Jumpin' Jimes

An interview with AMZ's Bushman

Interview with Jumpin’ Jimes Arcadia Ballrom Santa Monica, CA By Bushman

I was fortunate enough to get Bob Smith (guitar) (age 30) and Mike Jones (stand-up bass) (also age 30) alone for a few minutes before their set at the Arcadia ballroom on the Santa Monica Pier to field a few questions and have a casual conversation. I’ve never interviewed a ‘swing’ band before, but the guys were pleasant to talk to and I got a little insight into the entity that is Jumpin Jimes.

AMZ - So, when did Jumpin Jimes hit the scene?

Bob - Wasn’t it around ‘95? Yeah, Mike and I got together and started this.

AMZ So do you two do most of the writing?

Bob and Mike - Yeah, pretty much.

AMZ And you started out in the LA area?

Mike - Yeah we’re from the here.

AMZ - Would you compare the ‘swing’ movement to the lounge or ska revivals of the 90’s?

Mike - Probably. I think swing is where ska was like 5 years ago.

Bob - Definitely. I think we take swing and do what some of the ska bands do - take it somewhere else.

AMZ - Yes, I hear a definite 50’s rockabilly twist to Jumpin’ Jimes.

Bob - Right

AMZ - What’s the average age of a Jumpin’ Jimes fan?

Mike - We have fans? (laughter)

Bob - I’d say early to mid-20’s, but we get anywhere from 20 to 60 year olds.

AMZ - Have you seen any changes apparent since the band’s inception in ’95? For instance, how the industry treats a ‘swing’ band?

Mike - Most definitely. We just had like 20 record labels come to our show at the House of Blues, and I think a few years ago they wouldn’t care at all.

AMZ - So you can feel the difference from say ‘97 to ‘98?

Mike - Yeah.

Bob - And it’s still building. . .

Mike - There’s still a lot of people leery about it.

Bob - They’re (the labels) are all waiting for someone to make a move in a way, even though they’re all excited about it.

AMZ - What kind of music do you listen to on down time?

Mike and Bob – Everything.

AMZ - Well, there’s the obvious expected influences, but would people be surprised at what you listen to?

Mike - Iron Maiden, AC/DC. . .Everything.

AMZ - If you had the power, what law would you pass?

Mike - No sound guy could turn our sound down.

AMZ - What’s Jumpin’ Jimes’ favorite place to play?

Mike - House of Blues.

Bob - Yeah, House of Blues is always fun.

Mike - They really treat you well there.

AMZ - Any thoughts on the other ‘Torch Bearers’ of the Swing Scene, like Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Brian Setzer Orchestra?

Bob - Well, they all have there own thing.

AMZ - Aside from those names, any other names people should be familiar with?

Mike - We really don’t know any other swing bands, except maybe BR549.

Bob But theyre kinda on the country side of swing.

AMZ - Any general opinions on the state of popular music?

Mike - Actually, I like it now, because its not so much all the heavy grunge thing, which is pretty much all I heard for a long time. I think now youre hearing more diversity. I mean, youre hearing some swing, youre hearing a lot of different bands. I just heard swing on KROQ, and its kinda cool. I think Green Day are cool. Theyre kinda taking a different angle on punk. Marilyn Manson is cool, theyre takin it somewhere else. Lets see, I think the Squirrel Nut Zippers are cool.

AMZ - Theyre the Anti-Swing Band!

(laughs)

AMZ - What would you say to critics who dismiss the whole swing thing as a fad?

Mike - Everythings a fad. If you want to call us a swing band, thats fine. . .

AMZ - You wouldnt call yourselves a swing band?

Mike - I think were more of a rock band. You need a label to be marketed, so if people want to call us a swing band. . .

Bob - I think we have more of a swing style.

AMZ - Any tour plans for the future?

Mike - Pretty much the same thing we always do. We alternate from San Francisco - Santa Cruz - San Jose. . .

AMZ - So anyone on the West Coast should have no problem catching you guys?

Mike Right. We make it up to Portland, Denver, Arizona and Vegas, and thats pretty much our circuit.

Bob But were hoping to go to the East Coast soon.

AMZ - Any messages to the Jumpin Jimes masses?

Mike - Just try to keep an open mind and avoid stereotypes.

Bob - We want to love each fan, one at a time.

AMZ So, were you guys in bands before this?

Mike - Yeah, a lot of 80s punk stuff, English new wave, some rockabilly type bands. We mostly played around CA.

AMZ - Was it a conscious decision to form a band like Jumpin Jimes?

