusal, this really knocked me back! Parallel: What then. How did your life pan out as a young adult musically? Where you part of a scene? Jarvis: I am of the ecstasy and rave scene, I went straight from watching football live on a Saturday to hugging people I didn’t know at raves! From being on the terraces to driving up to Hacienda every Friday to hear Graham Park do his thing. Parallel: So you were one of the original rave generation. How has that effected you, & in what way? Jarvis: The drugs and music showed me it was possible to feel joy and love, so if a drug can open the door, then I knew this was possible without them….
Parallel: Your first festival this year is Sunrise. Being probably the most organic green festival around. What does it mean to play there & where are you playing? Jarvis: We were due to launch last year but as you know things didn’t go plan. We were going to shoot our video there, starting with the band just jammin’ around the fire, & then shooting us playing on various stages culminating on the main stage on Sunday night. This year the event is a lot smaller & more personal so as well as our booking we will just try to integrate ourselves into the crowd & just entertain. Sunrise means so much more to us than just a booking to us. It’s a way of life, so many people get so much from Sunrise, it teaches us so much on so many different levels, & in the best possibly way, by entertaining you
Words by Jarvis Smith & Steve Benton Parallel PR Photography by Duncan Lu |
Copyright © 2009 Parallel PR Ltd |
Parallel: Jarvis, what does it mean to you to be the signature band signed to the UK’s 1st green label?
Parallel: Powerful stuff, but explain the song & what it stands for?