"The Wallflowers" March '97
EXAN: These are The Wallflowers, but I hear they are no "wallflowers". You guys are quite silly at times...
Rami: Yeah, the robot thing.
EXAN But Beck already does that!
Rami: That's right. He already outdid us on that But we'll do it too...
EXAN I've been a fan since the very first record, and I've always believed that it was a record that was completely overlooked. Why do you think it took "Bringing Down the Horse" for the band to break?
Jakob:I don't know. There's lots of music out there. I think when we put that first record out, the climate was a lot different. There was a lot more grunge music happening so I think it was kind of hard for us to be noticed. But, I think the group is better now, there's some new players in the group. We've been a group longer. We've been on the road a lot longer. It takes time.
EXAN: The first record is sparser. This one rocks a little harder. Were you intending to make a record with a fuller sound?
Jakob: I don't think so. Not really. Ithink we just go and record the songs that are written, and they all kind of dictate how they want to sound and how loud they want to be and how fast they want to be, and these were just the 11 or 12 that we were playing at the time.
EXAN: How old were you when you first wrote your first song, and when did you realize that you had the talent for song writing?
Jakob: I have yet to realize if I have talent for it or not. I do like doing it. I think I was about 18 when I started writing songs.
EXAN: (to Rami and Greg) What do you guys think, does he have talent?
Rami & Greg: ((Rami and Greg nod) Oh yeah. Definately. Lots of talent. We wouldn't be here...
Jakob: (grins) Job security. Lots of talent. Don't blow it now... (Rami & Greg laugh)
EXAN: (to Jakob) When did you first pick up a guitar? What was the initial inspiration behind that?
Jakob: I started playing guitar when I was around 12 or so, just from listening to records and going to shows.
EXAN: Did [your] dad (60's folk artist Bob Dylan) have any influence in that at all? Did you grow up in a rich musical environment, which I'm sure everybody assumes you did?
Jakob: No, I just went to shows. I started seeing music being played at that age and I liked it. So I wanted to get my own guitar and start playing.
EXAN: What music influenced you guys growing up?
Greg: I think we were all pretty much into groups like The Clash, Tom Petty, stuff like that.
EXAN: What about 'The Boss' (Bruce Springsteen)?
Rami: Love 'The Boss'!
Greg: Definately
Jakob: 'The Boss' is great He's 'The Boss'.
EXAN: Do you feel any pressure as a songwriter, being Bob [Dylan]'s son? He is one of the most prolific songwriters of all time...
Jakob: No.
EXAN: That's an honest answer. Would you describe your lyrics as 'poetic'?
Greg: I think they are. In the sense that I think you can just take any of the songs and whatever it means to you is what it is. You don't really need any explaination...
Jakob: (sarcastically) So [the lyrics are] basic and shallow...(laughs)
Greg: (laughing) Basic and shallow... Well, you know, I think in the sense that you can get out of it what you get out of it. I'm sure the same song has a lot of different meanings to a lot of different people.
EXAN: Do you often know what Jakob's writing about?
Greg: No. Very rarely (Laughs)
Jakob: Oddly enough a lot of hte songs are about him ...(laughs)
EXAN: Oh so youre the "Sixth Avenue Heartache"!
Greg: I'm the lonely girl
Rami: ...and I'm his angel..
(all three laugh)
Jakob:(pointing to Greg) and he's Cinderella also
EXAN: Would you describe yourself as a very private person? Because your lyrics are like stories. You tell stories, they are about different characters but you don't reveal a lot about yourself
Rami: (deviously) Oh I wouldn't say that (Rami and Greg laugh)
Jakob: Well, certainly the songs that I write I'm in a lot of those songs,of course. But there's little songwriter tricks, you dress yourself up as different people so you don't feel as wide open. I think songs that are "I" "I" "I" "Me" get kind of obnoxious after a while so you invent little characters.
EXAN: Do you like telling stories?
Jakob: You want me to tell you a story?
EXAN: You could tell me a story right now, yeah! About a band called "The Wallflowers"...
Jakob: I like telling stories. I like listening to stories- you could tell me one too...
EXAN: I'm not a good storyteller. I'm not very poetic either.
Jakob: I just like stories, period.
EXAN: Initially did you want to avoid the music business altogether? Because I read that you were studying art.
Jakob: No I didn't try to avoid the music business. I just liked art a lot, and I was chasing that for a while. But it didn't work out so I wound up back in the garage playing music.
EXAN: Do you paint now?
Jakob: I haven't in many years. I'm not as interested in it anymore. But I plan on getting "re-interested"...
EXAN: So someday you might start painting again?
Jakob: Someday...
(Rami and Greg have been extremely silent...)
EXAN: Are you guys going to talk?
Rami: Sure! (laughing)
Greg: I don't know much about [Jakob's] art. Is he going to get back into painting? I don't know. I think he's going to get "re-interested" very soon...
Rami: And if he doesn't I will! I'll start painting. I mean, someone's got to do it! And I doodle...
