Founded through a mutual love of 60’s and 70’s dub and punk by three friends namely Geoff Lagadec - (vocals / guitar) ; Dave Smith - (guitar / vocals) and Ben Murphy - (bass).
Jaya The Cat create songs ranging from booze fueled anthems to chilled out dance tracks to outright political commentary.
With a current line up including Jordi ‘Pockets’ Nieuwenburg on guitar, Jeroen Kok on bass, and Onverwagt on keyboards.
Following the 2001 release of their debut album Basement Style ( Gold Circle Records ), Jaya The Cat were joined by ex-Shadows Fall drummer David ‘The Germ’ Germain and began a steady touring schedule of stages across the United States and Europe, playing major clubs and festivals such as Lowlands in Holland, Pukkelpop in Belgium, and the Warped Tour in the US. Their music has also been featured in numerous skate, surf and snowboard videos.
Summer 2003 saw their sophomore release, First Beer of a New Day ‘’ (4tune Records).
Although both albums met with positive critical success and they had gathered a loyal worldwide following, personal differences saw the departure of Smith and Murphy that fall, which effectively left the band in limbo. After a freezing music-less winter working shitty jobs in Boston, Lagadec and Germain met up and decided to look for new members. Temporarily joined for a spring European tour by dutch musicians Jan Jaap Onverwagt (Green Lizard) and Alejandro Londoño, they took a 3 month sublet on an apartment in Amsterdam with the plan of regrouping and figuring out what the hell to do with themselves. Three months turned into three years.
In the interim, the band has continued to grow, playing hundreds of live shows to an ever expanding audience, as well as adding keyboards, samples, percussion and a tiki bar to their onstage act. An average Jaya the Cat concert usually becomes more of a party than a performance, with the audience singing, dancing and drinking right along with the band.
September 7th 2007, saw the European release of their third studio album entitled More Late Night Transmissions with... on I Scream Records. Drawing on their experiences, More Late Night Transmissions with... delivers 13 tracks filled with seedy bars, cheap hotels, dysfunctional love affairs and political disillusionment. Punk rock, reggae, ska and pop, glued in their own unique style.
More Late Night Transmissions with... was released on the 10th of May in the US by I Scream Records USA.
Discography:
* CD ‘Basement Style’ (Gold Circle Records 2000)
* CD ‘First ‘Beer Of A New Day’ (4Tune Records 2002)
* CD/LP ‘Ernesto’s Burning’ (Music Machine Records 2004)
* CD More Late Night Transmissions with... (I Scream Records 2007)
* CD Single ‘Closing Time’ (I Scream Records 2007)
* CD Single 'Good Morning' (I Scream Records 2008)
* CD More Late Night Transmissions with... (I Scream Records 2009)
Web links:
Jaya The Cat Official Site
Facebook Fan Page
Myspace page
Purevolume
State of Emergency Dub
Jaya the Cat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
swallows up that city light
like fire in the rain gets put out again
like a weapon kept concealed
explosive elements reveal
a criminal inside of you no ground to stand nothing to lose
the distribution of wealth
that's why its so hard to survive in this so called promise land
you gotta do what you got to do to get by
facilitate that permanent high
smoke filled lungs inside of you
its hard to dream of glory when you got something to prove
sometimes were all victims of depression and unrest
some people got no heart that's just the way its always been
some never find what their looking for
few get what they want and fewer get more
sometimes you got to cross that line
when you aint got enough to get by
like an angel lost in hell
i walk a path i know so well
i feel lost in a familiar way another memory i cant explain
cos its the bottle that seems to flow
through another day of the drunk unknown
im looking for a fight at 11.15 on a saturday night
wake up on sunday morning
to the sound of breaking glass & sirens calling
bricks & bottles in the street
alert the police, it's a state of emergency
and the traffic lights all go blinking red
and a voice on the radio says 'get out while you can'
and in the gridlock panic sets in
and there ain't no engine built fast enough
to outride the Armageddon
and if you don't give it up i'm gonna take it
and how long did you think you could keep me tricked?
i'll be cold walking thru the backbay flinging bricks
The opening verse of Jaya The Cat's "State of Emergency Dub" sets the scene for a feeling of unease and danger. The dark imagery of "like a shadow in the night" and "swallows up that city light" creates an atmosphere of mystery and uncertainty. The following lines introduce the idea of something explosive and dangerous being concealed, something that will reveal a criminal side. This sets a tone of violence and danger that continues throughout the song. The second verse brings in themes of inequality and a corrupt system that makes it difficult for people to survive. The lyrics suggest that people will resort to any means necessary to get by, including drugs and crime. The chorus talks about a state of emergency that is signaled by breaking glass and sirens, creating a feeling of chaos and danger. The final lines of the song suggest that violence is inevitable and that people will resort to throwing bricks and breaking the law to survive.
