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Interview with Jack Grisham of T.S.O.L.
Intro:
EC: What prompted you to write a book at this time in your life? Jack Grisham: I was basically goaded by a friend. I’d been talking about writing one, and threatening to write one, but I was probably never gonna get off my ass until I was called out as a lazy-shit, so I wrote it more as a ‘fuck you,’ than as an actually planned project. EC: How has the critical reaction been so far? Jack Grisham: The critics have been extremely kind and supportive. There’ve been reviews where they’ve called it brutal, sadistic, horror, but they haven’t said it was poorly written. My favorite write-up was in the L.A. Weekly where the critic said “It was like a disturbed and sadistic Holden Caulfield narrating a Clockwork Orange.” EC: Obviously American Demon is not a typical music biography-how have some of your longtime fans reacted? Jack Grisham: The fans have also been extremely supportive. I challenged them by giving them something they didn’t expect. I made them uncomfortable and I forced them to think. Myself, as a fan, want to be challenged by the artists I love—don’t spoon feed me shit that you think I’ll buy just because I’ve bought before—thrill me or disappoint me but don’t fucking pander to me. EC: Has American Demon brought up any awkward discussions between yourself and any born again Christians in your band? Jack Grisham: Ha, you’re assuming there are some. I profess to be a Christian or at least a person that tries to follow the non-judgmental, loving, tolerant, anarchistic teachings of the rabbi Jesus—I do not attend church. Most discussions with ‘Christians’ are awkward for me as I’ve found that the majority of them want to talk about being saved from a world they refuse to enact positive change in now. EC: Can you describe your current profession outside of playing music? Jack Grisham: Lazy-lout, Two-bit carny hypnotist, street evangelist. EC: Is it true that in 2005 you were “living in a van down by the river?” Jack Grisham: When you play ‘hard ball’ you often get hit by a pitch—yes, I was sleeping in a car and showering on the state beach. EC: T.S.O.L. offered their last record for free download. Why did the band decide to take that route? Jack Grisham: We took corporate money, donated to charity, and gave out a free record—it’s the path we should all take. EC: Are their plans for new T.S.O.L. material? Jack Grisham: There were never plans for any of it—recording with TSOL is like being sick, it sneaks up on ya and you end up puking out a record when its least expected. EC: Longtime bassist Mike Roche was noticeably absent at the recent show I saw. What’s his status with T.S.O.L.? Jack Grisham: We don’t make a whole piece of money while were on the road, and at our ages bills must be paid, so our friend Shane filled in for Roche—however, Mike is still very much so trapped in this band. EC: What do you think is the most underrated record in T.S.O.L.’s discography? Jack Grisham: It would probably have to be “Divided We Stand” EC: What record was the hardest for you to make? Jack Grisham: The Cathedral of Tears record—I discuss it in my book. EC: Are there any plans to re-issue any of your non-TSOL material like Cathedral of Tears or Tender Fury? Jack Grisham: I hope not—I’ve been known to turn out some real shit sometimes. I would like to see the Joykiller not being lost in the bargain bins though. EC: What T.S.O.L. tour was the most enjoyable for you? Jack Grisham: None of them during, I hate the road when I’m hanging in clubs, but it would have to be the first one—1981 TSOL around the states. EC: What T.S.O.L. record are you most proud of helping to create? Jack Grisham: “Strange Love” I enjoyed watching them self-destruct and not being able to blame it on me. EC: If you could make a solo record tomorrow for free, who would you pick for an all-star back-up band? Jack Grisham: Keith Moon on drums (alive of course), Earl Slick on guitar, Mike Garson on keyboards, and Mike Watt on bass—I’d also get another singer, I’d just write and produce. EC: What lyrics do you look back at now as being the most meaningful to you? Jack Grisham: The third Tender Fury record, “If Anger Were Soul I’d be James Brown” has the most honest account of my life at that time—yeah, I know the band was basically shit, but that last record was great. EC: What’s the biggest crowd you have ever played in front of? Jack Grisham: I think about 20 or 30 thousand people at the “Inland Invasion” festival. EC: Name some bands that you would like to share a stage with before you pack it in? Jack Grisham: I don’t care about playing with cool bands as much as I like playing with cool people—I’d rather play with my friends, even if their band is total shit, then play with some band that turns out to be a bag of fucks. EC: Worst club you have ever played in? Jack Grisham: Not so much the club as it is the stage. The worst stage I was ever on was the Galaxy—it was 10 feet off the ground, zero connection with the audience. EC: Any upcoming projects you can fill us in on? Jack Grisham: I working on a new solo record and writing another book—a love story…kinda. EC: Thanks very much for your time.
Jack Grisham-Selected Discography With T.S.O.L.:
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