In the early 2000s, we experienced a rock revival. With bands like The Strokes and The White Stripes emerging, fans were eager to see what came next. Suddenly, a band with a 70s look and a sound that blended The Who, AC/DC, The Beatles, The Faces, and The Rolling Stones emerged with a hit that brilliantly capitalized on the trend.
Jet released their debut single, “Are You Gonna Be My Girl”, on August 18, 2003. A year prior, singer and guitarist Nic Cetser formed a garage band with guitarist Cameron Muncey. Soon after, Cester’s brother, Nic, joined on drums. For a short time, Doug Armstrong played bass until Mark Wilson joined from another local band.
In Melbourne, Victoria, the band instantly stood out in Australia. A talent manager and booking agent spotted them while filling in as a sound engineer at a local venue. In late 2002, they released a 4-track EP titled Dirty Sweet. This EP sold quickly, catching the attention of Elektra Records executives. They signed with the label, which re-released the EP in May 2003. These four songs would be re-recorded for their debut album. Following the success of this EP, the band knew they must pen a hit for their debut single.
Writing Their Breakout Hit
Nic Cester revisited “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” various times between the ages of 17 and 19. As a result, his recollection of writing the hit song includes some interesting writing spaces. In a 2019 interview with Songwriting Magazine, “I used to live in a bungalow at the back of my parents’ house. It was only two rooms – a bedroom and a small bathroom – so I would sit in the bathroom, and the only seat I had was the toilet! I’d put the lid down, obviously, and just sit there with my guitar and write stuff. And I remember the first, early version of Are You Gonna Be My Girl came out there.”
In a 2024 interview with The Guardian, the singer-songwriter recalls another spot where he worked on the hit: a garden shed. “We weren’t signed when I wrote the track. Nobody knew who we were. We were playing pubs around Melbourne, and no one was coming. The Strokes and that whole scene hadn’t hit yet, and people weren’t interested. I had a little shed in my backyard where I’d sit with an acoustic guitar and write. I’d take my ideas to the band, and we’d flesh them out. All the stuff for Get Born, our first album, was written there.”
From a Toilet, To a Garden Shed, And Onto The Radio
Cester then explained that The Strokes’ 2001 hit “Last Nite” was the “catalyst” for “Are You Gonna Be My Girl”. In August 2003, Jet’s debut single peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 3 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, and No. 7 on the Mainstream Rock chart. In 2004, an iPod commercial featured the track, further fueling its popularity. Their 2003 debut, Get Born, became a hit in the US and the UK and topped the charts in Australia. The album generated 5 hit singles, including the No. 1 on the Mainstream and Modern Rock charts, “Cold Hard B***h”.
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