a sound reaction
JAYCE Lewis is a musician who makes connections.
Over the course of a year he has released two albums – Million Part 1 and Million Part 2.
The intellectual scope of his ambition was crystallised by collaborating on the albums with two of the world’s most famous professors – Professor Brian May, yes he of Queen, and evolutionary biologist Professor Richard Dawkins.
“I wanted to write a concept album,” says the multi-instrumentalist from Kenfig Hill. “Make it almost into a film soundscape, then with the thought of all these TV series keeping people hooked for a longer journey, I thought I would do the same and released one album in two parts one year apart from each other. The first was Million Part 1 and second Million Part 2. It seems to have been a success and kept people hanging on ready for the next one.”
Much of the momentum from the first album came from touring with his good friend Gary Numan.
“It meant that here in the UK, it was a real talking point,” he recalls. “We almost sold out of them on the road.”
He explains that the opportunity to work with both May and Dawkins was wish fulfilment for him.
“I love working with other people, and right from the start of this solo venture, I wanted only to work with those that have had an impact on my musical career or life,” he says. “Working with both Prof Brian May and Prof Richard Dawkins on one album came as a bit of a fluke really, but what an amazing chance it was.
“It was a little surreal,” he adds, of the collaborations. “Both professors have had such a big influence on me, Brian’s music, animal rights and wonder for astronomy, and Richard’s plight for educating the masses on evolution, and rational thought when it comes to all kinds of religion was exactly what this new album of mine was all about.
“It’s almost spooky how both came to be on the one album, but feels so right. Working with Brian was just so easy. We spoke over email, had some ideas and made it work, whereas with Prof Dawkins, I travelled to his home in Oxford – not knowing it was his home – sat down, talked for a little and recorded him in several takes. Being there with them and recording the parts is an experience that will never leave me.”
Working with the Queen guitarist would be seen as a coup by anybody, but it’s not actually the first time Jayce has worked with a member of the rock legends.
“In 2014 I also worked with Roger Taylor,” he says. “I wrote a song called ‘Wrath’ which he played drums on, I believe that the kit he used was the one used on their last record with Freddie, ‘Innuendo’. When you play the tracks side by side you can immediately tell its not only the same guy, but an identical drum sound. I was, and still am a huge Queen fan, so for that to have happened was a real moment where I paused and took a deep breath. He did a sterling job and made the track ‘Wrath’ sound classic, just like his back catalogue.”
Million Part 1 & 2 are out now. Find out more at www.jaycelewis.com