JETBOY Interview: Mickey Finn and Billy Rowe (Interview)
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
WhatsApp
Telegram
Email
Print
While attending the Rock n’ Skull Festival in Joliet, Illinois Decibel Geek staff writer Mikael Svensson teamed up with Jetboy lead vocalist Mickey Finn and guitarist Billy Rowe to find out where Jetboy are heading and a little about the band’s past. I want to thank Mickey and Billy for taking time out of their busy schedule to give us some insight into Jetboy, past, present and future.
Let’s start with the archive releases. In the 1990’s and early 2000’s a lot of archive material by Jetboy was released on CD through Perris records. How did those albums come about?
Mickey:Billy, was the one who negotiated those deals and made it happen so I will defer to him on this question.
Billy: I had saved all the bands early demos and unreleased material along with flyers and anything related we had done. When my band at the time American Heartbreak was coming together my friend Johnathan Daniel put me in touch with the owner of Perris Records to see if he’d want to release the first AH EP. When we spoke he said (Tom Mathers) let’s do it. But he also asked if I had any unreleased Jetboy tracks to put out? So we started with the first release ‘A Day In The Glamourous Life’ from there attention on the band grew and we struck a deal with Cleopatra Records and released ‘Lost And Found’ The rest of the releases followed ‘Make Some More Noise’ and ‘One More For Rock N Roll’ on Perris Records. These releases are what kept the Jetboy brand out in the public eye. There was a huge resurgence of all things 80’s at that time so it really gave the band some fuel without having to actually be a working band. A few years later Brian Perra owner of Cleopatra Records called and suggested we get back together for the release of his 3 part ‘Hollywood Rocks’ collection. The band has been back at it ever since. Since that time we’ve released ‘The Glam Years’ on Cleopatra Records. Our self-release ‘Off Your Rocker’ and a re-release of ‘Damned Nation’ on a french label. The label Rock Candy Records run by Derrick Oliver of Kerrang! magazine fame is re-releasing our first album ‘Feel The Shake’ with a deluxe CD packaging and bonus tracks.
In 2005 the band reunited again and can you share some insights on the process behind the reunion and why it happened at that point?
Mickey: This was just around the beginning of the Hair Metal (ugh I hate that title but for the sake of efficiency) and I was living in Hawaii after several years working and DJing in the Electronic music scene in Socal/San Diego this was my glorious Rave years, lots of drugs and excessive partying, but loads of fun and creative music projects. Billy and I never lost touch but seldom talked and I remember around this time Billy contacting me with news of offers from Brian Perera at Cleopatra Records to release, record and reunite for upcoming projects that were predicted to gain momentum. I flew back for the 1st Jetboy reunion early 2006, and that really got the ball rolling and my desire to return to live music and Rock n Roll was sparked! I soon began a major re-invention and began planning my return to California to pursue future endeavors with Jetboy. I moved to Los Angeles in October 2006 and would remain there until 2014. I now reside in Hawaii again.
Positions as drummer and bass player have rotated a couple of times since the reunion. Can you tell us a little about on how you found Eric Stacy and Al Serrato?
Mickey: We have had a pretty long list of Bass players and drummers, all were great players and helped Jetboy continue to keep our music alive. Al (Al Diablo) Serrato is the drummer from my band Cold Blue Rebels which I started with Danny Dangerous and recorded a full-length album (Blood Guts and Rock n Roll – Horror High Records 2010) and a 6 song EP (Love of the Undead – Horror High Records 2011). He is a very talented and schooled drummer who is constantly playing in multiple live and studio projects and we love having him in the band. Eric Stacy is an old friend from back in the day and has just recently joined and is a perfect fit! I love having him in the band and we have the best time hanging and playing together. In fact, at the recent Rock n’ Skull Festival we stayed up all night after the show partying with some fans which is something I rarely do anymore!
Were Eric and Al friends of the band since before? Did you audition any other guys?
.
Mickey: We don’t generally audition guys we work with and with both Al and Eric, they just learned the songs and showed up and played everything perfectly, we don’t even rehearse together anymore, we all just work on our own and show up and ROCK!!
.
Have the members of Jetboy other band’s/side projects that they are involved in?
.
Mickey:Eric is playing in Angels in Vain, and Al is always busy with gigs in multiple bands but The Hellenbacks is his main thing.
.
Are there any plans for a new Jetboy album? Have you written any new songs?
.
