Mr Jukes: "I feel a great sense of freedom"

Jack Steadman has launched his first solo project since Bombay Bicycle Club disbanded last year - and it's a wee bit different. Under the name Mr Jukes, he's teamed up with a number of collaborators (watch this space) for an album that's set to land this summer.

Hey Jack, how're things? Is life treating you well?

Life is good. I'm in Little Poland in New York mixing the final few songs of the album and eating lots of pierogis.

You’ve just launched your first solo project - what prompted you to go it alone?

The desire to write songs that didn't need to have certain instruments on them due to the structure of the band performing them.

Did Mr Jukes arrive fully formed, or was there a process of figuring out what you wanted it to be?

To be honest, I never envisaged having so many features on the album. But I kept writing songs that, in my opinion, my voice would not do justice. Once I realised that my daydreams about different singers on different songs could sometimes become reality, I became quite intoxicated with that idea.

When did you start putting together ‘God First’? Was there any overlap with Bombay Bicycle Club?

The actual writing process didn't start until the break with the band, but you can certainly hear hints of the project if you look back at things like our last Live Lounge cover (full of horns and Fela stylings) and the more sample-heavy songs on our last album.