Less Than Jake Write-up

{{Infobox musical artist | Name = Less Than Jake | Landscape = yes | Background = group_or_band | Origin = Gainesville, Florida, United States | Genre = Pop punk, Ska punk | Years_active = 1992 – present | Label = Asian Man, No Idea, Capitol, Fat Wreck Chords, Fueled by Ramen, Sire, Sleep it off Records | URL = http://www.lessthanjake.com/ | Current_members = Chris Demakes
Roger Manganelli
Vinnie Fiorello
Buddy Schaub
Peter "JR" Wasilewski | Past_members = Shaun Grief
Jessica Mills
Derron Nuhfer
Pete Anna
}}

Less Than Jake are 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.

Origins

Vocalist and guitarist Chris Demakes and drummer Vinnie Fiorello led a local band named Good Grief with bassist Shaun Grief while attending high school in Port Charlotte, Florida. Good Grief broke up when Chris moved north to attend the University of Florida at Gainesville, Florida, and Vinnie followed suit to pursue college and further musical endeavors with Chris, already with song ideas in mind. With Shaun now as their roadie, they needed to find a replacement bassist. Says Fiorello,

"We decided before we tried to get a bass player we'd zero in on a name for the "band" - to either (A) - make it seem like we had out [sic] shit together or (B) - make ourselves feel better. I think it was (B) or maybe it was just so I could write it over and over again on notebook paper during my anthropology class."

They decided to name the band after the dog Vinnie's family had owned while growing up in New Jersey. An 80lbs. pit bull, the pet was treated far more generously by his parents than, indeed, Vinnie himself was. With its own spot on the couch and takeout food ordered specifically to feed it, most everything else in the house was dubbed as being "less than Jake." Jake is also a term often used to describe something as good. A replacement bassist was found in the form of Roger Manganelli, a guitarist who picked up the bass just prior to joining the band. Between 1993 and 1994 the group added their first horn player, Jessica Mills, and soon after came trombone player Buddy Schaub. Right before their first tour, however, Schaub traveled to Europe with friends, so saxophonist Derron Nuhfer filled in for shows during his absence.

With various 7" releases under their belt, Less than Jake debuted in 1994 with the album Pezcore, originally on Dill Records. The CD contained 21-tracks, the last two of which were punk covers of theme songs which are omitted from the album on the current version, reissued through Asian Man Records. The title of the album stemmed from Roger and Vinnie's unexplained fondness for PEZ candy, clearly apparent in their reportedly sizable Pez dispenser collections. This love for Pez is so intense that they chose Pezcore, partly as homage to their obsession, and partly as parody of the way in which many bands are described as [something]-core (starting with hardcore). Ever since, Pez dispenser motifs have been a common feature of Less Than Jake's merchandise.

In 1995, Losers, Kings and Things We Don't Understand and Greased followed on No Idea Records, the latter being an 8-song album of cover songs from the movie Grease. The release of Greased brought upon a legal battle with Paramount Pictures and Universal Music Group, who own the rights to the film and song respectively. Fortunately, a deal was reached, and the album was once again available for purchase.

Commercial Growth

1996's Losing Streak, released on Capitol Records, was Less Than Jake's major label debut. The album was full of the band's wry, fast-paced brand of ska-punk anthems, producing such fan favorites as "Johnny Quest Thinks We're Sellouts," "Jen Doesn't Like Me Anymore," and "Automatic". Upon the album's completion, saxophonist Jessica Mills left to pursue teaching, and was replaced by ex-Slapstick trombonist Pete Anna. Around this time, Vinnie Fiorello also started his own record label, Fueled by Ramen, with friend John Janick as a means to find and promote up-and-coming bands that he himself would want to hear.

Hello Rockview followed in 1998, and included such staple songs as "All My Best Friends Are Metalheads" and "Help Save the Youth of America from Exploding". The band even spawned a minor college radio hit with "History of a Boring Town."

