33: Jackmove means stealing. Is that what you guys had going on, not necessarily stealing things, but, you know, maybe stealing your ears, or...
Dennis Spence: Ah, um, actually, yeah yeah yeah, just like you were saying, I mean it was more of a uhh...more of an interpretation kind of thing.  We didn't mean Jackmove like we're gonna steal your car, or we're gonna steal your shit out your pocket.

33: Or your muthafuckin' sneakers.
DS: Right right right, even though with that again, that line in particular describes what I'm talking about.  It's more of a thing like, uh, we are a little aggressive I guess, and so, uh...The main meaning of that I guess is, uh, a jackmove is meaning that we're gonna be so loud that you're not gonna be able to carry on your conversation with your friend.
Duane Timely: Or we might steal your car.
DS: Or we might steal your car at the end of the show depending on who has a ride and who doesn't.  Matter of fact this is just actually not true, we're not gonna steal anything of yours because, uh, it's like this car mix thing, even though we joke a lot.  Jackmove is a thing, the thing that bases Jackmove is that we know what's wrong and we know what's fucking right.  Man, we are not gonna shit on somebody that works fucking hard.  You know, I mean if you're wrong and you come in here and you shit on somebody that works hard?  Then we do have a problem, as far as everybody else that's playing shows, man, and loading up their gear in the rain, and you know what I mean, up the stairs in the rain, and the snow, and everything, like these are really hardworking people.  The last thing they fucking need in the world is for somebody to give them a little bit harder of a fucking time.  You know, where as...yeah, in my opinion I feel like Jackmove gets a little bit harder of a time than I think we deserve.  But at the same time, for the motherfuckin' record we don't give nobody a hard time.  Nobody.  Ask somebody, ask fucking anybody, be like "Did Jackmove talk shit?" and the answer is no.
DT: Alright, okay. I just looked up Jackmove on, oh wait.  That ain't it.

33: I looked it up on "Urban Dictionary."
DT: Did you?  I just did.  The number one thing is "the act of robbing someone or something."  It says, "Person1: (He has a nice throwback Bulls jersey, nice air force ones, nice Bulls hat, and a wallet full of paper.); Person2: (at gunpoint and attempts to pull a jackmove on person 1) BREAK YOSELF!!!take off all your gear and gimme yo wallet nigga, dis a jackmove foo, give it up mothafucka."
DS: [at the same time] Break yoself, fool! [everyone laughs]
DT: That's how I already tried to describe it - break yoself!

33: You obviously have a lot of people in and out of the band.  What makes the band as it is now different from the original thing?
DT: It's not fair to say a lot of people, you kinda really have to focus on drummers with us because-
DS: Well, no, well I mean, what about Rob?
Skanky: Rob's a great person, but he's the only exception.
DS: It's not just drummers, I'm sorry man, I mean I see what you're saying.
Jeremiah: Hey, I think, personally from the side, other than the things I don't care to talk about on the record, you're coming together.
DS: Oh yeah, we're getting there, but repeat your question real quick.

33: With a lot of people coming in and out, what makes Jackmove different than it was originally?  On top of that, what is Jackmove's origins?
DS: Uhmmm.  Mainly, uh, alright that's a great question.  Jackmoves origins, uh, and the current state of Jackmove is, uh, to overcome the small difficult things, you know?  The things that you think are the most difficult, and it seems like they're just taking control of your world and you can't possibly overcome these.  We deal with this every single day, and it's just trying to talk, you know, the small, well it seems like a big thing, but taking something that seems like such a big issue and going "You know what?  This happens all the time, happens to us all the time."  You know what I mean?  Let's not make such a big deal about it, we can handle this, we handle every single problem that comes at us like this.  Let's handle it one at a time, and then doing it that manner, you know, you don't end up with this crazy haphazard manner of handling things, it's not like the whole world's attacking you, you go "You know what?  We got this problem, and we got this problem, we knock out this one first and this one second and this one third...it's like trying to take a logical approach to it and you know, so, kinda in a way that's Jackmove's mission statement is to try and take those small problems...
DT: Easy.
S: Easy on the, easy on it D.
DT: That was the last D.
DS: Alright, whatev.  [phone starts ringing] You guys hear my phone?

