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.

Chicago ska-pop septet Blue Meanies celebrate the release of their new album Full Throttle

Interview by Steve Tauschke with Blue Meanies bassist Dave Lund.

So is it true Blue Meanies met at a MotoX race?
“Half of us yes!”

Do you still ride?
“Not so much anymore. We’re on the road so much. I actually wish I didn’t have a bike anymore. It’s an old Honda. We’re just too busy driving around in our van. We’re constantly touring, touring too much. But we love it. We’re getting a little sick of the US so we’re going to Australia and Japan.”

Much has been made of Californian ska bands .. how’s the scene in Chicago?
“It’s great! We have a guy here called Chuck, he’s a local DJ and he pretty much revived the mid-west ska scene with bands like Suicide Machine and Mustard Plug and us, well we don’t really claim to be a ska band. But he kind of really got the scene going again here in the mid-west.”

You have an early EP featuring covers from Motorhead to the Turtles .. there’s a fair gulf between the two stylistically?
“I’m more of a Motorhead fan but I had fun covering the Turtles song. Our keyboard player is the big Turtles fan. We originally did that for a picture disc 10″that we released on our record label here.”

You seem to enjoying toying around with covers versions.
“On our official releases we don’t really put covers on there. Well, I guess there is a couple, I take that back (laughs). The Hot Chips (label) wanted some extra stuff and we had some we’d done for the 10″. We also did another cover called Dummy Room on the album by a Chicago band called The Vindictives.”

What a great band .. are they still kicking around?
“They are a great band. Actually, we had originally recorded that song to do as a 7″ split with a friend’s band but which we never ended up doing. The Vindictives singer Joey has a lot of medical problems. I read an article about all the medical problems he’s had and he’s had some really bad luck. I know he got into a car accident which compounded some of the problems. So they may play a show here or there but not much. Live, we don’t play that many covers. People still want to hear Ace Of Spades or more recently Happy Together but since we got a new guitarist a couple of months back we haven’t learned that yet. But covers are just for fun and everybody takes them that way.”

You must get all types coming to the shows?
“Sure, we get all kinds of people, little girls and boys on up to people in their early 50s, well, not so many of them, haha! But every once in a while you’ll run into somebody who seems a little older and that’s kind of cool because they seem to be able to process it a bit better and talk about it whereas kids just like it because they like it – which is good too.”

I believe one old timer in Neil Diamond saw one of your shows in New Jersey and signed you to a publishing deal?
“Yeah, we’re on Bicycle Music out in Los Angeles, a publishing company started by Neil and another guy. They’re our publishing administrators and they get us all sorts of stuff in movies and commercials and that sort of thing.’

Did you get to meet the great man?
“I didn’t get to meet him. He got hold of something and mailed us and I just heard about it after the fact. I don’t think he was at the show for very long.”