Jake Bugg: ‘I’d like to play every song off every album’
Coming soon to the Cambridge Corn Exchange, as part of the Folk in the City celebration of music, will be Jake Bugg – who last performed at the venue a couple of weeks before lockdown in 2020.
The Nottingham-born singer-songwriter, whose first album, the self-titled Jake Bugg, reached number one in the UK album charts in 2012, was speaking to the Cambridge Independent from London, where he now lives.
He says he’s “pretty much been doing gigs” since his latest album, A Modern Day Distraction, came out last autumn.
“We did a lot of touring last year,” notes Jake, who headlined the Main Stage at the Cambridge Folk Festival in 2017, having first performed on The Den stage in 2012.
“So I took this opportunity to still do some shows but also to try and get back in the studio as well and do some more writing – so just keeping busy in between shows.”
Will Jake, 31, be playing a lot of songs off A Modern Day Distraction – his sixth studio album – when he comes to Cambridge on 23 July?
“I’d like to play every song off every album, to be honest,” he replies. “It’s always hard to try and play everything people want to hear…
“But because it’s two sets that we’re doing, one acoustic and then one with the band, it does give us an opportunity to play more material off different albums and create different kinds of vibes and atmosphere in the setlist.
“But we’ll be trying to play as much as we can off the latest album as well, yes.”
Releasing his first album at the tender age of 18, it’s easy to forget that Jake is now in his early 30s and that he’s been around a while.
“Yes, it’s starting to feel like that!” he laughs. “I played a show not too long ago with The Lathums and I found I was the oldest on the bill, so it quickly all changes.”
The Oasis reunion has maybe shone a spotlight once again on guitar-based music, even though it’s always generated a strong following, and Jake has noticed young people and teenagers attending his gigs.
“It’s always funny because I’m not as young as I used to be any more, but there seems to be a new generation that always seems to discover older music, and it’s quite interesting when that happens,” he says.
“A lot of the music I grew up listening to, or my favourite music, a lot of the artists that I was listening to weren’t even around any more, so I find it interesting how the younger generations keep finding it.”
Jake says he knew that he wanted to follow a career in music at around the of 13 or 14.
“If it was just playing for two people every night, or no people, I think I’d still be doing it,” he admits.
“I never thought I’d achieve the level that I did, but despite that I’d still be doing it.”
Jake says he loved playing the Cambridge Folk Festival, calling it a “real privilege” and noting that he used to go there and see some of his favourite artists when he was younger. He hopes it will be back next year.
The last time the acclaimed singer-songwriter played the Cambridge Corn Exchange was 5 March, 2020 – the last gig I attended, for obvious reasons, until The Quireboys in September 2021.
“I think it felt like people weren’t really sure what was really happening yet,” recalls Jake, “but there was talk of what was happening and everyone felt like it was probably going to be their last evening out for a while. I remember the shows being quite good.”
Witness Jake’s return to the Cambridge Corn Exchange, as part of Folk in the City, on Wednesday, 23 July.
Tickets, priced £33-£38 (including booking fee), are available from cornex.co.uk. For more on Jake, go to jakebugg.com.
Another top name, Suzanne Vega, will also be coming to the same venue as part of Folk in the City in October.
A Folk in the City Outdoor Concert, featuring Katherine Priddy and Jon Boden & the Remnant Kings, is taking place at Cherry Hinton Hall on Saturday, 2 August.
Visit cambridgefolkfestival.co.uk.