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Wednesday, December 23, 2015

The Jetz - "Cracked Up"


The Jetz  are A 5-piece band from Cheshunt in Hertfordshire featuring Alex Kinder - vocals,  Den Pugsley - guitar / b. vocals;  Tony Skeggs - guitar / b. vocals; Trace Graham - bass / b.vocals;  Steve Bye / Andy Welsford (Wells) - drums.



The band was active from 1976 till late 1979 during which time they released the anthemic single "Catch Me" and went on to gig extensively, including two 5-week Danish tours at the beginning of 1978 and 1979.

Three of the band, Den, Tony and Andy, would re-surface as THE PENCILS (1981-84) while Trace Graham formed DREAM CYCLE 7 with ex-Pleaser Steve McNerney.

May 2011 saw the release of the album “JETZ ANTHOLOGY 1977-79”, featuring "Catch Me" and an additional 11 songs originally recorded by the band. (Queen Mum records).
The recently released "Cracked Up" is a collection of new songs which represent the group's first true proper album in 36 years!






Den explains "Working on the 'Anthology 1977-79' compilation in 2011 had stirred some ghosts and kicked up some sand. The five guys that used to be Jetz were suddenly Jetz again. We had 2 shows to perform in Berlin, a whole bunch of 35 year old songs to rehearse and an opportunity to hang out 
again, drink too much and reminisce of those heady times in the late '70s when we were young guns. One conversational thread during those two nights spent in Berlin voiced the regret we'd never got around to recording a proper album back then. The 'Anthology' project had collected our old demos 
from the shelves and it was great to see them finally see the light of day, but it was still a collection of demos rather than the album we shoulda made. In the summer of 2014, acting on our good friend Kidnap's encouragement, we decided to record some new songs for a proposed 4-track ep. We had 
fun writing and recording them and before long, four songs turned into six - to nine - and before we knew it, we had twelve. I noticed coincidently,when supplying the song lyrics for the insert, that the very first line of the opening song echoed the sentiment raised in Berlin a few years back - 
'Kinda got started but we never got it done'. Thirty-six years on... we finally did."

"Cracked Up" features 12 new songs of super catchy, fun, addictive, powerful pop with great lead and backing vocals, driving guitars and an ever pulsating rhythm section. Instant classics like the title track, "Cracked Up", "Government Man" or "Walking on James Street" the later bringing to mind The Jam and Squire. 

This is a MUST for all fans of true Power Pop!

Purchase it here : http://thejetz.co.uk/#/shop/4557026571

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