In 2019, Jackson Roemers and Fabian Angel got together to pursue their dreams of starting a rock band and formed StrateJacket. Unfortunately, they had no idea what was ahead for them and the rest of the world.
“We played maybe four shows before the pandemic hit,” Roemers told Chuck Armstrong Tuesday’s Loudwire Nights (April 30). “We felt stumped at the beginning, which really lowered morale quite a bit.”
Fortunately, rather than letting the pandemic crush their dreams, Roemers and Angel persevered, first by finding a new drummer, Nate Mangle, and then by committing to practice nonstop until they could take their music back to the stage.
“I think it brought us together and created an unbreakable bond,” Roemers admitted.
When Chuck asked him what kept the band focused during such a trying time as the pandemic, Roemers answer was clear.
“When Nate joined the band, everything clicked for the thing that we were trying to do. It was like putting a new engine in an old car…now we could speed down the highway together. It was a shock of electricity and ever since then we were like, alright, I think there’s really something here. We can be an actual band now.”
Signing a Record Deal During the Pandemic
As the world started to return to some sense of normalcy, StrateJacket were playing live shows wherever they could — from under bridges and skateparks to a local Chinese restaurant. Roemers and company were embodying the punk rock ethos that had been such an inspiration to them for their whole lives.
“When there’s nowhere to play, you just have to set up your stuff somewhere and play.”
As word of StrateJacket’s energy spread, they eventually caught the ear of EDGEOUT Records, and during the pandemic, they did the unthinkable: StrateJacket signed a record deal.
“How were we able to accomplish a dream of mine during a pandemic,” Roemers wondered.
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“I thought it was going to slow everything down. I thought it was going to crush our opportunities, but you know, if it weren’t for the pandemic, we wouldn’t have met our drummer Nate, who is such an important part of the band.”
What Else Did StrateJacket’s Jackson Roemers Discuss on Loudwire Nights?
- What it was like working with producer Brian Howes and engineer Chris Lord-Alge
- What fans can expect from their upcoming debut album, Bad Start, and why the title track is a good representation of the rest of the tracks
- How he has been wanting to be a rock star since he was a little kid
Listen to the Full Interview in the Podcast Player Below
Jackson Roemers joined Loudwire Nights on Tuesday, April 30; the show replays online here, and you can tune in live every weeknight at 7PM ET or on the Loudwire app; you can also see if the show is available on your local radio station and listen to interviews on-demand.
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Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire