Does Jamiroquai deserve a second listen?

Yes!

Big penis! Yum!

A 2nd and then some for sure.

Someone posted this in the great duets threads. It's fucking amazing. Jay Kay really does steal the song. He has great rhythm and is a sex bomb. Nice voice but limited vocal range.

They are very, very good, OP. Yes.

You just reminded me, too, that the world needs a lot more funk and dance music right now. I'm happy you made this thread!

One of my fave Jamiroquai tracks is "Alright.". Silky smooth and totally jammin' at the same time.

GORGEOUS song.

Vote for Pedro

He's very adorable and a great dancer

I LOVE everything posted in this thread so far. Thanks, y'all. Clearly, I have some catching up to to do. Starting this thread is also reminding me of another British acid jazz / funk group, The Brand New Heavies.

R9 = OP. Sorry, neglected to sign.

I, too, have fond middle school memories of ‘Virtual Insanity.’

They had a mini-comeback a few years ago that got some love on Pitchfork.

Jay Kay is still sexy.

I actually think he's better looking in middle age than he was in his 20s or 30s.

Brand New Heavies is an amazing group.

What about virtual insanity

I was ADDICTED to the Brand New Heavies in college!!!! I got so good. It’s like aural antidepressants.

And we mustn’t forget The Godfather of blue-eyed British soul, Paul Weller, and his amazing band The Style Council.

Here's a great live cut of Jamiroquai doing "Bad Girls" in Italy. In the rain.

I love the ballsy take on it, a guy singing it to his girl. It's funky and fun and fantastic.

Oy, that Native American headdress hasn't aged well, but by the looks of it, that was the late 90s or early 2000s.

R17 listen to Jay Kay's improv in the last 90 seconds, it's genius.

I loved Cosmic Girl.

Love Jamiroquai although I haven't really loved their last few albums. They seem to only release sporadically.

Jay Kay made the news yesterday, insisting he was not at Capitol HIll yesterday.

There was just something always so inauthentic about his music. So no, it doesn't deserve another listen.

They are great live. One of the best concerts I've attended.

I was really into Jamiroquai - a lot of great music - both uptempo and otherwise. A lot of great remixes. Solid group. And very good live.

Oh yes. Smooth, fun, danceable, kind of timeless...Like all good funk and soul music. Brings back so many happy memories of 1996-1997.

Love Jay Kay. His mom used to make all his head wear. Their live version of Kool and the Gang’s Hollywood Swinging is fantastic. If I knew how, I’d post the link.

Jamiroquai was funk, but also soul, R&B, pop, a little rock - and then we get to the remixes that could get into house music, disco, and other territory. They've been categorized as Acid Jazz at times - along with groups like Brand New Heavies and Incognito - and you can certainly see the relationship. But, then Jamiroquai goes in its own direction.

They cover a lot of ground, yet they have their identifiable sound. Jay Kay is a really good singer. Plenty of gem album tracks.

I don't have anything negative to say. Lot of good memories and I still listen to them. Loved Jay Kay for simply having fun with it and enjoying the music star lifestyle. THey

I'd totally forgotten about "Canned Heat". Haven't heard it in decades. It's better than I remember it.

He really went back again and again to that retro-disco well, until it was all dried up.

"Space Cowboy" had a bit of a different vibe, though...a little jazzier and mellower than a lot of his hits.

"Space Cowboy" is his best.

[quote] I honestly had no idea Jamiroquai were so successful

“Jamiroquai were”? Isn’t it one dude?

"Blow Your Mind" is good too.

Never mind, just Googled them. Had no idea it was a band name and not one dude’s moniker.

Where are the big penis pics?

Awful '90s music.

That first Emergency on Planet Earth album - is much more midtempo acid jazz than the driving dance music singles they'd release. Space Cowboy album is all over the map and shows you all the directions they'd go with remixes. I have a lot of Jamiroquai maxi-singles and they'd REALLY mix up the remixes which I loved.

Those first four albums are great and then I think they peaked, but there was still some good stuff after that.

Jamiroquai's best record.

Why talk about this shit music?