Jakob: If nothing else, Rami will paint interesting pictures of me. (laughs)
Rami: Maybe I'll start right now!
EXAN: David Fincher directed the very first video ("6th Avenue Heartache"). How did you hook up with him?
Jakob: You know, I don't exactly remember ho wit happened. He just got a tape before the record was out. He got a preview of the record -an advance copy. He had heard that was going to be the new single, and he actually called us and said he was interested in doing it, if we were interested. So we thought about it and we were like, what else have you done...
EXAN: 9sarcastically) Oh I've never heard of you! David who?
Jakob: Who? Who?
Greg: He hadn't done a video in a year...
Jakob: Yeah, and he hadn't been making videos in a long time...
Greg: (smiling) Yeah, we were really worried about it...
Jakob: No! We were obviously very excited, 'cause he's made great videos, and also 'cause he's a great film director. One of the best.
EXAN: What was the film [that he made]?
Jakob: "Seven"
Exan: A little scary for our audience! You write all the songs, except for one, I think, on the first record, which was a collaborative effort. So why did you not pursue a solo career? Why was it important for you to be in a band?
Jakob: That's a really good question...
Greg:(to Jakob) Yeah, w hy didn't you go solo, man?
Jakob: That's a really interesting question...[you're] giving me some ideas there. (laughs) I like being in a group, I've always liked groups. I think groups are great. I write songs, but there's a lot of other work that gets done in groups. I like playing with the same people everytime I play. I t helps me. When I write songs it helps me with the direction that I'm going in. If you don't know the mussicians and the types of instruments you're using everytime, it gets a little confusing. They're just also fantastic men, and i try to surround myself withthat kind of company...
(Greg and Rami start laughing)
Greg: Fantastic men?!
Rami: If he had a solo career he would have to put us on retainer and that just gets expensive!
Exan: Do you have a toque to join this group? (both Rami and Jakob are wearing them)
Exan: You do.
Exan (to Greg) [Then] you're out!
Greg: I'm out! I left mine in my room. A little variety here...
Exan: (to Rami and Greg) Let me ask you this- is Jakob a dictator?
Rami: He's a 'toque'-ator!!
Greg: [I'm worried about] jobsecurity here if I tell you the truth!
Rami: So let's just go the other way...
Exan: Like this, "Yes [Jakob's] great! He's the greatest boss!!"
Jakob: Usually the word that's used more often than 'dictator' is 'tyrant'.
Exan: Tyrant? So you're a tyrant?
Jakob: I prefer that.
Exan (to Rami and Greg) Is he really a tyrant?
Rami: Not at all!!
Jakob: C'mon you guys!
Exan: It's a democracy...?
Rami: There you go.
Greg:(smiling) It's so difficult. It's all true. It's horrible!
Jakob: When this thing is over, you guys have something comin'! (laughs)
Greg: No. he pretty much loves the band...he brings in a song, we're allowed to colour in our parts...
Jakob: Songs are like colouring books.
Greg: It's like a coloring book. Connect the dots. The structure is there, we just have to fill it in. It makes it enjoyable.
Rami: So he brings us the clouring book and we whip out the crayons and start. On that subject of painting .....(laughs)
Exan: (to Jakob) Are you going to start co-writing?
Jakob: Yeah we have been more. We've been doing more of that. I think the next record will have co-writes in it.
Exan: (to Jakob) You are the youngest one [in your family]. Do you stay in touch with your siblings? Are you close to them?
Jakob: Of course! Yes!
Rami: Yes over here too! Sure.
Exan: (to Rami) Does [Jakob stay in touch with his siblings?
Rami: Does he? Yes.
Jakob: I stay in touch with their siblings!
(they all start laughing)
Rami: (to Jakob) You better call your brother! If he forgets I have to tell him.
Exan: (to Jakob) Was it your brother that introduced you to a lot of music that youlistened to as a kid?
Jakob: Yeah. I have two older brothers who were a few years older than me that gave me records all the time whenI was a kid.
Exan: Are yiou close to your dad? Do you stay in touch? Do you see him often?
Jakob: I never answer that question. Never have.
EXAN: No? And you're not going to answer for us?
Jakob: Never. And I certaintly wouldn't start now. Sorry...
EXAN: But he has influenced you in some way, I'm sure...
Jakob: Like all parents do. That's their job.
EXAN: Okay, let me ask you this question (which I actually asked LIV Tyler this morning about [her father Steve Tyler]: "Dads always do things that embarrass their children. Has your dad ever done anything [to embarras you]?"
Jakob: Steven Tyler has embarrassed me many times...(everyone starts laughing) Yes. I like a lot of Aerosmith's stuff, but a lot of it...makes me uncomfortable...
Rami: "Dude Looks Like a Lady", man!
EXAN: Has your dad ever done anything embarrassing in public?
Jakob: Hmmm...I don't think so...
EXAN: Or have you embarrasses him?
Jakob: I might be right now.
EXAN: (pointing to Rami and Greg) Or have they embarrassed you?
Jakob: I've embarrassed them plenty! I embarrass them quite a bit.
