Warped Tour Interviews-Part I (Vinnie, Less Than Jake)
I had a BLAST at the Indianapolis Warped tour this year (Tuesday, July 7th). I got some great interviews with members from Flogging Molly, Anti-Flag, P.O.S., Senses Fail, Less Than Jake, Alexisonfire and Sasoin. I actually got so much great crap that I’m going to have to do a few posts to get it all in. So, boys and girls, hold onto your butts; here is la parte uno!
My first interview was with Less Than Jake drummer and founding member, Vinnie Fiorello. We were in a quaint setting, under a small tent right next to the lake. While far away enough from the stages to be able to hear each other clearly, there was a constant sound of live music in the background. It ruled.
Me: Word. Okay so first off, tell me your least and most favorite thing about playing at the Warped Tour.
Vinnie: Alright, let’s go with the least is favorite is the weather, and the most favorite is playing in front of a lot of kids that don’t necessarily like Less Than Jake, but are forced to fucking listen to it for 40 minutes because of the sheer proximity of how close things are put together.
Me: You all have been playing Warped Tour for quite a while, haven’t you?
Vinnie: This is our 10th Warped Tour. Our first was 1996, we played with Social Distortion, Descendents, Mighty Mighty Bostones.
Me: How does the 1996 Warped compare to the tour now?
Vinnie: You can’t even really compare it. That was before the tour had sponsors, and it’s very sponsor heavy now. But you know, let me back that because it’s the longest running tour, and I think that whatever it will take to keep a low ticket price is good. Let’s face the facts, you can see 113 bands here, and it’s cheaper than going to say… a Blink 182 or Green Day show.
Live @ Warped, 7/7/2009
Me: How many props do you travel with?
Vinnie: Not that many now. We used to do a lot more circus shit, toilet paper guns and all that, but you have to keep changing it up. The minute it becomes stale for us, it’s just not fun anymore. The most important thing is to just go play and have fuckin’ fun, and the minute it’s not fun is the minute I don’t wanna play anymore.
Me: Hmmm.. Is that a tattoo of a Hershey bar on your arm?
Vinnie: Yes. It’s the outline of a Hershey bar. I’m going to get it colored in and very realistic looking. Funny thing, it happened as more of a joke. Everyone has like, skulls and super metal tattoos, old sailor girls and everything, so I wanted the anti tattoo. This doesn’t mean shit except I’m like a fat kid in waiting.
Word.
Me: So you recently re-released a lot of your previous material, how did this come about?
Vinnie: There’s been so many different labels we’ve been on. As people buy less records and things get more streamlined and re-organized, it was in our best interest to fucking take back our records and re release them ourselves. They were always owned by us, but now we’re actually in control of everything, which is cool. I think that’s where it’s going, I’m not going to get heavy handed because I’m a huge advocate as to where the music industry is going, but I honestly think that where bands are going in the future is that bands will put out their own records, own merch, everything under one roof; not doing one from this place and one from over here.
You start to see that now, I mean look at Brand New and a band I know, fun. There’s a management company that puts out the records, merch and everything and I think that’s cool, man, way more artist friendly. I’ve been on both major and indie labels. I’ve owned indie labels and smaller labels that are parts of major label conglomerates as well, so I know the pros and cons on both sides. People will give away 30% of their band to try to get on the radio, and that’s cool for people, I understand it cos I was there before. Good friends, the Swellers, just signed by Fueled by Ramen, my old label, and I think they’re totally doing this the wrong way. They’re willing to give up 30% of their band, so Warner Music Group would own 1/3 of the Swellers, putting the label in partial control over what their band does. I find it interesting, Leftover Crack chose, “fuck it!” we’re going the direction of more art than commerce. Then you have other bands like Fall Out Boy, who it’s more about the commerce machine than art, and you have to keep that machine fueled at all times.
Live @ Warped, 7/7/2009
Me: Do you all still live in the same area as each other? Florida, right?
Vinnie: Oh yeah. Fucking Gainesville man. It’s great! It’s one of those places that is a college town kind of in the middle of nowhere. It’s a place for, when I travel a lot and then come back to it, it’s kind of slow and sleepy, but it constantly updates people because of the college, so there’s always new bands and new things that happen, and I dig that.
Live @ Warped, Cincinnati 7/29/2009
Me: Isn’t it cool to be able to play to generation after generation of people?
Vinnie: Oh it’s fucking amazing. I love it. At one point though you’re like.. such an adult, a fucking grown man like what the fuck is going on, man? But I mean, I feel like I won the lottery. I could be working at Subway or digging ditches somewhere, and I get to do this for a living. I feel so fucking blessed, and I’m not even religious. Some of these kids out here today that watched us play weren’t even born yet. Their parents probably weren’t even together yet, their mom was probably still out whoring around at the bar. And it’s also weird that a lot of dudes in bands now are only like 19, so they were like three years old when Less Than Jake even became a band. Put THAT into perspective.
Less Than Jake
****
Stay tuned for the rest of my interviews! Of course… they rule.
About the Author
Denise Borders 39, Los Angeles. Denise founded PWV in 2008 and remains the primary manager and photographer/videographer. She is not secretly obsessed with Joey Cape.
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