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Local rock band JigGsaw.

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Highdive »
Address: 51 Main St. Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: (217) 356-2337
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Canopy Club »
Address: 708 S. Goodwin Ave. Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: (217) 367-3140
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It is an exciting time to be a member of the local rock band JigGsaw. The band has not one, but two, upcoming shows in Champaign-Urbana on October 23, and are about to release their third album. JigGsaw originated in 1999 when lead singer, (and only remaining founding member), Mark moved to Champaign to start a band. Since then, the band has released two albums, had their songs featured on various television shows — including Paris Hilton’s BFF (which they commented, "is an awful show") and Parental Control, and have also performed on the Warped Tour. buzz sat down with the band to catch up on thoughts about the music industry and upcoming shows.

buzz: What do you think is the most stand-out quality about your music?

JigGsaw: Our music is hard to describe or even give a genre. We can’t really be compared to other bands and are certainly not trying to follow any popular trends. We just play what we play.

buzz: How are things going in Champaign-Urbana for JigGsaw?

JigGsaw: Myspace has ruined the local band feel. Nowadays, people find bands online as opposed to discovering them in real life at a concert. It has been hit or miss lately. We have fans here that we love, but would love to see more University students come out to the shows. Our music doesn’t fit into the popular indie-trend, so sometimes that is another issue.

buzz: What are your thoughts on the Internet’s role in the music industry?

JigGsaw: It is person-to-person networking that actually gets you fans. We miss that in-person contact that Myspace reduced. Music is a personal thing. We would much rather talk to someone at a show than online. We try to mingle with fans at our shows, and we give out our CDs so the people who attend our shows will remember our name.

buzz: What are your motivations as an artist?

JigGsaw: We want to make music people like and that will influence them. We don’t just play music for our benefit. Our number one motivation is playing a good show. We get one awesome show for every nine shitty ones. We are bothered by people who do not enjoy the show. Our shows are very energetic and we don’t enjoy people who just stand there with their arms crossed.

buzz: What are the downfalls of being involved in the music industry?

JigGsaw: Time management and the money issue [are the biggest downfalls]. You can write songs, but the quality is terrible without money. You need to buy equipment, you need to buy promotion... The Internet makes it easier to find bands, but it is also oversaturated.

Catch JigGsaw at the Hivedive in downtown Champaign on Friday, October 23 at 6:00 P.M., and later that same evening at the Canopy Club in Urbana.