Interview: Beans on Toast

Interview: Beans on Toast

It was 2005 when Jay McAllister took to the stage for the first time. Now, nearly fifteen years later, the man who came to be known as Beans on Toast has toured globally, played at every festival you've ever heard of (probably), released ten albums and seen the birth of his first child. Entertaining fans the world over with his social commentary, observational style and relatable charm, his latest foray into Ireland see dates in both Belfast and Dublin. Ahead of his performances, we sat down with the folk troubadour to discuss touring, his career, and his brew of choice.

Congrats on your tenth album. You release one every year on the same day, your birthday. Why that particular date, is it a present to yourself?

It's just something that happened. For my first album, I doubled up my album release as a birthday party, getting bums on seats more than anything else I fear. The next year I had another album ready to go around the same time, so it just felt right to do it again, by the time I released my third record it had become a thing.

These days it just feels like my natural output, so I just keep it rolling. I'm a creature of habit.

The new album focuses on your daughter, and from my listening, it appears more tender than previous releases. Has fatherhood affected your writing style or your touring schedule?

I've always written songs about what's going on in my life and in my head and becoming a parent automatically becomes the most important thing in your life and wrestles all the emotions in your head, so it was always something I was going to write about.

I'm not sure it's changed my style too much though, just new subject matter and I'll still be touring. My daughter went on two tours before her first birthday.

You’ve been a regular feature on the folk circuit for over a decade and a half now. What is it about that style that remains consistently attractive to you? Do you prefer it as a method of delivery for your messages or is it more a case of ‘play what you know?’

Definitely, the 'play what you know' option, I'm not sure I'd know how to do anything else, be that musically or even just as a form of employment. Ideally, I'll get to write simple songs about the world for the rest of my days. I still find the whole thing attractive, more now than ever.

You stated in the past that you take pride in being a touring musician and being on the road a lot. Do you have any favourite venues or crowds?

I do my best to treat all shows with the same amount of love, but of course, some gigs go better than others and some places hold a special place in my heart. I'm reluctant to get started as I fear it would be a very long list, but one of my all-time favourite venues is Gorilla in Manchester, there seems to be a magic in that venue for me.

On the subject of touring, I saw you perform in Budapest, at the Sziget festival, over the summer. Do you prefer the energy of the festival atmosphere or are you a quiet venue type of guy?

That was a wicked festival.

I think the natural home for what I do is at a festival. The music was almost born out of them and as much as I love pub and venue gigs I think I'm trying to create the feeling of a festival when I play them.

This isn’t your first time performing in Belfast, what are your thoughts on the city? You had a chance to tour it after the Sunflower Festival. is there anything you’d like to spend more time doing?

Hopefully, I'll find time to grab a pint with Danny, the cab driver who picked me up from the airport to Sunflower fest. The following day he gave me the full tour of Belfast, complete with his own personal stories of growing up there, eye-opening stuff.

Belfast has a pretty thriving social drinking culture, and you have mentioned before that drinking plays a big part in your shows. Does it get the creative juices flowing? Do you have a favourite and least favourite brew?

In all the years of playing, I think I've played two shows sober, so it must be more than creative juices and something of a necessity.  That said, I don't get anywhere near as hammered as I used to on stage. My drink of choice for a gig, you'll be pleased to hear is Guinness.

Your body of work far outweighs many of your contemporaries. What drive you to write at such a constant pace?

As mentioned it just feels like my natural output, I'm always writing songs. I was fifteen when I wrote my first ever song.

In your time, you’ve made quite a few connections. You’ve toured with Frank Turner and had two albums produced by Ben Lovett, but are there any cheeky stories from touring or in the studio that you’ve never heard before?

I've got a book called 'Drunk Folk Stories,' which is ten true stories about travelling and making music. There's a sequel on the way, so I guess I share everything I think people would be interested in.

Throughout your career, you’ve made a name for yourself by not being afraid of speaking your mind. This has obviously vexed some people over the years. Is agitation something you have in mind when you are writing or is writing just a method of expressing yourself?

I've never really come into contact with people who get agitated by my music, I'm sure they exist, but I've not met them as of yet. I'd say I'm trying to do the polar opposite of agitating people, I'm trying to

entertain them.

You cover a wide body of themes in your work. What does the songwriting process look like for you?

Sit down in a quiet room with my guitar and smoke some weed.

Many of your ideas seem to derive themselves from observation and commentary on contemporary events. Does this not drive you around the bend, paying such close attention to the news, or is this your way of making sense of it all?

Yeah, it's just my way of making sense of things. The last year and record of my life were very family oriented and so that's what I was writing about, and that was a pleasure. For the next record, I’ve turned back to the shit show of planet earth in 2019 and there’s plenty to write about, but it's not a pretty picture.

From what I can tell, you have undoubtedly got some ideas for the next album. How is it coming along?

I've already given too much away! But yeah, the wheels are in motion for sure.

Any plans for after this tour?

Touring Europe, then Australia, then back for a summer of festivals, then into the studio, then repeat…

Cheers for talking with us Beans.