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Q&A: JACK EYE JONES

The making of a world class DJ

 We spoke to Jack Eye Jones, a UK producer and modern dance success story whose name you’ll be hearing a lot of this year.

We managed to catch Jack during some intense LA, Ibiza, UK schedule-juggling and got the low down on aiming big, being remixed by Tiësto & the transformation from local studio owner to globally renowned producer.

Jack, you’re one of the biggest dance music artists to emerge from Scotland in the last decade. Tell us about your roots and how you got into music.


“I owned a recording studio in my early days, I was more about live music than DJing. But the studio didn't make much money, everyone was too busy having fun, so eventually it closed down. I love live music, real bands, real instruments, so it's great that my production has evolved to use more of these elements, starting with my summer track ‘Rainbows’.”



How difficult was it to cut through all the noise and get noticed?

“You have to aim big, very big, well above your weight. Think where you want to be next year not next week or month, and push for that, aim for the moon and land amongst the stars, so to speak.
 I have a mentor, Jon Mancini who has been there and done it, even Tiësto warmed up for him years ago. He has been there for me through this journey kept my feet on the ground when I was losing it, when I needed help. If you can latch on and feed from someone like this, it will serve you well – it’s the support from him and my fans that has stopped me quitting when I came close.”



What was your first big success and was there a milestone, like Tiësto's remix of ‘Playground’, where you thought “I’ve made it”?  

“When do people actually acknowledge the fact they have? I would say a point of great satisfaction for me was last year when I had a million downloads of my Ibiza Sessions podcast from iTunes, that got me serious attention. It wasn't even a thought that I could get this amount of downloads. Never mind being number 1, four times on iTunes!”



What’s your one piece of advice to aspiring DJs and producers?  

“Be creative and think outside the box, and don't forget to enjoy the journey.”

You made your name through a series of bootlegs that you gave away free on your SoundCloud page, are there any other tips for profiling yourself that you’d give to up and coming artists?


“Yes. Do what you love and put your heart into getting out to as many people as you can, you have to look at yourself as a product that you want to put in front of as many people as possible. And really use social media to your advantage.”


We know we can expect big things, but what’s next for you and where can we catch you? 

“I've been offered a college tour in America and I'm up for the job, so I'm moving to LA for a bit and commuting back to Europe. My highlight this year so far is being booked to play the Main Stage on Sunday at Creamfields. It’ll be my second time there - last year I was on a small stage that totally erupted! 
 In Scotland, I have Coloursfest and I also have my own arena showcasing some of the great Scottish talent coming through, including my favourite: 18 year old DJ Calvin Logie.
 And in Ibiza of course, I have my boat parties. These have gained a great reputation for being crazy and attracting great DJs like Mark Knight, Dannic, Dyro, Jon Mancini, Mallorca Lee, Rosko and La Fuente. I'll be flying back from Creamfields to do the last one this Summer.”


Jack Eye Jones SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/jackeyejones
Ibiza Sessions: http://smarturl.it/IBIZASESSIONS