Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong: No rave.
Joe Lean had a vision and in January he finally saw it realised. It took Joe (23, singer) a year to find his dream band, The Jing Jang Jong. They consist of Tom Doogan (guitar), Panda (bass), Dom O’Dare (guitar), and James Bummer (so called because it “rhymes with drummer”). “I’m the leader,” he states, “Write that down”.
All aged 18, they look like the stars of a film about The Rolling Stones’ early years – baby faced, with long pageboy hairstyles and surly pouts. Joe first met Tom through Tom’s sister Rose, aka Rose Dougall from The Pipettes (for whom Joe plays drums). Their mutual friend Bummer was recruited next, followed by Dom and Panda, both school friends of Tom’s.
Joe took the risk of asking each member to join the band without hearing any of them play a note. He did so for the simple reason that he wanted to be in a band with his friends. Meanwhile, he asked Panda because “Panda has a wicked face”. He adds: “I guess it’s pretty lucky for me they all turned out to be amazing musicians.”
Having split time between Brighton and London, they all relocated to Roman Road in London’s East End and spent a year writing and rehearsing. Next they had to decide on their debut single – not easy because, as they point out, every song could be a single. Some members argued for Where Do You Go?, a clap-along live favourite, others for the galloping Keep Up. Eventually they decided on Lucio Starts Fires.The song’s protagonist is a character from the Shakespeare play Measure For Measure. “He talks in riddles and is generally an obnoxious motherfucker, like Joe,” says Tom.
They joke that they’re ‘no rave’ and aren’t exaggerating when they say their sound is unique – a new wave of Motown-style soul that crosses ’60s pop sensibilities with André 3000 (if he played guitar).
It’s a fabulous noise. Get ready: here come Joe Lean And The Jing Jang Jong.
Joe Lean And The Jing Jang Jong’s debut single, Lucio Starts Fires, is released in April on Young & Lost.
