Post-Hurricane Irene, we checked in with the Jacuzzi Boys to make sure they were safe and sound. Being from Florida, they brushed the little storm off and we got down to brass tacks with discussions on band slang, recording at Michigan's Key Club and the art of “ohh ohhs” in songwriting.
How have you all been faring with this crazy weather on the eastern seaboard? All of your family, friends and gear safe?
Gabriel: We've been alright. We're used to being wet down here… even if it's not raining, it's so hot & humid that you end up getting soaked anyway. Luckily, Hurricane Irene just missed us.
Danny: But the beaches have been littered with jellyfish which really sucks….. Kinda makes it hard to swim.
What are some of the craziest hurricane Irene stories you have all read?
Gabriel: I haven't really read any to be honest. I saw a video the other day of a dock in North Carolina being torn apart… that's about it.
How did the three of you all meet?
Gabriel: I met Diego at a high school party that ended in an insane fight. I ended up sleeping over his house & eating arepas in the morning. We met Danny through our spiritual guide & tour manager Rydel. We became Jacuzzi Boys in the back of a car.
Danny: Unfortunately, mostly mistakes are born in the back seats of cars.
What records did you guys bond over initially?
Gabriel: If I remember correctly, when I first met Danny we were talking about how much we dug Dr. John's Gris Gris record. Diego & I sorta got into punk together and really bonded over the New York Dolls.
Danny: I remember talking about Moby Grape with Gabriel one of the first times we really hung out, that and The Ramones! Who can't bond over them though…?
What records are you all into now?
Gabriel: I've been playing alotta Nick Gilder's City Nights… Danny got me into that record. Also, Kevin Ayer's Bananamour.
Danny: I've been diggin' on Alice Cooper's Love It To Death, Sparks' Angst In My Pants, and Peter Sarstedt's “Where Do You Go To My Lovely”.
What record or sounds do you disagree on?
Gabriel: Danny really likes Scott Walker, I don't really…
Danny: Yeah, I haven't been able to convince the other dudes about him yet…
I'm interested in hearing how you go about songwriting.
Gabriel: I usually bring something in & we all work on it together. Sometimes Danny has a bassline & that becomes a song, or sometimes we'll all mess around during practice and something will come of it… It all depends. I really care about song titles and even just having a cool song title in mind will inspire a song!
While recording at Michigan's Key Club, how did you all come to consensus on the recording process?
Gabriel: We sorta all sat together the first night we got into Key Club, drank wine and came up with a simple plan for how were gonna go about recording. It was alotta fun… Bill & Jessica are the best!
Danny: Yea we had some real basic ideas of things we wanted to do, but for the most part we let things happen organically… Bill and Jessica had great ideas that they'd present, and our friend Eric Rasco also helped out quite a bit. We definitely encourage input from others during the recording process.
You guys put a certain emphases on your “oh oh ohs” and “whoa whoas.” Every rock n' roller uses them for both underscoring and/or lyrical placeholders, but what do they mean to you guys?
Gabriel: Haha, well sometimes when we're working on a song alotta “oh ohs” & “whoa whoas” are in there in the absence of lyrics. Then when I'm writing lyrics & try to change change an “oh” into a word, it sorta loses it's punch. So they stick.
I have often heard that you guys are big 70s music fans. What is about 70s songcraft that you don't get from other decades?
Gabriel: I personally love the way the vocals were treated on some rock'n'roll records during that time.
Danny: Like the “Bennie and The Jets” vocals, those sound great!
From slang terms like “Glazin'” and “Koo Koo,” you guys thrive on a humorous inside joke lexicon. Could you give us a brief definition crash course?
Gabriel: Glazin' came up while I was coming up with song titles on tour. Then we wrote a song called Glazin'. It wasn't until we were talking about naming the entire record Glazin' that we started coming up with all sorts of meanings for the term. The glaze in your eyes after late night partying, catching sugary feelings for a girl, ejaculation etc. We felt it just gave off an overall feeling that matched the record. The term “Koo Koo” comes from meeting a white-bearded cosmic weirdo called Koo Koo Keith in New Orleans while on tour. We stayed up til like noon with him… We hung out in his front yard talking all kinds of spaced out shit. He showed us his glass pig.
Danny: We're just trying to be like Wu-Tang man….
What are some other slang terms that are not used on the album but might be popular around Miami that we are unaware of?
Gabriel: These aren't popular in Miami, but other slang terms we use are: libras & zebras = boys & girls. automatic jail = love at first sight. from the getgo = from the beginning.
Danny: I loved the phrase “gettin jiggy with it”, but Will Smith kinda played that one out….
Given your big break out of Miami, what venues around the nation/world have you enjoyed playing?
Gabriel: The Bottletree in Birmingham, Empty Bottle & The Hideout in Chicago.
Miami does have a history of rock n' roll scenes. What do you guys find to be happening locally that hasn't reached the level of national attention?
Gabriel: There's some cool bands coming outta South Florida… some bands we dig are Love Handles, Snakehole, The Jameses & Loose Stools!
Danny: There's some cool stuff going on, but I personally think LOAD should have been huge!
What material are you guys working on post-Glazin'?
Gabriel: We've worked on a couple of songs post-Glazin'... We're hoping to really start writing when we get back from this tour and record a new record soon after that.
Are you guys pumped for the Dolphins upcoming season with the trade for the Saint's Reggie Bush?
Gabriel: Yeah, trying to stay pumped.
Any predictions, wagers, etc?
Gabriel: Eesh.
Danny: I predict… Disappointment.
