Jeremy Loops

Armed with his guitar, harmonicas, and loop pedal, Jeremy Loops' one-man folk band has won the hearts of many music lovers in a short space of time.

Not only does he attract new fans with every live performance, but he remains an active member of Greenpop which plants trees in under-greened schools around South Africa.

Now the musician shares some of his trade secrets, which he definitely uses on his self-titled EP.

South Africa seems to be a little infatuated by you at the moment. Has there been an overwhelming response to your music?

Infatuated? Really? Haha, I thought it was real love. I guess the response has been rather overwhelming. It's all happened so fast, it's been such an epic ride.

Tell us a little about how you started out in music?

It all started one year ago. It was as much as surprise to me as it was to my friends and family.

What was the musical journey that got you to where you are today?

Perhaps learning the scales on the piano as a kid might have been a factor before my skateboard and surfing took precedence. Then I bought my first guitar when I finished Matric. I urgently wanted to travel and so I hopped on a yacht and did a crossing over to the Caribbean. After two years abroad I changed tack completely and returned to study at UCT. I spent the next four years getting my honours degree in Property development and finance. This is when I really started to get into music.

How does Greenpop factor in?

Well I actually started on Greenpop before I started doing Jeremy Loops. Along with around 14 inspired individuals we took up the task of bringing Arbour Day back and after a very successful first month of planting trees, we threw a massive celebration at The Assembly in Cape Town. I was organising the entertainment for the evening, and decided what better an occasion to throw myself on stage for the first time. That was my first gig.

Tell us a little bit about the EP?

Well, it's the first recorded material I have put out into the public space. It's taken me a while to get my head around being in a recording environment, as I see myself very much as a live act. It was interesting trying to figure out the best way to record what I do in studio, and I was delighted that Dreamspace studios were more than happy to work with me tirelessly on this. For example, I generally make the beats by either beat boxing, or literally just hitting my microphone. In the beginning they weren't mad about me hitting their mics, but in the end they allowed it and I got to have my original mic stomping beat.

You packaged the EP yourself?

The design was put together by a new design team called Vangers and Jollers. Chris Auret and Paul Ward are the men behind it all, and they did a great job working with me on getting it all looking just right. At the end I put the finishing touches on it by sticking a little feather and stamp on each copy. Seeing as it's a limited edition, we thought this would be a nice touch for anyone who had been a part of the magic so far.

How long did it take to put it together?

Well there was a lot of back and forth during the conceptual stages, but once I was happy with the look and feel - and again Chris and Paul really went out of their way to make sure I was - it all went pretty smoothly. Apart from sticking 1000 feathers to 1000 disks, the day before Rocking the Daisies! That was a bit intense.

What can people expect from the EP?

Smiles, head bopping, a bit of singing in their cars hopefully. I don't know, try not to expect anything, just enjoy and spread it around if you like what you hear.

Do you use the same method when recording as you do live?

For the EP it was very similar. We recorded each loop in one at a time and layered them up just like I do on my loop pedal. I wanted it to be a clear representation of looping, especially in these early stages of my career. For the full CD, I would like to play around a bit more and not stick to rigidly to any set of rules necessarily.

Explain exactly how Jeremy Loops puts together a song?

I start with a loop of some sort. Then another. Then another. Then another. Then I take one away. Then another one goes away. Then I stop everything and bring it all back together with some harmonica. I layer up and I layer down.

What are the advantages of being a one-man band?

Well I create all the music on my own, whenever I like, without too many opinions hindering my creative license. I love this freedom, and no full band can have this freedom.

What do you dislike the most about being a one-man band?

Sometimes I can't do everything I want to do on a song. A full band definitely has its benefits in this way, but that's why I have such talented collaborators.

Career highlights so far?

Definitely Rocking the Daisies, hands down, awesome. A big gig in the majestic Pietermartizberg botanical gardens a few weeks back was also a real highlight for me.

What have been the craz - Entertainment Africa

Then, out of nowhere this hipster kid with a feather in his hat came out and blew the fucking roof off the place. By far the stand out act of the festival, Jeremy Loops brought something fresh to the table. Very cool loops layered over each other, a good grasp of a range of instruments, loads of energy, loads of funk. The crowd went completely nuts. Kid doesn’t even have a CD but look out!
Someone else played after that. - Mahala Online

Armed with nothing but a guitar, harmonica and loop pedal, Jeremy Loops has taken over my playlist with his short and sweet self-titled EP.

As the name suggests, it's about the loops. This one-man band from Cape Town is making a name for himself with his modern, almost electro-style take on folk.

The EP, copies of which he casually carries under his arm in a worn-out box at live shows, consists of five awesome tracks, bringing the blues back into a time where it's become very niche.

I never thought that anyone but Bob Dylan could rock a harmonica. But Loops does.

Including some cool collaborations, Loops creates a vibe that makes you want to go to the beach. My Shoes featuring MO Lecko is cool, as is Mission to the Sun - Howling, featuring Jamie Faull from Swingsetters. Both songs deliver masterful teamwork with the diverse vocals complementing simple and delightful guitar loops.

Even his own vocals on Power are impressive. The Gypsy Opera is a distinctly contemporary version of an old folk tune, including simple gruff vocals.

My favourite is Welcome, a soft introduction with effortless velvety vocals coupled with gentle guitar.

I am waiting for a full-length album. I know as soon as I pop that CD into the player, it's going to be a party on polycarbonate plastic. - Times Live