Jet’s Nic Cester: ‘I was a complete disaster around girls growing up’

Former Jet frontman Nic Cester has last year released a solo album, The Skipping Girl, accompanied by a children’s book with the same title. The 42-year-old musician discusses his upbringing, life on the road in a rock band, and his marriage.

Nic Cester: “The first thing all my male friends talk about is the groupies. Sure, they were there, but I always wanted to be in a relationship.”Credit: Chiara Fossati

My maternal grandmother, Rose McIver, migrated from Scotland to Melbourne in her early 20s. She was already engaged, but changed her mind after she met my grandfather.

Rose was a sharp woman and remained the undefeated Scrabble champion of the family right up until she died 10 years ago. She was a caring and warm person. I loved her dearly. She lived nearby and would often be at our house to babysit.

My paternal grandmother, Maria Camillo, was the family matriarch. She grew up in Veneto in northern Italy and met my grandfather in St Kilda, Melbourne. They later worked out that he grew up 15 minutes away from her in Italy’s Friuli region. Cooking was a source of pride and she was great at it. We loved going to her house on Sundays because we knew we’d eat well.

I am the eldest of four brothers [Chris, Matthew and Ben]. My dad was a workaholic. Mum is a strong, tough woman and not to be messed with. She studied at teacher’s college and made sure we could all read before we went to school. She was 21 when I was born.

My parents had a difficult relationship and divorced when I was a teenager. This had a big effect on my mum. It took her a long time to get over it, but she displayed a lot of courage and resolve and went back to school to upskill for the Red Cross. She is now a public servant.

I was a complete disaster around girls growing up. I was a shy kid and had no confidence. It took me a long time before I felt comfortable in that sphere. I noticed girls at the end of primary school, but was naive and too shy to approach them. I can feel the anxiety return as I talk about it now!

As a teenager in the 1980s, I watched video clips of artists like Paula Abdul; she was beautiful and it was hard not to notice her. It was the era of Madonna – all the videos were pretty sexualised. Seeing women portrayed in that way wasn’t healthy in hindsight, but that’s what it was.

I had my first girlfriend at 17; we were together for three years. It was a profound step for me and a powerful experience as a teenager. I was completely enamoured by her.

Everything turned around in my life when my band Jet started doing well. That was a game changer. Rather than me being the quiet guy in the corner, I was suddenly the centre of attention and didn’t need to approach women any more. They came to me.

“Pia is my everything. I later found out that – much like my paternal grandparents – she grew up 15 minutes down the road from where I grew up in Melbourne.”

I was aware I had lots of power because of that, but I was raised well and never abused that power. To be honest, looking back now, I wonder what it might have been like if I had. Would I have had more fun? The first thing all my male friends talk about is the groupies. Sure, they were there, but I always wanted to be in a relationship.

I met my wife, Pia McGeoch, very early on in the Jet experience, over 15 years ago. Pia was the dux of her school, graduated with honours in law and commerce, and played netball for Australia’s under-21 team.

I first met Pia when Jet played a festival in Western Australia in 2004. I saw a minibus pull in next to us at our hotel and spotted netball players inside. Someone organised a party with us and another band, and invited them along. I was the shy guy in the corner and saw Pia was oblivious to the chaos around us. The next morning, in the lobby, I invited her to the Jet concert.

We got married in Italy in 2016 and have a three-year-old daughter, Matilda. Pia is my everything. I later found out that – much like my paternal grandparents – she grew up 15 minutes down the road from where I grew up in Melbourne.

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