Speaker 1: All right, let's see, I think we have Elijah Jenkins
with us via WhatsApp. Let's see how this goes. Elijah,
are you there?
Speaker 2: I am here?
Speaker 3: Is good?
Speaker 1: Oh? Perfect, perfect, no feedback, Everything's awesome, wonderful, all right,
all right, yeah, yeah, I knew we I knew we
would work through it. So so welcome Elijah again. You know,
I love your solo work. Obviously we just played take
a Chance on Her. That is a great song. But
I'm really curious to learn more about your band moving on.
I love that song Absolutely. We did the American radio
premiere for that recently, and I really enjoyed getting to
play that again as well. And so tell us about
the band. I'm curious about how you know, because obviously
you know you have released songs as a solo artist,
but what why moving on? Why why move into a
band project with the with your material?
Speaker 3: So I've had songs like Absolutely, which is obviously out now,
and a couple of other things that we've got in
the works for a while towards the end of the
solo days, and I thought it was I thought the
songs needed a band behind them, to be honest with you, Matt,
I thought that was the way we were going to
get the best potential out of them. So a little
bit about the lads in the band. We've got Scott
on drums, who I was in a former band with
but when I was seventeen, and then we've got George
on bass, who I have a mutual friends with, and
then we've got Alfie on guitar, who was last to
join us in mid October of last year. So you know,
we're still only what we're in now. Late February was
still only about four months into the journey as the band,
but we're really happy with what we've done so far.
Speaker 1: How hard was it to find the right people? I mean,
did the chemistry sort of come together quickly? Because obviously
when you're putting a band together to do material that
you've already written and you know recorded in some form,
I mean, is it obviously it's a priority to write
to find the right people. Was that difficult or did
this come together quickly?
Speaker 3: So with Scott, I knew Scott who was obviously the drummer,
so I knew he was going to be.
Speaker 2: I knew we worked well together.
Speaker 1: Yea.
Speaker 3: With Georgia we had mutual friends, so reached out to
him on Instagram. Before Alfie came in, we did have
another guitarist, but we parted ways for a couple of
different reasons, and George knew Alfie and me and George
both reached out to Alfie. And then then first few
rehearsals were so exciting because it was obviously just as
well as playing the songs and getting to know the songs,
it was also getting to know each other on like
a personal level as well, and to build that band chemistry,
which is something we've gotten, something we're very very happy
with and proud of as well.
Speaker 1: Sure sure, was that always kind of the goal when
you were recording and releasing music as a solo artist.
Did you always kind of have it in mind that
you would like to transition that into a band or
is that something that you sort of came to over time.
Speaker 3: It's come quite recently, to be honest. I think definitely
in my earlier solo days, when I had done Start
Again and stuff like that, I couldn't really see it
as a band. But then the more I started to
write and the more I started to think about it,
and when it was just me and my guitar, I
could hear drums in the back of songs and guitar
solos and bass, and obviously I can't play all that
at once at the same time, so I thought, right,
we need to get a band behind it, and yeah,
that's what we've done and couldn't be happy with it either.
Speaker 1: Yeah, No, it sounds great. Absolutely. Now that's the only
single you've released so far as a band to this point.
Speaker 2: Correct, Yes, that is correct, okay, And.
Speaker 1: What's kind of been the response over there? I mean, obviously,
you know, we played it here, so an American audience
is getting exposure to it. But I mean do people
when people hear it, do they do they recognize it's
you right away with a band or how's how's that
transition been in terms of interacting with your audience and
and what's some of the feedback that you've gotten from them.
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's been smooth, to be fair, Even when we've
been working with a lot of the people here in
the on the UK side of things as well, like
gig promoters and stuff, they're really pleased to see it
move into a band and it adds a lot more
energy even to some of the solo stuff that had
been doing as well, a lot of the solo songs
that are out have now got full band versions that
we're obviously playing live, so you know, we're still keeping
the solo stuff in there, but you know, we've transitioned
it all now into a you know, the four piece band,
and you know, the receptions who it's been fantastic from
obviously both sides of the pond, which we're really really
happy about.
Speaker 1: Yeah, no, that's fantas So an obvious question, where does
the name come from? Moving On?
