Nic Cester
- Guitar, Vocals
Chris Cester - Drums, Vocals
Cam Muncey - Guitar, Vocals
Mark
Wilson - Bass
Rock and roll: some would argue that
it's become all smoke and mirrors, plug-ins and effects. True in certain cases,
but not at all for Jet. At the heart of every great rock and roll band lie four
essential elements: bass, drums, guitars and vocals. That, in its purest essence,
is Jet. And Jet, in their purest essence, have again captured those elements with
their third album, 'Shaka Rock'. With their previous releases - 2003's 'Get Born'
and 2006's 'Shine On' - Jet broke out of their native Australia and established
themselves as a multi-platinum, international success story, merging the charisma
and energy of classic rock and roll with just enough punk swagger and contemporary
flair to create something uniquely theirs. Here at last is a band that's returning
the cool to rock and roll.
2009's 'Shaka Rock' reveals new
dimensions of Jet while never losing the raw roots of 'Get Born' or the grace
and melody of 'Shine On', which together went on to make Jet an international
band of style and substance. In the writing and recording of 'Shaka Rock', which
took place in Miami, Brooklyn, Austin, Sydney and Melbourne, the band worked hard
to create 12 finely crafted tracks that owe as much to Jet's past as to their
future. The band also stepped up to the plate in the studio, working side by side
as co-producers with Chris "Frenchie" Smith to ensure that 'Shaka Rock'
would live up to their own expectations. Says Mark Wilson, "This time, the
album wasn't dictated by a producer or a record company. It was dictated by us.
Going in this time, we were a lot more comfortable about taking the reins and
being in control."
The album is highlighted by tracks
like "Black Hearts (On Fire)" about which songwriter Chris Cester observes,
"Greed and power are fascinating things...in some ways, "Black Hearts"
is just putting them under the microscope. Power is a slippery slope. It's a song
about sliding out of control, losing yourself to something, whether it's real
or not...we all know what that feels like, it's frightening, but it makes you
feel alive."
Chris continues, "I think 'Shaka Rock'
is like when TV went colour. It's our musical equivalent. There are moments on
this record that are just pure...and moments that just rock harder than we ever
have before. "Start the Show" is easily the heaviest song we've ever
committed to tape. "K.I.A" has the drama of film, in a three minute
song. "Beat On Repeat," well, that's about as Australian as it gets
for us --- it's cheeky, conversational almost, its having a laugh at how ridiculously
repetitive our society is, how it keeps on going down the same roads to end up
at the same conclusions. We never would have had the balls years ago. There's
also some story-telling that's come back again, like "Goodbye Hollywood."
I like to think of it as our kiss-off to our past and it really sums up the forward
thinking...go-go, don't think twice attitude that we had making this album."
Jet
first gained notoriety in 2002 with their self-released EP, 'Dirty Sweet'. An
initial run of 1000 copies in Australia soon led to another 1000 based on U.K.
demand. Following the U.S. release of the record in 2003, Jet landed the coveted
opening slot on the Rolling Stones' Australian tour. Just months later came the
critically acclaimed 'Get Born'. That album produced the runaway hit single "Are
You Gonna Be My Girl," spurred by its inclusion in the second ever iTunes
ad and was the catalyst for record sales that hit 4 million. All Music Guide compared
Jet to "a mix between the White Stripes' bluesy insouciance and AC/DC's cockeyed
swagger," and Entertainment Weekly noted, "The overall aesthetic is
young, loud . . . ." With this recording, Jet swept the Australian Record
Industry Association awards with seven nominations and six wins including Album
and Single of the Year.
As Jet began working on 'Shine On',
Nic and Chris Cester were felled by the tragic loss of their father, who inspired
the album's title track. While the band pushed forward to create their album,
bereavement enveloped them, making 'Shine On' in some cases a misunderstood project.
"For me 'Shine On' was a deeply personal and intense album in which the writing
and recording process became an outlet of expression for changing understanding
of what was happening around us," says Nic, "In that regard it was incredibly
important and cathartic and allowed our collective song writing to advance, but
was not what most fans were expecting." 'Shine On' debuted at No. 16 on the
U.S. charts and at No. 3 on the Australian charts. While garnering mixed critical
reviews, 'Shine On' was praised by numerous publications. Q Magazine called it
as "new old rock at its finest" and New Musical Express best summed
it up by noting, "If you get a kick out of glorious, ragged old rock 'n'
roll, then you'll consider it essential."
Back in song
writing and studio mode after relentless touring, the members of Jet were reenergized
and ready to pick up where 'Get Born' left off. From the moment the band began
demoing their new songs for what would become 'Shaka Rock', they knew the importance
of putting Jet's fingerprint on every note. "We wanted to see how far we
could push, and how different we could get it to sound yet still sound like Jet,"
Muncey explains.
"We're all in a good spot," Wilson
agrees. "We've taken on a different role. We're more hands-on and more accountable,
more nervous and wide-eyed about it. This record was more fun as well; making
music that's upbeat and enjoyable makes us feel excited."
Fuelled
by their passion for raucous hard rock one moment and a love for piano-driven
melodies the next, the band felt a key was to pay attention to the details of
the simplicity without ever compromising the true spirit of rock and roll. "We
don't have the inclination to do just one thing," says Cam. "The songs
on this album are different; we got into different forays and adventures. We use
technology, but at the same time we use vintage gear. We write songs on the computer,
but the best thing is when we bring them into the room, all four of us with our
instruments, and just play. We judge the song on whether it's good enough, not
on its style. You have to be savvy about things and not sound like everything
else around you, but also not sound like an antique. All any band hopes for is
to carve out a niche, explore within your own world that you create."
"The
one thing I really love about this band is its honesty," says Nic. "For
better or worse every album is a real and accurate window into how we are reacting
to our lives in that point in time which is why every album is uniquely different,
and I think Shaka Rock is the most honest so far."
'Shaka
Rock' track list:
K.I.A. (Killed in Action)
Beat on Repeat
She's a Genius
Black
Hearts (On Fire)
Seventeen
La Di Da
Goodbye Hollywood
Walk
Times
Like This
Let Me Out
Start The Show
She Holds A Grudge
JET'S
'Shaka Rock' is available now.
