It’s All About the Rock with N/V’s Jamie Fletcher
Jamie Fletcher is the lead guitarist/vox for Parkersburg’s N/V. Along with originals, the band favors newer rock such as Hinder and Nickelback, along with harder classic rock like Aerosmith, AC/DC, Skynyrd and Zepplin. He has been a fixture in several bands over the years. N/V has done shows for the American Cancer Society, Toys for Tots, Outcry for Rock and other charities. For more info, check out www.rocknv.com. Jamie also has been touring with Britny Fox.
Graffiti: What are your latest projects?
Fletcher: N/V is currently in the studio, recording our first album titled, “N/V — The Original Deadly Sin.” In March, I was contacted by Lane Productions to see if I would be interested in sending a vocal demo to try out for Britny Fox, of Girls School, Long Way to Love and Dream On fame. An hour later, (they) called me up and offered me the spot of front man for the band. Britny Fox is currently signed with Chavis Records, and is on tour. We are currently working on songs for a new album titled, “Bite Down Harder.”
Graffiti: You have played in several bands and you have undergone personnel changes in this band. What do you look for in a potential musical colleague?
Fletcher: The biggest part of playing music is the brotherhood. Everyone in the band has to get along. You could have the world’s greatest guitar player, but if you can’t get along with them, what good does it do? I would take someone that has the same mindset as myself over someone who is a prodigy. You have to have a vibe, as anyone who has ever been in a band can tell you. Everyone has to get along, be on the same page and have the same expectations in order to make it work, whether you are playing for shits and giggles or you are doing this for a living. N/V is that way. We are an extended family. We have kids that play together. We do the Chill-n-Grill thing when we are not playing, and just basically hang out together. I don’t see it working any other way.
Graffiti: Do you come from a musical family?
Fletcher: We always listened to music. My dad was big into Buddy Rich, Boots Randolph, Freddy Fender, so I listened to that growing up. My mom was always singing. My grandpa’s brother was Buddy Starcher, a country-recording artist, but didn’t really factor into my musical tastes. My sister was always in choir.
Graffiti: Who are your musical influences?
Fletcher: I really like Queensryche, Badlands, The Cult, Skid Row, G-N-R, Steelheart, Motley Crue, Sixx AM, Chris Daughtry, Alice in Chains, STP, anything with a good grind and great vocals. I like blues and bluegrass, rock and roll, metal, alternative and progressive. I like to keep my mind wide open to different things.
Graffiti: What venues do you play in West Virginia?
Fletcher: Sixpence Pub in Parkersburg and the Monkey Bar in Huntington. We’ve been to Charleston a few times, but the bars change so fast, it is hard to keep up with the new names. We played the Parkersburg Homecoming last year. We play in Marietta, Ohio, Riverfront Roar, Cambridge Ohio. We do shows for Results Radio in Parkersburg, a group of local radio stations, and a long list of clubs out Route 50.
Graffiti: What are the biggest gigs you’ve played?
Fletcher: One of the biggest shows I have been a part of was with a band called This End Up , opening for Warrant back in the day — 800-900 people that were just there to rock. Lately, I have been a part of some pretty big shows with Britny Fox. The biggest show I will have ever played will be the South Texas Rock Fest. All the bands that I listened to growing up will be there: Queensryche, Tesla, Jackyl, Dokken, Skid Row, Bulletboys, Faster Pussycat, L.A. Guns, Firehouse.
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Contact Tamar at tfleishman@graffitiwv.com