33: Yeah.
DS: I got a...I have a reggae ringtone now, so I'm so excited.
DT: I wanna know how, I have one question for you - how are you going on break?
DS: I don't know, that is weird, right?
S: I think you forgot you were just sittin' in tonight. [laughs]
DS: Okay, back to what we were talking about.

33: What were your roots in the local scene?  How did you guys get started?
DS: Um, locally, I mean the way we...
DT: Everybody sucked but me, and I decided to rock.
S: Yeah!

33: Duanemove! [laughter]
DT: Not at all, not at all, that was a joke.
DS: Um, I mean how we got started was, uh, we were playin' original music and nobody was really booking original music, you know, so we kept playing open mic nights 'cause nobody would give us a gig.  So we just kept playing open mic nights like crazy, and it got to a point where you play 'em so many times, those places that you're playing at.  Eventually they're like, "Hey, you wanna play a show?" and you're like, "Fuck it, hell yeah," and so they offer you like a hundred bucks and you're like "Sweet, we're actually gonna get paid tonight."  So we kinda kept doing that and then we got some of them shows, and then all the other bands that were playing open mics were like, "Hey! You guys got shows and we got shows.  Now let's swap!"  It was such a fucking beautiful thing man.

33: That's cooperation within the genre.
DS: Oh that's exactly what it was.  I mean that's totally exactly what it was.  It was like, well, if this guy's getting a fucking show...fuck, let's bring our buddies.

33: That's kind of what Rude Zombie was telling me about the ska scene.  Compared to all the other scenes they seem more tightly knit.
DS: Mhm. Yeah, cool.
S: Yeah, I think ska scenes flock together, for sure, you know.  Like, I mean, even when we've been out of town.
DS: That's good, too, that's a good segway.  I was looking for a good segway.
S: I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
DS: No no no, it's good!
S: Well I guess I'm NOT sorry, it's a good segway.  I'm sorry, I just jumped in there.

33: No, no, go ahead dude.
S: It's just like, you know, it seems to be that's just the nature of ska.  And that's that genre.

33: So this is probably what everybody who likes Jackmove is thinking, but what can you tell us about your new material?
DS: Ehh...
DT: It's different than the old material.

33: Oh really?
DT: Wooow.

33: Interesting.
DT: Is that creative or what?
S: It's really mysteriously...
DT: It's rock 'n' roll with a horn section.
DS: See, I like to agree with Duane and disagree with Duane.
DT: That's how you do with me, with everything.
DS: I know, with everything, I know, I'm like that.
DT: I've actually grown accustomed to it and grown to love it.  I live for that.
DS: Yeah, I'm mysterious like that.
DT: If you don't disagree with me then my day feels incomplete.
DS: What I'm saying is ultimately, to agree and disagree with Duane, I mean my personal opinion on it is like if you've ever come out to a Jackmove show and liked like one song, or you've ever listened to a Jackmove record and you like the record, it's gonna be kinda like that.  But the thing is to stay true to it and not paint ourselves in a corner.  You know, we're gonna allow for the way we write music to grow, you know what I mean, to not just do it one way, there's not just one way that works, it's an evolution, it's a process.  And so, you know, all the main components still remain the same where as...our knowledge of music I guess is growing, so in that sense it reflects our own musicianship, you know?  And so it's growing in a manner that isn't, like, it's not an intentional thing.  Well, I mean you can't grow in a particular direction on purpose, 'cause if you do then you're actually steering yourself that way, you know where as if you just wanted to take the process that it's supposed to you just play the music and write the next song, and then you play the music and then you write the next song, and that's the progress and that's the evolution and you're not conscious of it, you're just writing the songs that you believe in.  As opposed to going, "Well, so and so really really liked this song, I'm gonna write a lot more songs like this one."  You know, don't do that.  Just go ahead and knock out the song, man, write the song that you have in your head and just do that the next time and the next time and the next time and all your songs will be different, you know, they'll all be about different stuff, and it'll be a whole range of different people who appreciate it for a bunch of different reasons.  Not just one group of people going "I love this kind of song, I'm glad that this band plays every single song that sounds like this style."
DT: I love you guys.
S: You out?
DT: Yeah.
DB: Duane loves us, write that down.

33: I will.
S: Duane's leaving and he loves us.
J: Duly noted.
DT: I just come here to rock, you can put that on paper.
DB: Duane has fully rocktified.

33: He's melted our faces.
DB: My face is gone now.

33: No surgery will help it.
DB: I hope you guys can tolerate the rest of this discussion without a face.

33: So at the Jewish Mother you guys were playing with the Slackers, which, you know, by listening to them I generally assume that they're one of the bands that influenced, not just Jackmove, but yourselves as musicians.  So how does it feel?  Most people are happy just to talk to their favorite musicians every once in a while at a concert, but you guys see them regularly every time they come down here.
DS:  The thing is, they're not our friends.  It sounds weird, and I'm not shitting on anybody, they're our heroes and we love them, but sometimes you talk to people that you admire and sometimes they just don't have the time to talk to you.  It totally turns you around, and it reflects in your opinion of them because you go "You know what, I love this band more than anybody in the whole wide world, I know what all their songs mean, not only do I know all their songs but I know what all of them mean and I love them so much."  But then you go up and try to tell that guy "Hey man, you have no idea how much I appreciate you," and the things they say back, a lot of times it's just...
J: It's not what you expected, it shatters your expectations.
DS: It's just really cliché and they don't give a fuck as much as you give a fuck.  So me personally, I have this motto, I say, "You know what, man?  I don't try to meet anybody I think is famous anymore."  I made this new rule.  If they come up to me and say anything, I'll totally talk to them and then maybe tell them I appreciate their work and stuff, but until then I'm not trying to seek you out, I'm not trying to get your fucking autograph, I'm not playing into your little rock 'n' roll fuckin' lifestyle fuckin' bullshit.

33: I'm going to laugh if he reads this, and he's like "Man, I'm so sorry Dennis, I didn't know."
DS: Man, I wish he would.
S: That's just Vic though.  They do great music.
DS: They're great dude.  I fucking love them to death.
S: I was actually there when one of these incidents happened, and you know I understand Dennis' feelings on it...
DS: Hurt my feelings, man...shit.
S: But I mean, the bass player, he's a really sweet guy.
DS: Oh, the bass player?  Marcus?  That guy is so fucking cool.
S: And the thing is like, I don't know, I saw a lot of their faces in our crowd the other night, too, they totally watched us and stuff.  You know, Vic is a artist, he's in his own world.  You don't have to like somebody to appreciate their art, and I can appreciate that.  Tom Waits, I'm sure he doesn't have a lot of close buddies, I wouldn't go up and talk to him, you know what I mean? [laughs]

33: Most people I know haven't heard of Tom Waits until recently.
S: Yeah, I love him to death, but he's like out there.  If you've heard him, you know.
J: He's a musician's musician.
S: I'm saying you can hold somebody in high regard but not wanna get close to him, because maybe if you get close to him, you know, that might ruin the energy.  Again, um, go ahead and put it on the record, I'm not like the other hippies. [everyone laughs]
J: I am...glad this is audio.  It's so much easier to idolize dead people, guys, let me tell you.  No expectations lost. [laughter]

33: You guys have been touring out of state recently.  Have you guys been getting a lot of support out there?
DS: It's fifty-fifty.

33: One day they hate you, one day they love you?
DS: It's just different places, different towns have different kind of crowds.  So sometimes we show up out of town and we don't know anybody and we don't have any friends there or anything.  Sometimes the crowd is just with us, and they're totally embracing it.  It just turns out so beautiful, but sometimes we'll play to a packed house and just nobody cares.  Nobody cares about the music, so it's...It goes both ways when it comes to being accepted out of town.  Sometimes it's really awesome and amazing, sometimes it's a little disappointing, but that's when, you know, those are the best ones because you gotta realize you're not playing the music for them.
S: You gotta bring your edge back, man.
DS: Well, yeah, and your edge is playing it for yourself.  You're on the road, so as a band you're in a town you don't know and you don't, you know, you've never seen this place, it's to see new things and do things.  To me, really, that's the big thing, that's the thing I love about being in a band, just seeing new shit man.  Being in a place where nobody fuckin' knows us.  These aren't our friends, they don't have to clap for us, you know what I mean?  Makes it feel a little bit better, easier to come home.
S: And if they did, we earned it you know?
DS: It's rare.  It's rare to get an out of town crowd that feels good about you...
S: Atlanta was sick, that was a great crowd, that place.
DS: Yeah, we will always love Atlanta for that, Atlanta was amazing to us.  We were strangers, we didn't know anybody there, and they were just fucking great to us, man.

33: So you have seven band members, and you have to juggle all these influences that are inputting into your music.  How do you do that and make one coherent sound?
DS: Uh, by not letting anybody be a judge of somebody else's instrument, that's how.  The reason why you're in this band is because you could hand your instrument off to somebody else in this group and nobody would be able to play the lick like you play it.  You made a different choice, your choice of notes would be different than mine, or that guys, or anybody else's.  So it's like, the fact that you're in this band for your own unique purpose like...I can't play trombone like Sean Patrick, I can't play keys like Skanky, I could try to play their licks and I bet if I played them they'd sound different, because nobody can play them like those guys, the individual.  You could play the notes, you could play the pattern but there's something else there that's different, that you can't really write down on paper that is a little bit different than the next guy.  I don't know what to call it, I don't want to call it style because it makes it sound like that's a, you know, some rock star shit to say.  I'm just saying there's something that's different.
S: Vibe.
DS: Vibe, vibe is a great word.  There's a different vibe to it.  I could try to play the same lick that you play, and I could play the notes, but the vibe wouldn't be the same.  That's kinda how you juggle, just knowing that each person is ultimately different than you, it's appreciating the person in front of you for their differences as opposed to the things you have in common.  The things that you have in common, that's just what unifies you, but the things that make you special is your ability to appreciate the differences in people, just because they're not like you.  You never would of known that this person looked at the world this way if you didn't give it a little bit of acceptance, and just try to be like, "Oh, man, wow, that is weird.  I can't believe that dude looks at it that way, I never looked at it that way before. That's kinda cool."

33: So all those vibes come together to form the Jackmove synergy?
DS: Yeah, and ultimately that's what's responsible for I think the longevity of Jackmove, which is to me one of the most important points.  There are a lot of bands that are fucking great, man.  They last for a minute, then they just break up and they give up and everything.  But one way or the other, Jackmove's lasted ten years.  Take the music aside and everything, I'm just saying, we know how to keep a group together.  So that's one thing, I think, that sets us apart from other groups is that a lot of other people are willing to just give up on it real quick.

33: So you guys never had any internal fueds?
DS:  Oh, are you kidding me?

33: You just deal with it better?
DS: We don't deal with it...
S: You know what's up.
DS: It's intense man, and the thing is..
S: It's just...family.
DS: That's what it is, family.
S: We're together as much as most families are, you know?  I have a son, and a wife, and there are weeks where I see Dennis more than them sometimes.  That's because I believe in what we're doing, you know, but that's the truth.  We're around each other that much and so there's conflicts, but that makes for a good family just like a good band, I think.
DS: In my opinion, there's a lot of conflicts.  But there's always conflicts and things, it's how much you care about the person you're conflicting with.  'Cause if you don't care, you can be a total fuckin' asshole to them, whether you have a point or not you can just be a shithead and just stomp all over 'em.  Or if you give a fuck about that person you have that difference with, you can appreciate the fact that their opinion is different than yours, that they're looking at it in a manner that you haven't looked at it.  Look at it like a business thing - if somebody came at you with a business proposal, and you're only looking at it one way, but then your buddy, he looks at it a total different way.  So he's going to see all these different ways that you might get screwed in the end.  You have to appreciate that.  His method, I mean his uh, his meaning is the same, he wants to protect what you're doing...he might have different fuckin' ideas than you, his idea's the same though.  What's that phrase? The ends don't justify the means?  Look at that the exact vice versa, if you're all looking at it from the same perspective you're going to end up getting a whole lot more done.  I don't know, I just appreciate the fact that other people look at it different than I do, because a million times every day I just go, "Wow. I totally didn't look at it like that, I did not even think about that, I'm so glad you brought that up because now I know."

33: So you guys currently aren't under a label, a manager, or anything like that?
DS: No, none of that. Totally independent at the moment.

33: Is that something you would be open to, or would you rather be self-sustained?
DS: Uhhh, I mean, I'm not opposed to being on a record label, or getting a good distribution deal so they put your records in a bunch of stores and stuff.  I mean, for us the main, the real important thing is to find a label that understands that we're not looking for a development thing, we're really just trying to be like, "Well, if you liked us now, then just put us on the road so we can do this, you know, pay for us to be on the road, don't try to loan us some money."
S: We got the music, just give us the funds, ya know? [laughs]
DS: Yeah, bands could loan you money, we don't need a loan we need people that understand what we're trying to do, so...you know, you aim for a punk label and they understand that you care about what you're doing, you wanna be on the road and that you wanna sell t-shirts and CDs and you don't want them to be expensive.  All these things, just stick with a punk label.  Whereas with a major label, they're gonna charge $35 per t-shirt, and that's not fair for anybody.

33: I saw an article for a different band on MySpace, and they were talking about how record labels will give you the money, but then expect you to pay for your music videos...of course, if you get a bunch of money you're going to go out and buy a bunch of new gear, sort of step it up...but at the end of the day they came out with less money while the record label made millions of dollars.
S: You gotta be very very careful, man.

33: And the thing about that is you're not in a position to argue when it comes time for the second album because you didn't make shit, so they're going to try to dictate what you do after that point because you weren't successful, but you WERE successful.
S: They've got you by the balls.
DS: Well, the thing is, one thing anybody and everybody should cultivate is your ability to argue, because you actually can argue no matter where you're at.  So, say you put out your first record under that label, and you didn't sell as many copies as they expected and you signed for three albums.  So now you've got to, your first album it didn't sell as many and the label is upset with you, you can turn around and argue with the label, but you have to have this in contract, you have to argue to the label and say "Well, you know what, you didn't put our record in the stores they should have been, you didn't give us the support that you should have.  You didn't send us on tour like you promised, which right here, if you look at the paper, is a breach of the contract."  Protect yourself, man.  It's so much better to sit there and waste your fucking time learning all the fucking rules.  You know, to do a plug.  I think it's Donald Passman, has a book called All You Need to Know About the Music Business.  The underground name for this book is the "Record Industry Bible."  It is so fucking amazing, and it comes out on an annual thing.  So every year this dude that has managed all these huge bands, negotiated all these huge contracts, basically now he's an outlaw.  Everybody in Hollywood that was planning to make a bunch of money hates this guy, because he tells people how it is to be a small guy.  And so now you know the rules when you come in there, and all those Hollywood big shots, they get scared when you know what you're talking about.  Check it the fuck out man.  It's so good, but it's so fucking scary.  I got sick to my stomach just realizing how record labels rip off bands.
S: People like even Billy Joel, man, he had like six albums that he didn't make money off of, I think.  It's some ridiculous, and it's all because he didn't mind his P's and Q's and check out that shit.  So many artists have gotten ripped off, they have these tricks, they just trap you in them.  But you wouldn't believe these people that you've listened to for years, you know, and you think they're huge, you know, and they were struggling.
DS: Can you pause that for a minute, I don't want people to know what my tab is.
[A couple minutes later]
DS: Oh wait, you said you had a last question, I'm not saying "That's it!  Last question!  No more questions!"

33: You can't handle the truth!
DS: I'm sorry, I didn't mean that at all, I meant you said you had one more question.  We'll answer as many questions as you have.  It's all good.