In the fall of 2000, the band released Borders & Boundaries on Fat Wreck Chords, as well as landing the opening spot on Bon Jovi's North American tour. While neither as commercially successful or musically appreciated as previous releases, the album was a display of significant growth for the band, showcasing much more mature music than the band had ever shown before. Still, the album provided fans with two instant hits in "Look What Happened" and their hometown anthem, "Gainesville Rock City." Shortly after the album's release, Derron Nuhfer left the band (going on to join Gunmoll and later Escape Grace; he currently plays bass for Cutman, a Gainesville-based rock band featuring ex members of Escape Grace and Unitas), and Less Than Jake found a replacement in the ashes of another ska band, this time ex-Spring Heeled Jack U.S.A. saxophonist, Pete Wasilewski. To avoid the confusion provided by having two Peters within the band, the second Pete Wasilewski was dubbed JR (as in 'Peter Junior'). He still goes by JR even following the departure of the first Pete after the 2001 Warped Tour.

In 2002, Less Than Jake released Goodbye Blue and White. Having issued more 7" and limited-edition vinyl releases than most people can keep track of, the band compiled some of their favorite tracks on one record, and named in honor of their original tour van.

Anthem followed in 2003 for Sire Records. It featured hit singles in both the US and the UK, with "She's Gonna Break Soon" (TRL), "The Science Of Selling Yourself Short" (#37 Hot 100), and "The Brightest Bulb Has Burned Out" featuring Billy Bragg (UK Top 40). Actress Alexis Bledel, known for her role as Rory Gilmore on Gilmore Girls appeared in the video for She's Gonna Break Soon, where she played the unnamed subject of the song, an angst teen girl who has a nervous breakdown, and destroys her bedroom over the course the song. B Is for B-sides was released the following year, and comprised tracks that did not make it to Anthem's final cut. The DVD retrospective People's History of Less Than Jake appeared a month later.

Recent Activity

In April 2006, the band released its four-song Absolution for Idiots and Addicts (EP), with their next full-length, In with the Out Crowd, following a month later on Sire Records. The album was also issued in a limited edition that came in a leather-bound case complete with bonus multimedia discs that contained a plethora of music videos, bonus tracks and an elaborate photo gallery.

In February 2007, Less Than Jake played six shows in Florida that each featured the band playing one of their albums in its entirety, plus b-sides and rarities. They played at three venues with each venue featuring two shows to be recorded for a future DVD release. The records performed were Borders and Boundaries, Pezcore, Losing Streak, Anthem, Hello Rockview, and In with the Out Crowd. They then did the same in London, United Kingdom, in September 2007, playing at the Mean Fiddler for 6 nights in a row.

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.

On the 21st of May after much speculation, Vinnie Fiorello announced on his blog that the band has been released from their contract with Sire Records and Warner Brothers. Following this split, the band released five high quality (MP3, 320kbit/s), DRM-free, unedited recordings of their live shows, taken directly from the mixing console at each show. These recordings are being released for sale on the band's website via Snocap. During 6 Albums / 6 Shows / 6 Nights in London, Chris stated that Less Than Jake's new record label was Cooking Vinyl in the UK and Europe.

The band recently returned home from a tour of Japan and Australia in December with Reel Big Fish and Streetlight Manifesto. They are set to go into the studio to begin recording their next album in March of 2008, with an expected release in June or July.

On January 8, 2008, CMJ reported that the band was starting their own label, named Sleep It Off Records, which is taken from the title of a song from their album B is for B-sides. The purpose of the new label is to release the band's forthcoming album in summer 2008 and to reissue several of their older albums, including Goodbye Blue And White, Pezcore, Losers, Kings And Things We Don't Understand, and the DVD Peoples History Of Less Than Jake. The band will start re-releasing their back catalog on the label starting on March 18.

The story also provides some details about the forthcoming album. Vinnie Fiorello mentioned his desire to "combine third wave ska and pop punk in each song," hinting at a possible return to the band's older sound. He also had the following to say:

Side Projects

Vinnie and his friend John Janick started up the independent record label Fueled by Ramen.

Vinnie also owns a toy company called Wünderland War, originally called Monkey VS Robot. The name was changed due to legal issues. Vinnie has also started a second toy company with a friend called Symptoms. Many of these toys have featured in art books and shows.

Roger has a side-project called Rehasher, who have recorded an album Off Key Melodies on Gainesville based record label No Idea Records. He plays guitar (not bass) for Rehasher, and is also their lead singer. JR was featured playing saxophone in the last track from the album.

JR composes his own solo music on top of working with a promoting company called the CT Mafia. He contributed one track to the Drive-Thru Records tribute to Bob Dylan, under the name "The Stay at Home Joneses" which also featured secondary vocals by Roger.

