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/
Motto
Less Than Jake Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know, its something
That keeps you sane.
And you can't explain what.
But you know, it's
What's left inside you.
And I know its something,
You know, its something
And I can't explain why,
It's all I have,
Left to hold on to.
And I say, that is every day.
You (you) know (know) what (woah-oh-oh-oh)
It means to me.
It's just a reason to wait.
From the something that keeps me sane.
I have a reason to wait
(Whoa) Wait.
I have a reason to wait.
From the something that keeps me sane.
I have a reason to wait.
Can you build ?
You know, its something
That keeps us sane.
And you can't explain what.
But you know, it's
What's left inside you.
And I know its something, (Woah)
You know, its something
That keeps us sane.
And I can't explain why,
It's all I have,
Left to hold on to.
And I say, that is every day.
Schemes (schemes)
You (you) know (know) what (woah-oh)
It means to me. (oh-oh)
It's just a reason to wait.
From the something that keeps me sane.
I have a reason to wait
Wait.
I have a reason to wait.
From the something that keeps me sane.
I have a reason to wait.
The lyrics to Less Than Jake's song "Motto" symbolize the importance of having a purpose in life. The singer asks, "Can you build?" which represents the act of creating something with purpose, whether it be a physical object or a metaphorical construct like a legacy or a dream. The idea of building something gives the singer a sense of meaning and keeps them sane. Something about the process of building and creating is deeply ingrained in who they are and they can't explain why, but it's what they have left to hold on to.
Throughout the song, the singer repeats the phrase "It's just a reason to wait" which implies that they are waiting for something important to happen. This could be waiting for their purpose to come into focus, waiting for a specific opportunity, or simply waiting for life to unfold in a meaningful way. Whatever it is they are waiting for, they have a reason to keep going because they have this inherent need to build and create. The line "From the something that keeps me sane" suggests that without this purpose, the singer would be lost and their sanity would be at risk.
Overall, "Motto" is a plea for meaning and a reminder of the importance of having purpose in life. It's about finding that thing that keeps you going, that motivates you to keep moving forward even when things get tough. It's a hopeful message that encourages listeners to keep searching for their own "something" and to never give up on building and creating.
Line by Line Meaning
Can you build ?.
Do you have the ability to create something?
You know, its something
There is something important that is known.
That keeps you sane.
This thing is essential for maintaining sanity.
And you can't explain what.
It's difficult to put into words what this thing is.
But you know, it's
However, it's still a known entity.
What's left inside you.
It's something that remains with you internally.
And I know its something,
Furthermore, I have the same thing within me.
That keeps me sane.
It also helps me maintain my sanity.
And I can't explain why,
However, it's challenging to articulate why it's so important.
It's all I have,
This thing is the only thing that I possess right now.
Left to hold on to.
It's something to cling to when everything else is uncertain.
And I say, that is every day.
This situation applies to me each and every day.
You (you) know (know) what (woah-oh-oh-oh)
You are aware of exactly what I'm referring to.
It means to me.
This thing is incredibly important to me.
It's just a reason to wait.
It provides a purpose for waiting and holding on.
From the something that keeps me sane.
This thing is the key to maintaining my sanity.
I have a reason to wait
It gives me a purpose for being patient and waiting.
(Whoa) Wait.
This emphasizes the importance of waiting and being patient.
From the something that keeps me sane.
This essential thing is the only thing that helps me keep my sanity.
I have a reason to wait.
Therefore, I have a purpose for waiting.
Can you build ?
The question is asked again, whether one has the ability to create something.
You know, its something
The crucial, almost intangible thing that keeps us sane is reiterated.
That keeps us sane.
It's reiterated that the thing is instrumental in keeping us sane.
And I can't explain why,
It's still difficult to understand why this is so important.
It's all I have,
This thing is the only thing that's currently present.
Left to hold on to.
It's something to grasp onto during times of uncertainty.
And I say, that is every day.
Similarly, this applies to me each and every day.
Schemes (schemes)
An abstract concept is introduced but not explained.
You (you) know (know) what (woah-oh)
However, it's understood by the listener what this thing is.
It means to me. (oh-oh)
It's still incredibly important to the singer.
It's just a reason to wait.
It still provides a purpose for waiting patiently.
From the something that keeps me sane.
The crucial thing that helps maintain sanity is still essential for the artist.
I have a reason to wait
Therefore, there is still a reason for waiting patiently.
Wait.
The word is repeated once more for emphasis.
From the something that keeps me sane.
The crucial thing that's vital for sanity is repeated one final time.
I have a reason to wait.
The song ends with the idea that there is still a reason for waiting patiently.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind