The older among our readers, those who were young kids and living the punk rock scene in early/mid 90’s, certainly will remember that Ska-2-tone sounds got their bit of renaissance (somebody labels this revival as third-wave or even post-third wave being the ska-2-tone style first making its splashes in the 50’s) and lotta cool bands from USA and different corners of the world came out and started writing music definitely drawing influences from ska genre's classics but that got brilliantly fused together with punk rock and its attitude and urgency; this new soulful bouncing sound soon after got labeled as Ska-Punk or Ska-core.
GOTANERVE-ZINE got to email a few questions to Gainesville, Florida's LESS THAN JAKE, one of those 90’s bands still rock n’ rolling and doing strong 25 years and 9 records into their career, and that has a new EP, titled “Sound The Alarm”, out now on Pure Noise records. Vinnie Fiorello (drums and founder member) took some time out while on tour with his band to answer. Read on…
gan: Hey guys, how’s life treating you? –hopefully a bit better than it currently does with me hehe…
We are currently out on a US tour and headed south towards home in Florida plus celebrating our new ep “Sound The Alarm”, So yeah we are doing pretty good at the moment.
gan: You have a new EP out, titled “Sound The Alarm”. How does it feel? Is it just a chapter of your career or does this record embody something more deeper and related to who 2017’s LESS THAN JAKE are?
Yes, we have the new ep. Any record is a snapshot of who a band is at the time of writing, and I always consider it deep but yes it really is a chapter of the band, who we are right now but that’s how it’s always been. We recorded the ep with Roger at the helm again and at his studio but this time on a different record label. For those who know us, know we have a lot of releases on a lot of labels through the years.
gan: The title of the record comes from the lyrics of the tune “Call To Arms”, right? I understand this song draws from something personal, like life struggles so, the sound of the alarm figuratively comes as a wake-up call to everybody; a call for a change, Am I getting it? Wanna go more in-depth about these lyrics and the lyrics of the EP in general?
You are getting it, as the lyricist I don’t like to lead the listener to what your thoughts are on the meaning but lyrically the whole ep is about weathering the storms that come at you in life being able to stand tall through them and come out for the better on the other end. Very much fighting your way to be something or someone better.
gan: 25 years and 9 records later and LESS THAN JAKE are still around and kicking. Would you have believed this back when you started out?
No band believes in that type of immortality when they start. We always wanted to write some songs and play some shows, that’s how it started and we are lucky enough to be able to continue to do that.
gan: In the early / mid 90’s, when bands like you Goldfinger, Reel Big Fish, Mustard Plug, Ska-P, The Shandon, Persiana Jones, Vallanzaska (the latter bands all hailing from Italy) burst upon the punk scene, the whole ska-2-tone meets punk hardcore thing was totally new to me –I didn’t even actually ever listen to The Madness, The Specials and the likes. And the sound you were in process to get back under the spotlights was fresh-sounding, up-beat and high energy driven. How’s the scene and the kids who attend to your shows changed, if this happened at all?
The crowd gets more diverse as the band continues, it spans age and status and typical music genres we tend to set ourselves up in. It’s been a beautiful thing to see the crowd become more diverse and embrace what we do live and on record.
gan: You have an EP that just got released, do you have plan to follow this up with a full-length?
We will start writing but currently we have some world tour dates planned for 2017
gan: What’s up next in the future of LESS THAN JAKE?
Japan, Europe, UK tours. Very excited for a lot of shows we have coming up with a bunch of friends.
gan: Thanks for taking some time out to answer our questions, do you wanna add anything to wrap this interview up?
See you on tour and thanks for continuing to support punk rock music.
gan: Our duty and great pleasure man!
gan: You have an EP that just got released, do you have plan to follow this up with a full-length?
We will start writing but currently we have some world tour dates planned for 2017
gan: What’s up next in the future of LESS THAN JAKE?
Japan, Europe, UK tours. Very excited for a lot of shows we have coming up with a bunch of friends.
gan: Thanks for taking some time out to answer our questions, do you wanna add anything to wrap this interview up?
See you on tour and thanks for continuing to support punk rock music.
gan: Our duty and great pleasure man!
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