Line by Line Meaning
like a shadow in the night
Invisible and unnoticed, the darkness engulfs the city
swallows up that city light
The light of the city disappears into the blackness of the night
like fire in the rain gets put out again
Just like how fire gets extinguished in the rain, our hopes and dreams are often dashed by the harsh realities of life
like a weapon kept concealed
A powerful tool hidden away from sight
explosive elements reveal
The dangerous and violent potential of the situation becomes clear
a criminal inside of you no ground to stand nothing to lose
When cornered and desperate, a person may resort to criminal activities as a way to survive
the distribution of wealth
The way money and resources are divided among people
such a fucking scam
A corrupt and unfair system that works against the common people
that's why its so hard to survive in this so called promise land
Living in a land of opportunity is difficult when the system is rigged against you
you gotta do what you got to do to get by
Sometimes, you have to resort to desperate measures just to make ends meet
facilitate that permanent high
Using drugs as a way to escape from the harsh realities of life
smoke filled lungs inside of you
The physical toll that drug use can take on a person's body and health
its hard to dream of glory when you got something to prove
When you are struggling to survive, it's difficult to focus on achieving your dreams or fulfilling your potential
sometimes were all victims of depression and unrest
Mental health issues and general social unrest can affect everyone
some people got no heart that's just the way its always been
Some individuals lack empathy or compassion for others, and this has been a constant throughout history
some never find what their looking for
Some people never achieve their aspirations or find true happiness
few get what they want and fewer get more
Only a small percentage of people achieve their goals, and an even smaller number attain great wealth and success
sometimes you got to cross that line
Occasionally, you may have to take risks or break the rules to achieve your goals
when you aint got enough to get by
When you are struggling to make ends meet, you may feel compelled to take drastic actions
like an angel lost in hell
During times of hardship and suffering, it's easy to feel like you are trapped in a hopeless and dangerous situation
i walk a path i know so well
Despite the difficulties, it's possible to find comfort and familiarity in your struggles
i feel lost in a familiar way another memory i cant explain
Even though your struggles seem familiar, they can still be confusing and difficult to understand
cos its the bottle that seems to flow
Alcohol can become a crutch or coping mechanism during difficult times
through another day of the drunk unknown
Alcohol use can lead to unpredictable and potentially dangerous situations
im looking for a fight at 11.15 on a saturday night
Sometimes, feelings of anger and aggression can occur while under the influence of alcohol
wake up on sunday morning
After a night of chaos and uncertainty, the new day dawns
to the sound of breaking glass & sirens calling
The aftermath of the previous night's events can be seen and heard through the sound of emergency services
bricks & bottles in the street
The physical evidence of violence and destruction can be seen throughout the city
alert the police, it's a state of emergency
The situation has escalated to the point where authorities must be called in to restore order
and the traffic lights all go blinking red
The usual systems and routines of society are disrupted and chaotic
and a voice on the radio says 'get out while you can'
A warning is issued, encouraging people to stay safe and evacuate if possible
and in the gridlock panic sets in
As people try to flee the danger, they become trapped and overwhelmed
and there ain't no engine built fast enough
No matter how hard you try to escape, there may be no way to outrun the chaos
to outride the Armageddon
The end of the world or a catastrophic event seems imminent and unstoppable
and if you don't give it up i'm gonna take it
Desperation can lead to violence and theft in order to survive
and how long did you think you could keep me tricked?
The corrupt system may have been able to deceive people for a while, but eventually the truth will come out
i'll be cold walking thru the backbay flinging bricks
Revenge and violence may become the only means of obtaining justice when society is corrupt and rigged against you
Contributed by Michael V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.