Jacets

Interview with local band, Jacets

Indie group shows ambition in EP release

The Eastern Echo recently had the opportunity to interview Jacets, one of the local up-and-coming indie bands. The members are Eastern Michigan student Josh Trent, local college students Justin Thiede and Jesse Atkinson and former college student Bill Brokenshire. Here's what they had to say about their beginnings, their musical ambitions and their band's future direction.

Eastern Echo: What instruments do you play for the band? Do you play any others?

Justin Thiede: "I play guitar and piano for the band. I also taught myself how to play trumpet and all kinds of brass instruments. I was in band when I was in school. I can play some bass. I can kind of play drums because my dad plays."

Bill Brokenshire: "I play the drums and percussion. I was self-taught. I did the band thing at school, too."

Josh Trent: "I play the bass guitar for the Jacets. My first instrument was the trumpet. I was first chair in my middle school band. I play piano. I taught myself bass. I can play drums thanks to Bill".

Justin Thiede: "We're all self-taught."

Jesse Atkinson: "I sing and play guitar. Outside of the band, I started [playing music] on the trumpet. I was also first chair."

Justin Thiede: "We were all first chair... "

Josh Trent: "Me, Justin, and Jesse."

Jesse Atkinson: "So if this band falls apart, me, Josh, Justin and Bill are going to do a swing band... I actually can play drums pretty easily and bass too."

(The guys look at him in disbelief.)

Jesse Atkinson: (exclaims) "You guys have never really heard me play drums! You've just heard me mess around on them."

Bill Brokenshire: "So do I have to worry about you?"

J.A.: "No. I can't sing and play [drums] at the same time."

E.E.:How did the Jacets form?

J.A.: "Justin and I had been writing songs together. When I came home from school for Christmas in late 2004, Justin introduced me to a drummer named Jon Carlisle who became our drummer. We got Josh [involved.] And we formed. That was the original cast of the Jacets. We wrote our song "The Prom" during that Christmas break. At first I introduced this very evil At the Drive-In sounding -- but not near their caliber -- real avant garde, thrashy, screamy music. We ended up kicking out five songs in under a week."

J. Thiede: "We had a show the Friday of that week."

J.A.: "Our first show was a New Years' Eve show. The only song we kept from all those original songs was "The Prom," except we've re-worked it a lot since then. It was the one soft song we had. All the other songs involved lots of screaming or very dark, minor ... just nastiness. [Eventually] I had to go back to school. By the time I came back home Jon had moved on to other projects. Then we were without a drummer."

J. Thiede: "No, we got Andy. We got Andy, then [when he left] we were without a drummer."

J.A.: "Shut up."

B.B.: "Then Josh called me one night and said 'would you mind playing with us.' I had been involved with other musical projects with Justin and Josh before. I actually thought I was a fill-in, but they had other intentions. I've been with the Jacets since February of 2006."

E.E.: How would you describe your band's sound?

J.A.: "It's like an indie pop sound with obvious folk and pop influences. I'd say we're a mixture of Brit pop and folk."

J. Trent: "Artsy, indie rock."

E.E.: What other artists influence the sound of your band?

J. Thiede: "Wilco, Coldplay, Spoon."

E.E.: I've noticed in your songs there's a wide range of variety. I can't really pin down a specific style.

J. Trent: "I think we have a lot of influences -- which is part of our sound."

B.B.: "I think it's unique. We don't have a distinct [genre].I think that's what makes us unique. We can play a hard song then go right into a ballad."

J. Thiede: "Right. But within our songs we have consistency. If you hear one of our songs, you can say "Oh that's a Jacets song." It's not like we play things that are totally random. We have a consistent feel."

J. Trent: "[Our songs are all] different, but they fit our sound."

When and how do you write most of your songs?

J.A.: "Generally, I'll write the song when I write the lyrics. Or Justin will write the music and I'll write lyrics to go with it. Those are the two processes we've done. Honestly, [songwriting] just happens. I never sit down and go 'it's time to write music.'"

J. Thiede: "You can't."

J.A.: "Generally, something will inspire me. Certain events will happen or I'll be listening to something and I'll get my guitar and start playing. Often I intentionally leave the lyrics vague and ambiguous so more people than me can relate to and draw meaning out of them. [My songs are based on personal experience.] I haven't made anything up as fiction yet. [i'm inspired by] love, religion, women, God. A couple of my songs are speaking to youth as a whole."

Is that like your song "Ethics?"

J.A.: "Yes, exactly."

What exactly is "Ethics" about? How would you sum it up?

J.A.: "The chorus says 'we are something glorious, something so young, something so bright.' If I were to sum up "Ethics," I'd say it's like a call to not live an apathetic, lazy life. There is more to life. Be an informed individual."

What makes you stand apart from other bands?

J.A.: "I think the easiest way to put it is that we have more ambition. I think we have plans to actually go somewhere. I think most people form bands by listening to other local bands. That's [what they are influenced by.] Their aspiration is to reach local status and maybe make a demo. We're very very serious. We're very much trying to get major label success."

You just released an EP. What can you tell us about that?

B.B.: "I'm really excited about the EP because it really shows really good musicianship. We recorded in a very good studio. We went in and we were done in two days. A lot of bands that go in and record something in two days come out with a product that sounds like it was done in two days, whereas ours sounds like it took a long time."

Are you planning on releasing a full length CD anytime soon?

