Considering Jukebox the Ghost has already headlined the show I booked for Rachael's birthday and participated in the blogger currated After the Jump Fest, you might think I would be sick of this band by now but nothing could be further from the truth. Thanks to their infectious melodies and clever song writing I continue to chase after the Jukebox and stop in on all their New York stops, which is why this Friday and the two Friday's after that I will be at Piano's to support the boys during their September residency. The band has lined up a slew of amazing supporting acts to help thrust themselves into the New York spotlight and hopefully will do just that.
To help the guys promote their shows I did a little interview with the guys asking about their upcoming debut full length, their top 5 this and that, and of course about their shows at Piano's. So make sure you check out the interview below and definitely stop in for at least one of the guys' shows, if not all three!!!
September 7th - Jukebox the Ghost w/Le Loup & Exit Clov
September 14th - Jukebox the Ghost w/A Brief Smile & Wakey! Wakey!
September 21st - Jukebox the Ghost w/Sure Juror & Mason Proper
Jukebox the Ghost - "Hold It In"Jukebox the Ghost - "Matter of Time" Okay guys, I know you have a new full length album in the works how far along are you with the recording process and when do you hope to be done by?
The album is finished, locked in a deep, deep vault - We finished it a few months ago and will be releasing it shortly.
Is there a title for the new album yet?
We do have a title, but it is yet to be announced.
Are there any changes in style of sound on this album compared to the songs found on your EP? Do any of the songs from the EP appear on the full length album?
All of the songs on the EP are also on the album, but some of the songs are parts of bigger pieces. So stylistically, there's no difference --- The EP was just a teaser for the album. For example, Matter of Time is part of a three-song sequence on the album. We're excited for people to hear the songs in their real context.
Seeing you guys last week at After the Jump Fest one of the things that surprised me about your set was Tommy taking the lead vocals on one of the songs. Is that something new that has come about from the new songs?
Tommy wrote close to half of the material in our live set these days (including Matter of Time and Beady Eyes on the EP, and others on the full-length), and he sings lead on all the songs he writes. That's nothing really new --- Tommy's been writing songs and singing some lead vocals since he joined the band.
When does Jesse get his Phil Collins moment?
Soon enough, soon enough. Counting down the seconds.
Your music has at times been compared with Ben Folds, They Might Be Giants, Queen, and several other very large, very successful bands, how do you feel about comparisons like this? Were any of these bands influences of your music?
We find that our 'influences' as cited by other people are usually very different than the bands that actually influenced our music. For example, some of Ben's songs get compared to Queen, but he's never been a big listener of Queen. The comparison to They Might Be Giants is an especially ironic one, because none of us listened to They Might Be Giants until people started saying that we sounded like them. Now we LOVE They Might Be Giants, but only because people told us that we sounded like them at times. Sometimes people will say that we're "clearly" very influenced by a band none of us have ever heard....That's always funny.
Who else influenced your music?
Our influences are pretty varied -- Ben listens to a lot of classical and jazz, Jesse listens to a lot of indie-rock, and so does Tommy (even though he'll always be a Phish/Zappa kid at heart).
You’re starting a three week residency at Piano’s this Friday night how’d you guys land that gig? How do you feel about the shows, scared, nervous, excited?
Totally thrilled. We're trying to make each night very different --- There's going to be a lot of surprises and new songs each week so that people will want to keep coming back. We're totally psyched to play with some bands that we're close friends with, like Exit Clov, Le Loup, and the Undisputed Heavyweights.
You’re playing these shows with a slew of fantastic bands, how did you get all these people to agree to play with you?
A mixture of threats and bribery.
Out of them who are you guys most excited to play with?
We're pretty stoked for the third residency, when the Arcade Fire and Wilco will co-headline. We think that one's probably going to sell out pretty early.
Having already played Piano’s in the past does it make you more comfortable with a big long engagement like this? Do you have a feel for the place and how to make it work for Jukebox?
Of course. Great sound, food, and beer doesn't hurt either.
While you’re at Piano’s are you staying in New York? Any big plans to fill the time from show to show?
We'll be touring around the residency, so we won't be in the city too much. When we are in the city, you can count on our plans being pizza, falafel, and shawarma. In no particular order.
So after the Piano’s residency what’s the plan for Jukebox the Ghost?
We're going on tour with The Winter Sounds and saying hi to everyone's pets along the way.
Top 5’s: At this point guy I like to wrap up the interview with a series of top 5 questions not unlike what you saw or read in High Fidelity. Basically you can answer these any way you want to. All three of you can collaborate or you can take turns answering or you can each answer all of them with your own answers. Whatever you decide is fine with me.
Top 5 Albums to Play on the Road?
Ben: Johann Strauss "Waltzes", Chopin "Nocturnes and Polonaises", Oscar Peterson "His Finest Moment", Harvesting Horror "Confessions of Blasphemy and Regret", and Tally Hall "Marvins Marvelous Mechanical Museum"
Tommy: Radiohead "Kid A", Apollo Sunshine "Katonah", Frank Zappa "Hot Rats", They Might Be Giants "Lincoln", and Deerhoof "Friend Opportunity"
Jesse: Band of Horses "Everything All The Time", Pedro The Lion "It's Hard To Find a Friend", Peter & the Wolf "Lightness", The Dismemberment Plan "Emergency & I", and Saves The Day "Through Being Cool"
Top 5 venues you’ve played so far?
The Black Cat, The Velvet Lounge, Piano's, the Knitting Factory, and the Rock and Roll Hotel.
Top 5 bands in the D.C. area right now?
In no particular order, we love Exit Clov, Le Loup, These United States, Georgie James, and the Drunken Sufis. The Fart Nuts, too, but I think they broke up.
Top 5 New York bands right now?
Hm.....We don't really know enough bands to really accurately do a top 5. Ra Ra Riot is AWESOME though!
Top 5 Jukebox songs to play live?
Good Day, Under My Skin, the End of the World sequence, Static, and Lighting Myself on Fire.
Top 5 songs to play on a jukebox in a bar?
"The Sign" by Ace of Base, "Let's Talk About Sex" by Salt-N-Pepa, "I Ain't Lyin" by Sinbad, Any song by Nickelback is a sure winner, and of course that Puddle of Mudd song that goes "I like the way you smack my ass."
Top 5 moments in the history of Jukebox the Ghost?
1.) The time we were (inappropriately) booked for Graduate Student Casino Night at our university and our set was cut off mid-song by a guy blankly reminding the crowd about a raffle and an absent-minded girl walking right up to Jesse (mid-song!) asking us if we did any covers of The Killers.
2.) The time we were (inappropriately) booked for a show at a teen youth center in the ghost town of Trafford, PA opening for a band of 13-year-olds named "Jammin' With Charlie".
3.) The time our station was burned completely to the ground by arsonists in Washington, DC.
4.) The time we had a CD release show at the Black Cat and lots of pretty people came!
5.) The time we ran out of gas on the highway and coasted in neutral for 2.5 miles, making it down an off-ramp and past three downhill intersections (all with perfectly-timed green lights) so that we halted within 15 feet of a gas station.
Top 5 Music Blogs?
Pop Tarts Suck Toasted? The Drudge Report? Facebook? Craigslist? I think I'm just naming websites.
Top 5 bands you wish you could tour with, living, dead, broken up, whatever?
Queen, Frank Zappa, Sly & the Family Stone, Elvis Costello, and The Flaming Lips.
Wednesday 10/3 - Bowerbirds @ Sound Fix Records 8pm
