INTERVIEW WITH LESS THAN JAKE

Interview with Less than Jake in support of GNV FLA

PunkTV.ca Hey, How are you?

I’m doing great, how are you?

PunkTV.ca Wonderful!

PunkTV.ca So you guys have been on this long tour, and you still have the entire UK leg with Rancid ahead. What has this tour been like so far, and how do you keep yourselves sane on these extensive tours?

Um, tours been really fun. We’ve been out with great bands, and it’s definitely been a lot of fun, and we definitely had a great time. It’s been shorter than last summer’s tour. I'm tired a bit too.

PunkTV.ca I’m sure it gets exhausting after a while, as fun as it may be.

Yeah, I don’t want to say it’s like every other job, because it’s not. Um, but I mean, if your sick, you can’t call in sick.

PunkTV.ca Some times, you just need that stay in bed and watch TV all day, kind of deal.

Yeah, and unfortunately you can’t do that on tour.

PunkTV.ca You have been a band since 92. Over the years, how would you say the music industry has changed and what do you think of the current state of the music industry, in comparison to what it was when you started.

Um, it’s changed drastically. In 92’ when you put out a CD you were doing something special. Nowadays, you can just put it up on myspace. I think it feels like the computer is taking over.

PunkTV.ca I think the internet has become the epitome of the music industry. I mean, it does make it more accessible to fans, but at the same time the guy next door could be in a band and put out a CD.

Yeah, exactly! There are also a lot of bands. Instead of being 50 bands, there is now 500 bands, you know.

PunkTV.ca GNV FLA was released in June. You guys said that you were going back to your roots with this one. What has the fan reaction been like so far?

I think the fan reaction has been really good. I mean there are a couple of haters but it’s whatever. Over all it’s been going really good.

PunkTV.ca You guys are very interactive with your fans. You had a scavenger hunt with Absolutepunk.net, you post updates on your blogs, you do a bunch of in store signings. So how would you describe your fans? I’m sure you guys get tons of questions from them, so if you were to switch the tables, And if you could ask your fans one question, what would it be?

Why do you have to be so picky?

PunkTV.ca Ha! That’s a good one.

PunkTV.ca After releasing one album after another, do you guys ever run out of ideas, or are the creative juices always flowing? What do you guys get inspired by? All this touring or people you meet must have an effect on lyrics…

We’re lucky cause we always have ideas, and there creative juices always flying. The most difficult part is executing the ideas.

PunkTV.ca Right, getting it out of your head and out into the real world.

Um, that’s definitely the most difficult part. Bringing ideas into reality. Then we also are lacking time. We’re on a time limit.

PunkTV.ca So, I bet that can be stressful at times to have to get all these amazing ideas out in short amount of time.

Oh yeah, but without stress there is no life. Stress just pushes you in life.

PunkTV.ca The band started Sleep it Off Records. What sparked the interest to start your own label? Is it incredibly difficult to manage your own band? Did you start Sleep it Off just to focus on Less than Jake, or will you be signing other bands?

We have tour managers though, you know. Our manager does all the DVDs stuff. But it’s hard to make all the decisions, that’s for sure.

PunkTV.ca Not only are you guys in a band, but a lot of the other members have side projects going on as well, such as Vinnie’s labels, and some of you have side bands. So when you think about it, do you think that you guys will be apart of Less than Jake for years down the road, or do you see yourselves branching out and venturing out on your own projects?

Um, the band is what keeps us stable. The band is what we all go back to, because everything else is just side projects. It’s our home base. In reality this is what keeps us real, so we keep doing it.

PunkTV.ca You guys are such hardworking people, so when you’re back home, how do you relax? Does it ever get difficult settling in? Do you still keep in touch with each other, off tour?

I turn my computers and cell phones off. So nobody can get in touch with me…it’s relaxing.

PunkTV.ca After touring for GNV FLA, what lies ahead next for Less Than Jake? What can fans expect in the coming months?

Just tour and write, that’s what we do.

PunkTV.ca We have two questions that HYPERLINK "http://PunkTV.ca" \t "_blank" PunkTV.ca asks all of our interviewees: First, which of the following have you experienced, have you seen the face of god, Seen a ghost or had an alien encounter?

Pretty sure I’ve seen a ghost.

PunkTV.ca That’s creepy. To scary to talk about?

No, not really.

PunkTV.ca Last, what would surprise kids most to learn about you?

Uh, that I have a degree in teaching. Yeah, it’s a music degree too.

PunkTV.ca Oh! Nice, everything music involved!

PunkTV.ca That’s all I got, thank you!

Thank you very much!

PunkTV. ca Bye!