motel void

Jet Lag Fuel is a five-piece alternative / indie rock band from Los Angeles, California.

MOTEL VOID: Your formation story is pretty interesting, starting from a Craigslist ad to becoming a five-piece band. Can you share more about how each member joined and how that shaped the band’s sound?

DANIEL (JET LAG FUEL): I personally was out of the music scene for over a year and felt it like an itch I needed to scratch. I decided to check on Craigslist to see if anyone was looking for a drummer near me. It just so happened that Filip had made a post online while only living a block away from me in WeHo. We met up at a rehearsal studio and the rest is history. Carlos was one of the many bassists we auditioned after finding like-minded musicians on Vampr (which we call Tinder for musicians). He instantly clicked with Filip and I and most noticeably had a knack for classic rock. A little while later, I was messaging back and forth with a guitarist on Vampr who was already in a band with one other guy. That guy ended up being Grady, who was messaging back and forth with Filip at the same time on Vampr by chance! Once we connected the dots, we had to have them audition for us. It seemed like the stars aligned after we invited them both to jam with us.
I think we all have different tastes in subgenres of rock that have helped shape the overall sound of the band.

MOTEL VOID: You draw heavy influences from early ’90s grunge and the LA indie rock scene. Could you name a few of your biggest inspirations?

GRADY (JET LAG FUEL): I think everyone enjoys Nirvana a lot. There was one night we listened to the Foo Fighters for a while. Throw in a pop-y structure and suddenly it can feel very LA indie rock. Depends on the week, but I think we all listen to some form of rock throughout our lives. The 90s were some rebellious and playful years within the rock world, and I think that “Nothing Left To Undo” is trying to be that in some ways.

You know, inspirations can be so expansive and the more lives added to a project, the more variety that project holds. Some days you’re listening to the Foo Fighters in Daniel’s car, others Taylor Swift and Chappell Roan are blaring from Jacob’s amp. Maybe Carlos starts ripping a Ramones song? I feel rock music tends to be the manifestation of frustration; sometimes in anger, others in sadness…the list could go on. It just so happens that there’s a fair amount to be frustrated about around the world right now, and we’re a group of younger minds who enjoy playing instruments.

What would you expect but some grunge-y songs to come out (bahaha).

MOTEL VOID: Your first single, “Nothing Left to Undo,” showcases your love for loud, melodic guitar rock. What was the inspiration behind this track, and how did the writing process unfold?

FILIP (JET LAG FUEL): “Nothing Left to Undo” was actually the third demo I’ve written for the band, and it was written way before Grady and Jacob joined Jet Lag Fuel – back when it was just Carlos, Daniel and I. The song was my attempt at writing a somewhat melancholic tune – accompanied by a few (so-to-say) unconventional guitar chords. Honestly, there was no direct inspiration. It just came out of me one morning as I was recording it on Garageband. Carlos and Daniel instantly locked in when they heard the demo and added the perfect amount of energy and groove into the song.

Later when Grady and Jacob joined the band, they elevated the song to such a higher ground. Jacob came up with this brilliant guitar lead to accompany the main guitar rhythm I was playing. Grady’s lyrics and vocal performance were the absolute perfect fit – matching the exact tone of what the instrumental was delivering. The outcome was that the song was no longer just a somewhat melancholic tune…it had a lot more energy and uniqueness to it. It could be considered dark tone-wise, but you can definitely bop your head to it too. “Lily cares” is a line that gets stuck in my head constantly! Thanks Grady…

MOTEL VOID: As a band formed in the media arts district of West Hollywood, how has the local music scene influenced your style and opportunities? Do you have any favorite venues and spots?

JACOB (JET LAG FUEL): Hollywood has been a very formative experience, especially since the majority of us aren’t from here. We’ve all been to a few shows that have inspired us. That’s the great part about living here, there’s always a show somewhere. We can all relate to the feeling of leaving a show and thinking, “wow that singer was killer” or, “I need to get that pedal” and wanting to hop straight into the studio. There are a LOT of amazing rock bands out here, and the community is very welcoming. Every band you meet brings a new opportunity to be booked in the future and meet some great friends. My personal favorite venues are the Whisky and the Everly. No two venues are the same, and we’ve definitely had to cram on to some tiny stages.

MOTEL VOID: Are there plans for more releases or live shows in the near future?

CARLOS (JET LAG FUEL): Absolutely. We’ve been lucky to play our first few shows at some really cool venues that I might not have ever heard of if it weren’t for playing in this band. There are a few more booked in the near future, and I’m really looking forward to hopefully playing more venues and maybe some of the ones we’ve already been to. When that first show got booked, I was both incredibly excited and nervous at the same time, but it made us all want to play as much as possible. Our first EP is in the final stages of recording / mixing, so hopefully that will be out ASAP. As for new songs, there are a few demos that we still need to practice and get more comfortable with, but with everything going on right now, I’d say we’re in a pretty solid place moving forward as a group. This whole process from when I first joined with Filip and Daniel about a year ago is exactly what I was hoping for. It just maybe took a little bit longer than we all had hoped, but I’m super proud of where we are now. Since we met Grady and Jacob, it has been a blast, and I can’t wait to see what we write and record together in the future.