Jocelyn Nixon of The Creepy Jingles met up with me at Bonito Michocan in Kansas City, Kansas for some tacos. We caught up for a little while then popped over to Hillsiders to have a couple drinks out back and talk about The Creepy Jingles’ latest release, “Washed Up,” available now wherever you listen.
So you mentioned these songs aren’t new to you anymore — when were the songs for “Washed Up” written?
The songs were written from Dec to Feb of 2023. I didn’t have much going into the new year, maybe a verse or chorus here and there. I knew we were looking for a guitarist and were going to play Manor Fest, so around February I said, ‘okay, i need to finish all these songs.’ I gave myself like 3 weeks to a month to finish them so the guys could then learn it and have a whole new set for Manor Fest. And I was able to do that!
I’ve never put a limit on myself like that before — usually I just write when I wanna write — but found I’m pretty good at deadlines. I wanted to prove to myself I could do it, and it inspired a lot of confidence in myself. Like, ‘oh, you’re good at this!’
You recorded with Paul (Malinowski, of Massive Sounds) this time, right? How was that?
We recorded with Paul; that was our first time recording with him. Paul and I started talking around 2020-2021 and he always said nice things about my songs. I could tell he was really genuine and wanted to work with us. And I loved working with him; he got an amazing vocal sound. He’s a genius. He might not like me saying this, but he’s intimidating to a lot of people. But I think he’s a big teddy bear, he’s a sweetheart. His wife is great too.
The biggest hurdle with Washed Up was financing and finding the time. Wills was taking on a lot of projects and also moving to Portland; Nick starting his business, Current State Coffee, in Shawnee. They just opened up last week. It was kind of a lesson for me; I could have rushed to put it out without any sort of fanfare, but I thought I’d hold onto it and use it as a launching pad to the next thing, as opposed to putting it out with no grandeur, no physical media. I didn’t love that idea; I thought it deserved more than that because I was proud of what we had made together. At the end of the day, timing is everything, and I didn’t feel comfortable putting it out until I had a whole new band.
Okay so we’ve talked about this before, but I’d love for you to break down your album writing-release process and how you like to pace things out. You’ve been moving very deliberately.
So as a record is coming out, I like to be either recording or have another record in the can. Like we have a new record in the can right now, and I’m currently writing the follow-up to that. I try to run it like a self-propelling machine; I have had this idea for a while, but haven’t always had the resources to move that way. I have good people in my life, like Josh (Thomas) who helps record, Gailen (Gillespie) who helps record and master, great bandmates, so things have gotten easier in the process to where that actually works for me. But now it’s like, I can always have something in the fire while working on the next thing.
So… Washed Up is out, which means you must have another in the can now?
“Against All Opps” will come out August 28th. We’re taking pictures this coming week and getting the layout set up, then we’ll order vinyl. But I’ve started writing for the next album, and for solo songs as well. I always wanna keep Jingles as more pop driven stuff, but solo project for just singles and moving at my own pace. It’s just for myself, to keep me busy in the in-between times.
Ah yes. Something else to keep the momentum.
You know what they say about idle hands.
I enjoy it, and it’s been a crazy couple years — especially this year — but it keeps me sane. I mean, to work towards something is fun for me, and I have an endless reservoir for being able to express myself. I like working with the guys and other musicians, I feel fortunate to be around really good people.
Yeah, to keep such a tight operation you have to be able to lean on your collaborators.
The whole process of the last few years has taught me a lot about finding confidence in myself; I pulled back from a lot of people during the writing of that because of all these things going on in the world. I needed to focus on me — I had things I needed to address personally — and I didn’t want to push people away, but I needed to be private and have my own space to work through things. And that was good for me. But Nick and Wills leaving before the project was mastered was kind of a blessing in disguise in the sense that it taught me a lot about self-reliance. It’s always been “my” project, but I’m taking greater ownership and taking the reins even if people decide to step out and do their own thing. Which they should! Everyone I work with is talented and a great artist in their own right. Can’t expect them to wanna do Jocelyn all the time.
We talk about legacy a lot — is there anything on your docket right now that you’re striving towards?
I am a little conscious of putting my foot in my mouth as far as plans and goals. We have some exciting ideas for Jingles, like breaking more into video content and the more peripheral PR things that come with running a band.
The marketing angle is tough, because it’s tertiary to the art, but when it comes to allowing people to reach you it’s another skill you have to have. Labels aren’t really jumping in to take care of your marketing for you, we have to do it ourselves.
You have to be a business person, you have to be a video editor, you have to be a director, a writer, you have to be your own salesperson. So it is tough to wear all those hats, but kind of approaching where we’re approaching now, we are having more fun with it. Finding fun ways to put it out there but is still real and honest to who we are, as opposed to just playing the game for the sake of playing the game. Because I do resent having to do all that other stuff. I just want to be a songwriter.
