Band playing in Wick, 24th November 2007

**bb1stwick** · 02-Nov-07, 17:45

I was speaking to my mates last night about the band on this month which we seen advertised in the Groat last week. The band Jyrojets www.jyrojets.com are playing live at the Waterfront on 24th November 07.

I was looking on their web site and seen that they have returned from a tour in the U.S.A. They were in Russia and Germany plus the U.K also. They are from Inverness so we believe. They have been on BBC Radio 2 and been the opening supporting band for Richard Ashcroft.

The last Jyrojets headline gig in Inverness was a complete riot, with about 1,000 fans filling The IronWorks. The band hav already headlined the BBC Radio Scotland stage at the Belladrum Festival, supported Dirty Pretty Things, The Kaiser Chiefs and The Ordinary Boys, played festivals in Spain and Moscow with live radio and TV broadcasts across Russia. Their music has been described as a heavy kick of Nirvana with Simon & Garfunkel harmonies, Beatles melodies and plenty of attitude, which pretty much sums up their diverse influences.

This will be good to see and its been a while since there has been a good band playing in Wick apart from the Red Hot Chilli Pipers back in July.

Let me know if anyone is going to see them.

**Jeid** · 02-Nov-07, 20:44

1000 people? In the Ironworks? You're having a laugh! The capacity is 700(not to mention that it would be a very, very tight squeeze) and the touring bands that visit barely fill the place.

They are supposedly a good band. I dunno about the kick of Nirvana though...

**theboysintheband** · 03-Nov-07, 13:04

But if their from Inverness theres a no bad chance they could gather a good crowd.

**Jeid** · 03-Nov-07, 20:24

Indeed their is, but the fact that the place can only hold 700 people makes me think it's bull. I heard they played there and got a good crowd, but they didn't pack the place out.

**theboss** · 05-Nov-07, 10:40

The Jyrojets were the first band from Inverness to sign a record deal. They are currently signed to Songphonic records and have released an E.P and a single with the album due out this year. I bought the E.P afew months ago and quite liked it.

I would describe them as purely an indie/rock band. I can't see very many Nirvana influences in there and would argue that the PR team behind them have simply taken one of the most energetic live acts of all time (Nirvana) and one of the finest melody acts of all time (Simon & Garfunkel) and stuck them together to give the impression that these guys are amazing in both fields. However, while I don't see much influence from said acts, that doesn't mean I didn't like them.

Their very first Daily Record review said "Noel Gallagher would love to still be writing songs like this" and they were handpicked by Richard Ashcroft to support him at the SECC in Glasgow. By all acounts, a damn fine start for a Highland band who are just over 3 years old.

I could go on spouting this kind of rubbish at you, but, the best thing you could do is go along on the 24th and make your own mind up. Hype means nothing if the band can't back it up.

**WeeRob** · 05-Nov-07, 15:21

Their PR is a bit... well "see through" would be my expression.

They're not the first Inverness band to sign a deal. One in the 80s signed with a blues off-shoot of Virgin. Dionysus were signed too. And what about the Cinematics, who are from Dingwall and appeared on Letterman earlier this year?? If you count bands self releasing / small indies the list grows into the dozens.

They didn't headline the tent at Belladrum. I was there, it was mid-afternoon. Thats not a headline slot.

Plus....

I'm sorry but I don't see their achievements thus far as being anything of note. You can buy your way onto support slots.

But still, its good to see gigs on up here. And live music is always a winner.

**theboss** · 05-Nov-07, 15:42

That was my point by saying "I could go on spouting this kind of rubbish at you" as at the end of the day PR means nothing if you yourself think the band is rubbish. Just go and see them. It's been a long long time since a good quality rock band visited Wick.

**The Pepsi Challenge** · 05-Nov-07, 18:58

Originally Posted by WeeRob

Their PR is a bit... well "see through" would be my expression.

They're not the first Inverness band to sign a deal. One in the 80s signed with a blues off-shoot of Virgin. Dionysus were signed too. And what about the Cinematics, who are from Dingwall and appeared on Letterman earlier this year?? If you count bands self releasing / small indies the list grows into the dozens.

They didn't headline the tent at Belladrum. I was there, it was mid-afternoon. Thats not a headline slot.

Plus....

I'm sorry but I don't see their achievements thus far as being anything of note. You can buy your way onto support slots.

But still, its good to see gigs on up here. And live music is always a winner.

They ARE the first band from Inverness to sign a record deal with a Major record label.

**Jeid** · 05-Nov-07, 21:00

Theboss said they were the first Inverness band to sign a deal, not a major record deal. WeeRob was right in what he was saying in response.

When you get a group like Hi Arts funding your cause, it's only a matter of time before you get somewhere.

Going to Russia sounds great, but did they strike up any form of distribution deal? Nope, from what I've been informed, they never. Why travel all those miles and not set something in place to distribute your CD? However, at least they can go home and say "I played in Russia" and their mates will be in awe.

I've heard the stuff they do, they're good at it and it's very well produced(money... superb!) but it does nothing personally for me.

Is this one of the "big bands" that the Waterfront have been promising? Bit of a bad sell if it's the case.

