Dave Thompson from Oxford-based newbies Go On, Do It, Jump – or GODIJ as they’re in no doubt to become known – takes a break from making sweet, sweet music to answer some questions I’ve been burning to ask.
Having formed in autumn 2011 ‘over a mutual love for US indie rock’, the four gentlemen already have an upcoming EP and the impressively mature demos ‘Hide in Plain Sight’ and ‘Maze’ under their belts, available to download online.
With Thompson providing lead vocals and guitar alongside fellow guitarist Alex Alsworth, Tim Wright on bass and Tim Ball on drums – let’s see what they’ve got themselves into in the music scene…
What are your plans for summer 2012 – where can we see you touring?
We’ll we’re a week away from beginning recording our first E.P. which we’re really looking forward to doing. We’ll then be playing a festival in early September also, called Grendon Festival in Buckinghamshire, and also look to continue gigging around Oxfordshire and further afield.
Has music always been a passion?
I guess without wanting to sound cheesy, music is something we are all passionate about…We play music in a band, we listen to other band’s music, we go and watch bands play live music, we talk about bands creating poorer/better music, we go to nightclubs to dance like idiots to other band’s music…and if that leaves you with any doubt, just look at Tim Ball’s Spotify account, he’s keeping the whole music industry afloat!
How would you best describe your music?
I’d like to think we sound quite honest, and I mean that as in we sound like the four guys in the band want to sound like. I think if you can describe your own music as honest, then you’re on the right track regardless of where you’re taking the music.
If you weren’t currently in a band, what would you be doing?
I think before we all got this band together, we all just individually sat around thinking about wanting to be in a band. We’d probably go to the cinema on Orange Wednesdays instead of band practice…
Who thought of the name ‘Go On, Do It, Jump’? Does it come from anywhere in particular?
It came about one summer, when I was on a rooftop with a few friends and a guy from Dundee said, like a cop chasing down the bad guy to edge of the rooftop; “Go on, do it, jump”. I always liked the idea of have a phrase for a band name.
Do you stick to your own instruments?
Our drummer Tim plays a mean air bass, but he doesn’t have confidence to play it live yet.
If you could pick one person in the world of music to be in the band, who would it be and why?
If we thought about this too much we’d get to the point where we’d have replaced each and every member and not be GODIJ anymore! I’d quite happily step aside and let Bruce Springsteen sing a few of our numbers.
What is the one album you cannot do without?
Collectively, I think we’d go for Bleed American by Jimmy Eat World.
Which would you pick – musical success or money?
The phrase “World domination” is frequently thrown around in band conversation. Hopefully, it will be a bit like the end credits to the film, ‘Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey’ with newspaper headlines whizzing in documenting GODIJ’s worldwide impact.
Where do you see GODIJ in five years’ time?
Say we don’t have ‘Wyld Stallyns’-esque domination, then I’m sure we’d all be pretty chuffed getting our music seen and heard by as many people as possible.
If you had to pick one of your fellow band members to save from a burning building, who would it be and why?
We all strictly adhere to an “Every man for himself” policy when it comes to such disasters. That way no-one gets hurt. Well, not hurt emotionally at least…
Any chance of performing in Scotland?
We’d love to. While we’re mainly local to Oxford at the moment, we’d really cherish the chance to take the band as far around the UK as possible. There’s always great stuff coming out of Scotland, we’ll all definitely be catching Frightened Rabbit at Truck Festival in a few weeks’ time.
There’s no excuse not to keep up with Go On, Do It, Jump’s conquest for world domination either – find them here:
http://goondoitjump.bandcamp.com
https://twitter.com/goondoitjump
http://www.facebook.com/goondoitjump
(left > right) Alex Alsworth (guitar), Tim Ball (drums), David Thompson (singer, guitar), Tim Wright (bass).