Rockin folk punks JOLLY JACKERS, has been active since 2013! Various line-up changes have happened since then, but don't dismay, they have gone on to release an assortment of albums, single's, and an EP! An all new release is expected in the next year, with the band playing some shows here and there. The band discusses all of these matters below.
1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
The band's history dates back to 2013 when it was founded in Dunaújváros, an industrial city in the heart of Hungary. Over the past 12 years, there have been a few lineup changes, mainly due to personal reasons—band members' lives took different directions, making it difficult to balance everyday life with the band.
Currently, Rea is the frontwoman, a founding member who took over the role in 2024. She is also a songwriter, lyricist, and a master of the flute and Irish whistle. On bass guitar, Eneh has been with the band since the very beginning, contributing as both a songwriter and lyricist. Our guitarist, Mark, joined in 2016 and has co-written songs on three studio albums and several singles while also handling management duties. Simi joined us on drums in 2021, bringing not only rhythm but also songwriting contributions. Ilka has strengthened the melody section with her wonderful violin playing since 2022. She is also a songwriter, lyricist, and responsible for various graphic designs, including the cover art for our latest full-length album, Welcome to the Grind. In the band, everyone actively contributes to different aspects of the creative process.
2. What’s the origin of the band’s name?
I don't think the band's name has any deep meaning—sorry if that's a disappointment! :) However, hidden behind the word Jackers is Jack, the always-thirsty, fun-loving skeleton featured in our logo. He even came to life in our song Devil, where he takes center stage, dancing in the music video in a way that could put the living to shame.
3. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
The band has been based in Budapest since 2016. This is quite typical for our country, as we are a relatively small nation, and Budapest is the cultural hub. So, no matter which band you're talking about, their activities are almost certainly closely tied to the capital. Budapest is home to the country's largest concert venues, studios, and record labels. In Hungary, the most popular bands representing this style are undoubtedly Paddy and the Rats and Firkin.
4. How would you describe your style?
That’s always a good question. We don’t really like labels because they can take away a bit of creative freedom, boxing an artist into certain stylistic boundaries that can be hard to break out of. If we had to define it, we’d say folk rock and folk punk, but our songs sometimes incorporate elements of country, blues, and metal as well. So, you could call us fusion folk rock—or even progressive folk rock at times! 😊
5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?
We have released 5 studio albums, 12 singles, and 1 EP so far. We are releasing a remix album on May 23rd, and a best of album later this year. Musically, all our releases are characterized by explosiveness and energy, while our lyrics are mostly lighthearted. Of course, we also have more melancholic songs, as well as tracks—especially on our latest studio album, Welcome to the Grind—that delve into deeper, more psychological themes in terms of lyrics.
6. Do you have any new music in the works?
In addition to the albums mentioned earlier, we’re currently working hard on our upcoming LP, which we plan to release in the beginning of 2026. Our remix album is a particularly special release, featuring songs that we rarely play live, mainly due to music arrangement reasons. Rea has re-recorded the vocals, and the audience will get to hear the familiar tracks in a fresh new version.
7. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?
We’ve just returned from an intense 5-day tour in Austria, which we completed alongside the German band Fiddler's Green. It was a huge opportunity to warm up the stage and audience before them, as they are Germany’s number one and most well-known band in this genre. The tour was very intense, with high-energy concerts, and the crowd welcomed us very warmly. We’re planning to return to these concert venues either in the fall or in the spring of 2026 for headline shows. This summer, we’ll mostly be performing festival concerts in Hungary, Germany, and Switzerland. In October, we’ll have a week filled with club concerts and a festival in the Czech Republic and Germany.
8. What plans do you have for the future as a band?
We’d like to become more actively involved in the German and Austrian club scenes during the spring and fall seasons, alongside our festival performances. This week with Fiddler’s Green was strategically important for us. A lot of people got to know our music and personal energy, and we hope to build on this moving forward. We are definitely open to entering the Czech and surrounding markets as well. From our Spotify listening data, we can also conclude that we have a small following in the U.S., so we’re daydreaming about a few American concerts. However, for now, we want to establish a solid footing in Western Europe before we set sail. :)
9. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
We are everwhere! You can tune in on YouTube, Spotify and bandcamp, but we are also active on TikTok and other social media platforms. At this moment, our merch is only available on our shows, but we are working on the webshop!
10. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?
It’s unusually energetic, hard to get a word in, and you feel like you just want to jump into a concert right away. This is especially true for our latest album and a few of our newer singles, where the songs have a bit more of a live sound. We’re not fans of a sterile sound, as we consider ourselves a live band, so we try to capture that live experience even on the record.
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