To celebrate Pop Couture’s first birthday I thought I’d show its growth over the year, by posting my very first interview. Jordan Millar, up and coming singer/songwriter and lead of Jordan Millar & the Question was lovely enough to grant me this opportunity. (Well, I really put him on the spot, but ssssh)

I first was introduced to Jordan’s music as he supported Brian McFadden (@BrianMcNugget on Twitter) and was pleasantly surprised by a local singer, him and his guitar sharing pop/rock songs, whilst sheepishly sharing stories of how the songs came about. My friend and I were instantly charmed, and I did the rare thing of actually buying the CD in between his set, and Brian’s (also having the opportunity to meet and greet, and shyly say ‘I like your style!’) How often is it that a support act makes you actually pay attention, and not tap your feet impatiently just waiting for the main act?

Jordan Millar is a 22 year old Tasmanian born guy, living in Sydney now with one of his band-mates Ben, and living relatively close to his other band-mates its almost like an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond. Though, without being related or having a houseful of toddlers.

Jordan’s music can only be described as not your run-of-the-mill pop band. Infused with pop/rock/blues/soul – Jordan & the band definitely deliver, whether it be accoustic, or a full band backing him, and I can say that having seen him twice. He lists his influences as John Mayer, Dave Mathews Band, and Jimi Hendrix to name a few, and that lends to an expressive honesty in the lyrics while having great melodies. From that first support show I saw him in, I was already thinking there were some tracks that were definitely radio friendly and not the generic mumbling accoustic pop act that bores me to tears.

So, bearing in mind I see no Melbourne dates for the rest of 2009, I asked him a few questions in between a record crowd at his gig at The Basement in Sydney, and Jordan’s journalism studies at University.

KS: When did you first start singing, and what were the contributing factors that led you to make it a career choice?

JM: I first started singing when I was very young, but only really took it up as ’something I did’ when I was about 14. My mum was a singer and my dad a drummer, so I always had music around me and it never really felt like something I was going to DO, it was more just something that was always there and that I was a part of.
As for pursuing it professionally, well that is just the byproduct of not wanting to do anything else but play music!

KS: Describe the song writing process

JM: My song writing process always starts with the guitar. I’ll come up with a nice chord progression, or an interesting riff and then I’ll build the rest of the song around that. I think you need to have the musical vibe first before you start putting lyrics and melody onto it.

KS: What goals have you set for yourself, and the band?

JM: The goals we set as a band are very big in one sense, but we have the steps in place along the way to ensure that we get to that point. Things like getting a manager, a booking agent, get people to come to shows, do an album, tour the country. All small things, but all building towards the main goal of being able to play music full time. We’re a very realistic band I think. We’ve learnt a lot in our 3 years together and we know that things aren’t always as they seem, but by knowing this we’ve realised that if things are going to get done, we’re going to have to do it ourselves!

KS: What’s your favourite track on the album?

JM: My favourite song off the album is actually Lies In Translations. I wrote that only a couple of days before we went into the studio, and it just hit home. It was more honest, lyrically, than I had been before and I think it was a bit of a turning point for me.

KS: What sets you Beau, Michael and Ben apart – what do you guys get up to to keep it fun, enjoyable? Do you trash hotel rooms? (Joking!)

JM: The guys in the band are all really great guys, and thats the best part about it. We can all go away and have some crazy good laughs and still not want to kill each other. Me and Ben live together and have done for 3 years, Beau lives downstairs (pretty much) and Mike is in the same suburb. It’s weird because we all came from different areas and now we’ve all closed in on one another without even realising. But I was very lucky to find such a great bunch of guys to play music with!

But what sets us apart… Hmm… Well Beau loves comic books and the movies and figurines etc that go around all that. Ben loves tattoos and has a bizarre taste in women, which the rest of us fail to understand. Mike likes snare drums more than any other person in history, and I’m a pretentious wanker who’s into arty movies, useless trivia, skim lattes and crosswords. So we it’s a weird dynamic, but it seems to work and keeps things interesting!

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If you want to find out more about Jordan and his love of useless trivia, or to generally see some videos and hear some tracks I know you’ll love, visit his MySpace page, become a fan on Facebook, follow him on Twitter!

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