QBiM Q&A: The Jet Rodriguez

Last week I introduced you to The Jet Rodriguez from Michigan who independently released Seven Hour Night Shifts last week.  Cameron Navetta is the one-man band behind The Jet Rodriguez, and he agreed to undergo a little QBiM cross-examination about his debut album, his musical beginnings, and a few odds and sods along the way.  At only 18, Navetta has already developed into quite the musical triple threat:  he wrote, performed and produced Seven Hour Night Shifts on his own, and it sounds absolutely fantastic.

Q: State your name, band name, and for the record, tell us the who/what/when of your record.

A: Cameron Navetta of The Jet Rodriguez. The record is called “Seven Hour Night Shifts” and all songs were written, performed, and produced by me.

Q: Where’s your base of operations?

A: My bedroom in New Baltimore, MI. 30 miles northeast of The D.

Q: How long has all this music stuff being going on?

A: Since I was 12 basically. But I’ve been pursuing a professional career for about 6 months now.

Q: Without direct musical references, describe for us what your music sounds like.

A: Well, I’ve heard a lot of people say it’s very “chill”.  Melancholy would be the more concrete musical term, I think.  I definitely have plans to explore a more energetic style down the line. We’ll see.

Q: What musician/artist has left an endearing mark on your development as an artist?

A: If I could think of one artist that has made a mark on not only my music, but my life, it would be the legend known as Sufjan Stevens.  I look up to him as a musician and a person.  He’s the single artist that made me want to explore folk music.

Q: In your opinion what has been the greatest invention of all time?

A: Probably the wheel, just because it got the ball rolling… so to speak.

Q: Where does the name “The Jet Rodriguez” come from?

A: It’s a reference to the movie The Sandlot.  It’s pretty cool because the people that know the movie instantly relate, and the people that don’t seem to like it too. It’s funny though, because I’ll get some people that greet me like “Hey Jet!” or “It’s Cameron The Jet Rodriguez” thinking that’s what I want to be called or that it’s my last name. I get a kick out of that.

Q: What’s the most exciting aspect of making music right now?

Probably the prospect of one day making better music. I’m only 18 years old, fresh out of high school.  Sometimes I’ll listen to my songs and they’re not where I want them to be, but I know I’m still maturing as a person and as a songwriter and it allows me to take a step back and be patient with myself. I’ll never use that as a crutch though.

Q: What’s the greatest difficulty facing you as an artist right now?

A: Ironically, it’s the same thing.  Being that I am young and inexperienced, I find that I can write a good amount of stinkers, as they say.

Q: The Beatles or Wings?

A: Being that I’m from Detroit, I think I’d have to go with the Wings, even considering them coming off a Stanley Cup Finals loss.  Are the Beatles like a new expansion team or something?  Never heard of ‘em… But seriously. The Beatles.

Q: What song do you wish you could lay claim to having written?

A: Oh wow. I would have to say “Flume” by Bon Iver. I love the harmonies in that song. I love the arrangement of that song. I love that song.

Q: Is there a song or cover song you love to play live, and why?

A: I like playing this new song that we have called “Hold Your Footing, Back Down” because it usually gets the crowd going.  It’s a departure from the usual “chill” stuff.

Q: What’s the last album you listened to?

A: I streamed the Dodos new album of their website today. I thought there last album was good. This new one, “Time to Die” is great.

Q: A year from now, where do you think you’ll be?

A: Hopefully I’ll get a chance to be touring a little bit. I hoped to have released another album and an EP.

Q: If I let you curate your own music festival, who would be the five bands you would put on the bill?

A: 1. Sufjan, of course, 2. Bon Iver, 3. Fleet Foxes, 4. Frieve (she’s new, but she’s amazing. Check her out. www.myspace.com/frieve), 5. Grizzly Bear.  I don’t think anybody would go to that though… How about you?

Q: What’s been the weirdest reaction you’ve gotten from an audience?

A: Last Tuesday, I was at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, MI, and after the first song, I explained to the crowd that none of my friends came because they all went to see the new Harry Potter movie. Then I proceeded to thank the crowd for their presence.  After about the 5th song, someone shouted “EFF THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE!”  That was pretty special for me. It’ made me laugh.

Q: If we went back in time to visit you in grade school would we recognize the younger you?

A: Probably.  A quirky, obnoxious, music loving 5th grader. Yep, I act pretty much the same now!

Q: What influences you the most when writing songs:  personal experiences, the experiences of others, or art from other mediums (movies, literature etc.)?

A: Mostly personal experience with lyrics. Recently I’ve been trying to explore lyrical inspiration from movies and books and such like you said. When it comes to the music though, I take a heavy influence from good movie scores. I find myself really trying to inspire some of the emotion in my music in the way soundtracks tend to do.

Q: Anything else to declare?

A: Just this:

MP3: The Jet Rodriguez “Marathon”
Myspace: The Jet Rodriguez
Buy: The Jet Rodriguez Seven Hour Night Shifts

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