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/
Channel 14
Less Than Jake Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
they got a million toys at Toys R us that I can play with
I don't wanna grow up, I'm a Toys R Us kid
they got the best for so much less, it'll really flip your lid
From bikes to trains to video games
it's the biggest toy store there is (gee whiz!)
I don't wanna grow up, cause maybe if I did
I couldn't be a Toys R Us kid
I wanna be a Toys R Us kid
The lyrics to Less Than Jake's song Channel 14 are a nostalgic ode to childhood and a refusal to grow up. The line "I don't wanna grow up, I'm a Toys R Us kid" is a clever reference to the famous commercial jingle of the toy store chain. The singer is reminiscing about the endless options of toys at Toys R Us and the joy of being a child who can play with them all. The line "they got the best for so much less, it'll really flip your lid" suggests that the singer sees the value in the store's offerings and the excitement of getting quality toys for a reasonable price. The reference to "video games" shows the song's age as it was released in 1998, during the rise of the video game industry.
The chorus of "I don't wanna grow up, cause maybe if I did, I couldn't be a Toys R Us kid" shows the singer's reluctance to leave behind childhood and all its joys. The repetition of "more games, more toys, oh boy!" drives home the point that the singer has an insatiable desire for toys and playtime. The ultimate goal is to remain a Toys R Us kid, a symbol of youthful freedom and joyfulness.
Overall, the lyrics to Channel 14 are an anthem for nostalgia and a yearning to hold onto childhood. It's a reminder of the simple pleasures of toys and playtime and the reluctance to relinquish them in favor of the responsibilities of adulthood.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't wanna grow up, I'm a Toys R Us kid
I am a child who loves to play with toys, and I do not want to grow up and leave behind the joy that comes with being a kid.
they got a million toys at Toys R us that I can play with
Toys R Us has an incredible range of toys that I can choose from and enjoy playing with, whether it be cars, dolls, or games.
they got the best for so much less, it'll really flip your lid
Toys R Us provides toys of excellent quality at prices that are lower than their competitors, and this fact amazes me.
From bikes to trains to video games
Toys R Us has a diverse range of toys, from physical toys such as bikes and trains to electronic toys such as video games.
it's the biggest toy store there is (gee whiz!)
Toys R Us is the largest toy store in the whole world, and this fact is truly remarkable.
I don't wanna grow up, cause maybe if I did
If I grow up, I may not be able to enjoy playing with toys as much as I do now, and this realization makes me reluctant to become an adult.
I couldn't be a Toys R Us kid
Being a Toys R Us kid means being able to fully appreciate the joy that comes with playing with toys, and I fear that I might lose this quality if I grow up.
more games, more toys, oh boy!
The idea of discovering new toys and games excites me, and I cannot wait to explore the wide range of toys that Toys R Us has to offer.
I wanna be a Toys R Us kid
I aspire to always have a childlike joy for playing with toys, and being a Toys R Us kid represents this ideal for me.
Contributed by Liam T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.