Scotty and the band.

Hi all,

I write this at the request of management in order to touch base with people who may be interested in the band and what were up to. I normally never write blogs or get involved in online discussions, reason being, I believe that unless your a literary genius, and I'm most certainly not, it is very easy to be miss construed or misunderstood in the context of text or email, so I steer clear of it on the whole. Relying on an old fashion way of communicating, cold beer and a good yarn. A far more dynamic and contextually accurate format I find. That and letting my work and my music speak for itself.

Coupled with the fact that I'm fairly sure nobody gives a flying nun what I think anyway!

Never the less, as requested, here goes.

Im the new blood in the lineup as you all know, and by no means do I feel I've earned the write to speak on behalf of one of the hardest working and longest running rock bands in the world. That said, I suppose I have the right to speak on behalf of myself as a working musician, studio engineer, producer and friend, so thats what ill do.

My first experience with the Screaming Jets apart from knowing there music from airplay and industry legend was as a fellow muso on a tour called The Barbed Wire Ball, back in the 90's. I was in a band called Horsehead back then, and along with the Angels, the three bands toured nationally for a month or two. Many drinks, many laughs, many drinks, a common admiration and some rockin gigs ensued. Did I mention many drinks. End of memory.

The next time would be around a decade later, when a very good friend of mine, long time studio legend and my recording mentor Michael Letho asked me to cover for him on the first week of an album session, as his schedule overlapped the beginning of  the project. No problem I said who's the band? The Screaming Jets he answered. Ahh at last! I thought, a fucking rock band, bring it on! 

Things went very well in that first week, so well in fact I stayed on till the completion of the session, making some very close friends and what I believe to be a killer album in the process. Brothers from another mother all of them. We often joked during the session about me getting up to play with the band at some stage, and low and behold and for reasons that I will never comment on, I got a call to fill in on a few gigs up north. Ya fucking hooo! Up until that point I thought my touring days were over. Not so.

Two years down the track Im still here and feel honored to have been welcomed into the family that is, The Screaming Jets. Not only by the band but there fans as well. You guys (the fans that is) have been truly amazing in the way you have welcomed me and I sincerely thank you for that. Lots of traveling and some unbelievably rockin gigs later, a fantastic new album under our belts and some very exciting prospects on the horizon. They have renewed my faith in the great Australian rock genre. A genre that I was brought up on and that seemed to be all but murdered thanks to poker machines, TV gimmicks and computer based "band in a box" applications.  Nothing tickles the soul like a great rock band. Thats what I believe at least. And to say that these lads have rekindled my love of the art is an understatement!

I apologize to anybody that sees me as a scab worker as I'm just doing what I love to do. Playing rock music with a great bunch of like minded lads. I'll bring something different to the band, thats a given, but hopefully you'll dig it. If not, fuck off home,  you've got a great back catalogue to cry over. No looking back is my motto and I know the other lads in the band feel the same way. Onwards and upwards! I have a great deal of respect for what Grant achieved with this band and feel the pressure to fill some pretty big shoes as far as his compositions are concerned, but I'll never be Grant and I will never try to be! I hope you enjoy what we have now as much as you've enjoyed it in the past. I know I do. 

If you dig it I'll see you out at the bar after a gig for a beer or twenty thousand and lets look forward. Not back. So far I've had no problem finding after gig drinkin buddies so I'll take that as a good thing.

I really look forward to the next few years with this band and cant wait to see what we come up with as a unit. I have a feeling there are some great things yet to come, and personally speaking I cant wait.

Peace, love and cold beer.

Scotty Kingman