Heavily Sparks' influenced, legendary album from former Sparks (and Radio Stars / Blue Meanies / John's Children fame) bass player Martin Gordon, with Andy Ellison (of John's Children/Radio Stars fame) singing, Davy O'List (of Nice fame) on guitar,
(Sir) Peter Oxendale (of Glitter Band / FGTH and more fame) on keyboards and Chris Townson (of John's Children / The Who fame) on drums.
Produced by Roy Thomas Baker (of Queen fame).
The album is known as a "glitter rock classic".
We release the album with 20(!) (19(!) of them never released before) bonustracks, which makes all(!) official recordings and demos Jet ever made finally available.
The 36(!)-page CD booklet contains a 5000(!) words extensive history and commentaries written by Brian Trubshaw.
We have visited Martin Gordon 9-11 September 1999 in Berlin, and we came back with a "ready-to-press" (re)master(ed)tape. After our visit, Martin found two other (never released before) tracks, which are included as well.
Read the whole story about this visit...
Available: now! - USA distribution by "Not Lame" records and possibly some others as well (thanks to Bruce Brodeen).
Track list:
Bonus:
Disc 1: ("The Jet Album")
01 - Start Here
02 - Brian Damage
03 - It Would Be Good
04 - Song For Hymn
05 - Nothing To Do With Us
06 - Tittle Tattle
07 - Fax 'n Info
08 - My River
09 - Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend
10 - Wangdepootenawah
11 - Cover Girl
12 - Quandary (B-side of "My River" single)
Disc 2: ("More light than shade") (even more bonusses...)
01 - Desdemona (first demo session, previously unreleased)
02 - Lady Ricochet (first demo session, previously unreleased)
03 - Horrible Breath (first demo session, previously unreleased)
04 - My River (first demo session, previously unreleased)
05 - Start Here (first demo session, previously unreleased)
06 - Around The World In 80 Minutes (second album demo, previously unreleased)
07 - We Love Noise (second album demo, previously unreleased)
08 - Tax Loss (second album demo, previously unreleased)
09 - Our Boys (second album demo, previously unreleased)
10 - Hand On My Heart (second album demo, previously unreleased)
11 - Johnny Mekon (second album demo, previously unreleased)
12 - Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend (live in Neasden - previously unreleased)
13 - Song For Hymn /
14 - Tittle Tattle (live in Neasden - previously unreleased)
15 - Nothing To Do With Us (live in Neasden - previously unreleased)
16 - Cover Girl (live in Neasden - previously unreleased)
17 - Uncle Evil (second album demo, previously unreleased)
18 - Don't Cry Joe (first demo session, previously unreleased)
19 - Antler (previously unreleased)
Nether Regions
Despite these and other diversions, the album is eventually finished. An expensive photo session is organised at Mick Jagger's medieval home Stargroves. Parked around the back is a shiny Winnenbago caravan and, in front of it, unaccountably sitting on racing bikes and dressed in the latest tadger-revealing racing-bike chic, are the five members of Jet, suffering still from the previous night's drinking session and looking excruciatingly cold as the icy February gales whistle around their nether regions. Not helping is the lack of sleep - following the previous night's piss-up, personal manager Jamie Turner falls into the River Thames whilst pouring Martin back into his houseboat; the keys to the group car fall into the luxuriant Thames mud along with Jamie, ensuring that a relaxing night in the arms of Orpheus is not had by all.
After the expensive racing bikes and tat are returned, the expensive photographer takes the expensive pix to an expensive artwork company who prepare an expensive record cover. Management present CBS with the result, based on a Chris Townson design, and the band announced that the record is to be called 'Has Anyone Seen Charlotte?', after a song of the almost same name. 'Dreadful!', respond the record company to both sleeve and title. In a fit of either corporate invention or spite, they decide it will be called 'Jet'. It is given a sleeve by the CBS in-house art department which is a straight lift from Marvel Comics' Mr Miracle, for which CBS are later sued, and the band are sent out on the road with the Ian Hunter-Mick Ronson collaboration known equally wittily as, er... Hunter-Ronson.
Arctic Fox
Before the tour rehearsals begin, there is a CBS sales convention to take care of, a meet'n'greet session for the staff and new signings held in the Commonwealth Institute in London. The Commonwealth Institute is an educational establishment which boasts a wide variety of exhibits from all over the former British Empire, including specimens of exotic wildlife. During a dull moment, the band discover a case containing 'the Arctic Fox he's perfectly camouflaged! Can you find him?' Generations of schoolchildren subsequently marvel at the little white fox's self-secreting ability. In vain, alas, as he has merely been removed by disaffected members of Jet. Chris Townson has broken his leg a week previously while playing football and this is the debut of new drummer Jim Toomey. Jim's nerves are less steady than they would subsequently become with the Tourists, and he goes into a spontaneous drum solo in the middle of the first song, to the bafflement of both band and assembled CBS personnel. The-then president of CBS who shall remain nameless sidles up and said of his latest protégé, then struggling painfully through a soul-baring ballad, 'Isn't this guy great, huh?'. 'No', say the band, 'he's terrible'. The Pres thinks for a moment. 'Yes, he is, isn't he?', he says.
The tour kicks off in Sheffield. Jet, for reasons of economy, have been instructed to travel up with their equipment on the train. Things go reasonably well, except for Ian Hunter's refusal to speak to Martin after the third night. Martin has been in the Holiday Inn sauna chatting to a plump middle aged chap, who seems quite pleasant if a little forward for a complete stranger. 'And what do you do for a living?', Martin asks politely. Along with his shades and leather trousers, Ian has left his sense of humour in his bedroom.
Anteater
Jet's live shows are received with mixed reactions; NME felt that Jet would 'warrant only the skimpiest of mentions for what seems a skilful amalgam of androgyny and accountancy rock are it not for the presence of acid casualty guitar hero Davey O'List (aka Brian Damage) who wanders the boards looking like a constipated anteater tearing the occasional sheet of high grade steel from his axe'. Oxendale has taken to wearing oversized women's fur coats and, not to be outdone, Davey O'List has been trying to kick down hotel doors with his bare feet. He has broken his foot, of course. One of his platform-soled stage boots is replaced by a comfy slipper, the height differential giving him the uneven gait of a Himalayan mountain goat as he lurc hes about the stage.
When the tour is over, Martin and Andy embark on a radio tour and then the band start their own dates. The opening night is in Newcastle. As Davey walks out on stage for the first number, his legs become entangled in his guitar lead and he topples over as the band starts. Enraged, he thrashes around furiously and regains the vertical towards the end of the song but, oh dear, his guitar has become unplugged and is silent. Plugging it back in, his proximity to the amp causes it feed back with ear-splitting intensity, and he stamps furiously on any and all of his pedals in an effort to end the banshee screeching. He becomes fully operational midway though the next tune and shouts peevishly into Andy's mike, and thus to the whole audience, 'I wasn't ready! Why did you start without me!!' The band smile grimly to themselves and soldier on.