Rock model Jamie Jagger continues to work her Mojo in the underground music world of heavy metal, both supporting the acts coming up in the scene and modeling for top magazines all over the globe. She is a proud mother to her son (fathered by MACHINE HEAD’s Phil Demmel), while amazingly still being able to find the perfect balance between both duties. One could surely call that a rarity nowadays.
The Metal Den’s Randy “Rocket” Cody recently conducted an interview with
Jamie Jagger for his loyal army of Den Headz worldwide.
Rocket: Where were you born and raised?
Jamie: I was born in Santa Clara, California, but my parents moved to Orange County/LA when I was three. I grew up there (sans attitude!) and just moved back to Northern California three years ago.
Rocket: Do you come from a big family?
Jamie: I’m the oldest of three… my dad has a lot of people on his side of the family, but I haven’t met most of them. So, yeah, I suppose I do but my family is pretty divided, so technically, no.
Rocket: I find this fascinating. On your MySpace you note that you are a Synesthete:
which is a person with ‘Synesthesia’, a condition in which the normally separate senses are not separate, right? Can you explain exactly how that works?
Jamie: Synesthesia can be described in one way as a condition in which one type of stimulation (for me it’s numbers) evokes the sensation of another (seeing them in color). I’ve been known to remember number sequences (like phone numbers) as colors. Like the number 1 is white, 2 is pale yellow, 3 is red-orange, 4 is green, 5 is purple-red, and so on and so forth.
Rocket: Are you a religious person?
Jamie: I was raised in an extremely strict born-again Christian household, where both of my parents were ordained ministers and I was forced to go to church three times a week. I tend to be a stubborn person, and resented not having a choice in my religion when I was growing up, so it put me in a place of rebellion… as a teenager I dabbled in Satanism just as a way of getting back at my dad – not because I was serious about it. Now as an adult, I believe there is a “God” – an all-knowing, controlling force of good that decides our fate to a certain extent, but that allows us to take our futures in our own hands and have control over our own destiny. I believe in karma and the afterlife, but I’m still fuzzy on the details. lol
Rocket: Do you recall the first Rock concert you ever attended?
Jamie: Hell yeah I do! I got a late start on my love for metal because non-Christian music was pretty much banned from my house growing up, so I didn’t get exposed to any REAL metal until I was a teenager. I was 18 when I went to see Judas Priest – my first real concert. It was a life changing experience!
Rocket: What bands first drew you to heavy metal music, Jamie?
Jamie: I remember the first time I heard heavy metal… I was 15 and a friend was playing White Zombie’s La Sexorcisto in their car. It made me feel something deep inside, and I knew instantly I was hooked. So I started seeking out the most evil metal I could find – Slayer, Venom, Pantera…those were all the bands that started it for me. But since I was still a kid, I had to hide my music from my parents so I wouldn’t get kicked out. So I listened to Tourniquet and Mortification by day, and the evil stuff by night.
Rocket: You can play the drums as I’ve learned, and not too bad either (I‘ve seen some video of that!!) Is that something you just had a knack for naturally or did you learn from someone how to play?
Jamie: I always had an interest in drums from a very young age. I wanted to play so bad I could barely stand it when I was a kid, but no one really supported my desire to do so. I didn’t get my first real drumset until my early 20’s, but I spent plenty of time wanking on my buddies’ kits when I was a teen – enough to figure out how to play. I’ve always been a bit musically inclined, I can pretty much figure out how to play anything if I want to bad enough. I’ve played piano since I was 5, so I think that’s what helped me get my “ear” for music.
Rocket: You appeared at some point in Playboy magazine several times, correct? When was that and was it a good experience for you?
Jamie: It was when I was in my early 20’s, they found some photos online that my then-boyfriend had taken of me and contacted me and asked to set up a meeting. It was all a blur from there – I did my first photoshoot for their all-natural girls’ website called “Rouze” at the time, then multiple offers for TV shows and other modeling gigs came in right away. They taught me everything I know about modeling, acting and promotions. I have them to thank for my success as a model.
Rocket: When did you first get into rock modeling exactly and what are some of the gigs that you’ve worked in that area that you can tell us about?
Jamie: When I was about 24, I got the itch to dye my hair dark brown (I’m a natural blonde) and start modeling for something I believed in. I started using Jackson King V’s and my Ibanez Iceman bass in my photoshoots. I get contacted by bands, music and clothing companies asking me to model and promote for them, but am happy to just be who I am, and be involved in something I love so much – METAL!
Rocket: It’s no secret that you’re the mother of Machine Head guitarist Phil Demmel’s
son. You have a beautiful little boy. What is his name and how old is he?