I love Soul II Soul, R35, but love Jamiroquai too.

This is another great, great cut off of A Funk Odyssey, which I think is their best album. The whole thing puts that shit Kylie Minogue album from this year to shame.

I agree, R37, and I’ve been listening to 2001 A Funk Odyssey nonstop since New Year’s Eve. “Little L” is my jam!

I’ve gotten into their 2017 album “Autimaton” too, which I didn’t expect to ever adore. But I do now. “Cloud 9” is a fantastic, classic tune.

R38 get out of my mind. I just finished listening to Cloud 9 and I have Dr. Buzz on right now!

Sorry, "Automaton" is the album. The video for "Cloud 9" is not their best, but Jay Kay's dance moves are sexy as fuck. He's just so sexy. I have come to really love this song, it's incredible.

R39 OMG that's awesome! Yeah I am fairly new to that album, but once it clicked... it REALLY clicked.

I was an enormous Style Council fan as a kid and My Everchanging Moods is my all time favorite song (out of all songs, not just theirs). Have you seen the new doc on Showtime?

Here's a fun mix

"Little L" is one of those ear worms that will loop in your brain for days on end. I listen to it when I'm getting ready to go out. Or since the pandemic, when I'm sick of watching TV and want to feel like life is exciting for a few minutes, I pop it on. Jay Kay is totes adorbs in this video.

R42 No! I'm not hooked up with Showtime. But I loved The Jam, and then I loved Style Council actually even more. I should do a free trial or something so I can watch the doc. Thank you for the heads-up!

There's a record store in Atlanta called Moods Music and I go there whenever I'm in town - they have a whole section of CD mixes - essentially club sets for purchase. It was on one of those mixes years ago that I first heard a version of Little L - It was much more exciting as part of a mix.

R20 The SECOND I saw that Viking guy in the Capitol riots, I thought of Jay Kay. Hilarious that I was not the only one. Stupid to ever assume it was him, but yeah, that headwear is on-brand for a Jamiroquai concert.

I wish Jay Kay would do more covers. He has a great voice. But he only seems to do them live.

R16 THIS. The "Bad Girls" performance live in Italy in the rain. I have watched it soooo many times. Fucking amazing. R48 Yes his covers are always golden. I'm kind of glad he only does them live. Gives the albums more integrity.

How apropos

For the superfans: a particularly funky, upbeat live version of "Rock Dust Light Star." It's fairly "Jesus Christ Superstar," but I like that about it.

Old school live Jamiroquai - 1997. Sorry hater at R32, but this is timeless music, like any great music is.

These are pros - rehearsed and "in shape."

This is really great - the vocals - lead and background, the tight, live instruments. Very nice. Thanks for recommending.

R12 I agree with you. Now that he has filled out, and isn't a teeny tiny little spazz, he looks like a grown ass man, and he's extremely sexy and attractive. But wow, he was really so young and so talented back in the day. I'm grateful for whatever he puts out there.

Has anyone posted "Alright" yet?

I never knew Jamiroquai still had fans. Do you gays also (still) listen to Paula Cole, Ace of Base, and Four Non-Blondes?

I always thought Jay Kay wore hats because maybe he had early balding or something. But he still has all of his hair, even now. Then I saw a little documentary about him where he says he wore hats on stage, so that he could still walk down the street without a hat, and hopefully remain a little anonymous.

He looks fucking amazing without the dorky hats.

Young Jay Kay reminds me of Crockett from Miami Vice - not that they really look the same, but sort of have the same vibe. Both hot.

R55 Haha. Jamiroquai isn't a one-hit wonder band. They've been around for 25 or so years. So haha. It's not even comparable to fucking Ace of Bass. And it's not just the one person -- it's a whole band thing. And they are some of the best musicians on the planet.

And Jay Kay is hot and talented, so yeah, I go gooey for his hot ass.

Jamiroquai has some nice tunes, but Lewis Taylor's discography shits all over their music.

R59 Why is it a contest though?

