Local boy Jake Simpson is always coming home. The Crocker native and repeat “Star Search” winner has been wowing the Ozarks and beyond with his musical talent and genial charm since he was a little dude singing in the church choir. Now the little dude is 33 and living in Los Angeles. He will be releasing his latest CD, “My Song,” next month but not before he rocks the proverbial Casbah with his infectious, raucous, hilarious '80s cover band, 4 Jax, at Springfield Brewing Company. Simpson took a few minutes to chat with Metromix about his career, his successes and why you should never say the words “Mustang Sally” to him.
How’s it going?
Jake Simpson: Great! I’m with my uncle who volunteered to be my roadie these days. He likes lifting equipment as much as I do!
Where are you?
JS: Right now I’m driving to Lake of the Ozarks. I have a little trio I play with when I’m here. It’s me, a drummer and a sax player – we’re called the Saltines. It’s really a blast. We’re a bunch of white guys playing R&B.
Backtracking a little bit, how did you get started with 4 Jax?
JS: I had just graduated from college in December of 1998 and I used to go downtown to Highlife Martini Lounge and bring a bunch of antique keyboards. I didn’t have to sing and I didn’t have to put on a show — I could just sit down and make noises. It was really cool … It was there I met Donnie (Inman), the bassist in 4 Jax. He needed a replacement keyboardist for his band Clockwork. I sat in with the band and they were insanely good … one night someone requested a song they didn’t know or something and I knew it and they stuck the mic in front of me ... I never told anyone I sang. I just wanted to play keyboards and be a musician.
How did the BrewCo thing get started?
JS: Not long after that Springfield Brewing company was looking for Thursday entertainment … we had talked about it being an '80s cover band. Nobody was doing that – they were doing the '70s thing and we wanted to bring them into Duran Duran territory (laughs). We rehearsed for weeks and on the first night the crowd was about three patrons and the bar staff. Then all of a sudden we had these huge crowds … we did so many things but we hardly ever worked away from the BrewCo. We just developed that crowd … In 2001 I decided to move to New York, but I could fly to Springfield and do a weekend of shows and then pay my rent in New York.
So this is kind of like a homecoming of sorts?
JS: It is like a homecoming. The first time we were back (since 2001) was March of this year. All of a sudden we had our big audience back for two nights and it was wonderful.
I read that your name is a play on an obscure “This is Spinal Tap” reference – 4 Jacks and a Jill. Have any of your fans ever made that connection?
JS: Never once has that happened. I’m not sure if they’ve ever heard of "Spinal Tap" … We’re not the generation that’s coming to see us anymore.
Are there certain songs that you just cannot stand singing anymore?
JS: Oh, “Jesse’s Girl,” “Eye of the Tiger” – I’m sick of Journey but I still do it because it’s fun and anthem-y. But it just rips my throat up. Have you heard Steve Perry’s voice lately? Yeah, exactly. Years and years ago I said that I would never play “Mustang Sally” again. That was in 1999 and I haven’t played it since. The guys in 4 Jax will share that sentiment.
OK, you won "Star Search" a couple of times, which is quite an accomplishment – and that’s a huge jump from the crowds you were used to playing for. Did you freak out at all?
JS: I freaked out a little, but the first song I sang was “Isn’t She Lovely” and I had been singing that song for years. Yeah, it was freaky but that was the fun part – that was the part I knew how to do … I didn’t know how to warm up my voice or do an interview on camera so that was the freaky part. I had been singing all my life, I knew how to do that and I’ve always loved that. But it was definitely a crazy experience for a dumb little redneck kid from a town of 1,000 people.
Since then, do you get a lot of people coming out of the woodwork saying, “I knew you when …”
JS: Yeah, I got a lot of it whenever I had just come off of "Star Search." I had cousins coming out that I didn’t even know. “You’re my cousin?? Uh, well that’s good.” What do you say to that? “Uh, no you’re not!” (laughs)
What’s next?
JS: I have a really big, very important thing coming up for me – Oct. 4 is my CD release party in Hollywood. I’m gearing up for that.
Any last thoughts?
JS: Just that I am so excited to jam this hilarious music and everybody needs to come out because who knows when we’re going to be back together again. I’m really, really excited.
