Interviews: Roger Manganelli (Less Than Jake)

While the band is on tour in Europe right now, I had a chance to exchange some emails with co-vocalist Roger Manganelli. We talked a bit about major labels, horns and even Rehasher.

The band is touring in support of their upcoming full length, In With The Out Crowd. The record follow the band's 2006 EP Absolution for Idiots and Addicts as well as their 2003 Warner debut, Anthem. In 2004, Roger also released a full length with his other band, Rehasher, titled Off-Key Melodies.
You can click Read More for the interview.

First of all, you guys have been doing this for almost 15 years now. How
does it feel to be coming up on that anniversary and being one of the
"influencers" rather than some new band?

I didn't know that anniversary was coming up! i'm very happy that we've
been able to stick it out together… it's cool to meet a young band, and they
tell you that they have listened to you forever; that's just how I was when I met
the Descendents…

For your last few albums, you have been moving away from ska/horns and
that has upset some fans, but you guys have been gaining lots of news ones.
Do you feel you need to strike a balance between what people expect and what
you want to do? Does that even factor in when you're writing?

I think that we still do what the song is asking for; you can't really
control what kind of songs come out while writing,, so if the songs needs
horns, we'll do some horns, if not, then that's ok too. We really don't
think too much about what our fans want us to write, we just try to stay true
to what is best for the song.

For the last album, I interviewed Vinnie and he mentioned that he had
mixed feelings about a major label. You guys are coming upon your second
full length release on Warner, so I was wondering how the experience has
been.

I think that we still do what the song is asking for; you can't really control what kind of songs come out while writing,, so if the songs needs horns, we'll do some horns, if not, then that's ok too. We really don't think too much about what our fans want us to write, we just try to stay true to what is best for the song.

It's all right,, they seem to be backing the new record, and aside from the
typical major label red tape - where it takes forever to get things done - I
think Warner is still into the band.

Can you tell us what exactly happened with Chris in the video shoot?
There are a lot of vague details, but no one seems to have the whole story.

We ran into a mall, and ran throogh the song and then some overzealous security guy
at the mall thought he'd impress his boss with an arrest. It was dumb, the
cops really didn't wanna arrest chris, but it was the mall security guy that was
really was being an asshole and so Chris was detained, and booked. It was a pain in the
ass, but at least we got him out with enough time to finish the video.

Any WB stars set to appear in your videos again? Any big plans or
concepts in the works?

No, no plans for anything like that; the video will speak for itself when
you see it!

With Less Than Jake keeping you so busy, is there any chance we'll get
another Rehasher record? Speaking for myself, I really loved it, and I hope
you guys get together to do another one.

I have a lot of stuff written but two of the guys are in another
band (Bullets to Broadway) now, and they are busy as well, so it's just a matter of finding the
time to make it happen. I'm not giving up on it, but it does feel like its
100% up to me.

I also have been producing/recording more and more, and
that takes time, too. But that's what i always wanted to do, work on music,,
so it's not a bad thing.

That brings me to my next question; Vinnie has FBR which has really blown
up, Roger has Rehasher, JR has CT Mafia and his solo work, so a good chunk
of you guys keep really busy with other things. Is it hard to get the band
together to write and tour?

No, I think that all of our other stuff is secondary to LTJ.

Punk rock, ska and hardcore seem to be continually evolving and I know
Vinnie has a first hand look at that with his label, but I'm wondering what
you guys think of the scene and the huge success of this new style of
screamo/emo/etc. music.

I don't pay much attention to what is popular to be honest. It's a
never ending cycle - style comes in and out of style - I try not to get
caught up in all of that, and just listen to stuff i like, and play what I
like; popularity is overrated.

Speaking for Punknews.org specifically and the internet and news media
and general, you guys have some really, really devoted fans. Any trace of
news from you guys seem to elicit a lot of excitement. Did you ever think
you'd have this kind of fanbase?

i'm stoked that we have such hard core fans but I've never thought about it.
It's been there all along,, and I think we are really lucky. I think
all of the singles, and picture diskc, and toys and that sort of stuff has
kept the collectors out there stoked.

I wanted to say that the studio photo/blog was a really great idea and
Vinnie's journal is also a lot of fun. You guys have really opened up the
process but I wonder if it feels weird to be so "exposed" really. Obviously
you can have fun with it, like all of Roger's signs, but does it feel odd to
have all these people looking at you?

I don't think its odd. I think these days, with the internet and DVDs with
every CD, fans want more content, so you give it to them! I always loved
watching
the making of videos of bands that i like , so we thought that our fans wanna
know some of our behind the scene stuff.

With the last few albums - Anthem and Borders in particular - Vinnie
talked about the darkness in his lyrics. I've only heard about half of the
new album, but I haven't grabbed a theme yet. Is there one?

I think everyone can take different things from the lyrics, so it's up to
you if you feel there is a theme,, to me , it's obviously LTJ lyrics and so
it's always sort of dark, yet positive at the same time. I think the
lyrics usually have some sort of light at the end of the tunnel ideal going
on.

I've been told that Vinnie is the main lyricist and you're is the main
songwriter, but I'm wondering if you can tell me a little more about how you
put together a song.

That is true to a degree; I usually have songs ideas demoed out, and
I will pass them off to vinnie, and he will focus on the lyrics. Then we
all get together, work out the nuts and bolts of the song, kick around
some changes and everyone is involved in the finishing touches. Chris will
do the same, bring in a song idea, and we'll all throw in ideas and the
songs just evolve. Some songs change very little from the initial
conception, (like a new song called "In-dependence Day") and others really
go through many arrangement changes/lyric changes, (like "Still Life")

What's in the works for Less Than Jake for 2006? Of course, these next
few months are crazy busy, but with the album coming out I'm sure you guys
have some interesting stuff in the pipes.

We are currently on tour in Euro-land. We will be on the Warped Tour
this summer, and some plans for UK festivals, and maybe a tour down in
Australia. So more shows, few showers, and many many miles to go this
year.