J.A.: "I'd love to do a full length. It's extremely hard to do without the backing of a label. I think getting signed comes first. And hopefully when we get signed they'll want to put us in the studio for a full length. We've got enough material for a full-length right now. We have plenty of songs, and we're going to continue to write."

How do you compare the studio experience to the live performance?

J.Trent: "Personally, I prefer playing live shows because of the atmosphere."

J.A.: "Both are a blast. But I personally love to record in the studio."

B.B.: "I like to play live because of the different venues and the different crowds. We're starting to get a following of people so that makes [live shows] more exciting."

J. Trent: "The studio feels more like work, but playing live shows is more fun."

J. Thiede: "I prefer playing live better just because there's more of a realness to it. Like Josh said, the studio is more like work. Also, there's a lot of down-time in the studio. It's kind of boring at some points."

What were some of your favorite shows?

J. Trent: "Club 5529"

J. Thiede: "... out in Clarkston. That was really good."

B.B.: "I think the one in Lansing, the Gone Wired cafe, was really good. We seemed to click on every cylinder that night. We had a good crowd. It was a cafe where a bunch of college students hang out. [The venue] had two levels and [the crowd was] overlooking the band. There was a lot of energy there. We brought everything out that night, and it really seemed to work."

J.A.: "One of my favorite shows that we've done was at Trinity House just because it's such a small room with such a good sound system. When just 50 people are [in that tiny room], you feel awesome. We got to play with House of Heroes, the Myriad, and Ivory [during that show.] There was a large crowd there. It was a really cool experience."

Who have you played with?

J.Thiede: "We've played with Sullivan. We've played with House of Heroes. We've played with the Myriad. We've played with Tokyo Rose."

J.Trent: "[Tokyo Rose is] getting big. When we played with them, they weren't."

J.A.: "I just saw an ad for them online, so obviously... "

What other obligations do you have in your life besides the band -- such as school? work?

J. Trent: "I go to school full time at Eastern Michigan University."

J.A.: "I have the unfortunate privilege of attending Baker College. I don't like to talk about it... "

J.Thiede: "It's better at Baker.. ."

B.B.: "I went to Schoolcraft College and I work for Weir Automotive."

J. Thiede: "I'm also at Baker."

How many of you guys have a girl in your life?

J.A.: "I was the single one in the band forever, but I now have a girlfriend."

J.Thiede: "I have a girlfriend. Josh has multiple girls."

J. Trent: "I do not!"

J. Thiede: "I mean, Josh does not have multiple women... "

B.B.: "I'm married. I've been married for 20 years."

J. Trent: (joking) "What I do in my spare time is nobody's business."

B.B.: "Josh is the Hugh Hefner of the Jacets."

So how do you balance the band with all these other obligations?

J. Thiede: "I'm just sweet."

J. Trent: "Justin doesn't have a life. That's why he has so much free time."

J.A.: "To answer the question, I was the single one in the band forever, so I did have a lot more free time. I don't find school all that daunting and I get good grades."

J. Thiede: "School's easy."

J.A.: (continuing) "I work early in the morning and I go to class at night. The weekends are always free. I never work weekends."

B.B.: "The band sacrifices a lot, but is very flexible in the same sense. We sacrifice time away from girlfriends, family, stuff like that. But we do find time for [those important things.] We all get together and do things outside of the band. That's part of why the band gels so well -- [the fact] that we can do things outside of just playing music."

J. Trent: "We're all friends outside of the band. We only played together because we knew each other before."

What are some of your short term/ long term goals for the band?

J. Trent: (joking) "We're just doing it for the girls."

J.A.: "I did not say that. I have a girlfriend. My long term goal is to tour with Coldplay."

B.B.: "I'd just like us to take this to a whole new level and just... own the music business."

Tell me about your upcoming shows. I know you're playing at the Blind Pig. That's coming up...

J. Trent: "September 25. Doors at 9:30. $5 cover if you're over 21. $8 if you're under 21."

B.B.: "Coming up in February we're playing for an overnighter at Eastern Michigan University."

J.A.: We're going to be doing a battle of the bands in Northville. Then we have the Token Lounge coming up."

Do you have any closing comments or advice for beginning musicians?

J. Trent: "I'd just like a chance to respond to that Hugh Hefner comment... My phone number is: 248... "

J. Thiede: "Be ambitious. Drink your milk and take your vitamins. Listen to your mother. Honestly, be nice to other people."

B.B.: "One thing that I'd like to say is never take no for an answer. When people tell you [that] you can't do something, that should make you strive even more. Do whatever it is anyway. When people tell you that you can't do something, it's because they're the ones that can't do it."

J.A.: "Any and all support/promotion is appreciated."

J. Trent: "Make sure you learn what you're doing before you start playing... "

J. Thiede: "Know your theory."

J. A.: "Yes, don't just start a band because you play guitar."

J. Thiede: "Right."

J.A.: "This is my quote. Shut up. Before you start a band, listen to more than just Green Day and the Sex Pistols. Learn more than power chords. Learn theory. It will help you even if you do just play punk."

J. Thiede: "You have to learn the boring stuff before you can get good."

J. Trent: "We want everyone to come to the Blind Pig show. Come out and support the venues that are in your town. Support good music. Support local bands. Hope to see you there."

The Jacets will be playing tomorrow night at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor. For more information, go to http://www.jacetsmusic.com ."

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