Jamie Lou And That Wonderful Hullabaloo
Local music; it can be hit and miss sometimes. However, living in Russellville you find yourself with more of the former, less of the latter. One example of that is Jamie Lou and the Hullabaloo. They just released their brand new EP "Femi-Socialite" after running a very successful crowdfunding campaign through Kickstarter. We got to ask Jamie Lou a few questions about the new album and upcoming plans.
Offbeat: Where did the album name, "Femi-Socialite", come from? Also, while we're at it, what made you go with "the hullabaloo" for the band name?
hul·la·ba·loo ˌhələbəˈlo͞o,ˈhələbəˌlo͞o/ noun informal
1. a commotion; a fuss.
2. synonyms: fuss, commotion, hue and cry, uproar, outcry, clamor, storm, furor, hubbub, ruckus, brouhaha
JL: When we started finding our sound we realized that we all loved loud weird sounds, so Matt brought up the name one practice and we just stuck with it. The name of the EP is more of an idea than a term. It's mostly up for interpretation. A fusion of something accepted and something not, co-existing together.
Offbeat: How long have you been working on the album and was crowdfunding it an exciting or stressful journey?
JL: We were in the studio for 4 days and planned it (still planning) for about 3 months prior to the release. However, the songs date back to around 2014. Crowdfunding is a phenomenon of our new world. Maybe 10 years ago we didn't have technology like it, so, it's pretty amazing in that aspect. It is very stressful, you're putting yourself out there to everyone and asking for help. I would suggest for anyone to do it.
Offbeat: Will you be doing a full tour with the album?
JL: We are fortunate enough to be playing three large festivals this year in Arkansas, and with us all working full time jobs and raising children we will have to have at least a year until we go on a tour. By tour I mean a two week tour, we are going to be all over the state for the next couple of months.
Offbeat: Where all can people purchase the album?
JL: Everywhere. Spotify, iTunes, band camp, you name it. That's the beauty of the independent artist these days. Sites like tunecore and cd baby allow you to release your music on a professional level and on a wide spectrum.
Offbeat: Do you ever lay awake at night wondering how you got to be so amazing? When you're not thinking about your awesomeness, do you ever wonder how you got so lucky to get the band you have?
JL: I lay awake at night wondering how I could be amazing, it keeps me "woke".
Our band is made of friends, brothers, lovers and fighters. We are a family, and I can't imagine it differently.
Check out their video from the EP Release show at Dog Ear Books! And check out their Band page here: Jamie Lou & The Hullabaloo