Go Away With … Jaymes Young

By Jae-Ha Kim
Los Angeles Times
February 12, 2019

Sitting in his suite at the W Seattle, musician Jaymes Young looked around his surroundings and smiled. “I’m happy to be back,” said the soft-spoken musician. “I love Seattle. Growing up here was a wonderful experience. It was a good environment to get creative.” Young says he is always creating, whether on the road or at his home in Los Angeles. His current album is “Feel Something.” Fans may stay in touch with Young on Twitter and Facebook.

Q. You grew up in Seattle. When you return, do you go sightseeing?

A. I do a good job of indulging in the city. I always feel like both a tourist and at home. It’s a good feeling, because you can visit the old spots and see how they’ve changed or stayed the same. There are good parts of both.

Q. What do you tell friends they have to see in Seattle?

A. There’s so much, but Gum Wall Alley (under Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle) is one of them. I might have a couple pieces of gum stuck up there, too. (Laughs) You never know, because the city washed it all off for a while and then started over, because there was so much gum stuck to it. Locals do it, but tourists seek it out.

Q. Do you go sightseeing when you’re on tour?

A. I absolutely make time for it. There’s always some time here and there on tour for that, which I take advantage of. That’s one of the best parts of getting to travel for work. Whether it’s getting to see Niagara Falls or some monuments, it’s worth it to go out and take a look. It’s even more fun when you can get the crew and everyone involved.

Q. What is on your travel bucket list?

A. I would love to spend time in Japan; South America, too. I’ve always wanted to see parts of the Middle East. I know there are pockets everywhere in the world with film and music festivals that I would like to visit one day. I could go on and on, but those are at the top of my list.

Q. What are some of your favorite cities?

A. Montreal is really cool. I think Austin was amazing. I’ve only been to Texas twice, so I want to get to know Texas better. Seattle is, of course, on the list. There’s a little town called Brighton in England. It’s just a beautiful town.

Q. What have been your best and worst travel experiences?

A. I was on a flight to London and the air conditioning on the plane broke. There were people taking their jackets off and a little bit of a panic moment for everyone on board. It was a long flight and it was really hot and sticky. I felt like I could feel other people’s hot stickiness. It was a miserable flight, but I don’t know if it was the worst. My favorite part of traveling is just driving through the states. The United States is a big place with a lot to see. Just getting to see nature is pretty cool, driving through the plains and actually seeing all the things you’ve read about and visiting friends and relatives. It’s all about visiting the cousin that has the house on the water (Laughs).

Q. What cities are great for live music?

A. So many places! Just some of my favorites are Nashville and Los Angeles. You’ll see really great live music there. There are some cities that are so appreciative to live acts. Montreal is one of my favorite places to play. Austin. But sometimes you just have to take care of yourself, no matter how much you want to go out. I skipped out on an opportunity to hang out in Paris for a while after one of the first big tours I did, just because I was so tired. I think I am the type to want to stay in the hotel and drink tea sometimes.

© 2019 JAE-HA KIM
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