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
The Wilderness
Jaya the Cat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now this one here is about religion - the opiat of the masses
But when they talk about god
They make him sound like a faschist
Jesus Christ was a pacifist
Half the shit they do in his name would probably make him pissed
Yet they still hold out, with the same old line of bullshit
How the hell can you tell me about the afterlife?
You ain't been there, and - check - neither have I
Cause where I go I don't need no goddamn goverment
And the system that they run - I got no love for it
So I dedicate my life to music
And when it hits, you know I don't refuse it
Man, I found my salvation - here on Earth
I roll the tape on my 24 track church
Somewhere out beyond this wilderness
There's a the salvation, I know
Beyond the politics and troubles of this world
There's a the salvation, I know
They say life is one big road with lots of signs
So when you're struggling for the rock
Don't you complicate your mind
In this world there ain't no easy answers
And you're never gonna get nowhere if you dont take chances, oh yeah
Gentrification 1, Geoff nothing
People are goddamn greedy, and I'll tell you something
I'll smash every window on your SUV
What the hell do you need one of those for living in the city
I'm just a simple guy, with complex problems
Like me vs. the system
From Lakeview to Compton
Stoppin'? Not 'til I'm in a fucking coffin
Another guy in the program from Boston
I like punk rock, I like reggae
And if you wanna talk about heavy metal it better be from the 70s, not the 80s
And when I get jacked you know it ain't on white powders
it's strictly micky light and indica flowers
Man, I'm just tryin' to get on
tryin' to make my way through this armagedd(i)on
Somewhere around beyond this wilderness
There's the salvation, I know
Beyond the politics and troubles of this world
There's the salvation, I know
There's the salvation, I know
In the song "The Wilderness" by Jaya the Cat, the lyrics explore the theme of religion and how it can be manipulated by those in power to control the masses. The first verse criticizes those who talk about God but make Him sound like a fascist, and points out the hypocrisy of the actions done in Jesus Christ's name, which he likely wouldn't approve of. The artist questions how the masses can be blind to the manipulation of their wallets and why they believe in an afterlife that they have never experienced. Instead, he finds his salvation in music and dedicates his life to it, creating his own "24 track church" where he can find solace.
The second verse touches on several societal issues, including gentrification, greed, and the struggle against the system. The artist expresses his anger towards those who prioritize material possessions like SUVs over the needs of the city, and his desire to bring about change even if it means smashing windows. He acknowledges his complex problems, but also his love for different genres of music like punk rock, reggae, and heavy metal, albeit a preference for the 70s over the 80s. The song's chorus repeats the idea of salvation beyond the wilderness of this world's politics and troubles, leaving it up to the interpretation of the listener whether this salvation is found in religion or music.
Line by Line Meaning
Now this one here is about religion - the opiat of the masses
Religion serves as an escape from reality and dulls the pain of the masses.
But when they talk about god
When people bring up the topic of God
They make him sound like a faschist
They portray God as a cruel dictator.
Jesus Christ was a pacifist
Jesus was a peacemaker
Half the shit they do in his name would probably make him pissed
Many actions and practices done in the name of Jesus would have upset him.
Yet they still hold out, with the same old line of bullshit
They still insist on the same outdated concepts and beliefs.
Why can't the masses, tap into their wallets
Why don't people invest in themselves instead of relying on religion?
How the hell can you tell me about the afterlife?
Nobody knows what happens in the afterlife.
You ain't been there, and - check - neither have I
Neither of us have experienced the afterlife.
Cause where I go I don't need no goddamn goverment
I don't need any government-like religious rulers where I am going.
And the system that they run - I got no love for it
I don't support the religious system they operate.
So I dedicate my life to music
I devote my life to music.
And when it hits, you know I don't refuse it
When inspiration hits, I take advantage of it.
Man, I found my salvation - here on Earth
I discovered my own way to happiness here on Earth.
I roll the tape on my 24 track church
My studio is where I find my spiritual fulfillment.
Somewhere out beyond this wilderness
Beyond the problems of the world, lies a better place.
There's the salvation, I know
I have faith that this salvation exists.
They say life is one big road with lots of signs
Life is a journey full of choices.
So when you're struggling for the rock
When you're facing obstacles in life
Don't you complicate your mind
Don't overthink things and make it harder for yourself.
In this world there ain't no easy answers
Life is full of difficult questions with no clear-cut solutions.
And you're never gonna get nowhere if you dont take chances, oh yeah
You won't make progress if you don't take risks.
Gentrification 1, Geoff nothing
A commentary on urbanization and changes to neighborhoods.
People are goddamn greedy, and I'll tell you something
People are extremely selfish and self-centered.
I'll smash every window on your SUV
A message to the overly wealthy to protest their excessive consumption.
What the hell do you need one of those for living in the city
Why do you need such an extravagant car when you live in a city?
I'm just a simple guy, with complex problems
Even though I'm a normal person, I still have difficult issues to deal with.
Like me vs. the system
I struggle against the oppressive system in our society.
From Lakeview to Compton
Issues like this occur in various places, from nicer neighborhoods to poor ones.
Stoppin'? Not 'til I'm in a fucking coffin
I won't stop fighting until I die.
Another guy in the program from Boston
Another person who is fighting against the system.
I like punk rock, I like reggae
I love music with attitude and meaning.
And if you wanna talk about heavy metal it better be from the 70s, not the 80s
I prefer older heavy metal music from the 70s rather than the 80s.
And when I get jacked you know it ain't on white powders
If I ever get robbed, it won't be for drugs.
it's strictly micky light and indica flowers
If anything, they will rob me for marijuana.
Man, I'm just tryin' to get on
I'm just trying to live my life.
tryin' to make my way through this armagedd(i)on
I'm trying to navigate through this chaotic and tumultuous world.
Contributed by Parker J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.