Jill Andrews: Follow the Leader




“I am grateful, but I am angry,” Jill Andrews sings on “Always Be Sorry,” one of six songs off her solo debut and self-titled EP, which is set to be released on October 26th. She wastes no time in being frank on her current work; Andrews is demanding: “Take your hands out of your pockets and hold me” on “Worth Keeping;” and defiant: “These words will stand up to you/ And your grandest plans” on “These Words.” Her words suggest a growing songwriter who has found a spark of glowing confidence at just the right time. A time when Andrews’ band on the rise, the everybodyfields, recently decided to call it quits.

Strictly from an outsider’s view, the everybodyfields were never going to last forever. If you name your album Nothing is Okay, and your band’s two chief songwriters are past lovers, which Jill Andrews and Sam Quinn were, the writing is sort of on the wall—the music may still sound wonderful, but the center is not likely to hold. If you’ve ever lived with anyone of the opposite sex and have had a fight, you know the feelings can be overwhelming; now just imagine if he or she was writing a song about you called “Wasted Time” or “Lonely Anywhere.” That was Jill Andrews of the everybodyfields.

But this is now Jill Andrews, the solo artist.

Picking up the pieces from her five-year career as a songwriter/vocalist/bassist/guitarist for Tennessee’s best band you possibly never got to see live, Andrews is smiling these days. Because, the truth is, her new self-titled EP is such a charmer that her name could soon be in bright lights. You know, the ones that cause fans to line up and spend their afternoon outside a music venue, extending their bodies around the block just so they can secure a good spot to get a glimpse of their favorite artist’s face.

I imagine this because I find Andrews’ talent to be immediate and convincing. Her melodies are often flawless, along with her voice, an alto that soothes. And while Quinn’s harmonies are lost, Andrews’ new EP shows us that there is plenty to gain from her going it alone.

Glide recently spoke to Jill about the EP, the recording process, and life as a solo artist.

 Let’s talk about what you’ve been doing lately. Tell me a little bit about the EP and how that started.

 Well, the recording session was really awesome. Basically, I went in there without a real plan. I mean, I recorded nine songs with my band, and I then I thought, ‘Well, maybe I should release an EP,’ to just kind of go ahead and get music out there. Because, with a full-length, I still have some more writing to do, and you have to really spend a lot of time promoting it well.

 So, I recorded at my friend Scott Minor’s house. Scott is a very talented sound engineer in Knoxville. I don’t know if you ever have heard of the band Sparklehorse or not, but he is one the members of that band. He’s awesome. Just the sound alone of where we recorded is really amazing. It’s a really great live sound.

 What were the challenges of recording by yourself for the first time?

 You know, it wasn’t as weird as I thought it would be. I have always been a leader as far as the band thing goes, and as far as my own music goes. I guess when I first started writing and singing, I wasn’t quite as sure of myself—I would let other people’s opinions sway me more. But, as I’ve gotten more used to this whole thing—the past five years or so—I’ve just gotten more confident and sure of myself. It’s kind of scary!

 It’s interesting to hear you say that because the last time I saw you with the everybodyfields, it seemed like you were able to take charge a little bit more.

 Yeah, I don’t really know what that’s all about. But, I definitely took that leadership role with the everybodyfields in a lot of ways.

 Well, what’s the biggest difference with you being the clear leader, though?

 First of all, there’s a real sense of calm and ease to know that all the decisions are mine. I don’t have to argue or anything like that with anybody. I don’t have to name all the points as to why I want a certain thing. I just want it, and I do it, and it’s that easy. The guys that I work with now are so positive and encouraging and are up for whatever makes sense and whatever is good. There’s a whole lot of freedom in that—just knowing that it doesn’t have to be so hard…it doesn’t have to be so hard.

There are some scary things about it—sometimes I think, ‘Now it’s all up to me, now I have to do this all by myself.’ But, I did a lot with the everybodyfields…so really, it’s not going to be that much different in a lot of ways.

The scary things are just planning the whole evening for everybody (when we play a show).  It used to be, ‘Ah, now I can just lay back and play bass.’ But now, it’s a whole show I have to plan—I have to talk to the audience a lot! (laughs) I think I’m going to be ok with that…it’s going to take a lot of getting used to for me.

Is there more of a sense of urgency to grow into a more versatile musician now?

No, I wouldn’t say so. I’ve been playing guitar a lot more. I don’t know…I’ve been teaching guitar lessons on the side. I only have four students, but it’s been fun. So, I’ve had my guitar in my hands a lot more, not only just playing on my own, but playing and explaining to people, ‘Ok, now why does that make sense…’

What do you want people to get out of your songs? Is it more personal for you?

To answer that question, I kind of have to think of myself as an audience member myself. I want to get the chills. I want to be able to visualize what they’re talking about with their lyrics. I want to be able to hum along with their melody and tap my foot to their rhythm—the basic stuff.

But also, the things that strike a chord with me the most are really lyrics. If you can take something from somebody’s song and bring it into a perspective of, ‘Wow, that’s kind of how I feel!’ That’s major.

Do you fear that there will always be those fans who are always going to want to hear you sing with Sam (of the everybodyfields) again?

Oh yeah. There are definitely those fans, which is fine. That’s a natural reaction, and it makes a lot of sense. I’m definitely not closed to the idea at all. I’m really not. It’s not the direction that I want to go all the time, because we’re doing our own things, and we’re moving our own ways, and making our own music. But, I’m not closed to the idea of singing with Sam again at some point.

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