The Seven Year Itch

Shannon: Reboot The Mission is one of the Mick Jones tracks on the album which turned out great. What was it like working with Mick Jones?

Jakob: Well, the band had recorded that song and we knew we were doing something in their territory. I just saw them recently and talked and said if there was anything we could ever do together, we would. We both wanted to. Anything to have the sensational Mick Jones join us.

Shannon: What kind of guitars and tones did he bring to the table?

Jakob: To tell you the truth, we sent him a file which is how people do things these days. I'd like to be able to tell you we stayed up all night in New York City or something but we sent him the tracks and he was generous enough to spend some time on them. I wish I could tell you what he did but I don't think the equipment he used matters that much as he has such tremendous tone in his fingers. To me, it would sound like Mick Jones whatever equipment he used.

Shannon: I have noticed quite a change in sound from Bringing Down The Horse to the latest album. Was that to do with having a different producer on board as opposed to T Bone Burnett?

Jakob: I don't think so. I don't think we were conscious of that. You know, things happen over time... bands evolve, people evolve, abilities change. I suppose it does sound a lot different to Bringing Down The Horse, I hope it does. I don't think any of us would really know how to redo anything... that record or a different one. There's a whole lot of factors which go into making a record. People's interest in it or just something in the air at the time can't be reproduced.

Shannon: I noticed some dry, funky tones on the record with the piano and also some dub textures. Was that something you or your producer decided to go with?

Jakob: No Jay [Joyce] doesn't work that way. He's played guitar with us. He was on Bringing Down The Horse actually. He's not that type of producer. He's very much a part of this band when making records, he's such a fine guitar player. We just mess around with stuff and discuss our favourite music and there's a lot of stuff we haven't done, so we say, 'let's discuss that'. So if you hear something like Motown or funk or whatever, it's because we haven't done it before and realising there is still stuff to do.

Shannon: Was it more you bringing stuff to the table or the band writing together from the ground up?

Jakob: Yes it was very much that. I brought a few completed songs to the table which is how historically the band has done things. When we first started talking about getting back together, when we discussed it , everyone wanted to be more involved. One of the key things we were looking for was... would the record feel good?

Shannon: When you write, do you gravitate to any particular guitar? I have seen you with a nice White Tele and a few different acoustics. Does the instrument indicate what you are going to do?

Jakob: I have a lot of stuff and sometimes it is nice to see familiar things around. I'm not sentimental about them or materialistic, there are just things I like and when I turn around, they are still there. I used to collect that stuff and be more interested. Instruments have lives. If it's not a brand new instrument, they come with a history and a life you are not really aware of. You know when you pick them up. Maybe it doesn't even sound that good, it doesn't really matter sometimes. It just feels right and you have a connection with them when you hold them. It allows you to do what you want to do with them and not get caught up in that equipment thing.

Shannon: Yeah some of the old guitars with no real brand name can have a funky tone about them.

Jakob: The life that they lived before you got your hands on them, you know, they lived and breathed. You can pick up a massively expensive instrument that doesn't feel like anything. Maybe it sat in the back of a closet for years and didn't live. You know, someone may not know it but they might have Charles Manson's guitar! Can you imagine the stories it wants to tell?

Shannon: I wouldn't want to!

Jakob: You never know. It wouldn't be lost on me. I think if you would hold that guitar, you would feel something. The energy of the player would transfer into the wood. There's something in that guitar wherever it is.

Shannon: What were the factors which made you take a seven year break from the band?

Jakob: Probably a  lot of communication failures. Simply put, we never stopped. The strain was gaining on us. You know with me particularly, I had never had a break or played to people outside the group. When we weren't working, I was writing records for us. It may have seemed like the band took time off but I didn't take time off. I was trying to write songs. It was just necessary for everybody, we were all burnt out. The classic internal issues were goin' on. We did the right thing. There's no need to break up under those circumstances, you just stop doing it. You don't have to give a statement or explain to anybody, you just go and do different things. If you want to do it again anytime, we can. I don't think we thought it would be seven years.

Glad All Over is out now through Sony Music.