JATK took some time to answer our questions about their music and we love it. Let’s see what they have to say!
First off, What’s up with your name? Is there a story behind it?
Matt Jatkola: JATK is the first four letters of my last name, Jatkola. People look at my last name and are often intimidated to say it out loud. I think it’s because of the sequence of these four letters. So for the band name, I wanted to put those letters front and center – it’s a bit of a “this is me, take it or leave it” type of statement, I suppose. That’s a bit of what the band is for me as the songwriter.
Tell us about your musical past, would you tell us about your early years?
I’ve been playing music since I was 13. I begged my parents for a guitar and then they finally got me one for my birthday that year and I haven’t looked back. Now I’m teaching my 13-year-old niece how to play guitar and it’s a trip. I remember a lot from back then, especially learning about the guitar and finding music I was excited about, so I’m trying to teach, but also back off and let her discover stuff. Nothing worse than your weird uncle saying “Listen to this music – it’s the best song ever!” when it’s totally not haha. Although we did start working on “Smells Like Teen Spirit” recently and… I might’ve been that weird uncle for a moment.
Which artists have the biggest influence on your sound?
If you forced me to give a broad answer, I’d probably say The Beatles or The Smashing Pumpkins. But really for our latest, “Don’t Come Knockin’“, the inspiration comes from old school soul music and R&B. The Temptations. Smokey Robinson. Stuff like that. It’s some of the best music in the world.
What’s the last song you listened to?
I dubbed VHS tapes for the release of our music video “Don’t Come Knockin’“. They’re all on pre-recorded tapes. There’s about an hour of curated material we put together – the music video, some JATK music you’ve never heard before, a couple short films, and some little video collages… then there’s 5 more hours of whatever else is on the tape! You don’t know until you get it!
Anyway, to answer your question, the last song I listened to was the jingle from a Dinty Moore Beef Stew commercial from the 70s. That’s the sort of stuff on the tapes and since I was just dubbing them, that’s what I heard last.
What’s your source for hearing new music?
I really like seeing artists live. I love seeing an opener I know nothing about and letting them blow me away. It’s happened a handful of times and there’s no excitement like it. You gotta be ok with arriving early and ok with being bored if you don’t like ‘em though! To me, it’s all worth it when you find the gems.
Who is your dream producer?
I used to have producers or people I’d like to work with, but these days I prefer working with the people I know. Adam Taylor mixed “Don’t Come Knockin’” and I’ve been working with him for over 10 years. We just get each other. I can say a few words to him and he’s able to get us there. There’s a lot of value in those working and personal relationships that I probably wouldn’t find if I said “I’d like to work with fill-in-the-blank big-name producer.” I also self-produce a lot and I’m at a point now finally where I’m at least semi-confident in my own abilities. That hasn’t been the case forever, so it’s pretty monumental to me creatively that I can say that now. I’m able to do a lot myself, but I call on people when I need them.
If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?
Similar to the answer about the producers, I’m going to be boring and say – the people I play with now are my favorite collaborators. Everyone who worked on the JATK album Shut Up and Be the Light or the “Don’t Come Knockin’” video are fantastic, and most of them happen to be my friends. I just like the shorthand and the meaning behind making music with people I know well. There’s usually something intangible in there. I’m a serial monogamist in real life and I’m sort of like that in my creative world too. I find people I click with and stick with them.
Tell us about the songwriting process. How does it all come together?
I dream a lot of songs. I had one arrive about a week ago as I was waking up. I had another one come to me when I was sitting in my rehearsal space strumming the guitar two days ago. They just happen. In so many situations they just come on their own. I like to force myself to write sometimes because I find it fun, but it’s nice when it just comes naturally. I know when they’re coming because I’ve been writing songs for a long time, so I just allow my mind to get into that zone and try not to fight too much.
What’s next for you?
Right now, we have a handful of songs we recorded for Shut Up and Be the Light that weren’t released and it’s my goal to release them this year – as singles and/or together as an EP. We have more music video projects in the works too. Mostly we’re focusing on getting the live band primed for more shows in 2023.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jatktheband/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4muS2qRad6WkJtOL7brp4R?si=F6tGFbxET4iCu4nYu_SE_g
Bandcamp: https://jatk.bandcamp.com/
Press Release: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iykCej2J99Bky3IUMSwIa7X8kAAGI2F6wwCnP3PcCxQ/edit?usp=sharing
BIO:
JATK (pronounced “Jack”), the power-pop project from Boston-based songwriter Matt Jatkola and his circle of collaborators, cranks up an arsenal of hooks and riffs with affecting jolts of guitar-rock reflected through his knack for pop melody. With the release of six eclectic singles between 2021 and 2022, the debut full-length album Shut Up and Be the Light was unveiled in April 2022, with the vinyl release hitting shelves and record collections in October. A new video for “Don’t Come Knockin’” begins a new chapter in March 2023, with more music and media on the way.