Jamie: Why, thank you! He is a cutie, isn’t he? His name is Jadon Philip Demmel, and he’s almost 3 1/2 years old. He’s the spittin’ image of his dad, except for his big blue eyes, blonde hair and fair skin (all mine). He is the most easy-going, kind, well-behaved and intelligent little boy you could ever imagine. He loves to play drums, but I’m secretly hoping he’ll want to play guitar just like Phil. But regardless of what I want, he can be whatever he wants to be and I’ll be happy, as long as he is!
Rocket: Very cool! When you became a mother, was it harder than you thought it
would be?
Jamie: Abso-fricken-lutely. I never planned on having any kids, and swore from a very young age I never would. But oops! turned into the best oops I’ll ever have in my life. Being a parent is the best thing that ever happened to me. I had just succeeded in coming out of a very dark, drug-induced tunnel at that point in my life, and I can’t say that if it wasn’t for Jadon and Phil that I wouldn’t have gone back to it at some point. But they have been what drove me to get my life in order and keep myself in check. They’re both two of the most influential and important people I’ll ever have in my life, and I am forever grateful to them.
Rocket: If your boy turns to you one day and says he wants to be in a band himself, what kind of advice will you give him?
Jamie: Ohhhh man….I’ll support him in every way possible if that’s what he REALLY wants to do with his life, but only as long as he stays away from drugs and doesn’t use and abuse women in the process. But that aside, I’ll tell him what I know from the entertainment business, and that is – be nice to EVERYONE, including the janitor. Treat everyone with the same respect you would treat the president of the label. If you’re nice to everyone on your way up, they’ll still be there for you when you’re (inevitably) on your way back down. Don’t forget about the small people who were there for you when you were small – those are the ones who will support you the most and will play a huge role in your success!
Rocket: On a more serious note, a lot of fans have been worried by Phil’s recent collapses on stage due to his heart condition, which is called “Cardiogenic Syncope”. Can you provide any insight
into Phil’s ongoing struggle with this health problem?
Jamie: This is a condition Phil has dealt with for a very long time, and hadn’t had any problems with for years. We were all very concerned for him when it started affecting him so frequently on tour. He has had extensive tests done, and he is working very hard to keep it under control. He is a responsible guy and isn’t doing anything to bring the episodes upon himself, so I hope everyone understands it’s not his fault and he’s not happy about it either.
Rocket: Switching gears, you’ve hung around some wild partying people in the rock scene. What’s the funniest (or craziest) thing you’ve ever seen happen backstage or even on the stage?
Jamie: Man…it’s not my style to dish on the backstage debauchery… and I’m definitely not going to name any names. I’ve seen a lot of crazy shit in my time, and some of it I’ll keep with me forever. So, your secrets are safe with me, boys! lol
Rocket: With all the killer heavy metal that’s been released so far in 2009, (Slayer, Megadeth, Hatebreed, etc..)what are some of your favorite albums?
Jamie: The new Alice In Chains was probably my most favorite, I saw them live a couple months ago and let me tell you – it was the first time I’d ever gotten goosebumps through an entire set. It was absolutely incredible.
Rocket: What advice would you give to a young girl out there that wants to get into modeling as a career?
Jamie: Learn to think of yourself as a product and not as a person, otherwise you’ll take things too personally and beat yourself up over insignificant stuff. Don’t become obsessed with your weight, as long as you work out and don’t eat fast food, high sodium foods or high fructose corn syrup you’ll be okay. DON’T DO DRUGS, THEY WILL RUIN YOUR CAREER. And again, be nice to EVERYONE – even the janitor. Be prepared to get stabbed in the back a lot, and don’t take that personally either. This industry is a fucked up place, full of fucked up people. Los Angeles is a fucked up place, and don’t let them trick you into thinking you need to be fucked up as well in order to succeed or fit in.
Rocket: Right on. What’s the best way for a modeling agency or a rock music company to get in touch with you at this point?
Jamie: You can contact me through my myspace page at www.myspace.com/jaymiejagger or email me at [email protected]. Don’t spam me or I will kick your ass!
Rocket: Where do you see yourself in ten years from now?
Jamie: Old. haha!
Rocket: Thanks very much for rocking this out with me. Go ahead and give special thanks out to any of your biggest supporters!
Jamie: I would like to thank my metal boys Kill Syndicate for being such big supporters of me and my career – go check them out at www.myspace.com/killsyndicate – they rock! Also to my biggest fan Eric Winebarger, who has stuck by me and supported me in everything I do for over a decade now. And of course, my best friend Mag because without her, I would surely wither. 🙂
http://www.myspace.com/jaymiejagger
Great article!