Mystery Jets
Encyclopedia
Mystery Jets are an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 five-piece indie band, formerly based on Eel Pie Island
Eel Pie Island
Eel Pie Island is an island in the River Thames in England at Twickenham, in the Borough of Richmond upon Thames, London. It is situated on the Tideway and can be reached only by footbridge or boat...

 in Twickenham
Twickenham
Twickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...

, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

. The band was formed by Henry Harrison (lyrics, piano), Blaine Harrison
Blaine Harrison
Blaine Harrison is an English musician and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of the indie rock band Mystery Jets.-Early life:...

 (vocals, guitar and keyboards) and William Rees (guitar, vocals) when the boys were still at school and would send each other songs on cassettes. The other members are Kai Fish (bass, vocals) and Kapil Trivedi (drums).

History

The band's first line-up consisted of Blaine Harrison on drums, William Rees on guitar and Henry Harrison (Blaine's father) on bass. Henry became a second guitarist in the band and they were joined by Kai Fish on bass and Tamara Pearce-Higgins on the organ. Kai joined the band after suggestions that they needed a bassist (he played the cello originally).

Their original name was The Misery Jets, which was taken from an Evening Standard
Evening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...

 headline (Eel Pie Island is under the Heathrow flight path, where planes can be frequently spotted). It got changed to Mystery Jets when Blaine accidentally misspelled the name while painting it on a drum skin.

The band at this time recorded an eponymous EP with Aswad producer Nick Sykes. They would practice in the boat shed built by Henry on land he bought after a hippie commune on Eel Pie Island burnt down. Blaine (whose voice had yet to break) took lead vocals. Tamara left the band, and Blaine switched from Drums to Keyboards. The band had a brief stint with a friend of Williams' (known only as Max) on drums, but he was unreliable and for a time a drum machine was used. The band advertised on internet message boards for a drummer and found Kapil Trivedi. Kapil is not from Eel Pie Island like the rest of the members, but rather Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...

, North London.
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...

 He found out about the band through his drum teacher. Mystery Jets draws influences from Hall and Oates, Syd Barrett
Syd Barrett
Syd Barrett , born Roger Keith Barrett, was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and painter, best remembered as a founding member of the band Pink Floyd. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter during the band's psychedelic years, providing major musical and stylistic...

, and Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...

. William Rees has named Robert Fripp
Robert Fripp
Robert Fripp is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. He was ranked 42nd on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and #47 on Gibson.com’s "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time". Among rock guitarists, Fripp is a master of crosspicking, a technique...

, Andrian Belew, Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...

, and David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...

 as his guitar inspirations. Much attention has been drawn to their hosting of a series of parties, dubbed "The White Cross Revival", on Eel Pie Island.

The Eel Pie Island EP was recorded soon after by a young producer called Bishop Dante at Rooster studios, from which it became obvious that a period of touring would be required to develop tightness and material, and so a white van with a trailer was bought, and Mystery Jets set off. The band issued its first proper single, a limited edition 7" of "Zoo Time", on Transgressive Records
Transgressive Records
Transgressive Records is an independent record label based in London, England formed in 2004. Founders Tim Dellow, and Toby L first met at a Bloc Party gig organised by Toby's rockfeedback website. The first release on the label was 1am by The Subways, released in September 2004...

. Mystery Jets ran a series of illegal parties on Eel Pie Island, attracting large crowds, before being shut down by the police. They went on to sign to 679 Recordings
679 Recordings
679 Artists is a Warner Music Group-owned record label based in London, England....

. After 2005 saw a number of singles and their TV debut on MTV Two's Spanking New Music Week (alongside Editors
Editors
Editors are a British indie rock band based in Birmingham, who formed in 2002. Previously known as Pilot, The Pride and Snowfield, the band consists of Tom Smith , Chris Urbanowicz , Russell Leetch and Ed Lay .Editors have so far released two platinum studio...

, The Kooks
The Kooks
The Kooks are an English indie rock band formed in Brighton, East Sussex, in 2001. Formed by Luke Pritchard , Hugh Harris , Paul Garred , and Max Rafferty , the lineup of the band remained constant until 2008 and the departure of Rafferty...

, Clor
Clor
Clor were a short-lived five-piece band from Brixton, England, formed in 2003. In the UK they were signed to Parlophone. Their music is angular in melody and jerky in rhythm, and is often compared to Devo and Gary Numan. Their breakthrough came with the release of their self-titled first album,...

 and The Longcut
The Longcut
-Members:* Stuart Ogilvie - vocals, keyboard, drums* Lee Gale - guitar* Jon Fearon - bass-Career:The Longcut formed in Manchester in 2002, while attending the University of Manchester. Originally a four-piece, their vocalist left soon after the band started and the remaining members intended to...