**moncur** · 05-Nov-07, 23:16

Finally got round to going to their website today, and was pleasantly surprised tbh. I was expecting something very similar to the curly-haired indie wimp kid style thats big at the moment. There are obvious elements of that stuff there, but the guitars are in tune and somehow reminds me of the britpop that i was into when i was a young scamp (shed seven, oasis, bluetones, supernaturals) and some other slightly americanish type mainstream in there somewhere. Had a phonecall from the man who runs the Waterfront a couple of weeks ago and Im actually looking forward to playing the gig now.

**foreveruntitled** · 05-Nov-07, 23:19

You seem terribly determined to put them down jeid.

**Jeid** · 05-Nov-07, 23:26

Originally Posted by foreveruntitled

You seem terribly determined to put them down jeid.

If I wanted to put them down, I would. You seem determined to like them, You don't see me moaning about it.

I've got nothing against the band tbh. This is a public forum, I'm just voicing opinion... I am allowed to do that... right?

**foreveruntitled** · 05-Nov-07, 23:31

Originally Posted by Jeid

If I wanted to put them down, I would. You seem determined to like them, You don't see me moaning about it.

I've got nothing against the band tbh. This is a public forum, I'm just voicing opinion... I am allowed to do that... right?

I dont think that that comment is moaning, more of a statement or suggestion.

I actually dont like them. Just think its ecouraging signed bands are coming to Wick, instead of picking up negatives about it and trying to slate them.

**Jeid** · 05-Nov-07, 23:52

I'm not actually slating them. I've never slagged their music. I said it wasn't to my taste. In fact, I went as far as to say that they're good at what they do... is that slating a band these days? If I wanted to slate them, I would've said that I think they're crap, but I never.

I also, before you jump in and think so, never slated them by saying "they never got a distribution deal" in Russia, I slated the people around them. In fact, that's what I've done all along. I'm sure the boys are nice chaps, but the people around them need to get a grip, assuming everything I've heard about them is true.

EDIT: I should also say, yeah, I agree that it's good that Wick are taking in A band. I'll be waiting to see how it does, hope it goes well.

I have my opinions, and I'm quite entitled to air them. Tough if you find that they don't agree with your opinion.

**The Pepsi Challenge** · 06-Nov-07, 07:06

Originally Posted by Jeid

Theboss said they were the first Inverness band to sign a deal, not a major record deal. WeeRob was right in what he was saying in response.

When you get a group like Hi Arts funding your cause, it's only a matter of time before you get somewhere.

Going to Russia sounds great, but did they strike up any form of distribution deal? Nope, from what I've been informed, they never. Why travel all those miles and not set something in place to distribute your CD? However, at least they can go home and say "I played in Russia" and their mates will be in awe.

I've heard the stuff they do, they're good at it and it's very well produced(money... superb!) but it does nothing personally for me.

Is this one of the "big bands" that the Waterfront have been promising? Bit of a bad sell if it's the case.

There's a big, big difference between signing with a small label and a major one, Jeid. Am not sure how much money their company is pumping into them in terms of marketing - a big deal when you sign with a major - but am still not too sure how much money Hi-Arts is putting into them also. Probably not much, given what they pay me as a contributor for them

**WeeRob** · 06-Nov-07, 11:04

Originally Posted by The Pepsi Challenge

They ARE the first band from Inverness to sign a record deal with a Major record label.

Taken from the songphonic myspace site:

"we are an independent record label"

NOT a major.

**The Pepsi Challenge** · 06-Nov-07, 13:51

Whatever they say, any label owned by Osmand Kent, and with £1.5 million pounds pumped into it doesn't come across as an indie. It's hardly SL Records, is it?

**Jeemag_USA** · 06-Nov-07, 19:09

I heard the band before through a friend of mine from Nairn who knows the band, I listened to their stuff on myspace and they are very very good, to my taste anyway, I thought their songs were great. Thought they had a very Stereophonics feel to them.

I think whatever type of record deal they have is neither here nor there, the fact they can put on a show and give you a good night out is surely all that matters isn't it?

http://www.jyrojets.com
http://www.myspace.com/jyrojets
http://www.bebo.com/Jyrojets

**theboysintheband** · 06-Nov-07, 22:37

Who are the curly haired indie wimp kids with out of tune guitars that are big at the moment?

**Jeid** · 07-Nov-07, 09:47

Originally Posted by The Pepsi Challenge

There's a big, big difference between signing with a small label and a major one, Jeid. Am not sure how much money their company is pumping into them in terms of marketing - a big deal when you sign with a major - but am still not too sure how much money Hi-Arts is putting into them also. Probably not much, given what they pay me as a contributor for them

I'm pretty sure Hi-Arts would've pumped a few quid into them to boost the interest in Highland music... they tend to look after things that will look after them, perhaps I'm getting confused with some other Highland organisation.

Originally Posted by WeeRob

Taken from the songphonic myspace site:

"we are an independent record label"

NOT a major.

WeeRob wins here...

Originally Posted by The Pepsi Challenge

Whatever they say, any label owned by Osmand Kent, and with £1.5 million pounds pumped into it doesn't come across as an indie. It's hardly SL Records, is it?

They say they are independent... that's enough to prove that they are.

Originally Posted by theboysintheband

Who are the curly haired indie wimp kids with out of tune guitars that are big at the moment?

Oh, you ken... those whiny kids who sing about America... "ooooh, whine whine America"