Joy Askew (photo: Liz Tormes Photography)
Joy Askew has a brand new album out titled Drunk on You. The record sounds absolutely gorgeous and last week it refused to let me play anything else. DOY is keyboard based, atmospheric, rhythmically driven rock with some catchy choruses. Whatever you call it, it already is on my best of 2011 shortlist. So when the opportunity to sit down and chat with Joy came up, I grabbed it.
A longtime New York City resident now living in Brooklyn, Joy’s path from her native England to New York City took seven years. Joy is originally from Newcastle. The scene there in the 1970s was exciting, but for music in the UK, London was the place to be. So Joy made the move to London.
Once in London, Joy decided that the US was the place to be. And to her, the US meant New York City. Eventually, Joy got asked to be in the band Eye to Eye, a project of Steely Dan producer Gary Katz. That got her to New York City with a long term work visa. But six weeks later, Warner Brothers dropped the band.
Finding herself without work, Joy had one thing set in her mind: “I’m not going home.” Soon she joined the Joe Jackson Night and Day tour. One of the gigs on that tour was Saturday Night Live. You can see a video of that appearance by clicking here.
Not living in the US, Joy had not heard of the show and did not know of its popularity. As Joy found out, among the millions of people who watched SNL were musicians. And after that broadcast of SNL, she got calls offering her work.
A while back, Joy was working in Nashville. It was suggested to her that she move down there. But she never saw a reason to do so. According to Joy, New York City is much more comfortable if you are English.
Tomorrow: More on Drunk on You
