Jet's Chris Cester Releases New Mystic Knights Song 'Count'

(Sideways Media) Mystic Knights-the raw, hard-hitting group led by Chris Cester, founding member and longtime driving force behind Jet, release their single "Count". Self-produced and fully self-released, the track signals a decisive creative shift: instinct over formula, autonomy over expectation, and urgency over nostalgia.

The new group formed when Cester joined forces with Aaron Eisenberg (also of The Soft White Sixties) and Emmanuel Castro, forming a lean three-piece rooted in garage rock, proto-punk, and '70s grit. The band's original name, Mystic Knights of Amnesia, was coined by longtime friend Noel Gallagher, then sharpened to Mystic Knights as their sound and intent crystallized.

"Count" was written during a period of personal reset for Cester, built late at night from a single guitar riff, a laptop, and a deliberately minimal rhythm. Lyrically, the song plays with the familiar ritual of counting into a track, before rejecting it altogether, serving as a pointed, tongue-in-cheek commentary on formulaic hit-making. The result is a driving, restrained, and defiant song that trusts feel over choreography and instinct over industry rules.

Though best known as one of rock's most recognizable drummers, Cester has always been more than a timekeeper. Co-founding Jet alongside his brother Nic in his twenties, he was a core songwriter, backing vocalist, and occasional lead singer for a band that would go on to sell millions of albums worldwide, headline sold-out tours, and open for icons such as Bruce Springsteen and Oasis. Jet's blistering, riff-forward sound became a global staple of early-2000s rock, but behind the kit, Cester's songwriting ambitions continued to grow.

During downtime between tours and throughout Jet's hiatus, Cester taught himself guitar and gradually stepped into front-and-center performance, discovering a natural command as a vocalist and frontman. That evolution was further validated through his work with rock supergroup The Jaded Hearts Club, including a high-profile performance in which he traded verses onstage with Paul McCartney.

Mystic Knights came fully into focus during late-night garage sessions, often between midnight and 6 a.m., driven by personal loss, pandemic dislocation, and a renewed hunger to make music that felt raw and unfiltered. Drawing inspiration from The Stooges, AC/DC, Talking Heads, and the harder edges of '70s punk, the trio wrote and self-produced a body of work that channels urgency, restraint, and quiet fury beneath its hooks.

An initial Mystic Knights single, "This High Up," released last fall, quickly gained traction, landing major sync placements with ESPN and Fox Sports, and reaching No. 1 on the SubModern radio chart, proving this was far more than a side project.

"Count" serves as the official lead single from the band's forthcoming EP, due out this spring.. The release also marks a major milestone for Cester: the first time in his career he owns his master's. "These days, you've got to build it yourself," he says. "But I own the masters. I've never owned my own masters ever. In this era, that's everything."

While Mystic Knights are anchored by Cester, Eisenberg, and Castro, the live band expands to include Jacob Pillot and Sebastian Harris, former members of The Shelters, on bass and drums.

With hundreds of songs written and waiting, Mystic Knights represent the beginning of a prolific new chapter.

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