THE SCREAMING JETS

Gearing up for their first national tour in years, Screaming Jets lead singer Dave Gleeson, or ‘Gleeso’, is apologetic, “Sorry I missed your call mate, I was hanging washing on the line. The life of a rock star, eh?”

No apology needed – these guys are the real deal. From humble beginnings in the late eighties, The Screaming Jets have carved a place into Australian music folklore.

As Gleeson says, “We’ve hung our reputation on being a big, fat, tight, loud, rock and roll band in that pub-rock tradition that Australians love so much.”

Like their heroes, fans can reduce them to one word – ‘Angels’, ‘Oils’, ‘Chisel’, ‘Jets’ – evoking memories of a time when rock music thrived in live venues up and down the country. Not bad for a couple of young blokes from ‘Newie’.

With a 25th anniversary album set for release next year The Jets are free to play their much-loved back catalogue, so expect to hear the likes of Better and Helping Hand.

“Having not played together for awhile, it’s going to be hard not to explode on stage,” says Gleeson.

Asked whether they’ve mellowed over the years, Gleeson bristles. “Not as a band, and not onstage,” he says.

“It’s always been about getting out there, having fun, interacting with the crowd and letting the vibrancy and energy of the music takeover.

“It’s like, ‘Hey the Jets are here and we still do it just like this’.” (GW)

November 23, Metro Theatre, 624 George St, $45, 9550 3666, metrotheatre.com.au