I have always loved the (admittedly limited selections) songs i've heard from Jamiroquai (who i actually thought was just "that guy" and not an entire band). This song doesn't disappoint - it's perfect, disco-y escapism and he definitely has the moves still. He's got rhythm and a great voice. still haven't figured out his penchant for stupid hats though. He looks great older...he was super skinny in the 90s.

Not a contest, R60, but Lewis Taylor is superior on every level and he never got the recognition that he deserved. Taylor's talent was on par with Prince and D'Angelo, and according to Elton John and David Bowie, the most soulful Brit the country has ever produced.

I'm just throwing his name out there for others who may have never heard of him, and if they want an alternative and more substance to their British soul music, they should check out Lewis Taylor's debut album. It's a masterpiece.

R60 Which song are you referring to? See my post at R56 for insight about the hats.

R62 Thank you for clarifying. I love British soul and I will be check this out presently.

Brit crap.

r63 i just saw the rationale after i posted and it makes good sense. however, he does seem to have a non-descript look about him but i can get why he would want to maintain some anonymity given how famous the band is in UK. the June song was okay and if i had heard it without the vid, i'd say meh, but it captures those summer vacations where we just abandon all the shit and have fun and be kids again.

[quote] I'm kind of glad he only does them live. Gives the albums more integrity.

He could do them as one off singles. I would just like to listen to them on my ipod in a mix without all the yap yap beforehand and in between without having to edit them.

Does the lead singer do anal?

I completely forgot about this thread. Y'all have given me so many songs to check out. Thanks so much!

shut up and go home r68

He has a big penis? Are there pics?

No pics, but I remember seeing him in track pants at a show with one of the biggest and most visible VPL's I've ever seen.

It bounced as he jumped around. Dude was undoubtedly freeballing.

OMFG HOLY MOTHERFUCKING SHIT THERE'S A STYLE COUNCIL DOCUMENTARY

Okay....I'm okay now. I just lost my shit for a moment. I'm fine.

For those who love the Style Council and/or loved that whole UK sophisticated jazz/pop mid 80s sound, here's a thread (I started a few years ago, but you are most welcome to visit it)

In UK and Europe? UK is in Europe. That's like saying in California and USA

Not really the right season for this track, but "Summer Girl" is quite a good'un. From 2017. Has such a killer, smooth, breezy disco vibe. Only question: Why is he wearing a coat and hat for a song called "Summer Girl?" And why does the video take place indoors?? And why is there no "girl"?

A lot of Jamiroquai videos feel like they are just phoning in the concept, like the multiple ones of JK driving in the desert. I know he loves cars, but shit, man. It's incredibly boring to watch someone randomly driving for several minutes.

ps To reiterate what others have said, Jay Kay was mischievous and spunky in his youth, like a funky imp. But he is drop dead sexy in middle age. No he's not shimmying around like James Brown anymore... but he has some meat on his bones and he looks like a man not a little boy. I love the bit of grey in his beard, too.

Jay Kay's Bad Girls in a rainy Verona is brilliant. Jamiroquai deserves more appreciation...

R1 proof? We need pics.

LOVED this acid jazz in the nineties. went and saw him in at the Melkweg in Amsterdam back in the day. LOVE the music

r1, he's like one foot tall, that isn't likely

a friend roomed in a co-op with him and others when they were in college and said he WAS a massive dick, not that he had one

r9, this was my jam back in 1997

R77 It's almost like he had to make a split-second choice: "Okay, I can tense up and get pissy cuz I'm getting soaking wet -- OR -- I can loosen up and embrace this rainstorm, get freaky with it, use it, work it. And we are being filmed, and we 'bout to create an historically EPIC moment right now. Let's go!"

R81. Can't even fathom how many times I listened to "Never Stop" back in the day, while getting ready to go out at night. It was a fucking ANTHEM.

we get to see why he always wears a hat here

R80 I'm laughing so hard. Everything you said is hilarious. I'm also having this image right now of a 24" tall midget version of Jay Kay, naked with an enormous shlong that's hitting the ground, and he's holding court in the lounge of a college dorm, surrounded by sycophants, spouting his mouth off and acting like a complete asshole.

