SONG:   “Castrol GTX ”
BAND:  Age of Jets
2:16 min, Japan

DIRECTOR:  Mark Richardson

SYNOPSIS:
Music video for Age of Jets . Cool, retro and unique tribute to the world's famous lubricant

www.markpyper.com/castrolgtx

Band Biography

Visit the band at www.ageofjets.co.uk  (English & Japanese site)
and also www.myspace.com/ageofjets

Picture the love child of The Beta Band, Kraftwerk and Devo. Yes, that Devo. Welcome to the Age of Jets.

This electro-pop quartet, fronted by Hull, England native Mark Richardson is anything but ordinary. Comparisons to Brian Eno and German electronic duo Kraftwerk created a buzz around the band four years ago that booked gigs at various venues throughout England, spurred the beginnings of a small following and got them signed to London's Damaged Goods, a label also home to The Buzzcocks and Billy Childish.

"I always knew I wanted to be up there on stage," says Richardson, who only started playing guitar at the age of 25. "I was really fortunate that the friends around me went to record shops and looked for music that wasn't run of the mill." It was this early influence with experimental music that inspired Richardson and his mates to form their first band ten years ago called Summerbee, named after an English football player.

While rummaging through the apartment of former Summerbee band mate Paul Sarel, Richardson found a stack of fictional band posters that Sarel had created as a hobby.

Among those posters was one titled Age of Jets. "I thought it was a cool poster and we were looking for a modern name that reflected a modern sound," says Richardson.

Thus the Age of Jets was born. Though the Jets first album Go Go Gadget Pop was mainly guitar-driven, Richardson's move to Osaka meant that plans for a second album would have to be put on hold. The result has been as Richardson describes it: "pop to dance album with an 80s retro feel, reflected greatly in the catchy new single 'Robotboy'. "I've got a fascination with robots," laughs Richardson. 'The whole idea of robots controlling so many facets of our lives inspires me and fits in with our sound." The current Jets which Include Haraguchi, (Keyboards) and Chigusa, (bass) are now with Berlin based label Karate Musik and will release “Castrol GTX” on the 1st September 2008

The Jets are trying to maintain their original fan base in the UK and raise their profile in Japan, so they can play festivals like Fujirock or Summersonic.

With a solid base of songs for their follow-up album, new friendships with established Japanese bands like Tokyo's Polysics and more gigs, it looks like the future is bright for this young band.