Jay Cox is a CHS neighbor and frontman for The Sea Navy, a local band with furiously catchy pop tunes. According to facebook, the curious monicker comes from a time when Jay was trying to tell a story about the Coast Guard, but CHS has always been curious to know just what story he was telling and what his favorite Capitol Hill haunts might be.  Fortunately, Jay took the time out of his busy schedule to answer CHS’s burning questions with a healthy dose of snark and a neighborly warning about Jason Finn’s crazy bike-riding. We’re getting back into the artist interview rhythm here at CHS, by the way. Info on how to get involved with the conversation can be found at the end of this interview. Now, let’s talk to Jay.

First, some origin lore for the fans.  What story were you telling involving the Coast Guard when you came up with “The Sea Navy”? 

 It was the morning of October 15th, 2000 My old band THE IVORY COAST had just played a show at Princeton University with The Dismemberment Plan & Sweep the Leg Johnny. All the bands were sitting around having breakfast and I started to re-tell a story involving DREW O’DOHERTY who played guitar in the IVORY COAST. He grew up in Cape Cod and his father has a direct connection with the story the book THE PERFECT STORM is based on.The Perfect Storm is a creative nonfiction book written by Sebastian Junger and published in 1997. The book is about the 1991 Perfect Storm that hit North America in October 1991, and features the crew of the fishing boat Andrea Gail, from Gloucester, Massachusetts, who were lost at sea during severe conditions while longline fishing for swordfish 575 miles out. Also in the book is the story about the rescue of the three-person crew of the sailboat Satori in the Atlantic Ocean during the storm by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Tamaroa (WMEC-166).  

Is there a new record in the works?  It’s been only a year since your last album (Memory Matches), but there’ve been rumbles already of something on its way… 

We have about a dozen songs we are polishing. The goal is to have them ready to record in the near future.  

Your band has evolved from you opening for Ted Leo with just a CD of pre-recorded drum tracks, to friends playing with you, to what seems like a more cohesive unit.  How has that changed your sound (if it has)?  And what does the Capitol Hill Block Party have to do with The Sea Navy’s storied history? 

I have been using the SEA NAVY name since 2001 and in that time there have been many lineups. Each member brings their own spice but the main ingredients are the same. Since 2007 we have had the same lineup which I think this is the longest running lineup in the band’s history. Jordan Cumming (drums) and Stuart Fletcher (bass) are both excellent musicians with golden ears who have helped THE SEA NAVY become a regular band and with that consistency has lead to a more a “sound” In 2006 we played the Capitol Hill Block Party (TW Walsh (Pedro The Lion) was on bass, Andrew Rudd (Aqueduct) was on drums. We played the VERA stage. At the same time we went on BAND OF HORSES were playing the main stage. BAND OF HORSES had just played on Letterman (for the first time) the week before and were blowing up and becoming the household band they are now. Needless to say we had a smaller crowd. It was a great experience and we had a blast and more importantly we felt lucky to have been asked to play.  

In addition to a video trailer for the last album, The Sea Navy has a couple of great music videos using vintage films.  Are there any video plans with the next record? 

I’m always looking for new ways to promote the band and the music. After working at record labels for years, my mind often thinks of the marketing idea far ahead of the actual finished product. Those videos were created using Creative Commons footage. One of the beauties of CC footage is that it is free and many people use it. Once of the same clips we used was also a featured in an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000.  

How long have you lived on Capitol Hill, and why did you move here? 

 I moved to Seattle (from Boston)  in 2003 with my girlfriend (now wife). We have lived in Captiol Hill since our arrival in Washington State. Why? We love the lack of sun and the rain and the amazing drivers. Oh and the transportation is first class — Seattle has the best subway system. And as a sports fan I cannot believe how great the Sonics and the Mariners are. I think Seattle is the first city to win the Super Bowl, World Series and NBA Finals in the same year. Too bad the Storm keep losing — I really hope the rumors are true that they are moving to Oklahoma. 

How would you describe Capitol Hill to someone who’s never been to Seattle? 

(jokingly) Capitol Hill is where you live after you spend your 20s in the University District but before you start having kids and move to Ballard. 

(seriously) Capitol Hill has the closest pulse of the neighborhoods I lived in while in Cambridge, MA and on the Lower East Side. What I mean to say is there is great outdoor space (Cal Anderson & Volunteer Park), an eclectic mix of neighbors, very walkable and has a great nightlife and restaurant scene.  

What problems do you see on the Hill? 

(jokingly) There are not enough places to get coffee on 15th between Harrison and Republican. 

(seriously) Bus wise there should be an easy way to get to Fremont or Ballard.  

Where’s the best jukebox on the Hill? 

Does any place really have a real Jukebox? The one that was/is in Smith was stacked with good stuff. The Canterbury has one but I can’t remember what is on there. I think there is one at the new Pizza place, Marios, and I’m sure that will be a good one. 

Favorite place to play or catch a show? 

Neumos and The Comet  

Favorite Hillebrity to spot on the street?  

File under people I recognize : Jon Auer (Posies) and Sean Nelson (Harvey Danger) and I shop at the same supermarket. For some reason whenever I see former UW football player Joel McHale it is always as he is crossing the street towards the Hopvine. Also I have come close to death numerous times as Jason Finn (Presidents….) rides dangerously close on his fancy bicycle. (I hope when Jason’s google alert for his name brings this article to his attention he drives a bit safer around the hood!)  

Saturday night on the Hill.  You are:

deciding if I should get a slice of pizza at Marios or eat at Oddfellows or walk up to La Spiga due to being tired and hungry after shopping at Elliott Bay and looking at the goods at NuBe Green.

Sunday brunch finds you at:

Volunteer Park Café waiting for the banana brioche french toast to be brought to the table. 

Any other favorite places around the Hill or quintessentially Capitol Hill activities? 

Shakespeare in the Park during the summers at Volunteer Park. Spending hours admiring the amazing collection of books at Elliot Bay.  

What’s your favorite thing about playing a live show, and when can people come out and dance at your next one? 

Hopefully you are playing with bands you enjoy and there is a good group of people hanging out and having a good time. However, you have no control over any of that so you should just enjoy playing your songs.

Our next show will be in Ballard as part of the Reverb festival. We play at 9pm at the Salmon Bay Eagles place.

Speaking of which, you can send The Sea Navy to Iceland as part of Reverb’s Battle of the Bands.  Click here for details.

Are you a Capitol Hill-based musician?  Want to be interviewed by CHS?  Send an email to anika.smith (at) gmail.com and we’ll make it happen.