Ian Clarkson of The Jive Aces (“Britain’s Got Talent”) chatted about their new album “Keeping the Show on the Road” and their upcoming concert at The Green Room 42 in New York on April 2nd.
Clarkson is the lead vocalist of The Jive Aces, as well as the trumpet and ukulele player.
How did you approach the song selection process on “Keeping the Show on the Road”?
In March 2020, when our US tour got cancelled due to lockdown, our fans asked us to start a livestream. I didn’t know what “lockdown” really meant; we thought it was only going to be three weeks!
So, when we did our first one, I announced to our fans we would do a livestream every day; little did I know lockdown would last that long—we eventually ended up doing 500 livestreams.
We had to do new songs every day, and that pushed us out of our comfort zone and we had to get inventive and learn new songs.
Keeping the Show on the Road album is a collection of the most requested and loved songs we did live both during lockdown (and previously on stage) and it is a statement that despite the adverse effect of the lockdown for artists, one has to be resilient and the show must go on
Then, when we “escaped” and went on tour again, we had to really go for it and put our foot to the floor and keep the show on the road.
The album was a total success and a tour followed due to its success.
What is your personal favorite song on there?
Oh gosh! That’s really hard to say! I love them all! I love our penned one with the same title track (“Keeping the Show on the Road”) as it reminds me of the time we went through and our persistence.
Then, I also love “La Vie En Rose” (our jivy version of the song that brought Edith Piaf to fame) because I love Paris and my Italian wife who plays the accordion on that tune, and I often find myself humming it at home, as it’s a catchy tune!
We also did a beautiful music video filmed in Paris and the song got number one in the Heritage Chart in England.
What inspires your music and songwriting?
The genre of music we play is from the music that inspired us when we were at school in Essex and East London (four of the original band members met when we were school teenagers).
We were all listening to Elvis and other rock ‘n’ roll artists. Then we got into finding what music inspired Elvis like blues, gospel, rhythm & blues, jive, and swing and we sort of worked our way backwards.
When we compose music, it very much depends on what theme we want for our album. We have done rootsy songs, jazzy songs, Christmas songs, swingy songs, ballads and even what we call skiffle and in USA call bluegrass.
We soaked in the original music and so it is really inside us and we let it out through composition.
Now we have an accordion player in the band we incorporate things that will make your heart sing and your feet tapping! We have found the perfect antidote to beat the blues!
How did it feel to be finalists on “Britain’s Got Talent”?
It was a great experience for sure! I think most experiences in this business help you grow if you have the right outlook. Simon Cowell loved us and we put him in a good mood. So being well known for making Simon smile has definitely helped.
As well as the great exposure, it introduced us to a lot of new areas and people and of course we played for her late majesty Queen Elizabeth II!
Can you tell us about your upcoming show at The Green Room 42… what can we expect?
This will be our first time at The Green Room 42, which got recommended to us, so that’s exciting! We love New York!
So any excuse to be in town is always a good excuse!People should expect a high-energy night full of life, great music that will leave you uplifted like you never experienced before!
Guaranteed to leave you with a smile on your face from ear to ear.
How does it feel to be artists in the digital age?
Well it’s like riding a wild horse. It can be unpredictable and crazy, but if you know how to tame it, you can ride it all the way to victory.
What is your advice for young and aspiring artists?
Get out and play to people. Play anywhere and everywhere—on the streets, in small and big crowds—and learn what connects with an audience.
Play, play, play in front of a crowd and learn the ropes! Get the experience.
Mainly keep going because you can make a great living, you can produce great music, and you can reach a great audience and affect them well with your music no matter what style you play.
Just because you don’t play modern pop music or the latest trend or haven’t won a TV talent show doesn’t mean you can’t have an awesome career.
It’s about persistence, doing what you love, and keeping positive about what you do. Don’t give up.
Never listen to those who tell you to be cautious, most of them envy your position or talent—you will still feel the same about playing a good gig when you are older, it doesn’t wear off.
What would you like to say to your fans about your new album and show at The Green Room 42?
We want to say to our fans and our future fans to listen carefully for the drum roll as it builds. The new album’s title is “Good Rockin’ Tonight: The Roots of The King.”
It soon will arrive on US soil, so keep checking our socials for the great announcement! And also help us promote it! You will NOT be disappointed!
It is more rootsy and bluesy than our previous releases and so far those that have heard it really dig it!
To learn more about The Jive Aces, check out their official website, and follow them on Instagram.
