Interview: Jahrel JP and the Future

A brand new Nottingham rock band with an exhilarating live performance that commands attention, Jahrel JP and the Future fuse blues, melodic alt rock, metal and post-punk into a combination that is turning heads in the local scene. At this year's Beat The Streets, Liz Clarke caught up with frontman Jahrel to discuss the growth of a true scene out of Nottingham, the development of his band up to this point, and their forthcoming debut EP Step Inside...

You’ve just released your first single with Jahrel JP and The Future, Step Inside. What did you set out to do with that track, and how has the reception been?

The reception’s been really positive and it's great to have something out in the world. The thing with this track, is that we’ve always opened our gigs with it, every gig we’ve done so far it’s been the opening track and it is designed to be a taste of what’s to come, accordingly it’s also the opening track on our upcoming EP. 

How long have you been performing with the current iteration of the band, and when did you all first meet?

With this iteration of the band, probably about a year and a half. Me and the drummer, Bobbi, actually knew each other from church when we were kids, of all places. He was the drummer in the church band, climbed up the ranks really, whereas I was just the quiet kid at the back. Fast forward about 15 years from then, we ran into each other at The Sal (Nottingham pub Ye Old Salutation Inn), and it was a case of realising that we were both making music. And then after that, we ended up on the same bill! With Jehu, the guitarist, we met via this app called Join My Band - it’s like Tinder for musicians really. It’s all quite happenstance but it’s worked really well. I knew it was going to be special and that these were the right guys when we did our first proper gig up in Leeds and it became clear that there was a real spark between the three of us musically. I think Jehu’s been a great addition because he has a background in metal, which has provided us with a little extra influence from that side of things.

How would you describe your music to somebody who hasn’t heard it before?

I have a lot of different influences, so that’s always a tough one. It dips into post-punk, it dips into alt rock, but it’s all based within a blues rock background that I think is what truly defines and differentiates our sound. And in all of the past iterations of my project this has been the case, though it’s definitely heavier now than it was before.

This always feels like asking somebody to pick a favourite child, but what’s your favourite venue in Nottingham?

I love Rock City and Rescue Rooms, of course, because they’re such staples. But also, The Grove. It’s got an incredible atmosphere, I love the people that run it (shoutout to Cam!), and we recorded most of our EP there. I don’t know what you think, but it’s so important to have independent venues in my opinion. They’re the breeding ground, and there’s a lot less pressure to fit into a certain box when you’re performing at them. Places like that and then also the Mist Rolling Inn, for instance. They’re boiling hot, dark, and stink, but that’s all part of the experience and what makes them so special.

What records would you say most had the effect of making you think, “I want to do that”?

Blak and Blu by Gary Clark Jr., that’s a massive one for me. But also Rage Against the Machine’s self-titled, Favourite Worst Nightmare by Arctic Monkeys, et cetera. I’ll have to throw it back to Black Sabbath's Paranoid as well, obviously, what a classic that pretty much everything owes something to today.

Which bands who performed at Beat the Streets do you think are worth checking out, and who are you planning on seeing today?

Bloodworm, of course. They definitely have a similar sound to me and run in similar circles, really nice guys who are deservedly getting a lot of love. And also Marvin’s Revenge - they’re so good! Bored Marsh too.

Great choices, and it feels like they’re all doing so well. I mean, Bloodworm are supporting Suede throughout February which is insane; Marvin’s Revenge also had a massive headline show at The Level last year which was a great night.

I don’t know about you, but to me at least, it feels like there’s a little bit of a wave coming for this many fantastic rock bands to be coming out of Nottingham and the East Midlands right now. Even beyond the bands I just mentioned, you’ve also got GIRLBAND! and Divorce who are both getting a lot of attention on the national scene. It goes like a bunch of carriages: one starts moving, and then more and more people get creating art and music. We’re now coming along on the carriage as well, and are more than happy to ride it and see where it takes us. And something like Beat the Streets is exactly what’s needed to get people to see new bands and keep maintaining this scene that we’re nurturing, people walk around seeing new artists in new venues and just keep finding new things that take their fancy.

To round things off, tell us a little about your new EP and the plans going forwards from there.

The EP’s called Step Inside, it begins with that track and then ends on a song called Step Outside. It’s just about what the world is right now: going out, then staying in, being skint and being young, or at least young enough, today. Life can be crazy and I wanted to communicate a bit of that, but I also get a bit more existential on some songs too. On To and Fro, I talk a lot about moving between people, places, and times in your life. I’ve been through so many iterations of this band and in that process you learn a lot about yourself, the people around you, and the world. But past that point, it’s just about doing festival season and seeing where it takes us from there.

Jahrel JP and The Future will play an EP launch headline show at The Grove on April 5, 2026. Their debut EP, Step Inside, releases on April 3, 2026. Their second single, Step Outside, will also release this Friday (February 6).

Liz Clarke

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Edited by Liz Clarke

Photographs provided courtesy of Jahrel JP and the Future