Thanks so much to Paul Isaac for the interview! Where’s Jules was a Plymouth, UK, band who released just one record in their day. I wrote about them on the blog hoping to learn more about them as they are one of the most obscures bands I know! Happily Paul got in touch and was quick to answer my questions! Discover them!

++ Hi Paul! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? Still making music?

Hi Roque. I’m not in a band, but I have a guitar at home and music is still a big part of my life.

++ Let’s go back in time. What are your first music memories? Do you remember what was your first instrument? How did you learn to play it? What sort of music did you listen at home while growing up?

My dad was in the navy and, one day when I was quite young, he brought home a broken mandolin someone on his ship had thrown away. It was broken at the neck, but I somehow worked out how to play one-string tunes on it.

++ When and how did the band start? How did you all meet? How was the recruiting process?

The whole band lived in Plymouth. That’s a good place to start. We were all pretty accomplished musicians when we came together and had played a wide variety of music, far beyond the straight pop which is represented by the single Nothing At All. We sort of figured, “Well other bands make it who are less good than we are, so let’s give it a go.” Plymouth is the back of beyond, almost nobody famous ever came from there. It was pretty naive to think we could do it without all moving to London, but that’s what we thought.

++ Were there any lineup changes?

We worked at it for 4 or 5 years. Went through a lot of lineup changes. We learned a lot and the band got better each time.

++ How was the creative process for you? Where did you usually practice?

The creative process was that individual members wrote the songs mostly on their own and then we got together to work on them, arrange them.

++ What’s the story behind the band’s name? 

Our guitarist, Jules, missed so many practices. To be honest, it pissed us off, but we made a joke of it by using that as the band’s name.

++ As far as I know you only released a 7″. Is that so? Are there no more releases by the band? compilation appearances?

We did make other recordings. Mostly for demo tapes. Again, we figured we could just walk into record companies with it and get a deal. Even walking into record companies was a challenge when you didn’t already know anyone, as it turned out.

++ For the 7″, released in 1986, there is no catalog number. I am guessing ti was a self-release? Why did you decide to go that way? Was there any interest by any labels?

Yes, totally self released. We didn’t even sell many, we thought that just making a record would impress someone who would give us a deal. Like I said, we were pretty naive.

++ Where were the two songs on the 7″ recorded? Who produced it?

We produced it totally ourselves.

++ Also credited on the 7″ is Stan for playing ebony, ivory and larynx and William who played drums. Who were they? Did they play in other bands?

I would say that the core of the band was myself, my brother, keyboard player Andy (nicknamed Stan for some reason) and our guitarist Jules Partidge. Will Collier was a long time friend of mine from other bands. More recently we added Andy Whitfield, an outstanding singer we came across and Donna who did great backup vocals and added some style to the band.

++ You were telling me about the credits too, about why they appear as Issac, Partridge and Isaac, what’s the story behind that?

Like I said, the core of the songwriting was myself, Jules and my brother Andy. We thought it would be clever to attribute all writing to Isaac-Partridge-Isaac because it reminded us of Holland-Dozier-Holland the famous Motown writing team.

++ And do tell me about the artwork on the sleeve? Who made that cool illustration?

A friend of mine, who was a drummer, had a day job as a graphic designer and he made it for us as a favour.

++ Were there any plans to follow this single with another or an album?

The music business is all about young people. Well, I had started too late and taken too long to get good, so when I was offered a work gig in The Netherlands, it was one of the most exciting things which had happened to me, so I went for it. (I’ve lived in The Netherlands ever since.) I expected the band to replace me, but they didn’t. They just broke up.

++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention?

Honestly, we got almost no attention. We played a few gigs to small audiences and that was about it. The most amazing thing is that all these years later, someone like yourself gets a copy of the single we made and is interested. I don’t even have that single myself. I’ve no idea how it got into your hands!

++ Never been to Plymouth. So I will ask for some recommendations. If  I was to visit your city what shouldn’t I miss? What are your favourite sights? And any particular food or drinks that you think one shouldn’t miss?

Well, I’ve lived in The Netherlands in the intervening time. I hardly ever go back to Plymouth. After being in The Netherlands so long – which is quite affluent and neat – Plymouth seem a bit down at heel.

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Listen
Where’s Jules? – Nothing at All