Local record label Jett Plastic Recordings is gearing up to celebrate their fifth anniversary. The boutique label boasts a pretty solid lineup, including acts like Caveman & Bam Bam, Trout, The Idiot Kids and The ILL Itches. They even put out music from Corey Feldman! But. that is not the most impressive, part, the most impressive part is that this label is owned, managed and run by someone who is still under 21! Jarrett Koral is a sort of diamond in the ruff. He is someone who loves and appreciates rock and roll and understands the magic of vinyl. He has a wicked ear for good shit and he is the kind of kid that you see out at every single show supporting local music. So, it's fitting that he is going to bring a bunch of musicians together for the celebration.
Next weekend he will be hosting a two-day festival at PJ's Lager House that will feature 18+ bands and a ton of new release from a bunch of the bands on the roster. JettBlast Fest will take place from 6 p.m. until 1 a.m. on Friday the 10th and Saturday the 11th. Day passes are $10 in advance and weekend passes are $18 to $44. You can purchase advance tickets here. But before you do, take a second and read our interview with the man behind the brand, Jarrett. Check out what he has to say about the label, the show and the future!
Jarrett- "I haven’t really booked shows locally except for a few release shows and even then I didn’t have full control over the lineup. So, for the fifth anniversary of Jett Plastic, I wanted to celebrate it right! After getting about five bands added onto the show, more bands asked to be involved. Eventually, this culminated into this two day, eighteen band festival! It’s been a ridiculous amount of work, but it also allows me to have all my favorite bands play and to get bands to play who don’t normally play local shows, or in the case of The ILL Itches, bands who haven’t played in a few years!"
HID- Why did you name your festival JettBlast Fest?
Jarrett- "I’m trying to think of an answer to this one, but I really don’t know. It sounded really cool and it looked good on paper!"
HID- How did you choose the lineup for this fest?
Jarrett- "I’m proud of every band on this fest. Most of the bands playing have released/are releasing records on Jett Plastic, so it really is a family affair! It’s also only $10, which is crazy considering there are nine bands per night and the show begins at 6 p.m. (until 1 a.m.!). I’ve put a ridiculous amount of work into this and I’m sure it’ll pay off! The ILL Itches are playing their first show in more than a year, Tyson Meade is in from Oklahoma (I’m playing bass with him!), Black Merda are playing a rare Detroit area show, Rocket 455 are playing, Troy Gregory, Choke Chains (Tom Potter of Bantam Rooster), The Britemores, All Seeing Eyes (feat Johnny Walker of the Soledad Brothers)…and those are only seven of the bands playing! This lineup truly is stacked and I’m really excited for these two busy, albeit wonderful, nights."
HID- Who are the bands that are coming from out of town?
Jarrett- "Tyson Meade is in from Oklahoma, who is the singer of one of my favorite bands, the Chainsaw Kittens. Deadly Lo-Fi are in from Georgia, All Seeing Eyes are in from Cincinnati…and one of my favorite bands, the explosive Brother O’ Brother, are in from Indianapolis. These bands rule."
HID- What records will your label be releasing at this fest?
Jarrett- "I’ll be releasing a bunch of new records at the fest! Really excited about this because it feels like one big release party! Will finally have Tyson Meade’s “Kitchens and Bathrooms” out on vinyl (lead singer of the Chainsaw Kittens from Oklahoma), the new 7” by The Idiot Kids with two great new tracks (one of which is a Neutral Milk Hotel cover), a new 7” by Black Merda (70s soul-funk pioneers from Detroit), a compilation of David Bowie covers featuring Brother O’ Brother, Shane Devon and Tyson Meade (I actually make my first vinyl appearance on this), and finally a compilation LP featuring ten unreleased tracks by bands playing the fest, including The ILL Itches, Brother O’ Brother, The Idiot Kids, Choke Chains, All Seeing Eyes and loads more! Super, super excited about all of these…plus, all these bands are playing the fest!"
HID- Why did you decide to host your 2-day event at The Lager House?
