Interview with Jetsam

As part of the upcoming Buckfest festival in March, I spoke with one of the bands on the line up : Jetsam.

Who are your main musical influences, not just your favorite bands, but those that shape your sound?

J : Cloud Rat, La Luna (fka Brain Fever), Zulu, Soul Glo, HIRS, Sunrot, Lilim, GLOSS, False Lives, Intensive Care, Vile Intent, Infest, Napalm Death, Man is the Bastard, Iron Lung, Submission Hold, Discharge, Sepultura, Crass, Fuel, Torches to Rome, Spitboy, Limp Wrist, Orchid, Slouch, Lilith, Cerce, Rape Revenge, Cetascean, AHNA, Violent Restitution, Maxxpower…

E : Tugnut, Greber, GLOSS, HIRS, Discordance Axis, Fuck the Facts, FET.NAT, Spazz, BIIGPIIGWAN, Converge, SOAD, Minutemen, Nervous Gender, Snake Charmer, Siege, Cascadia, Distillers, Heavy Vegetable, Meshuggah, Bjork.

N : Cloud Rat, HIRS, System of a Down, Dillinger Escape Plan… a lot of the above with a tad more black metal!

Tell us an anecdote that happened on tour, before, during or after a show.

E : The first mini tour I did as a drummer for Jetsam, Jack and Neon revealed to me that they have a fully realized commentary of Metallica‘s St Anger. They see it as a concept album telling the story of a cis man starting therapy to eventually discover they are trans and begin a new life as their true gender.

N : We did an interview during that tour and Evelyn managed to plug in so many St Anger references.

J : One of the best and most memorable shows for me was when we played in a house basement in Barrie, Ontario. On our way to the venue, we almost got t-boned by two guys in (if I recall correctly) a shitty new red Mustang who blew a stop sign, so we were all on edge when the show started. It was us, Whoredrobe, Earl Wyvern, and Abraxus Reflux, and by the end of the show, all the local dudes who had turned up were just politely lining the walls and the whole middle of the space was trans people in various states of undress moshing SO hard. It was euphoric, I’ll never forget it.

Who is the best opening band from one of your shows?

J : Every time Typeface plays before us, I feel like they’re such a hard act to follow. I don’t really ever think of bands as “opening for” us though so that’s as much as I can say.

What other bands have each of you already played before?

J : Alsarath, Amarior, Pamphleteer.

N : Rattus Rattus, The Dusty Faces, Madmanmind.

E : Pinksnail, Brue, Rae Spoon, NPNP Trio, Miel Azevedo. Past bands : Slender Loris, Bunt, Livestalk & the bodies.

Which lesser-known bands would you recommend checking out, emerging ones if possible?

J : Mulch, Object of Loathing, Verify, POG, Skrout, Lifeline.

E : A Horse Named Friday, Rumé Kover, Pet Retina, One More Lane, Mirella, Not a Band, Roach, Loaming, Thou Shalt, Typeface, Ky Band.

Have you ever been to Saguenay?

J : Yes.

E : Not yet.

N : That’s where my family is from.

Do you prefer your poutine with cheese curds or shredded?

J : No comment, I’m Albertan (and vegan).

E : CURDS!!

N : Curds!

Jetsam

Rédacteur : Patrice Belley

Correction et révision : Jess Peach