Evil Jake
New York City, New York, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2001 | INDIE
Music
Press
WHY AREN'T THESE GUYS SIGNED?
Best CD/song title ever. The CD theme seems to be relationships from a male point of view. It features extremely clever lyrics (an understatement), think Elvis Costello meets They Might Be Giants, plus "get up and dance" music mixed with hint of rockabilly. Track seven: "Be my Ex-Girlfriend" alone is worth the price of admission. - Mike Ferrari
WHY AREN'T THESE GUYS SIGNED?
Best CD/song title ever. The CD theme seems to be relationships from a male point of view. It features extremely clever lyrics (an understatement), think Elvis Costello meets They Might Be Giants, plus "get up and dance" music mixed with hint of rockabilly. Track seven: "Be my Ex-Girlfriend" alone is worth the price of admission. - Mike Ferrari
Evil Jake, from New York City, don't mind the maggots. Falling Man, this song is, for lack of another word, is great. I think it's accessible on many levels. This is Sweet pop/rock with an edge. A med tempo rock song with that staccato rhythm that so many people seem to like. This song even has a melody and a chorus, lacking in so much of today's so called popular music. It sounds at the same time new and fresh and also reminds one of the earlier days of this genre.
Evil Jake is only going up, I'll bet you that anytime now they'll be signed and forget all about me! Point your browser to Evil Jake and join the fray. You can't go wrong with this band, as they simply ROCK! - Vincent Leeds
Evil Jake, from New York City, don't mind the maggots. Falling Man, this song is, for lack of another word, is great. I think it's accessible on many levels. This is Sweet pop/rock with an edge. A med tempo rock song with that staccato rhythm that so many people seem to like. This song even has a melody and a chorus, lacking in so much of today's so called popular music. It sounds at the same time new and fresh and also reminds one of the earlier days of this genre.
Evil Jake is only going up, I'll bet you that anytime now they'll be signed and forget all about me! Point your browser to Evil Jake and join the fray. You can't go wrong with this band, as they simply ROCK! - Vincent Leeds
Never heard of Evil Jake? Don’t worry—soon they’ll be one of those bands that you end up changing the radio station when their latest over-played hit comes on. In other words, although they’ve yet to even send their debut EP Music to Strip By to press, they’re to make some noise.
Led by vocalist and guitarist Mike Jacobs, the three-piece band from New York State—which also includes drummer Paul Campanella and bassist Aaron Trubic—have already garnered quite a following thanks to the magic of the Internet. According to the band, Evil Jake beat out a slew of mainstream acts such as Papa Roach, Flickerstick, The Offspring and the Deftones for the number one position on the mp3.com Power Pop & Punk charts and hit number three on mp3.com’s Rock chart. Additionally, the group’s music has been featured in a Macy Gray Mountain Dew commercial shown during major sporting events and was used for the soundtrack of a Fox Sports Network Extreme Games segment. For a band with no album, that’s pretty darn impressive.
Evil Jake call its music a mixture of “power pop,” punk and alt rock. I just call it good music. From the album’s first track “She’s So Lonely” to the rocking “Everything She Wants” showcases the band’s uptempo sound. Evil Jake also makes it quite obvious who some of their influences are with their rendition of Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got to do With it” and their out-right stealing of the famous guitar melody from Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” on their track “Falling Man.” - C.E. Pelc
Never heard of Evil Jake? Don’t worry—soon they’ll be one of those bands that you end up changing the radio station when their latest over-played hit comes on. In other words, although they’ve yet to even send their debut EP Music to Strip By to press, they’re to make some noise.
Led by vocalist and guitarist Mike Jacobs, the three-piece band from New York State—which also includes drummer Paul Campanella and bassist Aaron Trubic—have already garnered quite a following thanks to the magic of the Internet. According to the band, Evil Jake beat out a slew of mainstream acts such as Papa Roach, Flickerstick, The Offspring and the Deftones for the number one position on the mp3.com Power Pop & Punk charts and hit number three on mp3.com’s Rock chart. Additionally, the group’s music has been featured in a Macy Gray Mountain Dew commercial shown during major sporting events and was used for the soundtrack of a Fox Sports Network Extreme Games segment. For a band with no album, that’s pretty darn impressive.