), the start of 2006 saw the band gain their highest charting single with "The Boy Who Ran Away
The Boy Who Ran Away
"The Boy Who Ran Away" was the fifth single by Mystery Jets, released in February 2006. The track is featured on their debut album, Making Dens. The single gained them their first appearance on Top of the Pops...

", play the ShockWaves NME Awards Tour and make their first appearance on Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...

.

Making Dens

The band's debut UK album, Making Dens
Making Dens
Making Dens is the debut album from Mystery Jets, released in the UK on March 6, 2006. Tracks on the album include previous singles "Alas Agnes", "You Can't Fool Me Dennis" and "Zoo Time"...

, was released on 6 March 2006. On 18 September 2006, the band put on a tribute show to Syd Barrett
Syd Barrett
Syd Barrett , born Roger Keith Barrett, was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and painter, best remembered as a founding member of the band Pink Floyd. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter during the band's psychedelic years, providing major musical and stylistic...

, one of their biggest influences. The show was put on at the Union Chapel in Islington, London. Performers were Kid Harpoon, Lupen Crook, Kate Nash
Kate Nash
Kate Marie Nash is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. She had a UK no. 2 hit "Foundations" in 2007, followed by the platinum selling UK number 1 album Made of Bricks. She was named Best Female Artist at the 2008 BRIT Awards....

, Dan Treacy and the Television Personalities, Drew from Babyshambles
Babyshambles
Babyshambles are an English indie rock band established in London. The band was formed by Pete Doherty during a hiatus from his former band The Libertines, but Babyshambles has since become his main project . Babyshambles has released two albums, three EPs and a number of singles...

, Ben from SixToes, Lucas from the Cazals and Mystery Jets. The groups created a special fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...

 made for the show with entries from all the performers and artwork by the bands.

December 2006 saw the band release "Umbrellahead / Half In Love With Elizabeth" through its MySpace site to competition winners. It was during this time that William Rees began his romantic relationship with Japanese model, Waka Inoue, whom he had met while on tour in Japan in February 2007. The two tracks were produced by Erol Alkan
Erol Alkan
Erol Alkan is a London-based electro DJ of Turkish Cypriot descent.-DJ and club promoter:In 1993, Erol Alkan started DJing in various Indie nightclubs in London....

 and were meant to be part of a ten-inch vinyl acoustic EP, but that idea was scrapped. Throughout 2007 the band wrote new songs (including "Hand Me Down", "Pink Elephant" and "Undercover Lover", the latter two being renamed "Veiled In Grey" and "Hideaway" and all three being included on their album Twenty One) and played more gigs around the world, especially in America where they released their debut album Zootime
Zootime
Zootime is the second studio album by British band Mystery Jets. It consists of tracks from their UK only debut Making Dens, and from the Flotsam and Jetsam EP.-Track listing:All tracks written by Mystery Jets.# "Diamonds in the Dark"...

(a collection of tracks from Making Dens
Making Dens
Making Dens is the debut album from Mystery Jets, released in the UK on March 6, 2006. Tracks on the album include previous singles "Alas Agnes", "You Can't Fool Me Dennis" and "Zoo Time"...

, as well as EPs and singles) on 8 May, through Dim Mak Records
Dim Mak Records
Dim Mak Records is a record label founded in 1996 by Steve Aoki and based in Los Angeles, CA. Dim Mak's first release was a 7" by a little known hardcore band from southern California, Stickfigurecarousel.-Roster:Active* Steve Aoki* All Leather...

.

Henry Harrison decided to stop playing live with the band shortly afterwards, but is still very much involved and went into the studio with the rest of the band. He still helps with songwriting and occasionally makes onstage appearances. Henry has said,"I'm just another member, I'm one of five. I love it. That whole authority thing served a purpose and when it was done I was glad to relinquish it, because it got in the way of us working properly together."

At the end of 2007 the band went on a short club show across the UK, and released a free Christmas single
Christmas Songs
Christmas Songs is a 2005 album by Diana Krall performed with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. This is Krall's first full-length album of Christmas songs , and her first studio album with a big band. It is her ninth album overall...

, "Flakes".

Twenty One

Their second album, Twenty One, was released on 24 March 2008. Produced by Erol Alkan and mixed by renowned producer Nick Launay
Nick Launay
Nick Launay is an English record producer and recording engineer. He is currently one of the most sought after producers in the world due to his current success with recent albums by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Arcade Fire, and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds...

