Stunning in-depth interview with vocalist Jim Grey from the band.

Australian progressive rock/metal band Caligula’s Horse are coming to South Africa for two shows at the end of August. 

CALIGULA’S HORSE Charcoal Grace South Africa Tour dates: 
•              Fri, 23 August – Daisy Jones, Stellenbosch. With support from Deity’s Muse and Megalodon. 
•              Sat, 24 August – Sognage, Johannesburg. With support from Deity’s Muse, Sunken State and New Earth.

What is your purpose?

It’s been a lot of different things over the years, but right now all I want is to put some joy out into the world in the small way that I can. If I can make things better for just one person for just one day, that’s my purpose.

What does music mean to you?

Pure emotion and connection. What I look for in music is to entirely overwhelmed, to be brought to goosebumps and tears. I’ll be chasing that dragon my whole life!

My music is about…

Human stories and reflections of ourselves.

What is your motto?

Might be a cliché, but honestly it’s one day at a time 

Fame is about…

 Kindness and giving back.

Retirement will happen when…

In these times? Never!

 I don’t do…

Spreadsheets. They make me truly nauseous.

 I would love to co-write with…

 Oh god, so many artists! I think working with someone super prolific like Taylor Swift would honestly be awesome, but Tori Amos is my hero so I’ll say Tori!

Where do you go for inspiration to create?

 My car, haha! I do some of my best writing singing along to demos/ideas in the car. Somehow it helps me to switch off the active part of my brain and let my subconscious do its thing.

 What is the most enjoyable aspect of your work?

 I’ll cop out and give two answers, haha! The combination of pride, relief, and nervousness at the end of completing an album, and the joy of bringing new material to life in a live setting with everyone singing along.

 The song you must do during every show?

We’ve played Marigold from our 2015 album Bloom at every single show bar ONE since its release nearly 10 years ago. I don’t think we can get away with not playing that one, there’d be a riot!

 Any funny moments on stage?

Every show has its own funny stuff, I always have a bit of chit-chat with the crowd and I love a good heckle. I do remember once someone in Scotland having a good go at it and I just couldn’t understand anything they said through the accent – I described it as discovering what it would feel like to hear English without knowing English.

 My heroes are…

 All around me every day.

My style icon is…

Edna Mode from The Incredibles, pure fashion queen. Gimme that haircut.

Which living person do you admire most and why?

 Interesting question! I don’t idolize people the way I used to, but out of my musical peers I have to say I look up to Daniel Tompkins from Tesseract a great deal. That guy is at the absolute height of his powers right now and a real inspiration as a vocalist.

 What is your most treasured possession?

 Mugs man. My coffee mugs. I don’t know why, but they’re precious to me. Don’t drink from my mug, I’ll go full Gollum mode.

 It’s your round; what are you drinking?

 Whiskey baby! I love a smokey boy, but a Jameson’s with a little lime and soda is my go to for easy drinking.

 Dream gig to do?

 I don’t have many bucket list items left which is a good problem to have, haha! But I’d say playing Red Rocks or the Royal Albert Hall would be on that dream list.

 What makes you stand out?

 I’m utterly myself in all ways in all contexts. If you see me on stage that’s who I am when we meet.

 Any nicknames?

 Dickhead springs to mind but often I cop Jimothy which I’ve always found distressing.

If you were not a musician, what would you do?

 Fundamentally I’m an entertainer, that’s a core part of who I am. So anything with a captive audience I guess, maybe standup?

 Pick five words to describe yourself?

 Please, stop, talking, for, once.

 Five must have songs on your Spotify playlist please

Exploring Birdsong – Bear the Weight
Tori Amos – Little Earthquakes
Rage Against The Machine – Year of the Boomerang
sleepmakeswaves – Worlds Away
Evan Carson – Shards/The Fireflies of Falaise

 Greatest Movie Ever Made?

The Fifth Element – absolutely timeless piece of sci-fi with a great sense of humour. In a lot of ways it’s really dumb and I love it!

 What book are you reading?

I have trouble focusing to read if I’m being honest! I have a lot of fond memories as a kid reading the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett though.

 What song changed your life?

 Little Earthquakes by Tori Amos. Pure unbridled emotion and some uncompromising and fearless lyrics that put you right in the moment from the first line. Changed everything for me.

 Who do you love?

 My wife and my kids for their infinite patience with all of my bullshit!

 What is your favourite Word?

Whimsy

Top of your bucket list?

Living to 80. Can’t see it happening but it’d be sick!

Your greatest achievement?

My eldest daughter is proud of me and that feels like a gold medal

What do you complain about most often?

Getting sick, I’m the world’s biggest man-flu pussy.

What is your biggest fear?

Outside of being macheted to death, probably being forgotten.

Happiness is…

Connection

On stage, I tend to…

Talk more loosely improvised bullshit than is recommended for a human person in public.

The best life lesson you have learned?

Never delete your ideas, even when they’re cliché or not so great. There can be inspiration for the next solid gold idea from anywhere.

What has been your favourite journey so far?

Parenthood. I’ve learned a tonne about myself over the last 10 years, primarily that even before it happened, I’ve always been a Dad. I never expected to but I rose to the occasion immediately and it felt so natural.

Do you do charity work, and if you do – what do you do?

I haven’t done so in a long time, but I stream on Twitch regularly and will be including charity work there over the next year or so!

Wishes and dreams?

To keep the love I have in my life. My cup is full and I’m grateful.

YouTube links

Caligula’s Horse:
Caligula’s Horse – YouTube

My personal channel:
TheRealJimGrey – YouTube

Social media links

TWITCH
TheRealJimGrey – Twitch

 INSTAGRAM
Jim Grey (Caligula’s Horse) (@jimgreyofficial)

FACEBOOK
Facebook