Robin Jax is a musician and founder of Tiergarten Records.
Where are you based?
Sunny Birmingham. I was born in central Warwickshire and lived there until last September.
What are you focused on with your music at the moment?
The lockdown has given me time to work on new material for RobinPlaysChords (my solo alias) and The Companions (transatlantic Autistic duo with my Seattle-based friend Amber Bird). There’s a new solo-ish project in the works which should be more abrasive, less perfectionist. All of the above are for future Tiergarten Records releases. I’ve also done some guitar work on new material from Dan Knowler and Sam McLaughlin (The Infinite Three), which was a real honour.
Attitude is Everything support the live music industry, why do you perform live and what do you think gigs can do for artists and audiences?
I feel like I have to project the songs I write to people rather than keep them locked up in my own little bubble. If it’s enjoyable enough to do it again, then I’ll keep doing it. Playing live means a certain level of shared experience between artist and audience – I saw someone say how much they missed the simple mood lift of hearing someone say “Great show”, and I get that. Good gigs are a series of those little rushes.
Favourite venue or festival?
I used to work at The Tin in Coventry and most of the formative experiences of my 20s are related to them in some way or form. Pretty sure I could have called it my primary address for five years or so. In terms of festivals, my housemate runs Thinking/Not Thinking, a multi-day event in Birmingham (not running this year due to coronavirus, alas) which has had some great line-ups and puts on multi-genre shows throughout the year.
What challenges do you face as an artist?
Before the obvious wrecking ball that is COVID-19, reaching out to people within the industry was very difficult – I continually have to knock down my own communication barriers before I can feel comfortable trying to talk to other people. The kind of music I make, and playing it solo, makes it difficult to get booked on the right kinds of shows. Not being able to drive makes touring very difficult as well as public transport is very difficult to navigate with a guitar, a pedalboard and a case full of clothes and merch. The creative process can be very lonely.
Recommend another emerging artist
How do I narrow this down?! I guess I’ll name a few, we have enough time now to listen to more music, right? Mabe Fratti – Guatemalan cellist based in Mexico City – made my current album of the year. Savan DePaul is making masterpieces on a regular basis. I have three unreleased albums from Patrick Samuel that showcase incredible artistic growth. Another Sky are one of the best bands in the UK and I’ve been lucky to see them progress since they were at Goldsmiths.
