Dying Scene Interview: Catching up with the inimitable Octopoulpe in Chicago!

Dying Scene interviewed Jean-Philippe “JP” Lejal of Octopoulpe at Liar’s Club before his Chicago show which featured a great line up of local bands.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

DS: It’s November 5, 2023, and we’re here at Liar’s Club in Chicago. Tell me about you and your project.

JP: So. I’m J.P. and I have this project called Octopoulpe. I’m French. I studied music like a long time ago as a guitar player. I moved to Korea in 2011 and started Octopoulpe in 2015. So, technically, Octopoulpe is Korean. I moved to Mexico in 2019 and it’s been four years now. So, I’ve been doing Octopoulpe for over eight years now.

DS: What brought you to South Korea and what took you to Mexico?

JP: So, in 2010 with my French band…one of my French bands…we toured in Japan and South Korea, which was like a crazy experience, you know, first time in Asia. And after that I stayed like two more weeks in South Korea and one month in Japan and then I went back to France. I just realized, okay, I’m a freelancer. I’m a web developer. And I was like, oh, actually, I can work anywhere. You know, I work at home. Home can be anywhere. So, I studied, like thinking about it, maybe I should try some somewhere else.

South Korea was amazing. And I think two weeks after I arrived, I met two guys, and we started that band MyManMike. And I was just crazy because like we started touring really fast. We did a big tour in Europe, a big tour in the U.S. We started touring a lot in Asia and I was like, well, I’m so lucky. And in, I don’t know, it was eight years so fast. Eight years past so fast. But the thing I can tell is like, the music scene in South Korea is not that big. So, there’s not a lot of bands coming to South Korea. So, every weekend you play with the same bands in front of the same people. And after eight years, it’s a little bit boring. So, I was like I would like to change. And for a lot of reasons and stuff…let’s try Mexico, because also with MyManMike, we played during our U.S. tour, we played two shows in Mexico in Tijuana and Mexicali and it was awesome. So, I was like, okay, let’s go to Mexico City and see what can happen. I didn’t know anyone, and I got so lucky. So lucky. I met the perfect persons and yeah…

DS: You just mentioned your other band. What is your other band?

JP: MyManMike. My mom can’t pronounce it.

DS: What inspired you to start Octopoulpe?

JP: So, a good friend from France in 2014 told me, “Hey dude, I’m gonna do a tour in Indonesia in 2015, let’s tour together.” And I told him, “Man,” I thought at the time, “my Korean band won’t be able to do it.” Then he told me, “Man, you told me that you want to start a solo project. So, you have 10 months to make it.” I’m like, okay, challenge accepted. So, that’s the reason why I started the project. And yeah, I had to. Yeah, I thought a lot. I had 10 months to create it. And that’s it.

DS: Wow! So how did you choose your band name?

JP: So, right before moving to Korea, I started playing drums, because I’m a guitar player first. And with my first band, the name is Tentacles. I didn’t know how to play correctly. A couple of friends told me, “Wow! You look like an octopus when you play drums.” So, everything was related to octopus. And Octopoulpe is like, you know, half English and half French because poulpe is octopus in French. So, it’s like eight octopuses.

DS: All right. What does it all mean to you?

JP: I don’t know. I think it’s a very interesting animal. I also had some nicknames. Like, I’m J.P. So, Jean Philippe but I had a lot of nicknames. Like Jean, whatever starts with a “P.” So, there was John “Poulpe.” So, John “Octopus.” And I like the animals. Definitely. Yeah, it’s good. It works with my project.

DS: It’s great. Thank you. Have you accomplished what you sought to achieve with Octopoulpe?

JP: Yeah. I wanted to have an interesting live show because that’s the problem with solo projects, I would say. I’ve played in many bands and the difference with a solo project is you don’t have the energy of full band, with like four people on stage. You have the energy and everything. When you have one guy on stage, it’s different. So, I wanted to find something different to make it interesting live. And that’s why I have videos and stuff. And I achieved what I wanted because I think it works pretty good live. And yeah, I’m touring a lot. I released some records. So, I’m just super happy with the project. So, yes, I think so.

DS: This is my first time seeing you perform live. I’ve recently watched a couple of YouTube music videos and I’m excited to see you tonight especially what you’re talking about right now. So, tell me about your setup. I saw a little bit of it as you were setting up today, but it seems like there was a lot more to it.

JP: So, I play drums. I have some triggers on the drums, sensors that are connected to my laptop. And I’m a nerd. So, I created my own program. And I control audio. I’m using like two or three M’s in PA. So, I control the audio also videos, I have a video projector in the lights. So, if I can connect my system to the light system of venue, it’s what I’m doing tonight. I can control the light of the venue, which is pretty cool. And yeah, that’s a setup like, yeah. amps, drums, video, and light.

DS: Well, I’m really excited. So, what is your greatest accomplishment?

JP: It’s really hard to say. I don’t know, it’s hard to say because there are two things there. Of course, I tour a lot. I really toured a lot with this project. I just passed the seven hundreds show last week.

DS: Congratulations!

JP: Thanks. Just the fact that I’m touring and, you know, tours are getting better and better because people have started following me. It’s great. So, that’s an accomplishment by itself, but there’s also releasing albums. I’m super happy that I just released my third album. I’m proud of it. So, yeah, that’s also a big thing for me. I’m really happy with it.

DS: Well, I’m glad you mentioned touring, did you envision you would find yourself all over the world?

