I have always dreamed of being in a band but have never had the courage to dive in head first. I suspect many music lovers secretly fancy themselves as a future lead singer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, or drummer. It is hard not to feel awe for those who, amidst the stacked schedules of the Cambridge term, make their rock ‘n’ roll dream a reality.

Jemima Peterson, first year at Emmanuel and the drummer of the rock/metal band Jobless, is one of these awe-inspirers. Since Jobless is one of Cambridge’s youngest student bands, having performed their first gig in the first week of Lent this year, I thought now was a good time to sit down with Jemima and ask about the experience of forming a band to inspire anyone procrastinating taking the plunge.

“Cambridge’s Metal and Punk Society was essential to the band’s inception”

To begin, I asked Jemima about her background in music before coming to Cambridge. She replied passionately that “my approach has been quite DIY. I tried drumming lessons when I was quite young and didn’t take to them. I’m against forcing children to continue with lessons despite lacking enthusiasm, especially due to the focus on grades over enjoyment, because it can harm attitudes to skills-based hobbies as one gets older. After starting to develop my own taste in music, my interest grew until I wanted to start playing organically, which gave me the passion to learn by myself online. After a couple of years, I got to the stage where I would occasionally jam with friends, and the goal was to join a band at uni!”

Cambridge’s Metal and Punk Society was essential to the band’s inception, Peterson tells me: “I wouldn’t exactly class myself as a metalhead, more as someone who listens to metal as well as other genres, which initially made me hesitant to join the society. Naturally, I’m very glad I did; I was welcomed with open arms and encouraged to keep coming! We’ve got quite a few members who barely listen to metal, but are either starting to get into the genre or fancy tagging along to socials! I was pleasantly surprised at how large and inclusive the music societies were upon coming to Cambridge, and how many people I’ve met with similar interests. Rather than more alternative genres being underrepresented, their presence far exceeded my expectations. The band wouldn’t have formed without the society; that’s where we all met! We’ve started a scheme within the society to get musicians together with the goal of forming more bands. It has been an unprecedented success. One of the bands we helped form, Diversity Quota, played on the same bill as us at an event that the society organised at the end of last term.”

Next, I asked Jemima how she managed to get the band off the ground and playing gigs. She responded, beaming, that “if the initial formation and organisation of the band hadn’t been a collaborative effort and just down to me, we’d be nowhere near where we are now: three gigs under our belts, many more booked (including outside Cambridge), and having made invaluable contacts in the local scene. For me, the hardest part about forming a band is making the decision that you’re ready for that first gig, and mustering the courage to search for it and book it. Once we’d started playing live, it all fell into place. It’s a cliché but it really does only get easier!”

“I love my bandmates and am eternally glad that I met them – need I say more?”

Cambridge is replete with brilliant venues for nascent bands but one particular venue already has a special place in the hearts of Jobless’ members: “The Six Six Bar already feels like a second home to Jobless, having played two out of our three gigs there. The team are absolutely lovely and so accommodating to those with limited experience playing live (particularly Josh, we love Josh!). They were enthusiastic enough to suggest hosting society-led student band nights, hence our return to play there at the end of term! We have also loved playing at Bar-OH thanks to Alternative Music Society. A dream gig in Cambridge would be Junction, to perform on the same stage as Radiohead would definitely be a bucket list moment.”

To bring the interview to a close, I asked Jemima what her highlight of band life had been so far? She replied simply that: “I love my bandmates and am eternally glad that I met them – need I say more?”