MEET JULES

Tell us a little about yourself in your own words:

Not quite in my twighlight years but old enough to know better! I have a love of music, obviously, which spans a few genres, and I play  Hammond keyboard for The DekkerTones.  By day, I’m a dog groomer with my own small business called K9 Beauty. I’ve been grooming for 25+ years, its hard work but I love it! Of course I have a love of animals too and the Wildheart household currently consists of a 6 month old tweenie Dachshund named Tequila, 2 maine coon x ragdoll cats, Teddy and Iris, who we bought as sisters, but found out later they are in fact brothers! We kept their names though. And not to be forgotten, Eddie the guinea pig who is the size of a small cat and lives in a huge piggy house under the stairs! In my spare time (not a lot of it!) I enjoy playing saxophone and taking Spanish lessons. And lastly, my family and friends mean the world to me. 

How did you learn to sing/play your instrument?

My mum insisted I had organ lessons when I was 10 years old, which I hated with a passion.  I was a very shy girl and really wasn’t comfortable with the attention playing the organ brought me, but I ploughed through with my dads encouragement, and although it was never really my intention to carry on, at 16 years old I was giving a few organ lessons to children and had a ‘residency’ every Sunday evening playing an organ in a pub! There was a long period of time when I didn’t play at all, marriage and children happened, but I picked it back up about 3 years ago and can safely say I bloody love it now, and am so grateful to my dear mum for her ‘guidance and determination’ all those years ago.

What inspired you to get into it and who are your influences?

Its only in these latter years that I’ve been inspired by certain organists.  From the legendary Jimmy Smith and Jon Lord, to the just as legendary but modern day Andy Fairclough (From The Jam) and Lee Horsley (The Selecter). Don’t get me started on Jordan Rudess from Dream Theater!

Whats your favourite song to play live?

Hard to pick just one!  Would have to be Inner London Violence, or On My Radio 

Whats your favourite thing about being in a band?

Being part of an amazing family, not just within the band but the people that come to the gigs. Community spirit and a love of ska music.

Whats the worse thing to happen to you at a gig?

The first time I played It Must Be Love at a gig, just before I started the intro I had a complete mental block, my ipad notes made no sense and I couldn’t for the life of me remember how the song started!  But once I found the first notes and played them, it was fine.  Afterwards Glenn said he looked across at me and I looked like a rabbit caught in headlights!

Whats your favourite lyric and how does it relate to you?

From the Bon Jovi song, Its My Life………..well the whole song really.  Released in 2000, at a difficult time in my life, I adopted it as my song, powerful words to live by.

If the DekkerTones were stranded on a desert island, who would you sacrifice first?

I can’t answer this one, but it definitely wouldn’t be Droz! He’s an excellent fisherman and would be useful for catching dinner!

What would you say to someone that thinks ska is for old timers?

I would say they are absolutely correct, but give it a chance because its an intoxicating genre that gets under your skin and appeals to all ages as we’ve seen at our gigs!

If you had to pick a different genre to play, what would it be and why?

Definitely rock, because Jon Lord is a freaking rock organ god!

Whats your drink of choice on gig night?

Generally Jack Daniels and diet coke……….thanks very much.

And water!

If you could collaborate with any ska legend, who would it be?

Pauline Black