Speaker 3: So the name moving On comes from when I just
previously mentioned we obviously had another guitarist who we separated
ways with, and yeah, I created a WhatsApp group with myself,
George and Scott.
Speaker 2: Called moving On.
Speaker 3: Oh and it wasn't really thought of us like, oh,
this will be the band name or anything. It was
just like, oh, this is how we're going to move
on from this situation. Yeah, and it sort of stuck,
and you know, then we added alphae in and we
were like, right, we've got to think of a band name.
And I was thinking, you know a while about what
a lot of the songs reflect, and a lot of
the songs reflect you know, nostalgia, but also escapism, and
you know that wanting to be free just for moving
on was the perfect fit really for what a lot
of the songs are about that are obviously already out
from the solo project, but a lot of what's to
come as well.
Speaker 1: Okay, okay, were you surprised that the name was available
because you know, it almost seems like somebody else has
already got to be using that name, right, but but
apparently not, like you know, you you found something that
I'm just curious, you know, I'm always fascinated by how artists,
you know, decide to choose a name, and you know,
it is almost surprising to me that was available, but
obviously it was. Was it a surprise to you? It was?
Speaker 3: I mean we had to drop the g Yeah, wasn't
initially on the WhatsApp group chat, but no, Yeah, obviously
did the research around it, and when we found out
it was available and you know, we could get it
on Spotify and all that, it just all seemed to
fall into place at.
Speaker 2: The exact right moment.
Speaker 3: And you know, when we went into the studio to
do Absolutely and then the other songs that will have
coming out later this year, it's just all seemed to
fit into place really well. And you know, we've got
some cracking live shows coming up. We've got a headline
show in Liverpool at the Jacaranda, which is a famous
venue where the Beatles played when they were just starting out.
And then we've got a couple of festivals and a
few unannounced things that I can't spill the lid on yet,
but as soon as soon as I can, you'll be
hearing all about it.
Speaker 1: Outstanding festivals are great. You know I say this all
the time. You might have even heard me say it.
Festivals are The great thing about festivals is on two levels.
On one, you know, obviously you're playing in front of
a large crowd and you're going to get exposed or
fans are going to get exposed to you, new fans
perspectively who might not have been aware of you or
have ever seen you live or heard your music before.
So it's such a fantastic way to expand your fan base.
But it's also an easy way to be able to network,
you know, and meet their industry people and of course
other artists as well, just more broadly, but it's such
a Festivals are just such an amazing opportunity for an
artist like yourself to just really again not only expand
your fan base, but expand yourself within the industry in
terms of who you meet and the connections that you make,
and you never know what might lead to something even
more so, that's great. It's great that you're gonna be
doing a couple of those. I'm curious about the show
at the Jack Randa. You know you mentioned the Beatles.
How how do you feel about I mean, is it
pressure to be playing a show like that or are
you just excited? Or is there like especially where you're from,
because you know, obviously you know there's the Beatles and
the music scene there. I mean, I'm sure it's always
really amazing and that there's so much great talent there.
But i mean, do you feel any pressure with that
or is it more just excitement or maybe you'll feel
pressure on the day of the show. I don't know,
But how do you how do you feel about that?
How do you process that psychologically leading up to it?
Speaker 3: It's a bit of everything, to be honest with you, Matt,
To be honest, obviously, yeah, you know there's pressure. When
you first announced the show, you hope it sells well,
you know, we're nearly sold out, which I'm absolutely delighted
to say. You know that this song and the way
the band's been received since we announced that it would
be a band in late December and then when the
show got announced, you know, we've had a really, really
great reception and response. We've played the Jacaranda beforemat which
I think, oh, ease is a little bit of the pressure.
We've played a support slot there just before Christmas. Yeah,
so I think that eases the pressure. But you know,
headlining it is a different kettle of fish, but I
think it will be that same emotion that's tied to
both nerves but also just immense excitement ready to get
out there and perform.
Speaker 1: That's great. That's great. By the way, I saw a
couple of names of bands associated with you that you
may have played shows with scruff of the neck and
this feeling. Are there are those bands that you've been
playing with.
