LeSS ThAN JaKe

This interview took place at Off/Beat Records in Redondo Beach on April 2nd after a free show they did there

E - ElimiNatioN ZiNE ____ C - Chris Of LTJ(guitar & lead Vocals)

E: What have you guys been up to Recently?
C: Uh....Nothing really..Just touring alot. We have a new 7" on Dead Beat Records.
E: When is you next show, or tour?
C: Uh..We're gonna tour Florida in April..then we are going to Minneapolis and tour with the Descendents. Then we will be back out here in the Begining of June.
E: What kind of music do you guys think you are, besides just ska?
C: Everything! Just a diversity of different styles.
E: How's the lable treating you?
C: Great. Very fair.
E: How long have you been together?
C: About Five years
E: Any top secret project that you are working on?
C: uh..Actually no. We are working on some new songs though.
E: What influenced you to go into music?
C: Oh, Man. Everything, Metal, Thrash, Pop, New wave, punk. That's how we got our sound.
E: Why did you choose that path of Music?
C: umm..becuase i couldn't find anyone who wanted to go Metal I guess. That or Thrash.
E: So, Whats your opinion on "sell-outness" and that kind of stuff?
C: Geez, let me think this out. I have been asked this before. Well, look at a band like No Doubt, if they sold out, well F**K they have been around for ten years. I am not a fan of their music. But, F**K it, If you don't like a band don't listen to them.
E: How long do you think you will keep doing what you do?
C: Well you know the thing is..Well just as long as we can keep on writing songs, and until it isn't fun anymore. When it isn't fun anymore than we'll stop doing it.
E: Do you make a living off the band?
C: Yeah, things are going pretty smooth now, we can all pay rent now. We're all doing good. you know. I don't have a car, only a few guys in the band have cars. Darren's car is a peice of Sh*T...you know. I just live in a college town. Pay $200 rent each month.
E: What do you think about "The Scene"?
C: uh..thats a hard question to answer. um..it is different to me. I mean we wanna tour with Motley crew, you know they are getting back together.
E:hehe.
C: You laugh...but we don't wanna F**Ken tour on some Ska/Punk tour, or a punk tour. I am not just ska, i don't know about the rest of the band. But me i like everything.
E: Do you do it for the fun, or do you do it for the money?
C: Oh, definetly for the FUN. If any band does it for the money..then A. they wouldn't admit it. But ah..you know it is just fun. And the thing on making money, Making money is not that bad..it's like "oh..sell your self out to make money." It's like F**Ken' A, you know .. you gotta pay for living and other stuff.
E: What do you think makes your band stand out, as opposed to other bands?
C: Well, I think cuase we give a SH*T! Cause you know there are plenty of other bands that are better than us, they would like blow us off the F**king stage. I think it is how you treat the audience, They are all aour friends.
E: What advice could you give a band for starting out?
C: Oh, man..alot of advice actually. Play at every chance you have, even if it is at a nursing home for someones 20th aniversery.
E: Whats up with that Howie Guy?
C: He is a 73 year old guy who lives in my apartment complex, and he's F**ken hilarious! He is a crazy man. He had like 3 Heart ByPass surgeries last year and he still smokes F**ken 48 cigarettes everyday..and he's still drinken'... Outta Control!
E: Where did you guys get your band name?
C: Well basically our drummer had a dog called jake, and his parents would give the dog like red lobster and SH*T....and our drummer would be eating like grilled cheese and peanut butter and jelly on the corner. So he is Less Than Jake...It is kind of a joke in the band.

And thats the interview... With Chris of Less Than Jake, I hope you enjoyed. He was really cool about it too, he did it on his own time during a publicity tour! So it shows that these guys care about what the people think cuase they are one of us.
CHUCK