JP: Yes, I like to travel. I like to discover other countries, definitely. You know, some areas are quite hard. Like, you know, I always thought I would love to go to Africa that, you know, but finding promoters and a scene…and anyway, it means like losing a lot of money, which is fine, but I need to save that money first. Things like that. I would love to go there but now it’s also a little bit complicated. In 2020, I also had a tour, more or less, in Russia. It was like on the way to being confirmed and everything but then COVID killed everything. Now, there’s the war. So, I think I need to wait some years before going to Russia. That’s also something I really want to do. And yeah, all around the world. Like, next year, the plan is to go to Australia. My first time in Australia. That’s also something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.

DS: Very nice. How have you found touring the U.S.? And how is the tour going for you so far?

JP: It’s good. It’s really good. That’s the thing I can say. Touring in the in the U.S. is not really hard. You know, it’s quite easy. There is a lot of promoters. The hard part is finding the good promoters. And, I can tell that with my project on the paper, it doesn’t sound sexy. You know, one band playing punk. You know, many times the promoters just think it’s a one-man band. So, they organize a noise and experimental one-man band night and it’s not my scene. Usually there’s like 10 people and I’m like, “God dammit! No!” I’m a punk. I need to play with punk bands and things like that. So, that’s the thing but you know, it’s my third tour here in the U.S. I’m getting better and better contacts. So, this tour is great. Definitely.

DS:  I understand you had Kurt Ballou (Converge) from God City Studio mix your record. Kurt is a friend of my gallerist, Jason Hamacher (Frodus, Decahedron, Zealot R.I.P.). Tell me about your experience working with Kurt.

JP: So, the thing is, I was thinking about a few people to mix my album but every time I do a mix, you know, I tell the guy. Like, when we talk about sound, I’m always like, here we’d like to sound a little bit like whatever Kurt Ballou did. You know, I love the sound and everything. And at a point, I was like, maybe I just should just send an email and see if he’s interested. And I sent some videos. Directly, he told me, “Yeah, I love the project. So, yeah, let’s do it.” And the price was like pricey for me, but I’m like it’s really okay. And so, it was great. It was so fast. It was like three days. Like the first mix he sent was alright, we’re on the same page. And then, of course, small adjustments the next day. It was so good. It was really good. Yeah.

DS: Is it available?

JP: Yeah. Actually, for this tour, I received the vinyl version. So, yeah, it’s fresh. I haven’t had the chance to listen to it yet. You know, I flew to El Paso, Texas. That’s where I finally got the vinyl. And I haven’t tried it yet. I’ve never listened to it on vinyl. I also have a CD version I made in Mexico a little bit before that.

DS: I’m interested in how you and Kyle Decker (Bad Chemicals) met. Tell me about that and how you two are able to stay connected and play shows together.

JP: I think the first time…it was my Korean band. I think we were going to Daegu, South Korea. Probably, we played in Daegu and that’s the first time we played with his band Food for Worms. That was the first connection and, of course, it was like, “Okay, we love each other.” Oh, yeah, it was. And I don’t know, we played together a few times. And, yeah, that’s it…the magic of punk. You know, you play with different bands and there’s a good connection and they like you. Yeah, you start a friendship. So, yeah, from Korea…a long time ago. That’s like nine years now? Maybe there was? Yeah. I mean, yeah, 2014.

DS: What is next for you and Octopoulpe?

JP: So, next… I always plan my tours long-term in advance. What I’ve tried to do is, you know, each year like having a big tour. So, it means one year is going to be the U.S., the next year Europe, then the U.S. then Europe, things like that. And I also do some small tours, you know, in between things. I have two small tours in Mexico in January 2024 and March 2024. Then I’m gonna go to Europe for some months, then Australia, and then I really want to bring my Korean band, MyManMike, to Mexico. Yeah, MyManMike will probably play some shows with Octopoulpe during that tour. So, that’s the thing about touring…and then making new songs. That’s also like on the list. So as soon as I’m done with this tour, I will be back home in Mexico and start writing new stuff because with the touring and everything I haven’t written so much recently, unfortunately.

DS: What advice do you have for aspiring musicians who want to start their own projects?

JP: Probably the main advice is to enjoy the project. Don’t focus on trying to be famous because if you plan like…if you just go that way, it’s going to be a disaster. Just enjoy. Enjoy whatever you do. Try to be creative if you want…if you don’t, then just enjoy the thing. I’ve seen many people that just want to be famous, and it doesn’t work like that. You have to be lucky and bla bla bla, and I don’t know. I’ve been playing for so many years for me just you know…I’m so happy about what I have now. I’m not famous, I won’t be famous, and that’s great. You know, and that’s a big thing for me. Enjoy what you do. Yeah, just have fun with your music. That’s the most important thing.

DS: What are the top five punk and hardcore bands you are listening to while on tour?

JP: That’s a really complicated one because I listen to a lot of things. One of the main influences I have is Converge, Kurt Ballou’s band. I love Converge. The drummer is one of my favorite drummers, the way he plays and everything. The Dillinger Escape Plan has been like a huge influence for me as well. Obviously. The Locust. Oh, I’m super happy because in San Diego I’m gonna play with the other band of Bobby Bray the guitar player of the Locust. And yeah, I mean, I’m a big fan of the Locust and so I’m super happy to play with him. But I don’t only listen to punk and hardcore, like, yeah, I listen to a little bit of hip hop and some weird pop. I really like we weird shit. Yeah. So, I don’t know …there are so many, many things I’m listening to. I really like…it’s not hardcore punk but I love Deerhoof. I fuckin’ love that band. I don’t know…there are so many, so many things.

DS: So, do you have any other thoughts you’d like to share with Dying Scene?

JP: Every time I go to the U.S., and I start planning a U.S. tour, I always do a maximum of 44 shows because Guitar Center has a 45-day return policy, and it works perfectly. Hopefully, I’m not gonna get banned or blacklisted. Yeah. It works great and Guitar Center is like McDonald’s, you know, so I don’t care.

Octopoulpe Photo Gallery.