The name of Jet Jaguar Suddenly rose to fame on the Mexican metal scene a year ago, when they became the first national band to win the tough Battle of the Bands at the world's most famous metal festival: Wacken Open Air.
Today, with a confirmed participation on the stages of Corona Hell and Heaven 2018 and on the eve of their new studio album, the band from Cancun seeks to reaffirm their place and confirm why the Germans gave them such enormous recognition.
Many people still do not know them or barely knew them, tell us how did Jet Jaguar start?
First of all thanks to Summa Inferno for conducting the interview. Jet Jaguar started in 2014 thanks to the desire to play traditional Heavy Metal trying to renew the genre for new generations. Thanks to influences from NWOTHM and NWOBHM, the band began to forge their style.
Is Cancun a good place for bands of that style?
In reality, the genre played by Jet Jaguar in Cancun is practically dead. There are bands from various metal bands, but not many within the genre we play.
Además, dentro de la escena musical de Cancun el metal es minoría. Aquí la mayoría escucha ska o reggae;a escena rock tira más al indie y al alternativo. Las bandas de metal se cuentan con los dedos de las manos… Lumine Electi, Elefangs, Vertigo 777, Eterknight.
What does it take for the metal to gain relevance in the southeastern states of the country and more bands to emerge?
Many things are needed, but the main thing is to have a desire, if you have the desire everything else will happen on its own. In addition, that serious promoters are found wanting to support emerging gangs. We know that it is not easy, nor cheap, but if both parties are willing to give their best and sacrifice certain things, it can be achieved.
They are the first and so far the only Mexican band to win the battle of the Wacken gangs. How did your career change?
La responsabilidad y presión aumentaron un 200%. Un dia antes del show estabamos ansiosos por tocar y reventar Wacken y un día después de anunciar al ganador, estabamos ansioso por reafirmar porque somos campeones del mundo. Planeamos una gira en todo Mexico regresando de Europa luego luego para que no se perdiera el momentum de lo que sucedio en Wacken. Fue una “gira estrategica” para darnos a conocer en casi todo el pais.
Did you feel differently in the way you received them during your return tour?
Well, each audience is different, but as long as you give everything on stage, people will respond positively, Jet Jaguar feeds on the audience and vice versa.
What would they have done to continue growing in the hypothetical case of not having won?
From the beginning, we made two plans depending on the results: If we qualified Wacken, go to win and in 2018 start working on new material, what we are doing right now. And if we did not qualify, we would have started from last year to work on the new material and continue chipping stone.
Can you think of living on music after winning such a contest?
Living from music and especially in this genre, at this time is not easy, but similar to other works. The more you work and the more you put into it, the better it will go.
It is no secret that the winning bands have to pay for the trip, what would you change to stop it being like this?
In other countries, the government gets involved and supports the gang in their transfers, that would be something that would greatly support the gangs in Mexico, because it is not cheap to get to Europe. Wacken's Metal Battle is not the only door to get to Europe; however it is a very good option. Now what many bands do is contact a Booking agency and thus generate their shows in Europe. Something to mention is that you have to make a strong investment if you want things to go well.
We want to thank Luis Jasso and Kelpy because they are the soul of Metal Battle Mexico, thanks to them Mexico manages to compete at Wacken.
And now, they will be at Corona Hell And Heaven 2018, what will we see?
Estamos preparado un show de primer nivel, vamos con todo a demostrar de que esta hecho Jet Jaguar y probablemente haya una sorpresa, rola nueva tal vez… Este año lanzaremos muchas sorpresas, tanto videos como sencillos de lo que sera nuestro album debut que posiblemente lleve el nombre de “Up To The Top“.
To Mexican bands that recommend following?
Voltax, Strike Master, Agora, Coda, Qbo, Forcer, Ultra P, Elefangs, Lead Soldier, Venemous, Demential, Sultans of Beer, Save Me, Killer Rose, Tulkas, Split Heaven, Cemican, Magnotauro, listen to them all!
A tip for the provincial gangs that are chipping stone.
Trust your material, don't give up at any time, there are going to be difficult days and days when difficult days seem like a walk in the park, but never stop playing and rehearsing.
