Australian rock band Jet is currently on the road promoting their third record, Shaka Rock, which hit store shelves this past August. On the road with fellow hard rockers Papa Roach, Jet guitarist Cam Muncey checked in with [here] Magazine from the band’s tour stop in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Inspired to start creating music after seeing Canadian band Sloan in their native Australia, Jet released a couple of independent EP’s to much commercial acclaim. They would go on to sign a major US record deal with Elektra Records and based on radio hits Are You Gonna Be My Girl? and Cold Hard Bitch, the group would go on to sell more than three million copies of their 2003 international debut Get Born.
Despite some published reports that the group had gone their separate ways after their 2006 sophomore record Shine On failed to connect in the way their debut record did, Muncey sets the record straight on their supposed demise.
“After we had wrapped touring in support of Shine On, we didn’t have anything in the way of plans. So I guess in that way, we left things up in the air,” Muncey explains. “We each just kind of went off and did our own thing but there was no long-term disconnection between us in the band. After being on the road for so long, we each just wanted to soak up being in one place for an extended period of time.”
Muncey says that although he had begun recording and experimenting with some music that he had recorded onto his laptop, it wasn’t long before he and Jet band mate Chris Cester found themselves with a backlog of music that allowed them to reconnect to see where the songs brought them.
“When we reconvened, we found out that there was a feeling looming over us that something had to change. Chris and I ended up meeting in New York City and started hearing some of these new songs take shape.
“The great thing was, there was no pressure or deadlines for us to meet and ultimately, that was the nucleus of how we decided to move forward with Jet. We found that once we had taken that first step, everything else came together relatively easily,” Muncey says.
Thanks to modern-day technology, Muncey says that even though the Jet members no longer live in the same city, they are able to trade song ideas and melodies back and forth via e-mail and other methods.
“I think it’s beneficial that we share ideas in advance; it helps us introduce songs to each other. I honestly can’t see us making a complete record in that manner though. The connection that we have when we are in the same room really can’t be replaced nor do I think any of us would want to go down that path.”
Even after living the bulk of their past six years on the road, Muncey says that Jet still enjoys being on the road. When asked how long they have been out promoting Shaka Rock, Muncey hesitates before saying (rather amused) that he isn’t able to pinpoint exactly how long it has been.
“Nic and Chris did a promotional tour where they were visiting radio and press all over the world. They did that for a month and then we got back together as a band, played Japan, did some radio shows in the States, England, Germany,” he pauses for a moment before continuing. “And then we started this tour of the US once our record had been released.”
Muncey admits that being away from home can be tough, especially where their loved ones don’t tend to stay on the road with the group for any prolonged period of time.
“I think that each of us is very blessed with having cool wives and girlfriends. Everyone in the band and their extended families get along so well, it helps to create a happy environment for us. We enjoy that as people because we like to keep everyone happy. We can rest much easier knowing there is stability in our lives.”