Jarrett- "The Lager House was the first place I saw a local show at, so I really wanted to take it back to where it began. PJ has been a great ally to the local music scene, and I’m really excited to work with him and the Lager House staff on this show. Lager can also accommodate two different stages so I needed the festival to be at a place that I can do quick changeovers. From 6 p.m. to 1 a.m., there’ll only be about thirty minutes of total silence. Live life loud!"
Jarrett- "I’ll be releasing a bunch of new records at the fest! Really excited about this because it feels like one big release party! Will finally have Tyson Meade’s “Kitchens and Bathrooms” out on vinyl (lead singer of the Chainsaw Kittens from Oklahoma), the new 7” by The Idiot Kids with two great new tracks (one of which is a Neutral Milk Hotel cover), a new 7” by Black Merda (70s soul-funk pioneers from Detroit), a compilation of David Bowie covers featuring Brother O’ Brother, Shane Devon and Tyson Meade (I actually make my first vinyl appearance on this), and finally a compilation LP featuring ten unreleased tracks by bands playing the fest, including The ILL Itches, Brother O’ Brother, The Idiot Kids, Choke Chains, All Seeing Eyes and loads more! Super, super excited about all of these…plus, all these bands are playing the fest!"
HID- Why did you decide to host your 2-day event at The Lager House?
Jarrett- "The Lager House was the first place I saw a local show at, so I really wanted to take it back to where it began. PJ has been a great ally to the local music scene, and I’m really excited to work with him and the Lager House staff on this show. Lager can also accommodate two different stages so I needed the festival to be at a place that I can do quick changeovers. From 6 p.m. to 1 a.m., there’ll only be about thirty minutes of total silence. Live life loud!"
HID- Why does Jett Plastic only release tapes and records?
Jarett- "I’ve always been dedicated to physical media, be it records, tapes or CDs. Now that I’m into this pretty much full time, I realized that physical media really is the way to go. Vinyl, simply put, is a lot more fun to play than a standard MP3. I still listen to music in the car or on the computer, but sitting down to play a record really is a wholly romantic experience. Vinyl was the first format that I really got into, so to go back to that, I just feel so much warmth."
HID- How does a band get signed to your label?
Jarrett- "There are plans to finally open a Jett Plastic storefront in the next year so after this festival, I’ll be slowing down quite a bit. I’m also in college full time so juggling all these things is difficult sometimes! During this ‘down time’, I don’t know exactly how many records I’ll be releasing. I’m always accepting submissions through the label site (www.jettplasticrecordings.com) and via e-mail. I’m always up for supporting local music and I love hearing new things, so please have at it!"
HID- What is your dream band to land on your label?
Jarett- "Tiny Tim."
HID- What does Jett Plastic have coming up in the next year?
Jarrett- "Oh boy! Full-Lengths from The Idiot Kids, Tyson Meade, Chainsaw Kittens, Troy Gregory, Crystal Drive and Billy Davis! Not to mention new 7”s from Brother O’ Brother, White Mystery, Fruit of The Loom, Ultimate Ovation and so many more. I’ve been busting my bum over here trying to get all this music out…2018 is going to kill! I’ll also hit the fiftieth release sometime in 2018, also the sixth year of Jett Plastic!"
HID- Tell me something about Jarrett that most people don't know.
Jarett- "My favorite local show I’ve ever been to was The GO with Redd Kross at the Lager House. Wolfman Band opened and for a tween (I was maybe thirteen?), the rock and roll that night helped mold me into the mini-mogul I am today. Also, my two favorite animals are alpacas and sloths, my favorite color is green, my favorite movie is The Mask, my favorite band is The Beatles, my first show was a KISS farewell tour in 2000 at Pine Knob, my favorite TV show is/was Twin Peaks and my favorite author is Ray Bradbury."
HID- Is there anything else you want our readers to know?
Jarrett- "I love local music and I love being involved in the scene. Every bit of support counts when it comes to local music, and Hip In Detroit helps make that happen. Really looking forward to 2018 and to continuing this little dream of mine. Keep on writing, keep on collecting, rock ‘n’ roll hoochie coo."
~S
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