(Writer: Tammie Eller)

The mood in Saratoga Springs last Friday night at Putnam Place for the Hayley Jane and the Primates show was all at once jubilant and a little sad. Sad, only because just a few days before, the band announced it is going on indefinite hiatus. So, I sat down with the band for a chat to learn a little more about them and find out what everyone’s up to next. Read below:

So, what’s next for Hayley Jane?

“I’m working on a few things from home and playing solo mainly around the northeast,” said Hayley. “I’m doing a few things with Yes Darling with Ryan Montbleau. And playing a lot of solo shows. And I’ve been working with Smiley from the Main Squeeze on some solo stuff as well.”

(Photo: Frankie Cavone)

Then, I spoke with Josh Carter, currently the bassist for Hayley Jane and the Primates.

So, what’s next for Josh Carter?

“I have a band called Sun Dub,” said Josh. “We are a reggae band out of Brooklyn, New York. Our latest album features members of Easy Star All Stars. We have their horn section, Jenny [Hill, sax, and flute] and Buford [O’Sullivan, trombone]. Part of the project is being mixed by Sydney Mills of Steel Pulse. So, it’s gonna be a banger. And the band is a mixture of members of Satsang, they’re a yoga band out of the west. So, it’s Satsang’s drummer, and then Hayley Jane and the Primates Bass player, and the lead singer is Joanna Teters, she’s kind of been doing her own solo stuff. I also hope to play some music with my brothers here too, even if we’re just doing cover tunes somewhere. I love playing music and I’m not gonna stop and I know they’re not. I think we’re all excited about a lot of personal stuff too.”

Josh explained to me then that he actually got married at a Hayley Jane and the Primates show, and he’s looking forward to spending some time with both his wife and his puppy for a while. Stay tuned for more information about when we can get our hands on that Sun Dub album.

(Photo: Frankie Cavone)

Then I spoke with keyboardist Josh Dobbs.

So, what’s next for Josh D?

“I am the newest member of the band. I’ve only been with them a couple of months. So, my role right now is to help them do whatever they need me to do. I have other projects at home in Burlington. I play with a lot of people all over the northeast. There’s people I play with out of New York City, I do a lot of solo stuff and a lot of my own writing. But, my main focus is just to help them accomplish their short and long-term goals.”

Finally, I spoke with drummer Ryan Clausen. We were talking about the music scene in the northeast and how fluid the whole thing is with artists moving from band to band.

“I think that’s the cool thing about it. All the bads that are on the road, you get to be friends with one another, and everybody sits in and plays different shows. There’s a lot of the supergroup things happening where it’s a one-time whoever the hell’s playing is playing and it’s awesome.”

So, what’s next for Ryan?

“Well, Josh [Dobbs] here and I play in a Grateful Dead tribute in Burlington that happens every Tuesday called Dead Set. I’ll do a fair amount of that and I’m based in Burlington, Vermont, so I’ve got a bunch of different random little projects that I’m playing with. There’s a good music scene up there, so there’s a lot of chance to stay busy and play with a bunch of different people.”

Then, before I went back out to watch the rest of Let’s Be Leonard’s set, I got a chance to chat a little more with Hayley Jane. Since she’s one of only a few female artists touring the area, I asked her if she had any advice for other female artists looking to get into the business.

“If something doesn’t feel right, you are probably right. You are not paranoid. If something feels weird, just get out! If there’s one thing I can say, anything, promoter, management, booking agent, bandmate, just trust your gut and try your hardest to stay authentic and genuine. Embrace who you are 100 percent, no matter what anybody says, that’s what I’ve learned.”

As I ended the interview, Ms. Hayley Jane asked me to turn my recorder back on for one final message to all her fans:

“There’s two things I want to address and that’s addiction and mental illness. If you feel like you have an issue with a substance, reaching out for help is the smartest thing you could ever do. Ever! If you feel like you are mentally or emotionally unstable, reaching out for help is the smartest thing that you can do,” said Hayley. There’s times where we feel so alone, there’s times where we feel like we can’t do it. There’s so many amazing organizations and programs and it’s so hard to humble yourself to reach out your hand and ask for help. But, from experience, the best decision I ever made was when I just swallowed my pride, let go of my ego, and asked for help, and my life has gotten immensely better.”