, it was preceded by the single "Young Love
Young Love (Mystery Jets song)
Young Love is the first single to be released from Mystery Jets' second album Twenty One. It was released on 10 March 2008, on CD, two 7" singles and digital download. Unlike most Mystery Jets songs, which are sung by Blaine Harrison, the band's guitarist William Rees sings lead vocals on the song...

" featuring Laura Marling
Laura Marling
Laura Beatrice Marling is an English folk musician from Eversley, Hampshire.Initially prominent within the London folk scene, she has also toured with a number of well-known indie artists in the UK. Her debut album Alas, I Cannot Swim and her second album I Speak Because I Can were nominated for...

, released on 10 March 2008. The second single released from the album was "Two Doors Down
Two Doors Down (Mystery Jets song)
"Two Doors Down" is the second single from the Mystery Jets album Twenty One. The single became their second highest charting single in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at #24, second to "The Boy Who Ran Away" which charted one place higher at #23...

". It reached 24 in the U.K charts, their highest position so far. The album represented a change in the band's sound, shifting from psychedelic and progressive rock towards more of a pop direction.

On 8 June 2008, the band played at the Scottish RockNess music festival which attracted over 35,000 music lovers - the band's set was broadcast on national UK broadcaster Hitz Radio. The band also spoke backstage about their rise to fame, reviving the eighties and how they plan to take over the world.

In 2008 Mystery Jets, along with Jeremy Warmsley
Jeremy Warmsley
Jeremy Warmsley is a West London based singer-songwriter signed to Transgressive Records.-Biography:His musical style displays an electronica influenced approach to melodic pop songwriting, first heard on debut single 'I Believe In The Way You Move' , and further developed on his 'The Art Of...

 and Adem, contributed the song "Grains of Sand" to the Survival International
Survival International
Survival International is a human rights organisation formed in 1969 that campaigns for the rights of indigenous tribal peoples and uncontacted peoples, seeking to help them to determine their own future. Their campaigns generally focus on tribal peoples' fight to keep their ancestral lands,...

 charity album Songs for Survival
Songs for Survival
Bruce Parry Presents Amazon - Tribe - Songs for Survival is a double album released by Kensaltown Records in support of a tribal peoples charity.-Background:...

.

In January 2009, Mystery Jets left their previous contract with 679 Recordings and signed a new deal with Rough Trade Records. They also began recording a new album and continued to tour. They performed at the Reading and Leeds Festivals
Reading and Leeds Festivals
The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend, sharing the same bill. The Reading Festival is held at Little John's Farm...

 at the end of August 2010.

Serotonin

In April 2010, Mystery Jets announced their third studio album, Serotonin. The album was released on 5 July 5, 2010 and was produced by Chris Thomas
Chris Thomas (record producer)
Chris Thomas is an English record producer who has worked extensively with The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Roxy Music, Badfinger, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Pulp and The Pretenders. He has also produced breakthrough albums for The Sex Pistols and INXS.Thomas is quoted as saying -Early life:Thomas was...

. The working title was Luminescence but the name was changed later on. Blaine has said that he wanted this album to be "quintessential Mystery Jets record." A promotional single, entitled "Flash A Hungry Smile", was made available on the band's website for free. The first single to be released from the album, "Dreaming Of Another World" was added to BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...

's B Playlist in May 2010 and was also released on 5 July 2010.
On 5 July, Mystery Jets performed an instore session at Rough Trade East for their album release. A limited edition 12" was released as well as CD format and digital download. The band have most recently featured on The Count & Sinden track "After Dark".

Newest album and the future

In March 2011 following a secret SXSW show, the band set up a home recording studio in a country house by the Colorado river in the Westlake area in Austin, Texas. Writing and recording sessions lasted two months, at the end of which the band returned to the UK to play the summer festivals. Two of the confirmed tracks are "Radlands" and "Sister Everett."[22] Blaine went to California in early July to get inspiration and imagery for the songs. "Sister Everett" is based on the band's experience in meeting a nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...

 from the Church of Latter day saints on the plane ride over to Texas. Blaine says she was trying to convert William and handed him her business card as they landed, from which the title of the song was taken. On the 22nd of November 2011, the Mystery Jets announced that their new album will be released in April 2012, with a tour to follow in May 2012.

Members

  • Blaine Harrison – vocals, keyboards, guitar
  • William Rees – vocals, guitar
  • Kai Fish – vocals, bass
  • Kapil Trivedi – drums
  • Henry Harrison – lyrics, keyboards (does not tour with the band)

Albums

  • Making Dens
    Making Dens
    Making Dens is the debut album from Mystery Jets, released in the UK on March 6, 2006. Tracks on the album include previous singles "Alas Agnes", "You Can't Fool Me Dennis" and "Zoo Time"...

