#when cheerleading became a thing in the 1870s it was

[greenscrunchy]

here’s your “wow, what the hell, jason” for today:  there are multiple guys on the hawkins cheer squad, and like all cheer guys they play a really big part in building the strength of the squad - which we see in the pep rally when they’re assisting with lifts. jason, during his rousing “we’ll win for the dead people” speech, only draws attention to the girls on the squad. 

[theseventhhex]

Flint Eastwood Interview

Jax Anderson

Much like the city that shapes her work, Detroit-based Jax Anderson, aka Flint Eastwood, wakes up every day confronting a world that tells us that we are not good enough, not unique enough, not rich, beautiful or smart enough; not the right colour; not the right gender. Success is as subjective as it is elusive, but if Anderson’s ‘Broke Royalty’ EP reveals anything about the songstress, it’s that she’s everything she needs to be. Setting a striking standard with a vast array of sublime soundscapes and musical range, Anderson flourishes throughout the EP with a flawless and distinct stance. The EP is about overcoming feelings of uncertainty and forces of disempowerment; it’s about realising your self-worth and carving your own path and it’s a fascinating introduction into the young virtuoso’s world… The Seventh Hex talks to Jax about the Detroit music community, empathy and Roald Dahl…

TSH: How significant is the message with your EP ‘Broke Royalty’ to not let a lack of means get in your way when attempting to succeed?

Jax: For me, it’s everything. Growing up I had to pave my own way. When I wanted to start doing music, I convinced my cousin to let me borrow an unused computer and found instruments at thrift stores. When that became outdated I entered contests until I won new gear. I’ve always wanted to do music, so I knew I had to find a way to make it work.

TSH: Do you feel you embraced the notion of writing, producing and creating everything mostly by yourself for this release?

Jax: I created this record with all of my friends, and was extremely involved in every step of the process. I co-wrote and produced this record with my real life sibling, Seth, who goes by the producer name SYBLYNG. I helped co-found a sort of writer/recording space collective for Detroit musicians out of a church from the 1870’s that me and a bunch of artists/friends purchased and renovated ourselves. It’s called Assemble Sound. The whole idea of Assemble is to foster collaboration between artists and for this record I wanted to get as many hands on it as possible. I have an open-door policy for my sessions at Assemble where anyone is welcome to come in and hang. Sometimes we’ll use your idea sometimes we won’t - it’s whatever works best for the song as a whole. For me, being heavily involved in every process of creating records brings me life.

TSH: Were you pleased that this EP entails a very commanding and tense vibe?

Jax: Yeah, I like the ebbs and flows of ‘Broke Royalty’ a lot. I wanted the EP to start off strong and sort of kick you in gut right off the bat, then ease you into pop goodness as it goes along. I like how it turned out.

TSH: With regards to the excellent track ‘Queen’, did you feel compelled to pen a track that states there is no higher person that’s pulling your strings and that it’s all you?

Jax: Yeah. I wrote ‘Queen’ about the first time I was asked what it’s like being a woman in music. I wanted to write an ass kicking song about how I’m the queen of my art, not a soldier working for someone else.

TSH: As you began fleshing out ‘Monster’, what sort of energy were you looking to capture?

Jax: I wrote ‘Monster’ about finally being able to cope with the death of my mother. She was my best friend, my greatest cheerleader and it took a really long time for me to finally convince myself that eventually things would be alright. This song was sort of my rite of passage into being okay.

TSH: How much of a healing process has music been since the unfortunate loss of your mother?

Jax: I think music exists to keep the human spirit going. Music has helped me through some of the hardest times in life and losing my mom was definitely one of them. I don’t know what I would have done without it.

TSH: What range of emotions do you tend to feel with your pulsating live shows?

Jax: My whole purpose with my live shows is to make people feel something. A lot of times people come to a show and the artist is so separated from the audience - it can feel like all humanity is taken away. I like to bring humanity back into play and to try and break down that barrier of stage/crowd as much as I can. To me, music is a time to feel connected and to let your body free. It can make some people feel uncomfortable, but a lot of the times they just need someone to tell them it’s okay to let go.

TSH: Also, growing up in a very religious home – what does spirituality mean to you?

Jax: To me spirituality exists in all of us and plays out in different ways. I was raised to be very religious and have since found my own way of fostering that side of me through music and community.

TSH: Does nostalgia make you feel warmth when you think back to Sunday’s watching Spaghetti Western films with the family?

Jax: For sure - the name Flint Eastwood is an homage to the spaghetti westerns my family and I would watch as a kid.

TSH: Speaking of Spaghetti Westerns, is Lee Van Cleef still the ultimate style icon?

Jax: Of course - the mysteriousness he carries through his style has always intrigued me. His hats were always amazing.

TSH: I understand empathy is very important to you. How essential is it to remind yourself often to not lose empathy as an adult, and to always maintain some sort of innocence?

Jax: Empathy is one of the most important non-tangible things a human can offer another human. We all have moments of frustration and anxiety. It’s easy to forget that the other person has those frustrations too. It’s something I continually strive for.

TSH: What are your realistic aims in visiting ‘every cathedral’ during your European tour?

Jax: Haha! I’d love to hit as many as I can - I’m a “walk around & see what I get into” type of visitor. We’ll see what happens.

TSH: Tell us why sometimes life feels like a Roald Dahl book…

Jax: I used to love reading Roald Dahl as a kid! He always had such a beautifully weird view on life. I’m a big fan of talking to strangers and that can bring on some pretty interesting Dahl-like characters. Gotta keep things interesting, ya know!

TSH: What’s your biggest drive as you look ahead with future musical endeavours?

Jax: I make music because I want to help people - helping people definitely keeps me going.

Flint Eastwood - “Queen”

Broke Royalty