Stereoboard grab the opportunity to interview Australian rock group Jet, prior to their upcoming gig at The Shepherds Bush Empire in London on the 18th of this month.
We find out a little more about the group and the upcoming gig as well as their latest album ‘Shaka Rock.’
Tell us about your impending UK show at The O2 on the 18th July and can we expect to see you in the UK again before the end of the year?
"The show will be our third or fourth in London for this record! The biggest one too…so I think it's likely that we will split the cash four ways after it, and then work out which banks to heist in the off season. We'll be back in 2011"
Last year was a big year for you. A world tour, a set at the winter Olympics and the release of your latest album, Shaka Rock. What have been the highlights for you during this time?
"Nic (Nic Chester who plays guitar and sings vocals.) passing out onstage from a virus of unknown origin was strange. It was a symptom of everything being on level ten for a whole year I think. It wasn't a highlight but it certainly was memorable. The Olympics were a pretty massive deal too. It felt strange to share a stage with people who have dedicated their lives to a winning mentality and a physically and mentally gruelling lifestyle"
For anybody unfamiliar with Jet, how would you explain your sound and what can people expect from a live performance?
"Well, most people have an opinion of us already. To someone who hasn't, I would say that we do it without pretension and we play our asses off…so if you like rock and roll and you like walking out of a building having had a sing-along and with a smile on your face…"
"How happy are you with your latest album and how does it compare with the material before it?
"We don't release anything if we're not satisfied that it will stand the test of time. That's our only judge really. Compared to the others? Well, it's got a confidence about it, like a kid who just spent four years at college and who is finally joining the real world. I never did that…but I imagine it feels pretty good. You've been in someone else's system your whole adult life, and then you're out. We cut all our old ties and affiliations on this record and it was beautiful"
With a lot of groups coming and going nowadays, what is the key to your longevity, considering that you have been on the scene for a few years now?
"Songs. You've got 'em or you don't. Fads go in and out of style and fade into obscurity, or fall off your head entirely…a good song lasts a lifetime and no amount of posturing can create one of those. We've played our own game"
How much do you enjoy playing live and how do fans in the UK compare with your fans at home and across the world?
"They're more English. They sing louder. They drink more"
Having already released Shes A Genius and Black Hearts (On Fire) as singles, are there any plans to release any more of the albums tracks as singles?
"Seventeen will be our next single in the UK. It's one of our best ever songs in my opinion.
How easy is it to spend so much time in each other’s company and time away from home when touring?
"Being in a different city every day, playing to thousands of people who have assembled in a building or a field for sole purpose of getting out of their heads for a minute? I couldn't think of a better life. You miss people. I'd miss this more"
Who have been your musical influences when putting material together and are there any current acts that you are particularly fond of at the moment?
"Influences for me don't come in regular recognizable patterns anymore, it's not always music that influences me, in fact, it's usually not music, so I'll stick to talking about the music I like right now…which is the new Black Keys record. I've played that one for a week straight. The best songs they've ever written. If I want something a little darker and weirder, I'll listen to Unkle, the War Stories record. It's Level ten"
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