For the first time in its career, the 1990's roots rock band the Wallflowers traveled outside its hometown of Los Angeles to record its latest album, "Rebel Sweetheart," in the southern city of Atlanta.
The group - singer and lead guitarist Jakob Dylan, keyboardist Rami Jaffee, bassist Greg Richling and drummer Fred Eltringham, formerly of the Gigolo Aunts - opted to work with producer Brendan O'Brien (Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen) for its new creation completed in 2004. It just so happened that O'Brien enjoys working out of his home studio, Southern Tracks Recording, based in Atlanta.
"Rebel Sweetheart," distributed by Interscope Records, is the group's fifth studio and as usual the songs were written by Dylan. Jaffee and Dylan, both of whom were born and raised in Los Angeles, have remained in the group since its inception in 1991, and over the years have seen a few other members come and go. Richling, however, joined in 1993. The Wallflowers started out on the Virgin Records label, but later got out of its contract and signed with Interscope in 1994.
In 1995, the band began work on one of its more popular albums among mainstream audiences, "Bringing Down the Horse," produced by T-Bone Burnett and featuring a variation of guest musicians such as Sam Phillips, Adam Duritz and Jon Brion. The album contains hit songs like "6th Avenue Heartache," "One Headlight" and "Three Marlenas" that subsequently earned the band two Grammy awards.
The group took a long-needed break following the success of "Bringing Down the Horse," eventually returned to the studio in 2000, and later released "Breach" and "Red Letter Days."
The Beach Reporter this week chatted with Jaffee about the new album and the band's evolution over the years. The Wallflowers will perform at Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula June 24.
The Beach Reporter: What was the experience like recording in Atlanta compared to L.A.? Do you think characteristics of the city slipped into the music?
Jaffee: Yeah, that's an interesting thought because in the past I've always in the back of my mind thought we should be in the Caribbean. Or not even the Caribbean because I'd be outside in the sun all day, but in New York just to see if the city has more attitude. Not only that, just to be somewhere besides your hometown where you say things like, "Ah, tomorrow can we start a little late because I have a dentist appointment or I have to pick up my daughter." It's sometimes frustrating because I'm making a record, but you do have certain things that come up when you are in your hometown. That was always on my mind when we would record, and I thought wouldn't it be great to focus on the record only. That's what we do usually, but from experience, I know I've said things like I have to pick up my daughter during recording. What going to Atlanta really brought besides some Southern rock, which I don't really hear anyway, was the need to stay in the studio. We went to Atlanta in July - it was the most disgusting weather, which was great. Atlanta is a cool city, I'm not going to knock it, it's actually one of my favorites in the South for sure. But it's not like there was so much to do - you got to go to that club every night, when are we going to be done tonight - there was none of that. Since during the day it was so disgusting out, you didn't even want to take a break to go to Starbucks. So it just kept us so in the studio. I think it worked to our advantage. I thought it was the best recording experience the Wallflowers have had.
It's interesting that the music for some of the songs is upbeat but when you listen to the lyrics, they aren't so upbeat. The album title is kind of a paradox in that way as well.
Yeah, Jakob came up with the title and he writes all the songs. What I did notice is that kind of upbeat song with some pretty scary lyrics. The truth is, that is what I love about his writing. Now it's always been there, that sense of, "God, it's so deep and wrong and that maybe there is a sense of humor about it somewhere." Knowing him, I think more along those lines, but hearing this record and how it came out, it stands out more. It's actually really cool because some songs lyrically seem to be on the depressing side but then the song is punchy with major chords, you can take it with a grain of salt and maybe see a little comedic sense behind it. Even the most depressing songs in history you can see a little tongue-in-cheek comedy sometimes. I think on this record the Jakob Dylan songwriting is really focused.
A few songs seem to be about the concept of time and how people kind of evolve or the idea that people are constantly looking for some better state of mind or location or future. As a band member, and because bands obviously evolve over time and sometimes listeners don't always get that the people who are playing the music are also evolving, do you think your fans understand the concept of the Wallflowers' evolution these days?
I think so. We seem to have a certain core of fans that are really synced up with what's going on behind the scenes. Jakob and I have been in the band for almost 15 years and Greg almost 13 years, and we have a semi-new drummer and guitar player. Yeah, I don't doubt Jakob's sense of writing about relationships in any way now because between friends and bands and other things, there is so much material to write about. It just seems his songwriting seems to evolve on every record in a way that shows the history of a band being made. Every record seems so much better than the last. He just does it every time and I always think how will he top the last one. Somehow he does and that's a good thing.
Jakob refers to you as his stage-right guy, like how Keith Richards is to Mick Jagger. How would you in your own words describe this role?
It is kind of like that. I'm honored to be the Keith Richards of the band. I'm the guy with the cigarette hanging out of my mouth and always trying to stick my head close up in all the pictures (laughs). No, really, I can relate to that because the Rolling Stones members have changed throughout the years with rotating guitar players and things. When there is one crazy personality that is not the lead singer, that space always needs to be filled in a band (laughs). We have a good rapport together and it's a good little rock 'n' roll relationship.
I know this happens with other bands, for instance Counting Crows in which there is so much attention focused on the singer, Adam Duritz, but it should really be about the whole band. I can see that happening with the Wallflowers in which so much attention is focused on Jakob. Are fans, however, beginning to realize that it's not just one person who makes up a band?
Yeah, I mean, gosh, especially with a Jakob Dylan in the band. We've definitely been announced at shows by random people as "Jakob Dylan and the Wallflowers!" Did you read the ticket stub, sir? I lurk on fan Web sites and the fans definitely love the band aspect rather than focusing all their craziness on the singer. Jakob does write all the songs and he is up there singing them, and he is a damn good looking guy, more pictures of him and all that stuff, the more the merrier. If that's what lures them in - the songs, Jakob's blue eyes - the band members will keep them there. Right now, it's just great to be in a band with my favorite musicians.
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