Rising From The Ashes, Garage Rockers from Nashville: Jeff The Brotherhood

Photo courtesy of JEFF the Brotherhood's MySpace

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Photo courtesy of JEFF the Brotherhood's MySpace

Some bands are like those brilliant, glowing sparklers that you light on Independence Day. They burn really brightly for a couple minutes and then fizzle out. Promising Nashville rockers Be Your Own Pet did just that. They put out an album, toured for a couple years, and then imploded in on themselves. A year later, rising from the ashes of that band, former guitarist and bassist, Jake and Jamin Orrall have decided to get serious about their side band, Jeff the Brotherhood. Releasing their fifth reverb heavy, garage rock album (and first really serious foray as an independent group) the brothers will be opening for Ted Leo and the Pharmacists at the Echo on Friday.

Before their show, Jake Orrall was kind enough to talk to us from the road despite having just spent a rough night of sleeping in a van in the desert. "It was horrible. The wind shook the van like crazy and 108 degrees at night! Arizona sucks." Fortunately he survived this trauma. Here is some of what was said.

What inspired you to pick up an instrument?
I'm pretty sure I was playing piano when I was around three. My dad's a musician and he had a studio in the attic. I didn't keep up with it though. Jamin had drum lessons when he was ten for a month.

Why only a month?
I don't know. They were probably expensive. (Yell from the back) Oh, apparently he surpassed his teacher. He had to strike out on his own.

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Photo courtesy of JEFF the Brotherhood's MySpace

This project is so different from Be Your Own Pet. What inspired it?
We've been playing shows for about a year, but this band was actually formed pre-Be Your Own Pet. We just really didn't get serious to about it until about six to eight months ago. We decided to quit our jobs and hit the road, and now we're on the high road to success. We just finished our new album and we thought the whole world needed to hear it. And we wanted to get to Japan. That's actually our main goal. We're going to spend this year constantly touring, all the time and then somehow get to Europe and then Japan. We're planning world domination.

Where was Heavy Days recorded?
Our friend Gary's basement. He's a friend of our father's and he has this little basement studio. It's really nice. It's got all sorts of taxidermy animals, and crazy instruments. We had been their a bunch of times before. We really grew up in recording studios.I assume your parents were supportive of you quitting your jobs and going on tour?
They've always been super supportive. Our dad runs the record label, Infinity Cat Recordings, with us. He used to be in a New Wave band in the eighties and then spent a lot of time playing country music.

Does your mom play an instrument?
No, not at all. I mean, she likes music. She's really into Southern punk rap and world music, but she doesn't play anything.

Is there any sibling rivalry?
Oh yeah, all the time, but Jamin's an unusual brother. He's great.

What inspired "Bone Jam"?
We wanted to write a number one hit single. A chart topper as they say. Basically, that song could be used to describe last summer's tour. We spent a lot of money and it was a lot of fun, but it was exhausting.

Did you write it on that tour?
We never write songs on tour. We don't have time. We're exploring new cities. doing interviews, on TV shoots, doing commercials, and stuff.

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Photo courtesy of JEFF The Brotherhood's MySpace.

Who inspired "U Got The Look"?
That song is about people we've seen at parties, who just have the look. You know when some one's just got the look and you're like, "Oh look, we gotta get out of here."Um, in a good way?
It can be good or bad.

How would you describe a heavy day?
You know, any day that's not light.

Okay, so what's a light day?
A light day is where you just sleep all day and watch TV. Heavy days are when important things happen to you or your friends. Like yesterday was pretty heavy. We drove nine hours just to sleep in a Walmart parking lot.

What is the weirdest thing you ever saw at a show?
We played a house party on Halloween one year and there was this large naked guy who was on a lot of drugs who kept jumping on people. That was pretty weird. Oh and one time we were playing on this farm, and I guess we were making too much noise because the farmer came down with his shotgun, fired it into the air, and told us to get out. That really cut the party short.

Do you have a favorite local band at the moment?
Sound Tribe Sector 9. They're awesome, but they're playing their last show today. They're breaking up. Which is too bad.

If you were stuck on a desert island and you could bring three worldly possessions what would they be?
A yacht, a jet ski, and a grill. I'd make a party out of it.

Good choices. Well, thanks for talking with us.
Thank you!

Be sure to check out JEFF The Brotherhoodon Friday at the Echo when they open for Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. Doors are at 8pm. Tickets are $15 advance, $17 at the door.