By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
May 12, 2005
Talking via cell phone, Jimmy Eat World drummer Zach Lind sounds exhausted, bored and frustrated with his job. The Mesa, Ariz.-based quartet is slogging through three months of touring in support of its new album, "Futures." He graciously answers questions about the record and the band and the tour. But he really lights up when we start talking about San Diego bands.
Given Jimmy Eat World's long association with the San Diego music scene, it's suggested that Lind's band is a de facto member of the San Diego scene. "That's probably the biggest compliment I'm going to hear today," Lind says.
Growing up in Arizona with no local indie-rock scene to connect with, the guys in Jimmy Eat World felt closest with the San Diego bands in the 1990s. Groups like Tanner and Drive Like Jehu helped mold Jimmy Eat World's sound, and Jehu's drummer Mark Trombino would go on to produce the majority of the band's albums.
"It's tough to answer questions about the (Phoenix) music scene when you're talking to someone who is kicking it in San Diego," says Lind on a recent tour stop at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va. "You guys are spoiled, man."
With the help of Trombino, Jimmy Eat World crossed over from indie rock band to mainstream success. Lind – along with Jim Adkins (vocals, guitar), Tom Linton (vocals, guitar) and Rick Burch (bass) – scored huge with their self-titled 2001 album. Originally titled "Bleed American" (but changed after 9/11), the band's fourth full-length studio disc produced singles "The Middle," "Bleed American" and "Sweetness."
Such radio stations as 91X and FM 94/9 seemed to press repeat on Jimmy Eat World's songs, playing the tunes incessantly throughout 2002. After cycling through a few major label deals, the sudden success created a complete change of scenery for the young band. Since 2001, Lind and his band have learned tough lessons about "the culture of the music business" and "the expectations of the music industry."
"Overall, just in terms of being a band, it just becomes more complicated more than anything," laments Lind. "The positive is that we don't have to work second jobs and we can focus on making music all the time. It's all about playing good shows and making good albums, that's the beginning and the end of it. So I think we're trying to learn that again. It's just a totally (messed up) business."
Jimmy Eat World
The lineup:
Jim Adkins – voice, guitar
Tom Linton – voice, guitar
Rick Burch – bass
Zach Lind – drums
DISCOGRAPHY:
"Futures" (Interscope, 2004)
"Jimmy Eat World" (Dreamworks, 2001)
"Singles" (Big Wheel Receration, 2000)
"Clarity" (Capitol, 1999)
"Static Prevails" (Capitol, 1996)
"Jimmy Eat World" (Wooden Blue Records, 1994)
Now signed with Interscope, Jimmy Eat World worked with highly respected Pixies producer Gil Norton for "Futures." After working with Trombino for so many years, the band wanted to try something different.
"Gil is really great at arrangements," Lind reflects. "If you listen to any of the Pixies albums, you can tell. There is not one dead arrangement on any of those albums."
The main difference between Trombino and Norton came down to their characters: "Personality-wise, they are polar opposites. Mark is reserved and a little bit more introverted. Gil is an extrovert and he really communicates a lot. In terms of approach as far as making an album, it's not that much different."
Despite the pressure of following up the successful 2001 release, "Futures" continues Jimmy Eat World's legacy of multilayered, accessible rock songs complete with nice harmonies and well-crafted tunes.
"I think there always is (pressure)," admits Lind. "We tried to ignore it. But there always is, whether there is pressure from outward (sources) or from within the band to make a really good record.
"It was definitely harder for us on this record," says Lind, who plays Sunday at Cox Arena along with Taking Back Sunday and Mates of State. "I'm hoping we learned how to make a record in our circumstances of being a band that's well known. Hopefully, the next record will be really easy to make."
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
JIMMY EAT WORLD'S TOP 5 SAN DIEGO BANDS
Jimmy Eat World drummer Zach Lind has worked and toured with a lot of San Diego bands, musicians and producers. So the Arizona band's close association with our music scene raised the question: Who are your Top 5 San Diego bands? Lind's picks were:
Rocket From the Crypt: Probably the best San Diego band ever. Period. Full-on horn section. Suave showman John Reis on vocals. Amazing live shows. The band still plays live (the next being 94/9's Independence Jam on June 18) and records sporadically, but many folks feel their chance at mainstream success has come and gone. It doesn't matter: there is more Rocket for San Diego.
Drive Like Jehu: The aforementioned Reis teamed with Tanner drummer Mark Trombino (who would later produce Jimmy Eat World, blink-182 and No Knife and a cast of thousands) in this classic San Diego band. You'll hear a lot of people name-dropping Jehu, and for good reason. Its brand of angry, sweaty indie rock influenced a huge group of smart punk rockers nationwide who later would start their own bands.
Tanner: Singer-guitarist Gar Wood, bassist Matt Ohlin and drummer Prescott (also of No Knife) teamed with Drive Like Jehu drummer Trombino (the producer) to produce vicious, intelligent rock. Wood would later play with Reis in the Hot Snakes and produce the lion's share of good San Diego releases in the last five years. Are you starting to see an incestuous theme here?
No Knife: San Diego's No Knife takes a more calculated approach compared to Drive Like Jehu and Tanner. Instead of thrashing about, Mitch Wilson (guitar and vocals), Ryan Ferguson (guitar and vocals), Brian Desjean (bass) and Chris Prescott (drums) choose more sharp, crystalline guitar lines over fuzzy punk-rock tones. The quartet re-emerged after a long absence with 2002's excellent "Riot for Romance!" Jimmy Eat World has toured with No Knife several times.
Jejune: After years of wondering, this reporter looked up the word "jejune" in the dictionary. It's a real word: "Lacking in nutritive value, or displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity; childish." Question answered. Guitarist-singer Joseph Guevara, drummer Christopher Mendez Vanacore and bassist-singer Arabella Harrison created pretty indie rock with boy-girl harmonies before disbanding before the release of their final disc in 2000 "R.I.P." Jimmy Eat World and Jejune did a split 7-inch (each contributing two songs), recorded in 1997.
– CHRIS NIXON
