Nic Cester

Name, where are you from?
Nicholas John Cester, Melbourne Australia.

Describe your style in three words?
Elegant homeless guy.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
You Am I at the metro in Melbourne when I was 16. It made me want to be in a band. 'Purple Sneakers' was my favourite track, but the whole 'Hi Fi Way' was my bible back then. At a time when grunge music was everywhere, this Australian band were so much more relatable to me than American angst.

If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
Well, Dean Martin is my favourite singer, I got the chance to sing 'Ain't That A Kick In The Head' recently with a full swing orchestra in Como which was amazing. Watching Dino with his band back in the 50's must have been something. Sly & The Family Stone would be one. Admittedly that would be a very weird bill though. Still,...would be interesting.

Which subcultures have influenced you?
There was a great rock/pop thing going on in Australia in the 90's that I touched on earlier when mentioning You Am I. That was a hugely important scene for me. At that time in Canada, there was also a band called Sloan that I would include in that scene. I also grew up listening to a lot of Italian stuff because of my Dad. Things like Lucio Battisti, Mina and some classical stuff too. I absorb it all. 'Subculture' is a tricky one because what might be considered a subculture now to you or me might be or might have been pop culture or counter-culture to someone else in another time or place. I don't like to categorise. I prefer to listen, absorb and consider.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Jesus. I'd like to know what he really thought and said before it got twisted and corrupted over time. Or Muhammad for that matter or any one of the pillars or our religions. The influence of these individuals is staggering and far more reaching or consequential than any musician or artist, politician or statesman.

Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
It'd probably be the Ed Sullivan Theater. A lot of history went down in that place and a much bigger audience than any festival or stadium.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
Again maybe Dean Martin. People forget how big Martin and Lewis were. Before Elvis, before, the Beatles. Unsung maybe these days but not then obviously. Elvis took a lot from Dean.

Nic Cester is best known as the frontman of Jet, one of the bands at the head of the garage rock revival in the early 00s. Jet will be touring the UK in July to celebrate the 15th anniversary of their debut album 'Get Born'. Find out more at www.jetofficial.com.

Nic is also readying the release of his debut solo album 'Sugar Rush' which is due to be released 27th July 2018. Find out more about that at www.niccester.com.