Indian American singer-songwriter Jeeves has released his new single, Where Did All The Good Men Go?, from his forthcoming debut album, Now or Never. We asked him the BIG questions . . .
Recorded in Nashville, the track was produced by Grammy-nominated guitarist Charles Myers (Yebba), and features Aaron Sterling, drummer for John Mayer. It also boasts a stirring arrangement by Shaan Ramaprasad, whose credits include A.R. Rahman, Cher, 21 Savage, The Jonas Brothers, and Chance the Rapper.
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"Where Did All The Good Men Go? is a song that's eight years in the making," Jeeves says. "I almost didn’t release it because I was afraid of its vulnerability and honesty. But I healed parts of myself through its writing - and I hope it does the same for others.
"Where Did All The Good Men Go? isn’t just a song - it’s a statement. Written during a moment of cultural reckoning, it asks the burning question: Are good men the rule or the exception? The track is a cry of longing for positive male figures and the emotional space they once occupied - or should have.
"Music has the power to heal. This song captures the grief and yearning to see positive male role models, especially if you’ve grown up without them."
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
The craziest thing I believe is "we are one" - in the John Lennon sense. I don’t view any separation between myself in the world, and so I see art as a means of sharing our universal experiences and it makes me value kindness and generosity with whomever I meet.
My mom was a Catholic and my dad was a Hindu and their marriage was very rebellious at the time in India, so I view my existence poetically as a truth that love transcends all boundaries. It also made me a rebel in my heart and a "chaotic good" rule-breaker: do not cause harm, spread love and joy.
I love imitating Michelin star chefs such as Thomas Keller, Enrique Olivera, Gordon Ramsay, Massimo Batura - for reasons you won’t expect. It’s less about being posh, and more about the fact that "love" is in the details and attention and the joy of making something beautiful for people who I love. These days I’m perfecting my Neapolitan pizza, making my dough from scratch, and always in search of the perfect Italian wine pairing - that’s amore!!!
How would you describe your music?
Honest, raw, authentic, cathartic, sacred, lush, soft, fun, curious, awe, love, mystery, faith, hope, joy. Music puts people in touch with themselves emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. It regulates our mood, our desires, our ideas of the world, and shows us what it means to be human. From a neuroscience perspective, it activates such a wide array of brain regions and it changes who we are and who we wish to become and to quote Paul McCartney, "music is magic". We’re both right and I have the best job in the world. I hope to put people in touch with their highest self - one song at a time.
Who are your musical inspirations?
Ravel, Bill Evans, Juanes, BB King, Clapton, SRV, Sinatra, Juan Luis Guerra, Dolly Parton, A.R. Rahman, Elton John, Piccioni, Andrea Bocelli, Daft Punk, The Beatles, Joni Mitchell, Bon Iver, Ólafur Arnalds, ABBA, The Mamas & the Papas, Fleetwood Mac, Justin Timberlake, Quincy Jones, Pharell, Timbaland, Ben Böhmer, Zedd.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
The first concert I ever attended was Jazon Mraz at UC Berkeley’s Greek Theatre for his Love is a Four Letter Word tour. I Won’t Give Up and 93 Million Miles are some of my favourite songs for that reason.
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I would later go to school and sing on the same stage for a college singing competition and perhaps when I was singing and seeing his point of view I knew what I needed to do. The first EP I ever recorded was live at Cove City Sound Studios in NYC with the legendary Richie Cannata who played with Billy Joel and The Beach Boys, and the first gig I ever played was Live at the Hotel Café in Los Angeles which was home to breaking singer-songwriters like Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry, John Mayer, and Adele. I seem to be skipping steps and moving through this profession as if it were part of my destiny or a calling.
I’m still surprised how life only makes sense when looking backwards, and I have a great appreciation for the unknown and the mystery of what’s coming in my future - something tells me it’s brighter than I can possibly imagine right now.
What was the first record you ever bought?
Steve Jobs and Spotify may have changed the answer to this question ... but we had Dad’s old record collection! We had Cream of Clapton, Michael Jackson, and A.R. Rahman (India’s most prolific composer - collaborating with Hans Zimmer and Hollywood). Great juxtaposition for an Indian American boy with the name "Jeeves", which sounds like an English Butler and also has Sanskrit roots: my name means "life".
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The first vinyl record I bought was from my neighbour who had old recordings of Brahms and I’m an avid listener of classical music. We have Joni Mitchell’s Blue, The Beatles, Ed Sheeran, Elton John, and Sinatra and my collection is expanding. There’s something so beautiful about having music occupy physical space in the home, and you’ll find me hosting vinyl listening parties with matching cocktails. I’m still working on procuring my Eames chair for a relaxed listening posture! I pray to the fans to help me manifest this iconic piece of furniture for my home in NYC now.
What’s your favourite song right now?
Ravel - Daphnis et Chloe: Part III Lever du Jour, the strings ... which I have a love affair with orchestras as I used to be an orchestral percussionist in a past life (post-primary education).
When I listen to it I feel awe, mystery, triumph, victory, reunion and there’s a specific passage in which the orchestra works its way to a climax and I listen to this piece every morning with my espresso, a fountain pen, and my journal ready to go.
Favourite lyric of all time?
"Keep me where the light is" - Gravity by John Mayer.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
This question is not fair to a musician ... if this is a means of torture, then musicians should get an iPod with 1000 songs in their pocket. These days, it’s either Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen or Ave Maria. I suppose the reason is love and hope are essential to navigating through life. Only boldness can deliver us from fear and love is the audacious choice and life itself is divine.
Where can people find your music/more information?
Find me at my website. I love that I went for an "fm", frequency modulation, for my website handle. It has many meanings.
Alan Corr
