The Jets was a band from

Pekin, Illinois Pekin () is a city in and the county seat of Tazewell County in the U.S. state of Illinois. Located on the Illinois River, Pekin is the largest city of Tazewell County and the second most populous municipality of the Peoria metropolitan area, a ...

, consisting of Mike Isenberg, Graham Walker, Greg Clemons, Greg Wilson, and Randy Kohtz. They were together from 1972 to 1980, and a small amount of their recordings are still available on

Twin/Tone Records Twin/Tone Records was an independent record label based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which operated from 1977 until 1994. It was the original home of influential Minnesota bands the Replacements and Soul Asylum and was instrumental in helping the T ...

. After a few months together Greg Clemons and Randy Kohtz left the band and were replaced by bassist Thomas Walker who was with the band until early 1974. Gregg Clemons returned on bass. During this version of the band The Jets released the single "Be For Me" backed by "I Play For You". The song "Be For Me" from that single charted at No. 13, but the band crash-landed shortly after its release. The song "Be For Me" appears on the box set BUTTONS: From Champaign To Chicago, on the Numero label. The band reformed in Madison, Wisconsin in 1976 with the past lineup of Mike Isenberg, Graham Walker, Thomas Walker, and Greg Wilson. This lineup went on to record on the Twin/Tone label, releasing the single "Lover Boy" backed with "Paper Girl". Both Prince and Morris Day attended the record release party for that 45rpm record at Jay's Longhorn, a then well known Minneapolis venue. Both songs also appeared on the Twin Tone album ''Big Hits of the Midwest Volume III,'' and that double album now resides in the Minneapolis section of the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in the same display as Prince's Purple Rain LP and other Prince memorabilia. The band broke up in early 1980. Graham Walker went onto other rock groups and several recording contracts, in particular achieving some fame in the 1980s

power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, an energetic performance, and ch ...

scene as one of the Elvis Brothers with Brad Steakley (aka Brad Elvis). Walker continues to use the name Graham Elvis. Mike Isenberg moved to Hollywood in the mid 1990s to star in a motion picture called Brother Sam, based on Bill Kinison's book dealing with the life of Sam Kinison. Isenberg has released two CD's, Tarzan's Woods ( 2010 ), and In Rena's Room ( 2012 ). Isenberg is now the host of the popular L.A. based global radio show The DIFFERENCE, that features independent artists from around the world.

References

External links

Michael Isenberg and the Pekin, Illinois Scene
– information about the Jets

– web page by Mike Isenberg with recollections of the band Musical groups established in 1972 Musical groups disestablished in 1980 Rock music groups from Illinois Pekin, Illinois {{US-rock-band-stub