I was recently given the opportunity to ask my favorite band of all time Less Than Jake a few questions. This being their 20th year of existence, and given the fact, that they are about to launch a national 20 year anniversary tour (and quietly released a new EP today), I figured it would be a great time to look at how the band has changed over the course of their career and their lives. I spoke with JR specifically.
Here's what he had to say about LTJ's past, present, and future:
UTP: What recording sessions, shows, or road trip moments stand out as some of the best of your career whether it be a phenomenal show, a particularly difficult to record song, etc.?
JR: The best show of our career in my eyes was Reading Festival in 2006. It was the third time we played the main stage, and we had no less than 20 circle pits going on in the crowd. We played right before Slayer, and Kerry King was watching and (seemingly) digging it.
UTP: While you may have moved in one direction or another across your studio albums (more or less horns, more or less ska, etc.), all of your music has always sounded distinctly Less Than Jake. What do you see as being the vital core to your music, the aspects that you’d never want to stray from?
JR: Chris and Roger singing, basically. As long as those two guys can sing, we will sound like LTJ.
UTP: I bought my first LTJ album Hello Rockview when I was in fifth grade, now I’m 24 years old and still a fan. Over the course of your career, how have you noticed your fan base change (or stay the same)?
JR: It's gotten older and somehow younger? It is really weird to have entire families come to see us play now a days but that is how we've been able to keep going I suppose.
UTP: Many LTJ songs across your entire history have been about being stuck in the town you grew up in and growing old. At the same time, LTJ seems to be proud of their hometown of Gainesville because of how often it is brought up (album and song titles, lyrics, etc.). As time has passed and you have found yourself grower older, are you still afraid of growing old and stagnant or is your hometown someplace you always want to be a part of you?
JR: Human nature instinctually fears aging. I also feel 99% of everyone wants to leave the place they call home but, ironically, they never want to stay away for too long. Home is still home. Home becomes ingrained in who you are. As I've gotten older, I've been saying less and less how much 'here sucks' and realizing more and more how 'here' isn't all that bad; it's actually pretty sweet 'here'. This realization comes with age. So no, we aren't afraid of getting older and stagnant because life is a journey that doesn't stop until you stop paying attention to what it's teaching you. Perspectives change. It's a good thing.
UTP: With 20 years behind you, the future still looks bright. What can fans expect to see from LTJ as time goes on?
JR: Wheel chairs and colostomy bags, probably.
For tour information, check out http://www.lessthanjake.com/. To get your hands on their new EP, Seasons Greetings from Less Than Jake, go to Limited Pressing here.