Jet (British band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1974 in London, England |
| Founder | Andy Ellison, Martin Gordon, Chris Townson, David O'List, Peter Oxendale |
| Defunct | 1976 |
| Headquarters | London , England |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Jet was a glam rock group originating from London, England, established in 1974. Their discography includes a single album released in 1975 before the group disbanded, with the majority of its members later forming the punk/new wave ensemble known as Radio Stars.
History
The founding members of Jet comprised Andy Ellison (vocals, formerly of John's Children), Martin Gordon (bass, previously with Sparks), Chris Townson (drums, also ex-John's Children), David O'List (lead guitar, who had played with The Nice and was an early member of Roxy Music), and Peter Oxendale (keyboards, who had performed live with Sparks). Their self-titled album was released through CBS in May 1975, produced by Roy Thomas Baker. Before launching the album, Jet toured across the UK as support for Ian Hunter and Mick Ronson. Their initial single "My River" was released to coincide with this tour, followed by "Nothing To Do With Us," which garnered favorable critical attention but failed to enter the charts. Due to disappointing sales figures, CBS terminated their contract in 1975, and the band dissolved during recording sessions for a second album in 1976.
Following this, O'List and Oxendale were succeeded by guitarist Ian MacLeod. Recording sessions at Island Studios yielded four tracks that Island Records declined to release; however, these were accepted by Chiswick Records. The group then adopted the name Radio Stars, establishing themselves within the punk and new wave scenes.
In 2000, Jet briefly reformed for a European tour covering the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands. This reunion led to the live album Music for the Herd of Herring. The lineup featured Ellison, Gordon, Townson, MacLeod, alongside additions Trevor White (formerly of Sparks) and Boz Boorer, known as Morrissey's musical director.
Posthumous releases include More Light than Shade, which compiles live performances and demos from their unfinished second album sessions, as well as Some Flotsam, containing two live recordings from their 1975 UK tour. The original Jet album received its first official release in October 2010 through UK-based label RPM Records (UK) as part of a double CD set titled Jet/Even More Light than Shade, which featured previously unreleased material. In 2020, Sony Music made the Jet album available digitally.
After spending years working as a session musician and producer, Martin Gordon embarked on a solo career in 2001. He released six albums collectively known as the 'Mammal Trilogy' on Radiant Future Records, featuring Townson on drums. Gordon remains active in recording; his most recent solo project released in 2022 is 'Another Words - the Phone Call,' notable for including vocals by Donald Trump.
Albums
- Jet (CBS, S-80699, May 1975)
Live albums
- Music For The Herd Of Herring (2001: Radiant Future Records RFVP001CD) – featuring members of Radio Stars & John's Children
Singles
- "My River" / "Quandary" (CBS, CBS-3143, March 1975)
- "Nothing to Do with Us" (CBS, CBS-3317, June 1975)
Reissues / Compilations
- Nothing To Do With Us - A Golden Treasury Of JET (Fan Mael, C08018)
- Jet (Radiant Future Records, RFVP002CD, 2001), reissued by RPM Records, digitally re-released by Sony Music in 2020
- More Light Than Shade (Radiant Future Records, RFVP003CD, 2001)
- More Flotsam (Radiant Future Records, RF015, 2010) – available as download only
- Jet / Even More Light Than Shade (RPM Records, RETRO D882, 2010)
External links
- Jet featured on glam-rock.de
- Overview of Jet on Martin Gordon's official site
- Radiant Future website
- Jet profile on Discogs