JETTISON

Jettison are a five-piece band, based in Cardiff and Newport, consisting of James Lawrenson (guitar & vocals), Owen Russell (bass & trombone), Rob Mould (guitar & vocals), Rhys Matthews (drums) and Greg Mould (keyboards, saxophone & vocals). Yes, that’s right, saxophone and trombone! Unusual? Well, it is difficult to label them with a particular musical style.
They’ve been referred to as ‘Noisy Pop-Hop Hill-Billy Jazz Indie Ska-Punk Rap Eclectic’ - who knows? Label them yourself - All I know is that they are very good.

My association with Jettison began way back in November 1993, when I began guitar tuition for Rob Mould. Then, in September 1994, I began teaching James Lawrenson. James and Rob never met through the common interest of having me as their tutor, but met by chance, as they both attended the same Performing Arts course, at Cross Keys College Of Further Education.

School friends James and Owen Russell had formed Jettison in 1997.
In October 1999, Dave Challenger announced he was leaving Jettison to concentrate on his other band, which consisted of five friends, all of whom had been on the Performing Arts course at Cross Keys College at the same time as James, Rob and Rhys. Now called Kennedy Soundtrack, they have recently signed a recording contract and are set for bigger things in the near future.

During the course of their many guises, the boys have appeared live regularly, having supported the likes of Terris and Mo-Ho-Bish-O-Pi and performed at venues such as Cardiff’s Clwb Ifor Bach and The Barfly, Newport’s TJ’s and in The Spitz Club, in London.

The first performance to feature the current line-up was in Le Pub, Newport, on 27th July 2000. My first taste of Jettison came in TJ’s, on a cold, snowy night in December 2000, when their short set comfortably stole the honours as the evening’s most exciting band. Early 2001 saw Jettison’s first recording sessions, which resulted in ‘The Grandmaster EP’ – a four track CD, which gained instant praise and immediate airplay on The Adam Walton Show, on BBC Radio Wales.

I was originally approached by the band as a potential manager, but being far more at home in a musical setting than a business one, I declined the offer. However, I offered my services as producer, feeling that although the CD was very good, a full time producer could improve the overall sound of the material with some re-arrangement, encouragement and a few outside ideas. Jettison agreed and we began working together in June, 2001. In fact, our first full meeting to discuss things was on June 10th – the same day that Transpose Music Rooms opened it’s doors to the public for the first time.

Since then we have worked on material with view to getting back into the studio and recording a new CD. This will be done at Strongbox, Penarth, during September and October, live dates having been reduced to a minimum to allow for pre-production.

Watch out for Jettison – you won’t be disappointed!

Nick Brown – August 2001.


For further information;

www.jettison-net.com
Jettison@therockband.fsnet.co.uk

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Nick Brown - Guitar Tuition, Newport, South Wales.