Pump Up the Volume

Former drummer for Veruca Salt, Stacy Jones is back for another bite of the cherry  - with his new band American Hi-Fi. Now pushed to the front, uk-fusion decided to find out more from the man on the night of their debut uk show

So you're now the lead singer…
I guess I am - that's what they call me. I don't feel like a lead singer though - I'm still a drummer.
How long ago was that?
It's been about two years since I started screwing around with this [American Hi-Fi]; it's still really new. I don't feel like a front-man/singer dude though. I just feel like a guy in a rock band.
Is this your first time in the UK?
Oh no, I've been here about two months. I grew up in Swiss Cottage and I used to come down here for skateboarding all the time when I was a kid. I also played here with other bands I've been in.
You're all from different parts of the US. How and when did you get together?
We all went to college in Boston and just met there. Relatively speaking, Boston is a small town and the music scene is tight so if you're in a band, you pretty much know everybody else that's in a band around town.
How would you describe your sound and what category would you class yourself in?
I think we're a rock’n’ roll band. How would we describe ourselves? A couple of people have called us the bastard child of the Foo Fighters and Cheap Trick, which is an amazing compliment. I don't think we're that good but that's what we wanna be.
Any other comparisons?
Oh no, people compare us to all kinds of stuff. Today I was getting my hair cut and I saw this review in Q magazine that made comparisons to Weezer and Ash, which is totally cool 'cos once again, they are two of my favourite bands. So far we've been compared to bands I really love. A lot of people compare us to Blink 182 and Space but I don't think we're as much like them as we are with these other bands. Blink 182 write power pop songs for their singles in the States which are similar to maybe some of ours but ultimately they're rooted to more of a Southern California kind of vibe whereas we're not. I like those bands but my heart is more with the Pixies or My Bloody Valentine.
What was it like working with Bob Rock (producer who's worked with Motley Crew and Aerosmith)?
It was great. He's very well known - he's a legend. The thing that people don't know about Bob is that he's not a metal guy - he's a song guy and he's really great at taking our songs and putting them into the best shape. He was amazing - we want to do our next record with him, if he'll have us.
Did he have any interesting stories to tell you?
Oh yeah, tonnes, tonnes! The thing that is so cool about making a record is that every day he would pull out another guitar, drum or bass and I'd be playing it and he would say "Oh yeah, that was Pete Townsend's guitar!" I played James Hetfield’s (Metallica) guitar on almost every song. There is a lot of history there which is cool.
'Flavor Of The Weak' is your debut single over here. It's been compared to Wheatus' 'Teenage Dirtbag' - how do you feel about that?
Oh that's cool! I like that song! I think it's a cool song and I guess he's kinda sympathising with the girl from that song, as am I.
Do you have a lot of empathy for women (especially those with useless boyfriends)?
Sure because the deal is that as a guy, we're all a bunch of morons so yeah, I feel sorry for you girls because we don't know what the fuck we're doing, we don't know what you want from us so we're useless really.
You say that a lot of your songs have been inspired by the break-up of Veruca Salt...would you say it was a difficult time?
Yeah it was weird but I think that quote has been blown out of proportion. It's not like the record is a concept album on the break-up of Veruca Salt. It's just a fucked-up period of my life - it was one of those soul-searching, what-the-fuck-am-I-doing-with-my-life kinda periods and I think that makes for good song-writing material.
What's it like being in front of the mike instead of behind a drum kit?
You can see the chicks better! I have to talk now, which I don't like doing but I'm not one of these guys that's kinda like head in my shoulders but at the same time, unless I have something that I really want to say, I don't fuck around. We wanna play the music.
What are your shows like?
They're energetic, vocally not too sloppy and we're not totally concerned with recreating the record live. If people want to hear the record, they can put it on. When we play live, it's more like 'Let's just go for it!'
What don't you leave home without?
Cheap Trick’s In Color and a pair of Speedos. Hehehheh! (laughs for a few minutes)
What's the most unusual thing you've been asked in an interview?
Someone asked me once if I wipe my ass standing up or sitting down.
Did you answer it?
Of course I did!
And your answer is…?
You'll have to dig out that interview!

American Hi-Fi

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