I remember hearing The Jack Rubies on my local modern rock station, Eatontown, NJ’s WHTG. I liked what I heard a lot, but as I never found their albums I wasn’t able to explore further. But I never forgot about them, so I’m thrilled to hear their new one, Visions In The Bowling Alley, as much as their first comeback record, Clocks Are Out Of Time.
Lead vocalist and guitarist Ian Wright was kind enough to answer a few questions for me.
Andrea Weiss: Who were you listening to while making the album?
Ian Wright: Viagra Boys, early Roxy/ Eno, Les Rita Mitsouko, Lemmy era Hawkwind, Desmond Dekker (and classic Jamaican vocal harmonies in general), Aldous Harding, The Andrews Sisters, Babyshambles, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band to name a few.
AW: I like the sense of doom that hangs over these songs. Or were you meaning something more positive?
IW: It makes sense that some of these songs have a bit of doom about them, tempered though, we hope, with some good old British satire. “This Is Not A Joke,” which kick started the writing process and kinda led the way to some extent, is very much a comedic exploration of wacky secret societies and cultish goings on. We hope some of that levity also runs through the other more conspiratorial tracks like “Are We Being Recorded?” and “Flying Machine.” And of course, there’s still time for a few pop songs too!
AW: In tone and form, I hear something like Depeche Mode with more guitars. Are they an influence, or if not, who did you have in mind?
IW: That’s interesting and perhaps in the right ballpark, though not really on our radar. We tend to gravitate toward artists with some jokes to counterbalance the angst: N. Cave, M.E. Smith, Moz (in the glory years of course), Edwyn Collins etc. We also really leant into the backing vocals on this record and featured instrumental textures from a number of guest players. The guitars are certainly there but we were interested in opening up the sound of the record with these added elements.
AW: The lyrics seem to be drawn from current events, especially in the US. Do you hate Trump too?
IW: The album was written and predominantly recorded during ‘24, before the US election, so perhaps there’s a case to be made for our prophetic abilities! Since we’ve reformed, subject matter for songs has to some extent been inspired by the complicated world we now live in - we’ve tried to channel some of the ominous energy in the ether, rather than just writing warped love songs - although we can turn our hand to that too! Some of the band are currently living Stateside, and the daily turbulence is exhausting to say the least.
AW: What’s the scene like in England these days?
IW: Politically, also a shit show - not turned up to eleven quite yet. Culturally and musically (perhaps in much the same way as when we were coming up in the late ‘80s), exasperation with the establishment and a feeling of edgy uncertainty can inspire good art. There’s some cool stuff around: The Tubs, The New Eves, The Puncturists, The Lovely Basement…
AW: I like the way you’ve updated late 80s and early 90s college rock and postpunk. Do you think that doing that helps to make the music timeless?
IW: We are a product of that era so it’s in our blood - the songs really come out the only way they can with our particular chemistry, influences and artistic abilities - it’s a porridge of our own making and if it seems to reference a certain musical memory, that’s just a by-product of our process. If it enhances the results, great!
AW: Is there anyone in particular you would want to work with?
IW: Mainly dead people unfortunately. John Parish (PJ Harvey etc.) has a nice touch in the studio. Or Mick Harvey? Maybe Jack White.
AW: Would you ever do any shows in the US?
IW: We have historically played in the States extensively, during our first run. With members now living in both the UK and US, there are logistical and financial hurdles to overcome to do a full blown tour. However, we are exploring ways to perform with available members augmented by guest players, and there are rehearsals in progress to that end, in support of “Visions…,” so stay tuned!
