It’s been a long journey for the Screaming Jets, from gigging around Newcastle to sell-out shows in Australia and overseas. With hit songs like Better, Shiver, and Helping Hand in their back catalogue, many have fond memories of rocking out to the Jets at some point in their lives.
It’s been 25 years of beloved Aussie rock, and the Jets are celebrating with the Atomic 47 tour, currently making its way around the country. I sat down with lead singer Dave Gleeson to find out more.
K: The Screaming Jets are celebrating 25 years of mayhem. Did you guys ever think the band would reach this kind of milestone?
We always had intentions of being around for a long time. Our former guitarist Greg Walmsley was often quoted as saying he wanted to be around as long as the Rolling Stones, and we’re halfway there. Obviously there’s been some dips and troughs along the way, and we’ve lost people, but to still be able to get out there after 25 years and pull big crowds and rock out is amazing.
K: The Atomic 47 tour is taking you around Australia. What can we expect from the shows?
We’re stoked to have a couple of new tracks in there. We’ve got an EP out, that was supposed to be an album but funny how time slips away. In the words of our bass player, I was off having an affair with another band. So, kinda ran out of time to get an album out. But we’re working on one to come out next year. We’ve got a couple of live tracks, and we’ve pulled a few surprise tracks out of here and there to play, just looking back over the 25 years.
Of course, we put on a really energetic live show, that’s what people can expect. That’s what people have expected of us over the last 25 years, and I don’t think we’ve ever let them down. We might have made a rod for our own backs, I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it when I’m 60.
K: So the EP is out now?
It should be out next week. We’re a bit behind the 8 ball, but that’s the way it can be sometimes with the Jets. 25 years, and we’ve only put out 6 studio albums so far. We’ve got live albums and stuff that we’ve done. We definitely want to get to ten studio albums, that’s been a long-term goal of ours. Be nice to be able to have a collection that has ten actual studio albums in it, then all the other sundry stuff as well. We’ve still got worlds to conquer and mountains to climb.
I’m working with the Angels as well, I’ve done two albums with those guys over the last three years. So there’s been output, but sometimes in other areas.
K: What’s it been like working with the Angels? It must be quite different from working with the Jets.
With the Jets, I’m the head contractor along with my business partner Pauly, who we’ve both been here for 25 years. With the Angels, I’m a subby. I gotta make sure I mind my p’s and q’s. My job with the Angels is just to deliver their fantastic songs with all the heart and passion that I can.
I’ve fely very lucky that I got asked to sing with the Angels. They’ve got such a massive back catalogue of songs that all their fans know. Obviously to have started a band like the Jets 25 years ago, and still be playing gigs and filling houses and rocking out is even more pleasurable, because the Jets is my baby, the bands baby, and it’s very gratifying to still be here.
K: What’s been the best part of the Atomic 47 tour so far?
We did Airlie Beach Music festival on the weekend, with the Radiators, and a bunch of other bands from up around Queensland. That was a really great festival to do; it’s just spectacular up there. We did a show up in Darwin to kick the tour off with the Hoodoo Gurus, that was a pretty good show as well. It’s been great.
K: What’s next for the Jets and its members?
We tour up to Christmas, and then we’ve got one more show in January. Then I start back with the Angels around the middle of January. Scotty, our guitarist, has been flying around the world doing some stuff for a new fashion label, doing some videoing and photography. So he’s cheering. He’s been at the Grammys and Oscars, doing the red carpet and that.
Paul, our bass player, is doing some stuff with Rose Tattoo. Jimmy Hocking, our guitarist, is just constantly playing, but in January he’s gonna have a little one running around… well, not running around. Lying around pooing and crying. Everyone’s always got plenty of stuff going on. And of course we’ve got to fit a new album in, to come up mid-next year.
K: A growing number of bands are experimenting with their sounds to bring in a larger audience. Can we expect any Justin Bieber or SOS tributes in the new albums?
[Laughs] We’re rock. We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, but you wanna make sure that it sounds new and fresh and vibrant. That’s the key, I think, to us making records, and songs that we’re really confident about and passionate about. We won’t be bringing any ukulele in.
K: What do you think is the secret to your success?
We were very lucky to have some hits early on. At the time it was very easy to be on tours. Early on we toured around the world a couple of times, and were lucky enough to tour with the Angels a bunch of times. The choirboys gave us a leg up, and the Radiators. There was just so many... you could have a hit, but there were gigs to play as well. I think young bands suffer from the fact that you gotta go from zero to infinity very quickly and not learn your chops along the way.
K: Do you have any advice for upcoming artists?
The only thing that bugs me about upcoming musicians is that you go and see them live and they’re a letdown. Just keep practising and practising. Forget about the hype. The more you play the better you get. Some people tell me there’s a fact that it takes 10,000 hours to become expert at something. I think that’s the test they have for commercial pilots. They have to get 10,000 hours up, and that makes you an expert. It’s just a matter of learning your stage craft, and learning how to write songs and all that stuff. It does take a little bit of time.