Finding a way to approach it in a way that is fun and authentic and engaging is important. When i see those musicians making the “song of the summer???” videos or whatever the thing is now… I know you have to do what you have to do to get your work out there, but it shows when you’re trying to ride the algorithm. It can be offputting, people with fear and desperation in their eyes like someone is standing behind the camera with —
With a gun! Yeah, I wanna try to remain silly and have fun with it because the music I write isn’t necessarily silly; I like to throw in little one-liners and stuff like that, but everything should be aimed at trying to entertain myself first before anyone else, having fun with it in a way that is honest to me.
If you’re not having fun other people can tell. The viewer can see the gun behind the camera.
Yeah, just honing into who I am and what I like, being true to myself, has only brought me more opportunities.
Are you thinking music videos, video content…?
Music videos are in the plan, as well as video content. We’re talking about building a website, doing fun things that we grew up with that we’d like to repurpose. Maybe fun skits and things to entertain ourselves. I wanna be around people who are fun to be around, fun to work with, smart. Even outside of my band, you guys are great, and I enjoy getting to work with interesting people that are passionate about their projects. That’s been huge, makes things easy.
We can’t do anything alone. It’s empowering to have people in your corner. Even for the Flyover project, I made sort of an intimidating undertaking for myself, but knowing I have musicians like you in my corner who are down with what I’m doing and want to participate opens up the possibility that others will too. It’s uncharted territory for me, but hey if Jocelyn will interview with me other people might too.
I do think that this could be a big thing for you. I really think this could be your vehicle. I believe in you and what you’re building. You’re a writer like me in that you still like to have fun while you’re in the middle of the prose. You still see things clearly and don’t take yourself too seriously — but you take yourself seriously enough. It’s a fine line, but yeah, I’m honored to be a part of it. Bands should want to be a part of something cool.
Thank you, absolutely. It’s kind of hard right now to tell where the music media landscape is going, especially for regional coverage, so maybe I just need to build it myself. I have the time and space to try out my own thing, so I’d like to use our conversation, talking to someone I know well and who believes in what I’m doing, as a jumping-off point to find a new approach that is engaging and fun to read. Something else is needed. I haven’t figured out what it is yet.
I think when you’re building up other people, more will come. I’ve done interviews in the past where they seem to want to make you look dumb. Growing up, before I even came out, people would write about how I looked versus what I was creating.
On top of being lame, that’s such a shallow way to approach writing about music. I don’t know, I feel like generally the music speaks for itself and it makes me a little unsure about how to write about it. I can spend 500 words describing how something sounds or you can just go listen to it and decide how you feel about it. Appearance isn’t important, but the human behind the music is.
Everyone is making music. What makes you you?
Exactly. And to have a little style and finesse in how things are delivered, like bringing a fun experience in a world of Squarespace templates. Obviously I don’t know anything about building a website, but I’d like to create something unique and engaging that also doesn’t try to trap you, sell to you, or overstay its welcome. As well as zooming in and keeping things local. Which, maybe that won’t be great for reach long term but —
I wouldn’t say that. Words are spells — stay open. The important thing you’re doing is that you have different voice, and you’re coming from a different point of view than a lot of other names in the local coverage right now. It’s cool to have femme energy in the mix, in your writing, and to highlight bands and artists that deserve their moment and might have been overlooked by others. It can be important in helping build the scene.
Thank you. Now to get back to Washed Up, did anything about this album stand out for you against your former work, like Take Me At My Wordplay?
So Wordplay I think is a lot darker in tone; it’s funny, I was probably more depressed writing Washed Up than I was Wordplay, but the actual music making of it was easy and fun. There was more confidence there, lightening my load, and dealing with more of my shit, that made it easier to communicate my songs. I also simplified over the last couple years, reigning in my chords and lyrics because I wanted to reach a wider group of people. I realized just because, maybe me you and other writers appreciate things that are more flowery, that doesn’t mean that’s gonna strike everybody. My main focus was to simplify, and that created better or catchier melodies, as well as more space for my band members.
Yeah. There’s something very grand about Meet Me At My Wordplay, but Washed Up is a little more mellow.
Washed Up is definitely more relaxed. I’m more sure of myself. Wordplay I was still in my early stages of transitioning, and now I am a little more at-ease with myself and familiar with my voice.
What does that mean for “Against All Opps?”
I think it’s my masterpiece. It is six songs, so not a full-length record, but I am super proud of it and feel like I have honed who and what I am. With new members we can do new different things we weren’t able to do before, so it’s exciting to grow and build on things without making the same record over and over again. Jingles is starting to be more focused on me writing catchy shit that makes people dance, makes people happy. Lyrics that will make you pause when you’re listening later and say “wait is that was I was singing?” I love the juxtuposition of darker themes with more vibrant music. It’s a lot more colorful than anything I’ve made, and I am even more at home with myself as a writer.
Jocelyn is a deep thinker and a real creative; it shines through in any conversation we have, and I’ve learned a great deal from her. I’m looking forward to her magnum opus being released on August 28, 2026. For now, you can buy and listen to “Washed Up” wherever you find your music.
Interview has been edited for clarity and length.
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