I believe your friend. You don't get where he got by being a retiring, sweet flower. He was a broke-ass, blue collar little punk with massive amounts of swagger.

yup, you took what I gave and ran with it but my friend basically described that

R81 you reminded me of my jam

R84 That is very funny!

R70 Take an English composition course.

[quote] OMFG HOLY MOTHERFUCKING SHIT THERE'S A STYLE COUNCIL DOCUMENTARY

I know. I happened upon it by accident flipping through Showtime Anytime a couple months back, otherwise I would have never known about it. It is new, but I'm in the biz and I hadn't heard word one. I threw it on my watchlist, but I think I'm gonna sit down today and finally do it.

Thanks to this thread I found this

Early Jamiroquai will always remind me of this song. The station where I discovered Jamiroquai spun this all the time.....love this song, good times.

This song was released when I was in college, I remember it playing a lot on MTV2.

I find it interesting that his only actual hit in the US (Virtual Insanity) was one of his weakest songs. This band has so many really great songs that have been undiscovered and should have been hits.

I loved this song....remembered when half of it was bleeped (weed references)

which always reminded me of this hysterical 80s R&B song with the same name.

Jay Kay was charming and sexy and wonderful. Inauthentic? Of for crissakes, can it.

r92, very nice to revisit that

R93 YEAH! That's what I'm talking about!!

R94 I was thinking the same thing. It's personally the song I go to the least, as in, I avoid it. I appreciate the message, but I just like so many, many other songs and eras more than that. The US missed the boat, completely.

R93 Jay Kay is playing four characters in that video: himself, the Candy Man (drug pusher creature), plus the girl and the nerdy guy in the drug den. It's obviously a song about the allure and spiral of drug addiction. But it's so funky.

One of those "Tiny Desk" style of live versions of "Feels Just Like It Should." He's a funky fucking dude. Amazing vocals. The entire band is so good it's insane.

R98 Thank you. I was blasting it today.....needed after this week

Jay Kay sure got around, he dated Heidi Klum, Kylie Minogue, Martine McCutcheon (Eastenders, Love Actually) and the other women were likely not known outside of the UK, a bunch of TV presenters, 'models' and a British soap actress, Amy Nuttall, she was on EMMERDALE.

After 10 years finally married the mother of his two kids, a woman named Maria.

His height is listed as 5'9", he barely looks 5'5"! He's probably 5'9" with his big hats!

Go boy

Jay Kay’s mother Karen Kay was a regular sight on UK TV in the 70’s and 80’s. She was a multi-tasker, comedian, singer and impressionist.

Jay and another famous Brit female singer (think it was Kylie, but isn't she Aussie?) had a threesome with Kate Moss.

Wow, Jay must have a big dick.

He's funny looking, but damn sexy! I can certainly see women dropping their panties for him.

Sometime in the 90s, Jay had a 2-3 year relationship with a woman named Denise Van Outen, she was a British TV presenter. In the looks department, Denise was nothing special, she was a hard looking blond who always walked around half undressed.

Denise once slapped Naomi Campbell across the face because Naomi was flirting with Jay. Naomi was sitting on Jay Kay's lap at some event.

Oh yeah, almost forgot, after Jay split with Denise, the rumour was he had a brief fling with Naomi, she sure loves her rockers.

Eric Clapton and Adam Clayton from U2 are just two of Naomi's ex-BFs who happened to be musicians.

Wait, I just remembered the other singer in the threesome was a MAN. It was allegedly Damon Albarn!

Kate was giving Damon blowjob and Jay was fucking her from behind. In an Esquire interview, Damon vehemently denied this encounter.

The Purple Disco Machine remix of Cloud 9 was one of the smoothest freshest tracks of the past decade. Great collaboration. Jamiroquai were fantastic in the 90s. Cosmic Girl still sounds incredible if it's dropped in a club. All of their music has a sort of timeless sound. When you hear other artists talk about Jay K, they always say how much respect they have for him as an artist! Their style is also inimitable- if you hear one of their tracks, you can recognise it instantly as Jamiroquai.

Nice to see the love for them. Saw them in 2005 in Toronto. Amazing live. Absolutely phenomenal. They didn't play Virtual Insanity and it wasn't missed.