Evil Jake call its music a mixture of “power pop,” punk and alt rock. I just call it good music. From the album’s first track “She’s So Lonely” to the rocking “Everything She Wants” showcases the band’s uptempo sound. Evil Jake also makes it quite obvious who some of their influences are with their rendition of Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got to do With it” and their out-right stealing of the famous guitar melody from Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” on their track “Falling Man.” - C.E. Pelc
Discography
Be My Ex-Girlfriend (full lenth CD) - Charted on CMJ
Music to Strip By (EP)
Photos
Bio
NYC rock legends Evil Jake reunite for their first show in almost a decade, returning to their original stomping grounds on the Lower East Side for one night only, with their longtime compatriots and NYC mainstays Frank as special guests.
After being featured on MTV, NBC, Bravo, Fuel TV, Jack Black's "School of Rock", Macy Gray’s Mountain Dew Commercial and radio stations across the country, and sharing stages in the US and Europe with the likes of The Strokes, The Bravery, and Charlie Daniels Band, Evil Jake called it quits at their peak. This is their first appearance in seven years, and the tenth anniversary of their critically acclaimed “Be My Ex-Girlfriend” record. Produced by Adam Lasus (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Army Navy, J. Mascis, Juliana Hatfield), and featuring backup vocals from Sam Endicott of The Bravery and Patti Rothberg, the album spawned the single of the same name that received airplay across the country.
x "Undeniably and Unapologetically Fun" - Switch Magazine
x "Dangerously Catchy" - Erie Times-News
x "Enough Hooks to Land a Whale" - All Music
x "Never heard of Evil Jake? Don't worry - soon they'll be one of those bands that you end up changing the radio station when their latest over-played hit comes on... " - fm sound
x USO CELEBRITY TOUR (Bosnia, Kosovo, Iceland, Norway, Austria) w/ Joan Jett, Roger Clemens & more - May 2004
x Music featured on 4 MTV series (inc. Real World & Road Rules), Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and on Fox Sports Network/Fuel TV
x #1 indie rock album on CDBaby!!!
x #1 in Power Pop, #3 in Rock on mp3.com, beating out Popa Roach, Deftones, The Offspring, and thousands of other bands
x Regular touring of the US and England
x Multiple songs licensed by MTV for primetime shows
x CMJ Charting; airplay on 100+ college stations + commercial
x completed full-length debut CD with producer Adam Lasus (Juliana Hatfield, J. Mascis, PJ Harvey, Gigolo Aunts)
x winner of Hard Rock Cafe Battle of the Bands
x winner of the Jim Beam Rock Band Search
x selected as one of Kazaa's Top 30 Bands
x 3 songs featured on the soundtrack of Fox Sports TV Show Playground Earth (US + international viewership)
x Featured in a Macy Gray Mountain Dew Commercial; Logo/Merchandise to be featured in upcoming Jack Black movie School of Rock
"allegedly quite fun" - The Village Voice
"Never heard of Evil Jake? Don’t worry — soon they’ll be one of those bands that you end up changing the radio station when their latest over-played hit comes on..." - fm sound
"WHY AREN'T THESE GUYS SIGNED?" - Aural Fix
Evil Jake is an NYC-based melodic Rock band that puts Power back in “Power Pop”. Mixing the best of post-punk alternative psycho power pop with a shot of rockabilly and a twist of glam - or something like that - Evil Jake is already taking the world by storm.
Evil Jake is about superior pop songwriting, refined virtuosity (no shred here), and kick-ass live performances in the vintage rock style. Unlike so many of today’s so-called bands who live and die by detuned power chords and Pro Tools deception, the boys of Evil Jake can PLAY. With guitar virtuosity that’ll shake your ass while breaking your heart, backed by a rock-solid yet explosive rhythm section, Evil Jake layers and intertwines parts to create a 'veneer of sound' - no smoke, no mirrors, just great musicians playing great songs.
With a tip of the hat to the past, and a damn-the-torpedoes vision for the future, Evil Jake will make you remember just how much FUN a kick-ass band can be. With influences ranging from KISS to Motown, The Ramones to Phil Ramone, Evil Jake has been compared to a range of bands including Weezer, Foo Fighters, Elvis Costello, and The Police. The hooks, the licks and the attitude are all in place. Within months of its debut, Evil Jake was already in rotation at stations around the world, kicking butt on mp3.com, appearing on national television, and packing clubs with their vibrant form of rock.
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