Superjoint will be unleashing Caught Up In the Gears of Application to the masses on Friday via Housecore Records, and this record is a must have for any metal fan in 2016. The album picks up right where A Lethal Dose of American Hatred left off back in 2003, but somehow the band has gotten heavier and angrier over the years. Last night I got to chat with Jimmy Bower about the pissed off new record, the highly anticipated resurgence of Superjoint, and much more. Read the entire interview below!
Metal Mark: Jimmy, always good to hear from you. How’s everything in the Superjoint camp going?
Jimmy Bower: Killer man. We just got done with practice for the CD release show in Dallas, and everything’s coming together quite nicely man. It should be one hell of a night.
MM: Fans have been waiting a long time for a new album, and Caught Up In the Gears of Application does not disappoint. This is one pissed off record.
JB: Thanks man. Yea, people have been waiting almost thirteen years for this, so we knew if we were going to do it, that it had to be done right. We think we accomplished our goal man. It’s pissed, but that’s Superjoint. We are super happy to get this out there to the people on Friday.
MM: If you can, go back thirteen years when the band went their separate ways. Did you ever think we would hear another Superjoint record?
JB: Well it was never definitely not going to happen. We always left it open, but we were so busy with our other projects that it never seemed like it would happen ya know. When the opportunity came up to play the Housecore Horror Fest in 2014, we talked about it, and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to bring it back, and we had an absolute blast at that gig.
MM: I know the fans were excited to see you guys back on stage together, but from the footage I saw, it looked like you were having more fun on that stage than anyone in the crowd.
JB: It was a lot of fun man. It had been so long, and to perform those songs on stage with my brothers again was something I’ll never forget. I was nervous as hell before the gig, but once the first note hit, man it was on. After that show, we booked a few more shows, and knew it was time to hit the studio again. I’ve learned not to rush anything in the business, and so the timing of everything seemed to work out perfectly to make this happen. It’s really cool how it all worked out.
MM: The Housecore Horror Fest was also the first introduction of Stephen Taylor and Jose Gonzalez to the band. We know what they can do from their other bands, but what did they bring to the table for Superjoint?
JB: That’s a good question man. Jose, or “Blue” as we call him, he’s a young cat, so he brings a ton of energy to the band. He also has a different style than how Joe Fazzio played, so it’s a whole different element coming from behind the kit.
As for Stephen, he’s a real eclectic player man. The stuff he does is just killer, and with Blue behind him, the rhythm section is strong as hell. They were both really good during the writing portion too. They contributed a lot, which is what you want in a band. They definitely helped the record be that much better.
MM: How was the writing process for you? Did you have to relearn some things, or did the sound come back pretty easy for you?
JB: It wasn’t as easy as you’d think. I mean, we had some old riffs we had that we decided to use again, but I definitely had to get back into that “Superjoint” mindset to write some of the stuff. I listened to a lot of Black Fag and Righteous Pigs while I was writing, so that definitely helped get me where I needed to be. Plus, the old material from our first two albums were there to help as well. It was fun man. It was a blast relearning some of the stuff, and writing the new stuff as well. I’ll be the first to say I’m not the best guitar player, but it was fun to let loose, and shred on the strings like I used to.
MM: There is definitely a lot of aggressive guitar playing on the record, which is what we all loved about the band. Actually, the whole record is aggressive as hell. You’ve said recently in an interview that Superjoint is a good band for music right now. People are angry everywhere, and now with the election, even more people are pissed. So this record does come at a good time. Is that what you meant by that statement?
JB: You nailed it man. Actually with the way the election ended, the timing couldn’t be more perfect. People are so pissed, so hey, we got a record for you. Even though that has nothing to do with the theme of the record, it’s angry as hell, so it can help. The overall theme is about how technology has gotten out of hand in this world. It’s everywhere, and it’s not a good thing. So we decided to write a pissed off dedication to Steve Jobs (laughs). People praise him for his ideas, but I’m not a fan of screens ruling our lives. None of us are, so we got out our frustration about that on this new record.
MM: I thought it was interesting during the election last night when they talked about how the previous three Presidents took advantage of technology to win. Trump is all about his Twitter, and it obviously helped.
JB: Well I don’t think any President should be tweeting, but what the hell do I know. I’ve never used the shit. I’m just glad the election is over. It basically tore people apart, and we’re supposed be one nation ya know. It seemed to drag on forever, so now we can get back to our normal lives. I know it’s important, obviously, but we still gotta get up tomorrow, take a shower, go to work, and do what we’ve always done. It just seemed to go on way too long, so thankfully it’s over.
MM: Well thankfully that’s over, and thankfully Superjoint is back. Since the record is about to come out, people are wondering about tour dates. Do you guys have anything you can talk about yet?
JB: The plan, right now, is to hit the road in January. We want to give fans a chance to fully absorb the new record, and then it’ll be our time to promote it. It’s been fun relearning the old stuff for the upcoming shows too. They sound great, and with the new songs we put in the set, man, that’s going to be one brutal show. So get ready when we come your way.
MM: Hell yes. Do you guys have any idea how many new tracks you’ll be playing?
JB: We aren’t rookies at this, so we will definitely be playing the fan favorites. We know what you want to hear, and you’ll hear it. You will hear ‘Fuck Your Enemy’, ‘The Alcoholik’, ‘Waiting for the Turning Point’, and stuff like that, but I think we’re going to throw in five new songs as well. I know that’s more than most bands do, but the new stuff sounds amazing live, and it mixes well with the older material.
MM: You can hear that in the record. Even though it took thirteen years, it seemed like you guys picked off right where you left off.
JB: Thanks man. That was the plan, so I’m glad you can hear that. Obviously with the new blood in the band, there is some new stuff you’ll hear, but it’s got that classic Superjoint sound for sure, and wait until you hear it on stage. It’s going to blow people away. It’s sounding huge man.
MM: Very cool Jimmy, I can’t wait. Thanks for taking out the time today. Do you have anything else you’d like to say to the fans out there.
JB: As always, thanks for your support. The Housecore family has some loyal fans, and we don’t forget it. The new Superjoint is coming on Friday, so if you’re pissed off like everyone else, or hate technology like we do, this record is for you (laughs). We’ll see you all on the road. Get ready.
