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/
Time and a Half
Less Than Jake Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Too cold to think about anybody passing me
When I overheard 'I'm gonna tell you straight from the shoulder...
Boy... You better get running'
On the corner of 2nd and 6th and outta time,
With a cough, feeling lost and a bottle of cheap wine.
Just then I realized that I can't seem to understand
It's just the same old story on the same old street
And it's just another worn down, worn out casualty
Of 2nd ave and 6th st.
On the corner of 2nd and 6th and feeling down
When I overheard 'I'm gonna take a gun and take you out'
Just then I realized that I can't seem to understand
How anyone can take the life of another man.
It's just the same old story on the same old street
And it's just another worn down, worn out casualty
Of 2nd Ave and 6th St.
The lyrics of Less Than Jake's song "Time and a Half" paint a bleak picture of life on the streets. The singer is standing on the corner of 2nd Ave and 6th St, feeling lost and alone, with a bottle of cheap wine in his hand. He overhears someone saying that he better start running, which makes him realize that danger is lurking on the streets.
As he watches a man heading towards a drug dealer, the singer reflects on the pointless violence that he sees around him. He can't understand how anyone could take the life of another person. It's a sad commentary on the state of society, where violence and addiction are all too common.
The song's repetitive structure emphasizes the hopelessness of the situation. The same old story plays out over and over again on the same old street, with no real way out for those caught in its grip. The song is a reminder that we need to do more to help those who are struggling with addiction and poverty, and to create a more equitable and just society.
Line by Line Meaning
It was a cold December on 2nd Ave and 6th St.
The song starts with the singer describing the setting, which is a cold and bleak December day in a specific location.
Too cold to think about anybody passing me
The singer is so focused on the cold weather that they are not paying attention to anything else around them, including other people passing by.
When I overheard 'I'm gonna tell you straight from the shoulder... Boy... You better get running'
The singer overhears a threat being made, which causes them to become more aware of their surroundings and fearful for their safety.
On the corner of 2nd and 6th and outta time,
The artist is at a specific street corner that is important to the overall theme of the song.
With a cough, feeling lost and a bottle of cheap wine.
The artist is sick and under the influence of alcohol, which adds to the overall sense of desperation and hopelessness in the song.
Just then I realized that I can't seem to understand
The singer is beginning to feel overwhelmed and confused by their situation, struggling to comprehend what is happening around them.
When I saw that guy heading for the dopeman.
The singer sees someone approaching a drug dealer, which adds to the sense of danger and desperation in the song.
It's just the same old story on the same old street
The artist reflects on the fact that the struggles they are experiencing are not unique, but rather a common occurrence in this particular location.
And it's just another worn down, worn out casualty
The artist sees themselves as a victim of their environment, and describes themselves as being worn down and exhausted by their circumstances.
Of 2nd Ave and 6th St.
The second reference to this particular street corner is used to emphasize the central theme of the song, which is the hopelessness and despair that can come from living in a specific location.
When I overheard 'I'm gonna take a gun and take you out'
The singer overhears another threat being made, which adds to the overall sense of danger and violence in the song.
Just then I realized that I can't seem to understand
The same line is repeated from earlier in the song, suggesting that the artist still feels confused and overwhelmed by their surroundings.
How anyone can take the life of another man.
The singer is grappling with the violent and dangerous environment they are living in, and is struggling to understand how anyone could be capable of taking someone else's life.
And it's just another worn down, worn out casualty
The final lines of the song repeat the earlier refrain, emphasizing the cyclical and hopeless nature of the singer's situation.
Of 2nd Ave and 6th St.
The final reference to the street corner underscores the central theme of the song, which is the destructive nature of living in a specific location filled with despair and danger.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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