Buddy Shaub’s touring schedule with Less Than Jake sometimes gets the better of him - but he’s taking it all in his stride. The affable trombonist reveals he recently ended another taxing stint on the road with his fellow Floridian ska-punkers, barely leaving time to water the plants and check the mail before heading out again.

Interview by Steve.

“I was basically only home long enough to plug myself into the wall and recharge my battery,” laughs a fast-talking Shaub in an adenoidal voice eerily similar to Steve Buscemi’s ill-fated Tony Blundetto character in the TV drama The Sopranos.

Less Than Jake’s constant state of flux has seen them tour both Europe and the US twice in 2006, with more American dates planned prior to upcoming visits to Australia via Japan to promote their latest album In With The Out Crowd.

The veteran Gainesville quintet are no strangers to Australian shores, having visited several times since their inception in 1992, most recently in late 2005 and most memorably in 1999 as part of the one-off Australian version of the Warped tour.

“That was actually a really fun tour for us,” recalls Shaub. “We crammed ourselves into a little RV and fared better than a lot of other bands who were on communal buses and would then camp with tents. That Warped tour in Australia was very similar to the US one except there was a lot more ska going on back then which was popular at the time.”

Back then, LTJ inadvertently struck a chord with mid-90s ska revivalists on the back of their unavoidably catchy 1997 album Losing Streak, a minor hit.

“It was all kind of a blur because we had just started touring and everything was new and exciting and we were sleeping on people’s floors,” says Shaub. “It was definitely a different time than it is now. As far as that style of music being popular I suppose they were kind of the glory days for our band in that respect.”

Despite getting caught up in the ska-pop hysteria at the time, Shaub insists that across a 15-year career the band has traditionally remained unswayed by passing trends and fickle fashions.

“I think we’ve fared pretty well because a lot of those bands that were popular at the time have died off now and we’re still kicking it out here,” he says. “We’ve managed to stay out of that pigeon-hole of being just a ska-punk band or whatever because I think we play a bunch of different styles of music. Our goal has always been to play to as many people as we possibly can. We never had an idea that we’d sell out if we played to too many people. I want to play to a million people every night but I think the fact that we never really hit it huge kind of does save your band in terms of longevity too.

“Once you get really big and go up the only place you can go is down and sometimes that tears bands apart too. I think everything for us was a just a steady progression from day one. It’s always been baby steps so we were always comfortable in our own shoes. We never really had that awkward moment of not knowing what was next. We’ve kept ourselves grounded with our fans and touring.”

Shaub concedes it would be nice to revisit, albeit briefly, those halcyon neo-ska days.

“I do sometimes hear little influences from that world in other people’s music but I don’t know if it’s in the mainstream,” he muses. “It’s due for another turn around the block I would think, you know, everything kind of happens in cycles. I think our next record might have a little bit more of that ska sound on it. We’ve been thinking that way lately because Losing Streak’s ten year
reunion will happen when we’re on this tour so we’ve been going back and rehearsing all of that album. While we were doing that we thought ‘wow, we should write more songs like this!’.”

For the moment, Less Than Jake are busy promoting In With The Out Crowd, produced by Howard Benson who worked with the band almost a decade ago.

“It was definitely interesting working with him now as opposed to last time in ‘98 because back then he didn’t have any break-out songs by anyone,” says Shaub. “I think we got him back on his feet, we were on a major label at the time and he was all excited to work with us. Pro Tools was just starting to get used and he was kind of learning how to do all that stuff on our record which was pretty funny. Over the last ten years he’s pretty much mastered it.

“He flew in to Gainesville back then whereas this time we went to him and the quality of the recording was far superior to what he had a long time ago. But it kills me, the whole time we did our record in ‘98 he was wearing his sweat pants and an oversized Philadelphia Eagles football jersey literally every day and we were all taking bets on whether he’d be wearing that again. When we got out there sure enough he was wearing the exact same outfit. We couldn’t believe it!

Less Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida. Originally formed in 1992 as a power pop trio, the band evolved into a hybrid of third-wave ska and punk rock, with added elements of modern rock and even metal. To date, the group has released seven original full-length albums and countless more singles and compilations. The current lineup comprises guitarist/vocalist Chris Demakes, bassist/vocalist Roger Manganelli, drummer/lyricist Vinnie Fiorello, trombonist Buddy Schaub, and saxophonist JR.



In Summer 2007, Less Than Jake embarked on a North American tour with Reel Big Fish, featuring support from Streetlight Manifesto and Against All Authority. Against All Authority was not included on the final leg of the tour.

I do not even think there is any need o introduce who or what Less Than Jake is, as they are quite famous all over the world. After some albums on major label Capitol, they released a full length album on Fat Wreck Chords, and now they are releasing their “new” album of b-sides, out-takes and rare stuff called “Good Bye Blue & White” on Fueled By Ramen Records. I talked with JR about some of the things that are happening to the band right now and he was kind enough to answer.

Interview by Carlo | carlo@staff.truepunk.com

Carlo:Hello. Are you doing fine?

JR:Hi. Yeah, we’re doing well, thanks.

Carlo:Your new album “Goodbye Blue & White” is coming out soon, can you tell us how you decide to release a kind of “greatest hits” or “rarest songs” album ?

JR:Well, we had released “GB&W” as a mail-order item only, but then decided to actually have a release on FBR, since we never had an official release. So, the songs were pretty much already all there….we removed a few and added a few, but they were pretty much all b-sides and things that we never officially released. So, in answering your question, we pretty much look and see what we haven’t releasewd and go from there.

Carlo:You will release the new album of Fueled By Ramen, althought your are on Fat Wreck Chords … how did Fat Mike react ? Seriously, why did you choose FBR ?

JR:Fat Mike reacted with a loud “HA!” and then a resounding “HO-HO!!” and told us he hated us; then we had a drink and it was fine. No, seriously though, we decided to do it on FBR because, like I said, it is Vinnie’s label and it only made sense to do it there because we never released anything on it prior. And because Vinnie has a nicer butt than Fatty helped, too.

Carlo:I know this question is old and everything, but, why did you reject a major label for an indie like FAT ?

JR:We didn’t reject the majors,man…they rejected us!!! And besides, The staff at Fat is MUCH better looking that the staff at Crapitol…and they let us throw parties at the office!

Carlo:So, talking of actual stuff, I heard “blue and white” is referred to your first van ? Do you now have to say goodbye to it ? Why ?

JR:Yes. We have to say goodbye to it because the piece of shit broke down. It has been replace by “The Grey Ghost”, which is a bit newer and actually…um…runs.

Carlo:When it comes to define the music of a band, a lot of new bands mention “Less Than Jake” as an influence … are you proud of this ? What would you say to these bands who name you as influence ?

JR:Proud is a good word to describe it, but weird is a good word as well. When you start a band, I don’t think you ever expect to influence others (If you do expect that, that means you’re gonna break up soon) so when people in bands or just people in general say that, it’s about the highest complement ever and we, the band of funny guys, are quite humbled. I’m never quite sure what to say these people, but “Thank you” comes to mind .

Carlo:I noticed that your live shows are very powerufl and someway funny … do you hate so much “regular” live shows ?

JR:OK. Here it is: as a fan myself, when I take the time to buy the records, get the tickets, drive an hour and a half to and from the show, stand out in the cold waiting to get in and spend $50 in merch and $70 at the bar, if the motherfucker on stage decides to do his best impersonation of Michelangelo’s “David” and stand there…I’m not a fan anymore. Screw that. Some of the bands I’ve seen stand up there, look at the floor, don’t talk between songs and when they do they sound like idiots; basically want to play and bail. I say fuck that noise. ENTERTAIN ME, YOU JADED BASTARD!!!!! All we want is for those kids who bought the records, and the shirts, and stood out in the cold to walk away feeling like they had a great time. If that happens, then we did our job.

Carlo:Are you going to tour for supporting your new album, even tough it is a kind of “greatest hits”?

JR:Yes. we are currently touring with Hot Water Music and Bad Religion in the US in support and we will be playing fetivals and club dates in June in Europe.

Carlo:Are you gonna take part to the Vans Warped 2002 ?

JR:No. Not this summer. Maybe next summer.

Carlo:I sometimes ask this to every band I interview, are there some bands you are listening to right now that you would recommend us ? I mean, what’s in your stereo right now ? Have you got some bands to recommend us ?

JR:Yeah, a few. Right now, in no particaular order:
Recover - “Rodeos and Picassos” , the new one from Whippersnapper , The Damn Personals - “Driver,Driver”, The MC5 - “Greatest hits” and then Kiss - “Unmasked”.

Carlo:Talking of Vinnie’s label, Fueled By Ramen, can you tell us how this label was born and grew up and if you think it is one of the best around ? I do.

JR:Vinnie and his partner (not life partner, mind you) “Quad J” Jon, were fans of music and wanted a medium to release it on…enter FBR. I think that there are some really good acts on the label and I’ll tell him you think the same.

Carlo:Which are the bands on FBR you like the most ?

JR:The Stereo, Jersey, Cadillac Blindside, Recover, Whippersnapper…basically the bands I’ve seen live the most. Pollen is very good, as well.

Carlo:And which are the bands of the punk/underground music scene you like ?

JR:The Damn Personals, Lost City Angels (Both are from Boston, MA). That’s about it.

Carlo:I know you played with Bon Jovi and other mainstream artists : which is the expirience or moment you remember as the funniest or the best ? and what about the worst ?

JR:The best experince was heraing Jon Bon Jovi use the word “pussy” in a conversation with us…that also is the funniest; that was like the best tour ever and those guys rule. The worst was getting denied a meeting of Marilyn Manson at a club after an awards show because he is a big pussy . The funny thing was, his security guard who was protecting him asked me for my autograph, so fuck that lanky, washed up, half-a-homo.

Carlo:I know two years ago you had to play at the Euro Deconstruction Tour : I went to the show in Milan, Italy, but you were not there … what happened ?

JR:The van broke down…we were tired and there was no way to get there from where we were. So we went home, but we’ll be back soon, promise.

Carlo:Your music is somewhat funny and happy, and most of the time your lyrics are too: do you see music as a good way to have fun and pass the time ? What do you think of political bands ?

JR:We see music as our career, though sometimes it may seem that we don’t. As much fun as we have, we are equally just as serious about what we do. Our music and our fans are the most important things to us because without them, Less Than Jake would not exist. Political bands are what they are…we don’t like to preach our beliefs or values to others because that’s a human beings own choice to find what they are for themselves…if they listen to someone and can’t figure it out and think for themselves, they are just following another trend. People should think for themsleves and not let others push them into the machine. So, to sum up, yes…it’s more fun to play music than to work in an office, but it’s not all fun and games all the time.

Carlo:Any final comments ?

JR:Yes. Your mother!

Carlo:Ok, I really thank you a lot, thanks for your time and I hope to see you soon . take care.

JR:Thanks to you as well.