By Rachel Wick
Individuals who have never considered, "who would win the battle between the shark and the zombie" obviously aren’t familiar with The Jaggernauts, and haven’t been privy to the band’s infectious brand of self described "geek power pop."
J’Naut drummer "Joey G" describes power pop as "a song craft that has pop sensibilities that’s probably a little bit too hard for the radio to play because people might think it’s a little too hard or heavy." He adds, "We’re not a metal band, but we do a lot of shows with metal bands because we think its fun and we appreciate what they do. Our music seems to carry over to that audience too."
Following the departure of members Chris Jackson and John Kleven, The Jaggernauts are showcasing a different lineup of late, but this isn’t deterring fans or sending the J’Nauts off track.
"I was really happy because our fans embraced our change and additions. They didn’t look at it as the new guy (referring to the addition of guitarist Matt Florence). I heard so many positive things," said singer Noel Hanson.
Florence joined the band in November of 2006, and has helped the Jaggernauts preserve its quirky blend of rock, while adding his theatrical performance style and a dash of edge. Florence proved to be a great addition to a lineup that already included several of the area’s most respected and seasoned musicians.
"I’ve heard a lot of people say that we’ve gotten a lot heavier and it’s kind of neat because we also have a lot more keyboards now. The nucleus is still the same and that’s the important part, the vision part. Matt’s style blends right in with what we’re doing and we’re having such a good time," said Hanson.
According to Hanson, the band is named for a cross between Mick Jagger and an astronaut. The Jaggernauts formed about three years ago, but according to Hanson says the name was born long before the band ever played out and he feels that the band embodies all that is Jaggernauts.
"Going along with the name, or the traditional usage of juggernaut, the unstopping machine that keeps going forward I’d say that it fits pretty good. It’s fun. To me, The Jaggernauts sounded like a band that you would go see and have a great time….it’s a strong name and we’re a strong fun band, we enjoy playing," said Hanson.
While the Jaggernauts maintain a high level of musicianship and likeability, don’t be mistaken, these gentlemen don’t take themselves too seriously. On March 9, the band played the House of Rock’s Decadent Cabaret and rocked their own version of the Genesis classic abacab featuring keyboardist Chris Ramey on vocals that was rounded out with an unforgettable front man/guitarist dance routine courtesy of Florence and Hanson.
"Performance-wise, whenever I look out into an audience this feeling that I get is really exciting but at the same time you can’t really see anyone because of the lights, you can see like the first row but whether there’s five people or 500 people, it doesn’t make any difference you try and throw your a game in and have a good time," said Florence.
The Jaggernauts most popular song is called "Lucio Fluci" and is about a scene from a horror film depicting a shark and a zombie battling it out. The song quickly became a favorite amongst fans and with a new lineup the band now plays a metal version that they have coined Motley Fluci. Crowbar is another popular tune and has fans shouting gleefully "Jaggernauts across your head with a crowbar." "Lucio Fluci" is off of the 2004 LP of the same name, while Crowbar comes from the 2006 EP The Jaggernauts.
"The writing process for the Jaggernauts begins with Noel Hanson, he brings in the majority of the material and him and Chris work very well together. Chris helps to arrange the songs and he also comes up with melodies," said Gunderson.
Of the writing process, Florence says, "It’s very democratic; you just throw things in when you want. A lot of times Noel or Chris will come up with something and then Joe and I help round it out, essentially."
The Jaggernauts take to the stage on May 3 at the House of Rock, May 4 at Mr. Heavy’s in Menomonie and May 5 at Triple Rock in Minneapolis.
"If there’s more shows booked and more demand for the band to be seen, the people within the band structure tend to go a little more out and want to focus on creativity and writing," said Gunderson. The bands that I’m involved with we just like to play music for the love of music. We don’t do it to get famous or to sign a record deal with anybody, we do it because we like to do it and it’s a way of expressing ourselves creatively and it’s a nice release from the everyday lives that we lead. You work your day job or whatever you do in life and then at night you can go hang out with your friends and create and write music that you can play on weekends in front of people that’s all your own and nobody is telling you how to do it, and that’s the most fulfilling thing for me.
The Jaggernauts have a follow up to their 2006 EP in the works, and are shooting for a fall or an early winter release. The full length disc with feature all new tunes.
"Everybody that you play with brings something different out of you as a musician and as a performer," said Gunderson.
Here's a clip of the Jaggernauts at the House of Rock.
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