A Buggs life

Looks like Alex Turner’s kid brother but has the voice of someone born in the Appalachian foothills when music was still listened to on wax cylinders; has no problem yakking away to Jimmy Page but turns crimson with embarrassment during interviews; trades in Dylanisms but has only heard one Big Zim album; loves all things old-timey and American but prefers to write about life on the Clifton council estate where he grew up…

I’m just compiling a list of what’s not bog-standard indie hipster about Jake Bugg, the 18-year-old who’s come out of nowhere, aka Nottingham, to top the UK album chart and make a decent dent in its Irish counterpart.
“I’ve never thought my tastes are particularly broad, just that other people’s are a bit narrow,” he says with impeccable logic. “There’s so much great music out there waiting to be discovered. I mean, why would you bother with X-Factor when there are 12 Donovan albums you probably haven’t heard? I was blown away meeting Jimmy Page – more because he played on a load of Donovan songs rather than him being in Led Zeppelin. I think he was surprised at the Stone Roses gig when instead of, ‘Are you guys getting back together?’ I asked, ‘What was it like to play on ‘Hurdy Gurdy Man?’ His guitar solo on that is just amazing.”
I feel a bit sorry for old Donovan that he ended up with Shaun Ryder as a
son-in-law.
“It would make family gatherings a bit colourful!” Jake laughs. “Donovan’s just effortlessly cool and probably my biggest influence.”
This convening of the Donovan Leitch Fan Club took place after Bugg had opened for the Roses at the secret gig they played in August for Team GB’s Olympic medal-winners.
“I try not to get too wound up before going on stage, but how can you not be nervous supporting the Stone Roses? I got to shake hands with Bradley Wiggins – it was a toss up between him and Paul Weller as to who there had the best hair – so it’s definitely one for the memoirs when I’m 80!”
If Jakes seems far less microphone shy than I was making out earlier, that’s because I’ve engaged the “um-er-em-not-sure-dunno” filter. He’s a friendly chap with lots to say; you just have to drag it out of him.
“The first record that made me go, ‘Fucking hell!’ was ‘American Pie’ by Don McLean when I was 12,” he resumes. “I’ve actually heard a few more Dylan albums now! My favourite is The Times They Are A-Changin’; Subterranean Homesick Blues has some good stuff on it too but a lot of it I don’t really get. My parents’ record collection ranged from Take That to Beethoven, so I never wanted for something to listen to growing up.”
Along with the Roses, Jake has also accompanied Snow Patrol and Noel Gallagher on their recent run round America (“Noel’s advice to me has been: ‘Practice… and then practice some more!”); made his Dublin bow at the Grand Social as part of the Arthur’s Day festivities (“Primal Scream were a bit of a rock ‘n’ roll night!”) and got a close-up look at the Lana Del Rey circus (“That ‘Video Games’ was a great tune but I’m not sure about anything else on the album.”)
While a lot safer since notorious gangland boss Colin Gunn was, ahem, banged up in 2007 – he was linked to six murders and 50 shootings – Nottingham still has areas you really wouldn’t want to get lost in. Jake addresses the grittier side of Clifton life on the presumably autobiographical ‘I’ve Seen It All’: ‘One Friday night I took a pill or maybe two/Down at the car park I saw everyone I knew/And before the night had started we had planned to crash a party/Just a place that someone knew a local house belonging to a gangster’s crew/And at the door they shone a light into my face/Have to admit I felt a little out of place/But I made my way inside past a thousand crazy eyes/I could sense the mounting tension the atmosphere of violence/And then they took a guy out side and someone stabbed him with a knife.’
“There’s 30,000 people on my estate, so you’d see all sorts,” he acknowledges grimly. “Everybody knows each other – it’s like a small town so word goes round fast. I just write down whatever’s in me head. English is one of the few lessons I enjoyed – wordsmithing and seeing what you can come up with.”
What was he like as a pupil?
“If a teacher spoke to me like a human being I’d have time for them, but otherwise – typical teenager! They’ve asked me to chat to the students about my success but I’m not sure I’m the best role model.
“After I left school at 16 I couldn’t get a job and wasn’t able to sign on until I was 18, so I’m grateful that the musical side of things has taken off. Fuck knows what I’d be doing otherwise!”
Look at the small-print on his eponymous debut album and you’ll see that a couple of the tracks are produced by Iain Archer, the Bangor man who co-authored Snow Patrol’s ‘Run’.
“Iain was one of the people who got me when I said I wanted it to sound like an old vintage record, albeit with a contemporary twist,” he enthuses. “The album’s just come out on vinyl, so I’m looking forward to getting a few scratches on it!”
I’ve left the most important question to last – County
or Forest?
“County!” he shoots back as if horrified by the alternative. “I was a shit supporter last year and only got to one game, but hopefully I’ll be at Meadow Lane more this season. I’d love to do my version of Oasis at Maine Road and play a gig there. It’d be nice to highlight the Nottingham scene, which has really improved over the past three or four years. Dog Is Dead in particular are worth checking out.”
His real name being Jacob Kennedy, I imagine he’s eligible for an Irish call-up.
“Yeah, there are a couple of Irish people in my family and I’m handy enough at right-midfield or as a striker,” he smiles. “Roy Hodgson hasn’t been in touch, so if you guys want me I’m available!”

Jake Bugg is out now on Mercury Records.