Introducing Hazy and the Jays
Hazy and the Jays is a dynamic alternative pop/rock band based in Thames, New Zealand. The group features Izzy Fitzsimons on lead vocals, Harris Elliot-Hogg on guitar, Jacob Rush on bass, and Jacob ‘Sticky’ Wenhold on drums. Together, they craft a unique sound shaped by diverse musical influences.
Each member draws inspiration from a broad spectrum of artists:
- Izzy Fitzsimons is influenced by Hozier, Led Zeppelin, Måneskin, Fleetwood Mac and Rainbow Kitten Surprise.
- Harris Elliot-Hogg takes inspiration from Pearl Jam, Six60, Alice in Chains and Metallica.
- Jacob Rush finds his musical footing with Radiohead, Tame Impala, Laufey, Vulfpeck and Thundercat.
- Jacob ‘Sticky’ Wenhold is inspired by The Killers, Radiohead and The Smiths.
Your musical journey: How did you all meet and how did the band form?
We met at Thames High School during our prize-giving music practices at the end of 2023 where the idea of competing in Smokefreerockquest the following year with each other was proposed. The next year we competed and, after making it to our regional finals, we made the decision to stick together.
What gets your creative juices flowing? What inspires you to make music?
For us we love jamming and playing music – a lot of the time our songs merely started as jams. It’s common to find us playing something completely new whilst we’re meant to be practising our setlist because someone starts playing a riff and we all start jamming along to it.
The importance of live music: How has live music shaped your life and career?
The internet has been a blessing and a curse for small musicians. Your music may blow up overnight or you can spend years pushing your music to little response. Live music is great because it lets people see where the music comes from and there’s no such thing as skipping a song if the intro isn’t catchy enough. I think live music is really great for this and I would love to see some underground live performances and mini-festivals around the peninsula. A highlight of our time together as a band has definitely been the performance aspect.
A good performance sets the tone for practices and gives us something to look forward to. And while not every gig goes smoothly, we’ve learnt to push past those difficult days and keep focused on why we love music.
What does being a musician here in Te Tara-o-te-ika-a-Māui (on the Peninsula) mean to you?
There is a great sense of community here on the Peninsula; it’s great to have so many people around locally invested into music. It makes it much easier to find local events and gigs as, once you’ve done one, the connections quickly form. The weather is definitely helpful for outdoor live events as we’ve only had rain at one gig. It can be tricky to reach a wider audience when we’re not too close to a city but as we move around the country we hope more opportunities will give us a bigger stage.
Youth in the Arts: What are the biggest challenges and rewards?
One of the best parts of being a youth in music is the music competitions that are available to us here in New Zealand such as Rockquest and Play it Strange. Another great aspect of being youth in the arts is the support! For us, we have some really awesome people to support us – CFM, Garden Music – and our lovely music teacher, Dr Voice, has really helped us grow! Some challenges of being youth in music include an occasional lack of respect due to our age, as well as there being a surprisingly high number of venues we actually can’t play despite them very much being our type of vibe.
What’s next? Any exciting plans or projects on the horizon?
Our drummer and bassist are off to Otago Uni this year but we’re hoping to continue working together despite the separation.
For those of us still at high school this year we hope to compete again at Rockquest this year in the solo/duo category in Hamilton.
Otherwise, next you’ll find Harris and Izzy alongside our ‘5th Beatle’, Tamihana Timothy, at this year’s ‘A Taste of Matarangi’ wine and music festival on 5th April.
Find and support: Where can we find your music, and how can people show their support?
Follow us on social media! See: @hazyandthejays on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube
by Garden Music Thames
Coromind: Coromandel’s Collaborative Magazine
Help us take Coromind Magazine to new heights by becoming a member. Click here
Change the Weather for Your Business: Advertise with Us.
Advertise your business in the whole Hauraki Coromandel in the coolest Coromandel Art Magazine, from Waihi Beach/Paeroa /Thames up to the Great Barrier Island.
Advertise Smarter, Not Harder: Get in Touch
