What is your name?
Jack Moves. It’s just me.
What is your genre of music?
Electronic pop with a progressive element.
Give us a little bio about you.
Jack Moves got his start late in 2014. A Member of Toronto metal groups Godstopper and Ayahuasca and a former member of hardcore act Column of Heaven, he had grown tired of working within the limits of heavy music, and so decided to strike out on his own. Inspired by live looping performances of Reggie Watts, Jack started busking at the corner of Queen and Spadina in downtown Toronto. As a one-man band with a captivating and crowd-pleasing live show, he quickly started playing a wide variety of venues, from clubs to parties to tattoo shops to Portuguese restaurants; sharing the stage with hip hop artists, electronic producers (he is the host and DJ for the monthly concert series “Frequencies”), metal and post-hardcore bands, and many others. He also ran a weekly-updated live looping youtube channel from 2015-2018. With his first EP, I Go to Work, Jack distilled his live show, which at the time involved him creating all the music live, using just his voice and a looping pedal. His first full east-coast Canadian tour followed. Then, in 2017, Jack emerged with a new ep, I Been Working. It showcased an expansion of his palette, which now included a far vaster array of electronic sounds. Vocal-based live looping, although not as prominent in his recorded output going forward, remained an important element in his live show.Speaking of shows, Jack followed up the release of I Been Working with a spring tour of Europe that saw him travel across ten countries, with a highlight of opening up for experimental hip hop legends Dälek in Budapest. Following that, it was back home to Canada for another east coast tour with fellow weirdo solo act/MC, Garbageface. A few singles followed, showcasing Jack’s trademark diversity…80’s-influenced melodies here (“Demon Eyes”), demented choral parts there (“Moment of your Time”), and straight up hip hop bars over there (“Emilia”), and in turn saw him receive praise from the likes of Earmilk, the CBC, and Alan Cross’ A Journal of Musical Things. A return visit to Europe at the end of the same year saw him further solidify his fan base abroad.
Later 2018 saw him make an appearance at Follyfest 10 in New Brunswick, and a third visit to Europe in the fall; at around which point he released the EP I’m Insane, a collection of Ozzy Osbourne covers redone in his unique style. As 2019 draws towards an end, Jack is happy to announce his first full-length album, Passing Protagonists, is soon to come, and will feature further electronic experimentation, richer harmonies, more novel blends of genre and a loose concept revolving around the comedic absurdity of the “western” experience.
What made you go into music?
Initially, it was something I just thought might be cool to try as a teenager. Then I started to realize it was the main thing that resonated with me. Then I started finding people to play with…everything continued from there.
Are you signed?
I am not.
You released your new single ‘List Of Demands’, tell us more about the single.
I wrote it when I needed material for a festival I was going to play. The idea was to make a Torche/Floor kind of guitar riff but using software. I really like what turned out.
What is the meaning behind ‘List Of Demands’.
It’s me letting off some steam over the normal trials that independent artists face. It also acknowledges the bigger picture, and just how comedically insignificant such concerns are in the grander scheme of things
Describe the track in two words.
Pretty alright
What was the writing process like?
Very quick for the first 2/3rds… then it took forever (months) to finish the thing. Writing using software poses its own set of problems; it’s still very new to me.
What was the writing and recording process like?
The writing and recording processes for me are practically merged at this point. Since I self-produce, whatever I write is usually arrived at through experimentation in the same recording program I’m going to use to record the finished product.
Who did you work with on the Single?
Just me, and then my friend Kenta Aoki assisted in beefing up some sounds and did the mixing and mastering.
Will we see an EP or Album this year?
You will! New album Passing Protagonists is out March 6.
Do you have any shows coming up?
A couple.
If so where will you be heading?
I’ll have a hometown album release April 18…hopefully tour plans in the works for the autumn.
Would you be up for collaborations if other musicians wanted one with you? and who would they have to contact?
Sure! Send me an email (jackmovesloops@gmail.com) or get in touch via socials.
Do you play any instruments?
I play several. Voice, bass, guitar, keyboard, drums.
Who are your influences?
Most recently: Peter Gabriel, Francis & the Lights, John Hughes move soundtracks, Mr. Oizo, Nine Inch Nails, LCD Sound system, Skepta, Run the Jewels, John Carpenter, and Miami bass music
How do you get inspiration to write songs?
Often starting with a drum loop, or a chord progression. These days I’ve been trying to get vocal melodies figured out a bit earlier in the process also.
Where do you see yourself in 5 Years?
Doing the same thing, but branching off into new territory and hopefully having a growing audience along for the ride with me.
When you’re not doing music, what do you do?
Not an awful lot. I read, go to the gym.
What was the song you listened to most that influenced you to go more into the music scene?
I’m not sure if it influenced me to go more into the music scene, but hearing “Freewheel Burning” by Judas Priest when I was 14 was pretty revelatory for me, because it was exactly the sound I wanted to hear and it felt great.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given?
Probably from my accountant: Don’t change your way of life just to accommodate others.
Also, from the great jazz pianist Oscar Peterson: Find your own voice.
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians not about the industry and just as an artist?
Find your own voice. Listen to a lot of different things. Don’t be too cynical.
What quote or saying do you always stick by?
“What’s the alternative?” (to whatever you’re doing, or wherever you find yourself)
Where in your hometown is a must go to visit?
The Galleria Dufferin Mall (that’s where I got my press photos taken)
Your coming off tour;
1/ Where do you go first?
My apartment, to drop off my stuff
2/ Who do you see first?
I like hanging with my cousin. It’s cool to see family when you get back.
3/What do you eat first?
Portuguese chicken at “The Rooster”.
When you are at a gig, what are the 5 things you cannot forget?
Keyboard, looper, keyboard stand, mic, a stack of mailing lists for people to sign.
Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
Spotify: (artist profile)
