Jay Roecker started recording, working in collaboration with other artists under the band name "Members Only" in January 2012. It began as an 80’s cover band but quickly morphed into a band of original music. He earned his chops performing in Deep Ellum in the Dallas music scene as well as at SXSW in Austin. On his first album, "Labor of Love" all songs were written by Jay Roecker and Corey McCurry with the exception of Afterlife the one cover song written by Ingrid Michaelson and her team.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Hi Jay Roecker. How has the time gone for you since our last interview?
I have been so busy promoting and recording new videos since our last interview.
Who is your favourite musician?
Honestly, I think my favorite musicians would be a tie between Madonna as nobody has the catalog, staying power, stage presence or years of hits as her and the Beatles, there is so much beauty and diversity in their music.
Your latest release is 'Electronic Symphonic'. Can you share with us the background of its creation and did any unusual things happen during its creation?
The past several years have been challenging as I’m sure it has also been for your readers. I went through relationship changes and discovery of biological family. To me I wanted to tie the past, present and future together in audio cornucopia of synth sounds while telling a story. I am very happy with the journey I share in Electronic Symphonic.
Can you shortly describe each of the tracks that are on the album?
1 - Pour On Me was written at a time when I so desperately wanted to rekindle the love in my marriage. This song is the hope for that and definitely gives some 80s Depeche Mode vibes.
2 – The House was written after my spouse left me and was my attempt at reconciling in my mind and heart what happened while navigating loneliness and pain. I am really happy with the 3 layered melodies harmonizing at the end. This song and time really sparked me creating the entire album. Creation helped me process the pain.
3 – A New Day For You – gives off a total Stranger Things Vibe. I wrote and recorded this song in 30 minutes in my guest bedroom closet. It’s about picking yourself up, dusting yourself, looking inside to create a better version of yourself, a new day for you. This was what I decided to do after my spouse left me.
4 – Sus – To me every album needs to have a bit of levity. My first album had ‘Bucket Full of Crazy’. In this one the comedy is all in the music video starring Austin 96.7 Kiss Fm’s Gossip Greg, Starlexia, Gisele Bolling and me. It was directed by Cutdown Trees and Storyboarded by yours truly. I wrote this song because my son Clark incessantly uses the word Sus. He said I should write a song about it, so I did!
5 Don’t Give Up On Love featuring Jedidiah Breeze is actually a song that charted on the billboard dance club charts in the US. This version is a remix by the talented Perry Twins who have had numerous hits of their own. It’s about looking inside yourself, using your voice to do the right thing even when it is unpopular. If you listen to it the song reference many legends including Rosa Parks, The Lovings and Gavin Newsom.
6 Mi Amor (I Had A Dream) is the first bilingual song I have written and the first with Spanish. It is such a beautiful language. The song is about living your dreams today. In the music video an older version of myself goes into a virtual reality clinic to live out my dream of finding my love in Barcelona.
7 Electronic Symphonic is my attempt to bridge the gap of past musical styles and family in blues, jazz, classic, to Electronic. In the song I reference key parts in my family life, the year my grandparents adopted my mother in 1947, the mortal flesh outlasting the 1980s (a cherished time in our lives) later my mother would pass away and the pain being swept away with the adoption of my own son, Clark.
8 Thicker Than Blood is a very soundtrack oriented song where I duet with Valimoor. The song reference the pain of the loss of my mother with empty bottles of wine in the sink, but realizing all the sacrifices made for me and how I must continue on to carry on her love.
9 Chances Are - is my retro sounding version of Johnny Mathis’ hit song. This is a song I would sing many times in my youth. I got hooked on it after the Chances Are film with Cybill Shepherd and Robert Downey Jr came out.
10 My Way is my reimagining of Frank Sinatra’s classic track. It speaks to me as I have definitely taken harder roads, traveling around the world and living all over the United States . I’m proud of what I have accomplished, doing it My way. The song is synthwave heavy and builds to a great crescendo which nearly brings me to tears when I sing it.
11 – Let’s Runaway Forever featuring Jedidiah Breeze is a great remix including his original rap. It’s rounding out the end of my album as I do hope to one day have that love that I can hold their hand and journey to the next star through life.
12 The House (Remix) was actually the first version of the House but I felt it was too upbeat for the subject material to be the main single for the song. This version is so good too though so I included it like you would a B side.
What’s your scariest experience?
My scariest physical experience was bungee jumping in Whistler Canada. That just seams illogical walking off a bridge in my mind. The scariest emotional experience was confronting the potential loss of my mother, then actually contending with the loss in real life. I will never forget it or her. It shook me to the core of my being and created such transformation in my life.
If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?
Honestly, I spent ten years working for the Radio Disney Network on the programming side, helping with music selection, our new artist incubator feature and booking coordinating our national tours. Back then the labels always came to me for asks and I truly did my best to accommodate if it made sense for the brand. The sad fact is NONE of those people call me back or help with my own music even when asking for advice on tools available to the labels that maybe I could learn to use independently. I wish the industry had more HEART. I also wish that there were more opportunities for independent artists to be successful and be considered for radio airplay, etc. The only way in the states to get played is with money and promotions from a record label. It’s really disheartening. I put this album out fully knowing more than likely people will not hear it because I am but one person doing all the heavy lifting. For me it’s a passion and cathartic, but that 8 year old version of me inside, who grew up singing in church choirs and jamming to the radio really wishes for a true chance.
How do you know when a work is finished?
I know the work is finished when I have a full album that has an arc to the story and I have the visual videos to complete the messaging.
Can you write what was your best performance in your career? How do you remember it?
Honestly, the best performance of my career was at my mother’s death bed. She had breast cancer and was sedated with medicine. I so desperately wanted to talk to my mama one last time. The only thing I could think to do to console her was sing, like I did to her when she would play piano at home as a child. I began to sing Somebody’s Praying by Ricky Skaggs. Miraculously through her medicinal fog she could hear me some how some way in there and began to lift up out of bed. I felt her there then and I felt the spirit. I will never forget it.
How do you find yourself in the music business? When you started out in music, did you know it would be like this?
I found myself in the music business because it was a natural extension of who I am. I sang and performed all my life. My family was musical. I worked and still work in radio. I am lucky to get to create my own music. I always knew the industry would be tough. I just hoped for more but I must sojourn on with my own light lighting the way.
What can we expect from Jay Roecker in the near future?
You can count on new singles and videos on a regular basis in the near future. My next releases include the video and single for the House in May, the video and single to Mi Amor (I Had a dream) In July. Stay tuned. I am thankful for any support and thoughtful consideration.