Courtesy

It's been 15 years since Jimmy Eat World formed, though it took another eight years before anyone really noticed. The pop/punk/emo quartet burst onto the mainstream scene with 2001's Bleed American, which achieved platinum status thanks to the smash hit single, “The Middle.” The band has released two albums since then — 2004's Futures and last year's Chase This Light — each of which marked the band's highest chart debut at the time. Now, Jimmy Eat World is on tour with Paramore, which came to the scene over the past year with its latest album, Riot!. The two bands take over Freeman Coliseum on Tuesday, April 1. Jimmy Eat World drummer Zach Lind talked to 210SA about breaking out, following up that success and the band's label as emo pioneers.

Do you have a fan base within a fan base, in that some of your fans have been there from the beginning, while others will come to the show mostly to hear “The Middle?”

I think for us, we kind of straddled the fence. We have fans that are maybe more casual music listeners that maybe only know the songs on the radio, and we include all those songs in the set. But the old-school sounds are really big. That certainly is the case that we have two different fan bases.

Is Jimmy Eat World emo?

We never really considered ourselves to be a particular genre beyond a rock and roll band. We never paid much attention to that label or that sort of thing that goes along with what a label might mean. In a way, it's weird because it means nothing and everything at the same time.

Everyone's definition of emo seems to be different, and we're just wary of attaching ourselves to something that's too specific for its own good. We just ignored the issue and tried to not really be a part of the dialogue of what (emo) is.

So what do you say to those who regard Jimmy Eat World as the godfathers of emo?

As far as being credited, I think it's kind of silly. We never considered ourselves that. We just made the best rock records we could. Be ourselves, that's all we really can do. I don't necessarily think the category is all that helpful.

Which Jimmy Eat World record are you most proud of?

That's a tough one. We're more proud of different albums for different reasons. Futures was a difficult record to make. It was a difficult time for the band, and getting through it and making a record was great. ..... It'd be like if parents had to choose which child they were most proud of.

What caused that difficulty in the band?

I think it was the pressure of having more people kind of interested in what you're doing. Before, it seemed like we were anonymous. We'd put out records and sell a few, but it was not a big deal. Futures was different. After Bleed American did so well, it was like all of a sudden the band had people that looked forward to something. That adds a whole element of pressure that we hadn't dealt with before. Not only that, but being totally exhausted after Bleed American. It was a difficult time.

As a band that's already established a loyal fan base and a track for selling records, what are your thoughts on the future of the declining music industry?

It's tough, because we're not really sure what the future holds in that regard. ..... I think it's sort of a new era, and bands have to rethink what it means to be on a label. ..... One thing that's troubling me at the moment is bands giving up touring and merchandising money to labels. That, to me, is crazy, and it's also kind of attaching yourself to a sinking ship. ..... One thing I've learned after 15 years is you have to rely more on yourself. Labels are not inherently bad, but I think the more you're actually taking the ball and running with it, the better.

CLINT HALE | 210SA