The band's name derives from a bird Vinnie had while growing up, which was treated better than the rest of the family. It's also a reference to the phrase "everything is jake," which is an old phrase meaning everything is cool.
Less Than Jake released their debut album, Pezcore, in 1995, following a series of independent seven-inch single releases. The band's subsequent two studio albums, Losing Streak (1996) and Hello Rockview (1998), were released on major label, Capitol Records, leading to increased exposure. The band's fifth studio album Anthem (2003) was their most commercially successful to date, featuring the singles, "She's Gonna Break Soon" and "The Science of Selling Yourself Short".
In 2008 the band founded its own label, Sleep It Off Records, and released its seventh full-length album, GNV FLA. The band has recently stated its preference for EP releases, and independently issued Greetings from Less Than Jake (2011) and its counterpart, Seasons Greetings from Less Than Jake (2012). In late 2012, the band combined the two to create the compilation album, Greetings and Salutations (2012) Their eighth studio album, See the Light, was released on November 12, 2013.
Miscellaneous Info:
Vinnie was previously the owner of the independent record label Fueled by Ramen, as well as a toy company called Wünderland War (formerly Monkey Vs. Robot). This label has signed bands such as Fall Out Boy, Punchline, The AKAs, Gym Class Heroes, Panic! At The Disco and Days Away. Roger, meanwhile, is in a second band, called Rehasher, for whom he composes lyrics and plays guitar. JR played sax on the last track of Off Key Melodies. JR works with a promoting company called the CT Mafia, as well as composing solo music. He contributed one track to the Drive-Thru compilation tribute to Bob Dylan, using the band name The Stay At Home Joneses (Roger sang backup for this track).
Roger and Vinnie have an unexplained fetish for Pez candy and they reportedly have sizeable dispenser collections. This love for Pez goes so far as to name one of their albums, Pezcore (parodying of the way in which many bands are described as [something]-core, starting with hardcore) and Pez dispenser motifs are a common feature of their merchandise.
Roger's employment history includes a smoke shop in the band's hometown Gainesville, Florida known as Knuckleheads which has since been transformed into a similar establishment named Smoke. Band member haunts have included Eddie C's, 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).
The members of Less Than Jake also served as backup musicians for Asian Man Records owner Mike Park in the B.Lee Band (once called "the Bruce Lee Band", changed for legal reasons).
The track "Look What Happened" appeared on two of their albums, "Borders & Boundaries" (2000) and "Anthem." (2003) The "Anthem" version is completely re-recorded, and has eschewed the brass at the beginning of the song that was featured in the previous recording. The re-recording features guest vocals from Teen Idols/Bullets To Broadway's Heather.
They have also re-recorded many other songs, including "Johnny Quest Thinks We're Sellouts," "Jen Doesn't Like Me Anymore" and "Shotgun".
They recorded the main theme song "We're all Dudes" for the 1997 film "Goodburger" based on the sketch from the Nikelodeon TV show "All That." The song features Kel Mitchell (main character, Ed, in the movie). The song is based off of the jingle "Ed" would always sing while waiting for the next situation to come up in the Goodburger sketches. At the end of the song Mitchell says "Ah, Ed and Less than Jake, oh, uh... no?"
In 2004, Less Than Jake appeared on the Projekt Revolution Tour, joining such artists as The Used, Snoop Dogg, Korn, and the headlining band: Linkin Park.
Lineups:
Chris DeMakes - vocals and guitar (1992–present)
Roger Lima - vocals and bass (1993–present)
Buddy ''Goldfinger'' Schaub - tenor trombone and backing vocals (1993–present)
Peter ''JR'' Wasilewski - tenor saxophone and backing vocals (2000–present)
Matt Yonker - Drums (2018–present)
Past members:
Jessica Mills - alto saxophone (1993–1998)
Derron Nuhfer - tenor and baritone saxophone (1995–2000)
Pete Anna - tenor and alto trombone (1998–2001)
Vinnie Fiorello - drums (1992–2018)
Website: http://www.lessthanjake.com/
Big Crash
Less Than Jake Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wrong with me because,
I was never one,
To believe in anyone or anything.
Its always been just me.
Its always been just.
And you know, they've always had,
Just to walk you through
And cloud your views. Whoa.
And I'll never say,
Everything's OK.
Don't want to say that
You're giving up right now.
Just hold your ground,
And don't give up,
In what you believe.
Big plans.
Big crash.
Don't be different,
When you can't be yourself.
Big plans.
Big crash.
Don't be different,
When you can't be yourself.
Sometimes, I think somethings
Wrong with me because,
I was never one,
To believe in anyone or anything.
I can't say I'll ever change.
Won't say I'll ever change.
And you know, they've always had,
Always had big plans for you.
Just to walk you through
And cloud your views. Whoa.
And I'll never say,
Everything's OK.
Don't want to say that
You're giving up right now.
Just hold your ground,
And don't give up,
In what you believe.
Big plans.
Big crash.
Don't be different,
When you can't be yourself.
Big plans.
Big crash.
Don't be different,
When you can't be yourself.
Big plans.
Big crash.
Don't be different,
When you can't be yourself.
Big plans.
Big crash.
Don't be different,
When you can't be yourself.
Big plans.
Big crash.
Big plans.
Big crash.
Big plans.
Big crash.
Big plans.
Big crash.
The lyrics to Less Than Jake's song "Big Crash" describe the struggle of maintaining one's own identity and beliefs in the face of societal pressure to conform to predetermined plans and expectations. The singer expresses a sense of alienation and self-doubt, feeling abnormal for not being able to blindly trust in authority figures and follow prescribed paths. The line "I can't say I'll ever change" suggests a resolute determination to stay true to oneself, even if it means going against the grain and risking failure.
The chorus of "Big plans. Big crash. Don't be different when you can't be yourself" highlights the fear of losing oneself in the pursuit of ambitions that may not align with personal values or desires. The repeated pairing of "big plans" with "big crash" implies that lofty goals can lead to disappointment and disillusionment if not approached with caution and consideration. The final repetition of the title phrase serves as a warning against sacrificing authenticity for the sake of conformity.
Overall, "Big Crash" is a poignant commentary on the struggle to balance individuality with societal expectations, and the importance of staying true to oneself even in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes, I think somethings Wrong with me because, I was never one, To believe in anyone or anything.
The singer struggles with trust issues and doubts, refraining from putting faith in anyone or anything.
Its always been just me. Its always been just.
The singer feels alone, recognizing that they have always been on their own in life.
And you know, they've always had, Always had big plans for you. Just to walk you through And cloud your views. Whoa.
Others may have expectations for the singer and seek to control them, leading the singer astray from their personal beliefs and goals.
And I'll never say, Everything's OK. Don't want to say that You're giving up right now.
The singer does not want to placate or lie to their listeners, refusing to say that everything will be alright or tell them to give up.
Just hold your ground, And don't give up, In what you believe.
The singer encourages the audience to remain steadfast and dedicated to what they believe, even in the face of opposition or doubt.
Big plans. Big crash. Don't be different, When you can't be yourself.
Having unrealistic or unsustainable expectations for oneself can lead to failure and a loss of identity. The singer warns against trying to change oneself to meet these goals instead of remaining genuine to oneself.
Sometimes, I think somethings Wrong with me because, I was never one, To believe in anyone or anything. I can't say I'll ever change. Won't say I'll ever change.
Reiterating their initial thoughts, the singer acknowledges their difficulties with trust and believing in others, admitting that they may not be able to change.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
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