INTERVIEW: StrateJacket
Words by Lexi Schnell (@lexischnell)
The band’s singer-guitarist, Jackson Roemers, and bassist, Fabian Angel, went to the same school but didn’t form a band until after graduation. The band, which formed in Sunnyvale, California in mid-2019, managed to play one gig before Covid-19 swept the planet, effectively putting a straitjacket on their moment. But at that gig, they spotted a drumming dynamo in another band, Nate Mangold, and decided to ask him to replace the one they’d been playing with. Since the three guys, all in their early twenties, had nothing to do while Covid lockdowns dragged on, they decided to gather in a warehouse and use the Great Pause to hone their skills. They just wish they could be playing gigs.
Instead of getting mad about it though, they spent the next year and a half writing songs, practicing, and gelling as bandmates. Occasionally, passersby would stop in the street to listen to what the trio was doing and some would even dance. StrateJacket decided to keep going. “A lot of the other bands we knew were breaking up because they couldn’t see each other,” Roemers says. “It was like, ‘Let’s just make it through the storm.'” Now StrateJacket are ready to make up for lost time on their debut album, which they gave a humorously self-deprecating title. “We call it Bad Start because we had such a bad start,” Roemers says. But listening to the record, you can tell they made the best of their bad start since they’re having so much fun.
How did you start Stratejacket?
JACKSON: We started back in 2019 or 2020, and we were originally like a blues rock, classic rock kind of band with long guitar solos. Nate joined our band in 2020, I think, and then we kind of switched genres up because of, like, what worked best when we all came together and, like, mixed our influences. And we just started playing shows in the area, and they just kept getting bigger and stuff. And then now we're here at Warped Tour.
If a new listener only had time to listen to one of your songs, which should it be and why?
NATE: Oh, jeez. That's a hard one. I never we never even got that question before, have we? No. No. That's a new one. That's a curveball.
Well, my favorite song that we have is “Watched You Go” off our new record that we have right now. I think that's the best song we have sonically and my favorite. But what about you guys?
JACKSON: I would agree. I also really like our song “Dreamcatcher” off the same record. It's kinda like shows kind of a, like, almost like a new wavey type of thing. I don't know. Like, in an indie-ish rock-ish type of thing going on. So I like that one. I would go check that one out.
FABIAN: Well, I think a track that everyone should go check out, if they're gonna check out just one, should be Be My Drug. I feel like in that track, we all kinda showcase our instruments well as well, you know? And, yeah, I just like it a lot. I don't know. I might be biased because that is cool, like, bass part, but, I mean, yeah, whatever.
NATE: You're biased.
FABIAN: I'm biased.
If you could collab with any artist on this weekend's line up, who would it be?
JACKSON: Well, Avril Lavigne for me. That would be awesome.
FABIAN: You interrupted him.
NATE: I have my answer. I really like the band Angel Dust. I've been listening to all their songs, like, ever since I found out about them. I would love to collab with them. They just go from, like, indie to hardcore and, like, all around. So I really love that, and that would be cool to collab with them.
FABIAN: Low key, I think, you know, if I had a chance, I'd like to team up with MGK. I feel like what he has going on right now is definitely what kind of music is aiming towards. You know? Like, I really like his pop punk approach and, you know, how he works with some of the most amazing artists that you can find nowadays. And so I'd like to see what painting we can paint together, you know, musically.
Anything coming up that fans should look out for?
JACKSON: Yeah. We have stuff coming out soon that we're very excited about. So definitely keep on the lookout. We have the shows coming up at Brick and Mortar in San Francisco. So if you live in The Bay, come check us out with Winona Fighter. It's gonna be a lot of fun.
NATE: June 19.
JACKSON: June 19.
WHERE TO FIND STRATEJACKET
Facebook | X | Instagram | Spotify | Apple Music