33: Yeah, well I had another one about how a song gets formed, but you already told me you just write the basic parts and the lyrics and everybody else adds their part in.
DS: Well, to be a little more direct about it, I'll go home and I'll just kinda write...I mean basically if you look at how an acoustic artist does it, he's just singing and he's just playing guitar.  That's the part that I write, I write the tune at home, and I can sit there and I can play for you with just guitar and just vocals.  So I bring it to practice and play it for those guys, from point A to point B, I just play it, just guitar and just vocals, and then they write their parts.  Everybody for every member of Jackmove, um, again and to come back from where we were, you are the dictator of your part, nobody else tells you how your part is supposed to go because you're the one who knows how to play this instrument and not me, you know how to play it better than I would, so that's how we ultimately end up writing the tunes.  And once everyone goes, "Alright, I think I got my piece man," you know, we jam it out a couple times, and then it comes out at a show, uhhh, couple months later ends up on the records.  [laughs] Hopefully ends up on iTunes.  Everybody hit us up on iTunes.

33: This one is gonna be easy, is there anything you want to say to your fans?
DS: God...
Amanda Nelson: Fuck you guys.

33: "No, not really.  I'm good."
DS: Not in a million years, I would never say that to them.  It's the exact opposite.  It's the same thing I say at the end of every show, I always say, "Keep the faith."  And by "keep the faith," I mean, you know, being in Jackmove for ten years is kinda difficult man, and I see sometimes we don't get to play some of our friends' favorite songs, and they're mad at us and I'm like, "Keep the faith, motherfucker!"  I mean, I promise you we're going to play them at the next show or the show after, keep the faith, I promise.  In the same sense, as of recent, a lot of people have opinions on how Jackmove should handle their business sense.  I mean, to those people that give a shit I'm like, "Hey man, even though your opinion on how to handle this is different than mine, I appreciate the fact that you give a shit, you know, and you want us to be able to handle it in the best way."  That's what I want to say to the people that give a shit about Jackmove - I promise you that I will handle this in the best manner possible, I promise, you can count on me.  The way I can say this, keep the mothafuckin' faith.  For absolutely sure, I promise I'll take care of this, I will not drops this, you know?  [laughs] I will not drop the ball.  Nobody in the world or universe gives about Jackmove more than I do so I promise to take care of it.

33: Anything you want to say, Skanky?
S: Man, I kinda like how Dennis put it.  I think keep the faith is the best thing to tell any local musician or a fan, no matter what you're doing, man, if you're just fucking trying to be a chef or a carpenter or whatever, and that's what you want to do and that's your talent then you just need to keep it moving forward and that's kinda, that sums it up dude.  It's a simple phrase.  Keep your faith, whatever the fuck it is, keep it, and keep moving forward.  God, that's great.  [Everyone laughs]
S: I mean, I guess I did say something.  [More laughter]

33: That's a way better answer than some of the bands I've asked.
DS: Yeah, it means a lot.
S: I've been doing this a long time, and all of us have, you know, and that's a great way to put it.  Just keep doin' it.

If you're looking for a fun filled night and a group of great people, you owe it to yourself to check out Jackmove.  Nobody can welcome you in like they can, and they always love to see fresh faces.  Spend a little time to talk to them, and you can see there is something special inside of these musicians.  I sincerely hope they go far, and here's how you can help them do just that.

http://www.myspace.com/jackmovevabeach

http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/Jackmove

http://www.reverbnation.com/eazyd

http://www.donpassman.com/allabout.html

By Author: Ryan Mason

Ryan Mason was born in Hampton in 1989. He grew up listening to the generic bands on the radio before discovering classic rock and expanding his horizons. Now you'll find him listening to just about anything, from Pink Floyd to The Sound of Animals Fighting. Naturally this lead to him playing music himself, and he is the proud owner of a Gibson SG and a 5 string bass guitar. Unfortunately he sucks at them both, but hey, there is always Magazine 33! Some other bands he likes are Stiff Little Fingers, the Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan, Incubus, Hendrix, Lamb of God, The Doors and the Gorillaz.

 

 

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