Mike - Well, I think it just totally evolved over the years. I think what I did, I went back in time. I was growing up with all the bands of my generation in the seventies. As I got older, I got into 60s stuff, then into Elvis and 50s music. . .eventually, Ill be doing Beethoven!

AMZ - Where did you record your debut?

Mike - With a guy named Earl Mankey. Hes done the last few Cramps albums.

Bob - He was an original member of Sparks.

Mike - He does El Vez.

Bob - Hes done the Beach Boys too.

AMZ - Speaking of El Vez, how do you guys do in a town like Vegas where swing-style never really died?

Mike - The places weve played, weve done really well.

Bob - Yeah, real accepted - although the #1 place we sell CDs is in Toledo, Ohio!

AMZ - You guys ever play there?

Mike - No. We dont know why we sell there.

(Enter Horn player Drew)

Drew - Its probably one person buying all of them.

We then discussed the influence of 80s metal upon the impressionable youth of Jumpin Jimes. It should be noted that the CD contains a cover of Cheap Tricks Hello There and WASPs I Wanna Be Somebody and the Jimes live set included the Ramones classic I Wanna Be Sedated.

Mike - Were on the Metal Rules - Hair Today Gone Tomorrow - Bad metal days compilation doing the I Wanna Be Somebody cover by WASP.

Bob - We were in Vegas at this outdoor thing at the Hard Rock, and Iron Maiden was playing inside at the Joint, so we went and checked them out.

Drew - Thats like stepping back to the 7th grade for me. My first show was Iron Maiden at the King Dome in Seattle.

Mike - Thats what we want to bring this to - like how Van Halen was then, the big arena thing - we want to bring swing to that level.

AMZ - Swing pits?

Mike - Yeah - Arena Swing!

(laughter)

AMZ Whats your opinion on modern media, like the internet, used to convey youre retro sound?

Bob We use it mostly for e-mails, mailing lists and stuff. Its a lot cheaper than regular mail.

Mike - People e-mail me and ask questions and stuff, but people still like to get stuff in the mail every once in awhile. I think its a great tool though.

AMZ - You really can tell how much people are talking on a street level about a band by just doing an internet search. When Harvey Danger first started getting that song shoved down my throat I did a search and got about 3 hits. Did another a week later and got like 30 off the same search engine.

Mike - I know that song. That song has a swing beat.

(enter drummer Charles Lake eavesdropping on the conversation)

Charles - Whats a swing beat?

(much laughter)

Charles No, just kidding.

Mike - And thats OUR drummer! (Put that down. Our drummer doesnt know how to play a swing beat.)

Charles - No, no, no, no. . . Great. Make me look like an idiot. Now all my professors where I got my degree for percussion performance will see me asking How do you play a swing beat?

We then discussed first concerts for a while, and Mike shared with me (with a mixture of embarrassment and pride) his Cheap Trick guitar pick he carries in his wallet.

Mike - The first concert I went to (which I couldnt get him to divulge the artist) the guitarist threw out a pick and I grabbed it. I was all excited. I was telling my friends, Look, I got Jim Dunlaps pick! (the joke being - Jim Dunlap is a manufacturers brand name - not the guitarists - I thought the guitarists name was Jim Dunlap!)

The topic of conversation then turned to my admiration of their version of PowerHouse, which I told them reminded me of the robotic assembly line sequences in Looney Tunes cartoons. All members kind of piqued up at this discussion and shared similar memories of bypassing the visuals to a lot of cartoons and focusing more on the music. If you think about it, most soundtracks to all those cartoons (as well as some of the contemporarys - but especially those old Looney Tunes) where plays on swing or classical arrangements - sometimes directly borrowing the whole compositional piece. I think a scary amount of Americans first gained any knowledge of classical music through Elmer Fudds rendition of I killed the wabbit! and the Jumpin Jimes agreed wholeheartedly. It was probably this subtle acclimation of swing at such an early age that destined these hipsters to form the Jumpin Jimes.

Show time was getting close so I decided to let them prep for there show (gotta get them fancy swing duds happening for true flavor). The Jumpin Jimes played to a crowded ballroom of appreciative swingsters, and gave up an impressive set. This brand of music serves to entertain both sonically and physically by putting down a platform of sound for which the listener is beckoned to move with. The Jimes are truly competent at their chosen musical path. The only surprises come with some of the material JJ tackles. Otherwise, if youre looking for a band to front your night of alcohol and dance, call on the Jimes. Theyll deliver.