Mickey:We would love to get into the studio and record a new track in the next few months to release early next year, and then maybe some shows in Europe, and more US shows including one of the Rock Cruises which we have not done yet.
.
What is the strangest thing that has happened to you during a Jetboy concert?
.
Mickey:The strangest thing that’s ever happened at a Jetboy concert would have to be getting most of my clothes torn off by a group of fans at the front of the stage back in the Sunset Strip days at one of our shows at the Troubadour!! We always did like to get up close and personal with our crowd even inviting them on stage with us at times but that was a bit too far!! Good times!
I really enjoyed the Jetboy show at Rock n’ Skull and would like to wish Mickey and the rest of the Jetboy guys good luck in the future and I hope to catch them live again at some point. All of the guys were really friendly and dedicated a whole lot of time talking to fans and taking pictures after the show. You can read my Rock n’ Skull Spotlight Review of the gig here: Jetboy Live at Rock n’ Skull
JETBOY Interview: Mickey Finn and Billy Rowe (Interview)
Let’s start with the archive releases. In the 1990’s and early 2000’s a lot of archive material by Jetboy was released on CD through Perris records. How did those albums come about?
Mickey: Billy, was the one who negotiated those deals and made it happen so I will defer to him on this question.
Billy: I had saved all the bands early demos and unreleased material along with flyers and anything related we had done. When my band at the time American Heartbreak was coming together my friend Johnathan Daniel put me in touch with the owner of Perris Records to see if he’d want to release the first AH EP. When we spoke he said (Tom Mathers) let’s do it. But he also asked if I had any unreleased Jetboy tracks to put out? So we started with the first release ‘A Day In The Glamourous Life’ from there attention on the band grew and we struck a deal with Cleopatra Records and released ‘Lost And Found’ The rest of the releases followed ‘Make Some More Noise’ and ‘One More For Rock N Roll’ on Perris Records. These releases are what kept the Jetboy brand out in the public eye. There was a huge resurgence of all things 80’s at that time so it really gave the band some fuel without having to actually be a working band. A few years later Brian Perra owner of Cleopatra Records called and suggested we get back together for the release of his 3 part ‘Hollywood Rocks’ collection. The band has been back at it ever since. Since that time we’ve released ‘The Glam Years’ on Cleopatra Records. Our self-release ‘Off Your Rocker’ and a re-release of ‘Damned Nation’ on a french label. The label Rock Candy Records run by Derrick Oliver of Kerrang! magazine fame is re-releasing our first album ‘Feel The Shake’ with a deluxe CD packaging and bonus tracks.
Mickey: This was just around the beginning of the Hair Metal (ugh I hate that title but for the sake of efficiency) and I was living in Hawaii after several years working and DJing in the Electronic music scene in Socal/San Diego this was my glorious Rave years, lots of drugs and excessive partying, but loads of fun and creative music projects. Billy and I never lost touch but seldom talked and I remember around this time Billy contacting me with news of offers from Brian Perera at Cleopatra Records to release, record and reunite for upcoming projects that were predicted to gain momentum. I flew back for the 1st Jetboy reunion early 2006, and that really got the ball rolling and my desire to return to live music and Rock n Roll was sparked! I soon began a major re-invention and began planning my return to California to pursue future endeavors with Jetboy. I moved to Los Angeles in October 2006 and would remain there until 2014. I now reside in Hawaii again.
Positions as drummer and bass player have rotated a couple of times since the reunion. Can you tell us a little about on how you found Eric Stacy and Al Serrato?
I really enjoyed the Jetboy show at Rock n’ Skull and would like to wish Mickey and the rest of the Jetboy guys good luck in the future and I hope to catch them live again at some point. All of the guys were really friendly and dedicated a whole lot of time talking to fans and taking pictures after the show. You can read my Rock n’ Skull Spotlight Review of the gig here: Jetboy Live at Rock n’ Skull
Mikael Svensson
Official Website / Facebook
[gmedia id=420]
Check Out Our Latest .
Geekwire Week of 04.22.26 – Ep667
GeekWire 04.22.26 is packed with the usual mix of rock drama, reunion talk, tour news, and a few curveballs. This week we’re
Satanic Panic – Ep666
This week we dive into one of rock’s most hysterical and revealing cultural flashpoints: the Satanic Panic. From Robert Johnson crossroads mythology
Geekwire – Week of 04.01.26 – Ep665
This week on Geekwire, we dig into Vinnie Vincent’s latest bout of absurdity as he puts a $2 million price tag on