    (6 March 2006, 679 Recordings
    679 Recordings
    679 Artists is a Warner Music Group-owned record label based in London, England....

    ) UK
    UK Albums Chart
    The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...

     #32
  • Zootime
    Zootime
    Zootime is the second studio album by British band Mystery Jets. It consists of tracks from their UK only debut Making Dens, and from the Flotsam and Jetsam EP.-Track listing:All tracks written by Mystery Jets.# "Diamonds in the Dark"...

    (8 May 2007, U.S. only release, Dim Mak Recordings)
  • Twenty One (24 March 2008, 679 Recordings
    679 Recordings
    679 Artists is a Warner Music Group-owned record label based in London, England....

    ) UK #42
  • Serotonin
    Serotonin (album)
    Serotonin is the fourth album by Mystery Jets, released in the UK on 5 July 2010. The album is produced by Chris Thomas.- Track listing :...

    (5 July 2010, Rough Trade
    Rough Trade Records
    Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...

    ) UK #42

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Album
UK
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

2005 "Zoo Time" Making Dens
"On My Feet
On My Feet
"On My Feet" was the second single by Mystery Jets and their first on 679 Recordings "On My Feet" was the second single by Mystery Jets and their first on 679 Recordings "On My Feet" was the second single by Mystery Jets and their first on 679 Recordings (as part of the Good and Evil sublabel. The...

"
"You Can't Fool Me Dennis
You Can't Fool Me Dennis
"You Can't Fool Me Dennis" was the third single by Mystery Jets, released in October 2005. The song was later released as part of their debut album, Making Dens, albeit in a slightly altered, re-recorded form.-Limited Edition 7" Vinyl :...

"
44
"Alas Agnes
Alas Agnes
"Alas Agnes" was the fourth single by Mystery Jets, released in December 2005. It was later released as part of their debut album, Making Dens, and was also the band's first UK Top 40 single...

"
34
2006 "The Boy Who Ran Away
The Boy Who Ran Away
"The Boy Who Ran Away" was the fifth single by Mystery Jets, released in February 2006. The track is featured on their debut album, Making Dens. The single gained them their first appearance on Top of the Pops...

"
23
"You Can't Fool Me Dennis" (re-release) 41
"Diamonds in the Dark
Diamonds in the Dark
Diamonds in the Dark is an EP by the Mystery Jets. Originally just to be a single, the Diamonds in the Dark EP was released on 4 September 2006 on 679 Recordings. It includes "Scarecrows in the Rain", a tribute to the late Syd Barrett which the band claimed they wrote in just hours. Three of the...

"
47
2008 "Young Love
Young Love (Mystery Jets song)
Young Love is the first single to be released from Mystery Jets' second album Twenty One. It was released on 10 March 2008, on CD, two 7" singles and digital download. Unlike most Mystery Jets songs, which are sung by Blaine Harrison, the band's guitarist William Rees sings lead vocals on the song...

" featuring Laura Marling
Laura Marling
Laura Beatrice Marling is an English folk musician from Eversley, Hampshire.Initially prominent within the London folk scene, she has also toured with a number of well-known indie artists in the UK. Her debut album Alas, I Cannot Swim and her second album I Speak Because I Can were nominated for...

34 Twenty-One
"Two Doors Down
Two Doors Down (Mystery Jets song)
"Two Doors Down" is the second single from the Mystery Jets album Twenty One. The single became their second highest charting single in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at #24, second to "The Boy Who Ran Away" which charted one place higher at #23...

"
24
"Half in Love with Elizabeth"
2010 "Dreaming of Another World" Serotonin
"Show Me The Light"
2011 "Serotonin"
"—" denotes a release that did not chart or has not been released

- Although the single does not actually feature on the album Making Dens, the track entitled Summertime Dens is a continuation.

EPs

  • Flotsam and Jetsam EP
    Flotsam and Jetsam EP
    The Flotsam and Jetsam EP was the first release by Mystery Jets in the US, released on 11 April 2006 through the StarTime label. The EP features tracks previously available on UK single releases.-CD:# "You Can't Fool Me Dennis"# "Zoo Time"...

    (9 May 2006, 679 Recordings U.S.
    679 Recordings
    679 Artists is a Warner Music Group-owned record label based in London, England....

    )
  • Mystery Jets EP (self financed)

7" special limited

  • Powercut Serenades (Signed with "Umbrellahead" and "Half In Love With the Radio" on. Limited edition of 300 copies all given away to competition winners)

Early demos

  • Mystery Jets EP (self financed, CD)
  • Eel Pie Island (self financed, CD)
  • Christmas Sessions (self financed, CD)
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