Speaker 3: No, So they're the promoters and the booking agents that
we use, and they have oh real champions of unsigned,
unsigned acts across the UK.
Speaker 1: Oh fantastic, Okay, that's why those names came up. Yeah,
uh no, that's great. I mean, how how would you
how do you feel about the scene there currently? I mean,
like I said, I know, you know a lot of
great bands have come out of that area, but uh,
I mean, are there a lot of other bands that
sound because I feel like your sound is is unique.
Obviously it's reflective of your solo work, but but with
a full band. But I mean, what's is it competitive there?
Is it more just a community thing where everybody kind
of works together. How would you describe the scene where
you are?
Speaker 3: It makes it both to be honest, Matt, you know,
there's support and there's you know, willingness from you know
of the bands to do well and opportunities, you know,
like when we've been looking for support slots, we've been
offered it by different.
Speaker 2: Bands who are on the way up as well.
Speaker 3: But you know, it's it's a competitive scene, but there's
no one, you know, drugging anyone down and wanting anyone
to not do well just so they can do well.
Speaker 2: If that makes sense.
Speaker 3: Like there's a lot of bands out there, but a
lot of the bands are all very good, and you know,
everyone supports each other, which I think is fantastic.
Speaker 1: No, that is fantastic. You know. I always say success
in life or or in a career. It's not a
zero sum game, you know. It's not like just because
somebody else is doing well that means you're automatically doing
less well, you know so, and I think musicians generally
understand that, which is good. What's kind of the forward
trajectory for you guys as a band? Obviously you've got
the single Absolutely, which is out. Is there a second
single on the way? Do you plan to do an
EP or an album? What's kind of the next year
look like for Moving On?
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think the next year for Moving On, Matt,
it looks good. We've already got our second single recorded
and produced. Oh so that that will lead into an
EP okay, probably into the second half of this year,
and then just getting out everywhere, Matt. You know, as
I said before, we've got a couple of festivals lined up.
We're going to be announcing a London show this weekend
as well. We'll be announcing another headline in our hometown
of Chester in the next few weeks. So it's going
to be a really busy year for us, Matt, but
it's one we're really looking forward to. But yeah, I
think in terms of obviously you know, the second single
will be out, give it to a three months. We'll
let people enjoy absolutely, but then we'll make sure that
they're wanting the next one as well, and then we'll
give the people what they want. But yeah, second half
of the year and especially the summer is going to
be a really great time for Moving On with lots
of gigs and a couple of festivals lined up as well.
Speaker 2: So yeah, we're all really excited about it.
Speaker 1: No, that's wonderful. Yeah, it's great to see that you're
off to such a great start with the band, and
you know, and obviously with your solo work you built
a strong foundation. But it's great to see the band
doing well. And like I said, I love that first
single absolutely, that's really good. Where should people go, Elijah,
where's the best place to go online to keep up
with everything that Moving On is doing or that Elijah
Jenkins is doing? Where should people go?
Speaker 3: Yeah? So for the band, it's moving On Official without
the g So m ov in On Official for the
Instagram and that's where to keep up with everything, and
then it's the same on Spotify as well.
Speaker 1: Okay, okay, outstanding. I think in a moment we're gonna
close with one of your again, one of your solo songs,
start Again, which I think is appropriate in a sense
because you know you moving on. Start Again. This is
another one of the songs that we had played previously
that I really love, and then I'll probably play absolutely
again a little bit later in the show because we
did play it to open our segment with you today.
But Elijah again, congratulations on the band and the success
that you're having. It's wonderful to see this transition in
your career. And when the next single is ready, we
would love to be again the first American radio station
to play that, if you will do us the honor,
and we love being able to kind of be your
conduit into the American radio market because we're big fans
of what you're doing.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Absolutely, Matt, I appreciate that nice one.
Speaker 1: Oh, definitely, definitely, So we're going to hit that track.
We will let you go. But Elijah Jenkins of Moving On,
thank you again, my friend, and we will talk to
you soon, I'm sure.
Speaker 2: James out, thank you everyone, you got it.
Speaker 1: Bye bye, all right. That is Elijah Jenkins from the
band Moving On, and this is another one of his
solo songs This is so good. I love this. This
is called start Again.