Less Than Jake is a ska-punk band formed in 1992 in Gainesville, Florida. They were recently released from their contract with Warner Brothers. Their current line-up includes Chris (vocals, guitar), Roger (bass, vocals, guitar at certain live shows), Vinnie (drums, lyricist), Buddy (trombone, bass at certain live shows) and JR (saxophone). The band's name derives from a dog 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.

The band recently finished recording their latest studio album, GNV FLA, which was released in 2008. They released it themselves, through their company, Sleep it Off records.

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.


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Samiam is a band from El Sobrante, CA formed in 1988 after the breakup of the Gilman club mainstay Isocracy. With a sound akin to Jawbreaker, Hot Water Music, As Friends Rust, and Fuel, Samiam achieved some mainstream success in the mid-1990's. Singles, including "Capsized" from their sole major-label release "Clumsy," on Atlantic and "She Found You" from their follow-up "You Are Freaking Me Out," found some airplay on modern/alternative rock radio and MTV. They released records through New Red Archives, Atlantic and Hopeless Records in the US and Burning Heart Records in Europe. Consistently popular abroad, Samiam will be touring Europe throughout fall 2006, in support of their brand new album, titled "Whatever's Got You Down," which was released in late September 2006. Members of the band are also currently involved in Solea, Attention: and The Fakers.

Line-up
Jason Beebout (vocals)
Sergie Loobkoff (guitar)
Johnny Cruz (drums)
Sean Kennerly (guitar)
Jeremy Bergo (bass)

Discography
Samiam (1990)
Soar (1991)
Billy (1992)
Clumsy (1994)
You Are Freaking Me Out (1998)
Astray (2000)
The New Red Years (2000)
Whatever's Got You Down (2006)

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http://www.flatfoot56.com/

Since the year 2000, FLATFOOT 56 have steadily unleashed a rollicking barrage of Celtic punk and folk-tinged hardcore from the South Side of Chicago to an international audience with intense and positive party-like energy. Coinciding with their 10-year anniversary, Flatfoot launched the release of their 3rd label-backed studio effort, Black Thorn, on March 30, 2010.

Led by spirited front man Tobin Bawinkel (Vocals/Guitar), along with brothers Justin (Drums), and Kyle (Bass), and multi-instrumentalists Eric McMahon (Bagpipes/Guitar) and Brandon Good (Mandolin/Guitar), the band is fueled by a sense of camaraderie that directly translates to their die-hard fans and highly energetic live shows. "We really try to create a positive environment every time we play so people feel comfortable and can let loose. It's an experience that everyone is a part of," explains Tobin.

Produced by the Street Dogs' Johnny Rioux, Black Thorn tightly packs the quartet's eclectic and driving musical charge into thirteen tracks that celebrate the pride of the working class and their Chicago roots. A collection of songs that delves into weighty thematic content, Tobin explains that the cohesive theme of Black Thorn is a fundamentally universal one. "Everyone goes through hardships, but you aren't alone. Punk rock is about community and brotherhood. This record is our contribution to that." As cathartic as it is ambitious, Black Thorn is an emphatic assault that remains vintage Flatfoot in its effortless combination of Celtic instrumentation and street corner punk rock. Bagpipes and mandolins remain just as vital as drums and guitars in defining Flatfoot's sound.

While other bands run the risk of turning their message into overbearing banter from high on the soapbox, FLATFOOT 56 remain true to their ability to convey the profound all while allowing fans to get lost in the sheer energy of the music. The band's multi-faceted approach to their craft, both in substance and in presentation, ensures that from the novice to the die-hard fan, everyone walks away with a reason to come back. After ten years of tour vans, dive bars, late nights, diverse crowds, broken bones, blood, sweat, and tears, FLATFOOT 56 offers sincere semblance of the tradition behind the music. When you have a reason to sing, you will sing louder. And when you have a reason to dance, you will bring the house down brick by brick.

The band's sonic arsenal, which includes classic rough-and-tumble albums Knuckles Up and Jungle Of The Midwest Sea, captures both the nostalgia of brass tacks street punk and hardcore as well as inspiration taken from traditional Celtic folk. Within this musical fury, FLATFOOT 56 attacks dark and pressing subject matter-avarice, strength, faithlessness, courage, and cowardice-that speaks volumes of the values and principles on which the band was founded.

The band's new album, Black Thorn, was released on Old Shoe Records in the United States, Stomp Records in Canada, People Like You Records in Europe, and Big Mouth Japan in Japan.

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