Jamiroquai is one of those bands that are tightly woven into my memories of starting to go out to clubs in the early 00s. The music seemed to be everywhere here in Australia for awhile: "Virtual Insanity", "Cosmic Girl", "Canned Heat", "Little L", "You Give Me Something" and "Love Foolosophy" were the big tracks. They weren't a favourite band of mine, but were enjoyable enough to get us all on the dance floor. The sound is so of that time, it's quite nostalgic (A Funk Odyssey in particular). I never found him particularly attractive, but there's a moment in the "Little L" video where he winks at the camera and I remember sitting up a bit straighter for a moment.

The last I heard of them was "(Don't) Give Hate a Chance" and that was more due to the Freemason's remixing it. I do like that song.

Love the memories this thread is giving me

I would let his big balls bounce all over my face while he did a funky dance.

Thank you for this gift, R110. I am listening to the fuck out of it right now and loving it. Fucking awesome.

Didn’t the co-founder of the group just die?

Yes! Toby Smith. Poor guy. Only 46. But he hadn't been in the group since 2002 so it's more symbolic than logistical that he's gone now.

Wigged out to this remix many a dancefloor in the early 00s

Wigged out to this remix many a dancefloor in the early 00s

He's a great showman. Really knows how to command a stage. He should be a much bigger star.

"I find it interesting that his only actual hit in the US (Virtual Insanity) was one of his weakest songs."

I don't know how technically "weak" it was but it wasn't one of my favorites. Many I thought were better.

Any more about his private life? Jay seems like a hot mess and we all know how DL LOVES hot messes!

"I find it interesting that his only actual hit in the US (Virtual Insanity) was one of his weakest songs."

I don't know how technically "weak" it was but it wasn't one of my favorites. Many I thought were better.

I think Jay and Mick Hucknall are similar.

Both have reputations for whoring around a bit in their younger days. And both have gotten fat in recent years (though with Jay it was a spinal injury).

I adore Jay Kay. He's an incredible talent. Not just as a showman, but as a songwriter and lyricist.

I have been wondering, though, how he communicates his musical ideas to the band? I have never gotten the impression he knows how to strum a guitar or play the piano, which would be the two typical ways to communicate chords or melody ideas to others. One thing that is certain, is that he has always been able source amazing, top-notch musicians to execute his ideas. In particular I'm thinking of the bass playing. Some of those bass parts on "A Funk Odyssey" are the most masterful, satisfying basslines I have ever heard in my life. (Mary!)

The Live in Verona set from 2002 is great.

Especially the band's version of Bad Girls, which was already linked and Corner of the Earth.

[quote] I don't know how technically "weak" it was but it wasn't one of my favorites. Many I thought were better.

I didn't mean that it was without merit, it's just not as easy on the ears and didn't really say "instant hit" the way many of their other songs (to me) have. But I also think the video had a lot to do with the popularity of the song now that I think back on it.

My nephews (2 and 4) love the video for "Virtual Insanity", they're fascinated by the furniture moving all over the place. For me it's a song I really liked at the time it came out, but after awhile it become sorta-annoying. I think they have better songs for sure.

Maybe it (the theme of the song) was a message that resonated deeply in pop culture at that time? Or am I giving humanity too much credit?

2015-2017 were rough years for poor Kay Kay. He had a stalker that caused him to have anxiety and depression, his founding band mate died, snd he had a sever spinal injury that left him immobilized for a period of time.

I thought the complete absence of dance moves in more recent live shows was just him becoming older and being out of shape (he’s got a bit of pudge now). But it was the back injury. He can’t do his moves anymore. I’m sure he doesn’t love losing that part of his persona. Kudos to him for not giving up though.

I follow him on Instagram and he seems only a tad arrogant. he's not a young man so I get it.

hot ass dancer in his day

I forgot about Jamiroquai until I came across this thread. I hadn't listened to them beyond their hits, but something about their music is hitting the spot for me right now! Glad I went back and gave them a "second listen"!

One of my faves. Yes.

I love the feel - makes me want to dance

You're queer, am I?

I'm a queer