Jettblack return for homecoming gig to High Wycombe

But, as Tom Wright, bassist, admits - their choice can make touring difficult.

He said: "It becomes quite hard when you want to tour with other bands, because there is no one really like us.

"Yeah, because it is like heavily influenced by the 80s rock sound and then, as everyone says, we try to put our own twist on it, and bring it up to date a little bit. Yeah, not many of those bands about at all - especially in this country.

"You know like, some bands rip off one band, we rip off all of them (laughs). Nah, it's the music we know best, late 80s, early 90s metal stuff."

Their style has led them to touring with the likes of Aussie rockers Airbourne, and Reckless Love, who enjoy a similar vibe, plus they have played around the world, and at festivals Sonisphere and Download.

The band, signed by Spinefarm Records, released album Get your Hands Dirty last year and their second album is set to be released in January.

Their Wikipedia page describes the band as 'hair metal' - is that how Jettblack would describe themselves?

"Yeah, I think a fan did that page actually" Tom says. "Sometimes you get put into that but, some of the songs, such as Two Hot Girls, would definitely fall into that bracket, but, you know, we are not totally, we aren't cheesy!"

Or do the pretty thing? Like Sebastian Bach from Skid Row?

"No - we are more feral. We have that English thing going on. We are a little bit dirtier."

The band, also made up of Will Stapleton, vocals and guitar, Matt Oliver on drums and Jon Dow on vocals and guitar, all still live in or around Wycombe and were once regular performers at the White Horse pub. They will be back, taking to the WAMA stage, in Bridge Street, High Wycombe with Fozzy on November 12.

Jettblack initially started life as band Skirtbox, a skater-rock outfit, when they met at The Misbourne School in Great Missenden.

Tom says: "We just started playing music together when we were like kids at school then it just got more and more serious, and it took us a bit longer to find our sound. Once we got that, I don't know, it just really picked up.

"We were just mucking around. We used to do cover songs, and we started writing our own. We were just like teenagers and skateboarding all the time so we just started writing that music, then, just as we got older we realised that wasn't the sort of stuff we wanted to be doing. So just over the years we got better with our instruments so we were able to play the music we wanted to play. "

"We recorded our album, our first album, we funded it ourselves, and we got it out there, and we got signed by Spinefarm Records, that is part of Universal Records, and from that we got a booking agent and um, yeah, it just got better and better really."

The last time Jettblack played in Wycombe they had two glamorous fire-breathers out on the stage for their song 'Two Hot Girls' but the antics may well wait this time for a planned headline tour in January, which would see them back in the town, to co-incide with the launch of their new album.

"We just want to get out there and tour as much as possible" says Tom. "Get to as many places as possible, keeping touring the UK and get bigger and better. I think like every band just get as successful as possible, basically."

And headline a festival? "Oh yes, definitely. All of 'em! Just keep going, getting further and further up the bill. Just take over the world, along with all the millions of other bands (laughs)."

See their Facebook page for latest JettBlack updates:myspace.com/jettblackuk.

Jettblack will be supporting Fozzy at WAMA in Bridge Street, High Wycombe on November 12 from 7.30pm to 12am. Tickets are £13.50 from www.wamalamadingdong.co.uk

Questions with Tom Wright from JettBlack:

Best gig?

"Sonisphere was the best gig we have ever played. We toured last year and the beginning of this year so Sonisphere was where everyone all over the country sort of came to see us. And it was amazing. The crowd was really big. Just an amazing vibe, it was really good. Then we had girls come on and do all the fire breathing so it was brilliant. "My family didn't go this year: Whenever we go on tour all our mates come with us and we end up using all the guest list up. So it actually cost us this year because it was £20 for charity but we ended up paying for it somehow. My dad usually comes to a lot but the rest of the band, their families live abroad pretty much. "

You are set to play High Wycombe's WAMA. Does it feel like coming home?

"Yeah, earlier in the year we did a show down at the (Student) Union and that was incredible. We did a tour in December but hadn't played in Wycombe for about a year, and we pretty much sold out the Union and it was just incredible, really good. So it would have been almost a year since we've played there now, so it will be really good."

Do you have local fans?

"Yeah, I think so. There were a lot of new faces when we played there last time aswell so it was really nice. "

How old are you all?

We are all around late 20s-30s. We are not young any more.

Where does the Jettblack name come from?

"I don't know really. It was just one of those things that we needed a name and there were just so many about and when you come up with a name they always sound, like, crap. But, I don't know, after a while you just get used to it and some of the biggest bands in the world have crap names. You think of Korn and it is just terrible but when you say it, you never really think about that. So we, I don't know, we threw lots of ideas around and that was the one we all agreed on.

Looks like you have been doing a lot of touring. Do you have wives/girlfriends? Do you miss them?

"A few of us have girlfriends, yeah. None of us are married, or anything like that. It gets a bit hard at times, when you are away a lot. But, you've got to do it, I guess."

Any tips for bands?

"Just keep going, I think. Do what we've done. If you think you're good enough, just get out there, keep playing. If you are good enough, good things will happen for you."

Do you think a lot of it is luck, being in the right place?

"Definitely. Without a doubt. It's pretty hard going. I'm not going to lie. It is very hard but it is good fun. There is a lot of good stuff along the way. If you enjoy it, keep doing it."

Are you living at home?

"We've all got our flats and stuff. That's the other thing. You have to cover rent when you are out on tour so it does get pretty testing. But, as I say, there is a lot of good stuff that happens so it is worth it. It is better than sitting in an office for us anyway."

What bands are you listening to at the moment?

"We get asked this a lot. I should rehearse this answer really. I'm trying to think what any of us have been listening to. I'm not always listening to music anymore, not that I'm sick of it, but you hear so much of it all the time. But there is a young band that's just come on called The Treatment. I've been listening to them, they share our record label. "We have been listening to our album quite a bit as it is getting mixed at the moment and we are getting all the first mixes back so we have to listen to see if there are any mistakes in that. "

Is there a name for your album yet?

"There is. But I think we are going to wait another month until we release it. The album sounds amazing and it has got a pretty epic name aswell. It will be about a month I think. Keep your eyes peeled on our Facebook page. "

First metal album you bought?

"Well back then it was on cassette, it was Master of Puppets by Metallica."

So Metallica, that is a harder sound than what you guys do?

"Yeah, that album has a bit more of a heavier riffage sort of thing, but we all grew up on Metallica. But they are the Gods so you can't really follow in their footsteps. The new album has elements of it, it has the hooks. We love our 80s heavy metal basically. Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Megadeth."

Any musical guilty pleasures?

"Yeah, loads. Will is the worst for this one. He loves Shania Twain. Absolutely loves it. Sometimes we listen to so much it is not even guilty - we just like it. I'm trying to think. I'm looking through some of my CDs now. John is pretty bad. He likes his pop. Between us we like everything there is, to be honest. But Will loves his Shania Twain. "

And you are friends with Young Guns?

"Yes, we've known them for years. Some of them are from Marlow, some of them are from Great Missenden aswell. I can't even remember how we met them, to be honest. I think it is just through music. I think it was when they were in other bands, before they were Young Guns. Yes, we have known them for years. We've been hanging out with them, playing gigs with them. We've probably known them, particularly like John and Fraser the brothers, we've probably known them about ten years. "