The members of Less Than Jake also served as backup musicians for Asian Man Records owner Mike Park in The Bruce Lee Band.

Buddy is involved in a side band called PB&J; in which he provides the bass, vocals and occasional trombone, as well as the bands Black Ice that he plays all instruments for and another band called Coffee Project.

Chris has been recording his own solo music while not working with Less Than Jake.

Former bassist Shaun Grief joined hardcore punk band Victim Youth out of Fort Myers, FL in 2007. The band's first album is expected sometime in 2008.

Misconceptions and Rumours

Contrary to popular belief, Less Than Jake have never covered The Proclaimers' iconic hit "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)". Drummer, lyricist and band spokesman Vinnie has joked that it is the band's 'most downloaded song', despite the fact that they have never recorded their own version of it. The version fans are downloading is often mistakenly believed to be by British ska punk group Spunge, however it is actually a cover by Down By Law.

Also, an Mp3 of a ska punk syle cover of Frosty the Snow Man has circled around the internet, with websites claiming that it's performed by Less Than Jake. However, Less Than Jake never covered Frosty the Snowman. The real performers of this cover are Fig 4.0. A punk rock quartet from Leeds, West Yorkshire.

According to Chris, the second barrier at the Reading and Leeds Festivals were put in place to stop circle pits such as the one caused by Less Than Jake at the 2002 Leeds festival. In fact, the second barrier was requested by Pearl Jam as a condition they would headline the Festival in 2003.

It has been reported that Less Than Jake have a long running feud with ska punk band Goldfinger. In an interview with Buddy and JR at South Florida's Pure Rock station, "93Rock", Buddy says that the feud was based mostly in rumors, the usual "he said, she said" stuff. The feud was loosely rooted in the members of Goldfinger thinking that Vinnie was "talking smack" about their band after a show. In retaliation, Goldfinger traveled to one of Less Than Jake's shows and tried to single Vinnie out. Buddy claims that since then, they smoothed things over and Vinnie has "hung out" with John Feldmann a few times. Members of Goldfinger gave their side of the story in an interview published in UK zine More Noise and Other Disturbances. At a University of Connecticut show on February 9th, 2008, Less Than Jake announced they would be co-headlining a summer tour with Goldfinger.

Personnel

Current members

• Chris Demakes - guitar, lead vocals
• Roger Manganelli - bass, lead vocals, second guitar (occasionally live and while recording)
• Vinnie Fiorello - drums, lyrics
• Buddy "Goldfinger" Schaub - trombone (plays bass guitar when Manganelli plays second guitar at concerts)
• Peter "JR" Wasilewski - saxophone, background vocals

Past members

• Shaun Grief - bass
• Jessica Mills - alto saxophone

• Derron Nuhfer - tenor and baritone saxophones
• Pete Anna - trombone

Guest musicians

• Lars Nylander - valve trombone
• Vinny Nobile - trombone
• Chris Rhodes - trombone
• Aston Martin - trombone
• Cut Chemist- turntables
• Kel Mitchell - lead singer ("We're All Dudes")
• Billy Bragg - lead singer ("The Brightest Bulb Has Burned Out")
• Heather Tabor - backup singer ("Look What Happened")
• Mark Hoppus - co-writer (Rest of my Life)

Trivia

• Band member haunts have included Eddie C's (now The Backstage Lounge), the Hardback (which was transformed into the Lyric), and Insomnia (which used to be the Covered Dish, and is now the new location of Common Grounds).

• They are largely responsible for, though unaffiliated with, the Florida Ska Revival Movement in their home state of Florida, which is a movement started by a group of Florida bands to bring ska music back into the mainstream.

• Many of the band members are known to enjoy heavy metal music (hence the song All My Best Friends Are Metalheads). Roger and JR both list the legendary British heavy metal band Iron Maiden as a favorite, and Chris has frequently been sighted wearing '80s metal band t-shirts such as Poison, Mötley Crüe, Cinderella, and Black Sabbath.

• The band recently posted a song on their MySpace, which is a medley of the songs Automatic, Throw The Brick, She's Gonna Break Soon, Dopeman, Bad Scene and a Basement Show, and Anchor, although it is not available for play anymore.