Multi-instrumentalist originally from Frederick area became proficient on guitar, bass, drums, keyboard, and trumpet. Raised in a musical family, his mom Fangette Willett wrote songs that were recorded by Tammy St. John (“Dark Shadows and Long Hallways”), Walter Jackson (“It’s an Uphill Climb to The Bottom”), Judy Henske (“Baby”), Billy Eckstine, Lou Rawls, and Motown artists. His dad Tom and his uncle Charlie were known as the Willett Brothers, fronting the Newports, then later gaining fame as a popular night club act in the D.C. area.
Jason opened a record store in Frederick and formed his own record label Megaphone Records that catered to alternative and avant-garde musical styles.
Along with ex-Slamhound members Andrew Barranca (bass, sax) and Benb Gallaher (drums, keyboards), Jason formed groups that would become the Jaunties, the Attitude Robots, and the Dentures. These groups and the Pleasant Livers existed in various forms throughout the ‘90s+.
Jason relocated to the Hampden area of Baltimore and opened the True-Vine record store on the Avenue. He joined forces with locals Fred Collins (vocals –Motor Morons), John Dierker (saxophone, organ), and Martha Colburn (drummer, Maryland Institute College of Art), along with other like-minded alternative artists to write and record material.
Jason joined Half Japanese as bass guitarist in 1990 and forged a relationship with Jad Fair that would ultimately result in many hundreds of song collaborations and dozens of album releases. Album releases noted below. In addition to Jad and Jason, 019 features Benb Gallaher (keys and drums), 020 features Bob Wagner (drums).
The Megaphone label releases included albums by Tim Hodgkinson (Henry Cow), The Honkies, The Molecules, Jon Rose, Happy New Year, The Recordings, and others.
Megaphone Limited formed in 1994 and released albums by local artists including The Dramatics, Pleasant Livers. Can Openers, Jaunties, Attitude Robots, Dentures, X-Ray Eyes…
Megaphone Unlimited was established to issue library music and first release was a collection from the archives of Dewolfe Music.
Megaphone (and subsidiary) label releases were limited to 500 copies and all featured handmade art packaging.
Selected discography of Jason Willett:
1992(EP) unpunk Jason Willett
2008(CD) Megaphone Limited The Sounds of Megaphone Limited
Jason Willett, Jad Fair and Gilles Rieder:
1993(CD) Megaphone 012 Jason Willett, Jad Fair and Gilles Rieder
Jason Willett & Ruins
1995(CD) Megaphone Limited 009 Jason Willett and Ruins
Jad Fair and Jason Willett:
1996(LP) Dr. Jim’s Honeybee
1996(7”) Slab-O-Concrete The Corpse Is Missing
1997(EP) Chlorophyl Punk Rock
1997(CD) Marginal The Mighty Superheroes
1997(CS) Shrimper Wonderful World (3 cassette box)
1998(CD) Megaphone Ltd 020 Wild
1999(CD) Dr. Jim’s The Mighty Hypnotic Eye
2002(CD) Slab-O-Concrete The Attack of Everything
2004(CD) Public Eyesore Superfine
Jason Willett and Jad Fair:
1996(CD) Megaphone Ltd 015 It’s all Good
1997(LP) Dark Beloved Cloud Twister
1998(CD) Megaphone Ltd 019 We’re Going to The Moon
1998(CD) Alternative Tentacles Enjoyable Songs
Jason Willett and Ron Anderson:
2003(CD) Ra Sounds Be the First on The Block to Eat a Snake
