JEFF the Brotherhood Are Coming to Your Town

At this stage, you're probably well aware that we like JEFF the Brotherhood, so it should come as no surprise that we've booked them to play a show at our pub the Old Blue Last later this month (November 10th, don't double-book). If you don't know who the hell they are, here's a quick blast of information for you to absorb: DIY punk rock duo, they are brothers, they are from Nashville, they have been releasing music since they were in high school. (Yeah, high school. I bet your award for second best on the football squad that you were so proud of seems pointless now, doesn't it?) Anyway, I called up Jake to talk about their collaboration with Jack White and Insane Clown Posse, and why it's hard to party with Germans.

VICE: Hey Jake. So I read recently you guys just cosigned with Warner Records. Normally independent bands start moaning about being on majors before the ink on the contract's dry, but it can't be that bad, can it?
Jake: Nah, not at all. It's actually been really awesome.

That's great. I know you probably get asked this all the time, but I'm a twin, so I feel like I have a special insight into sibling politics. Are you and your brother still getting along?
I mean, it's tough. But I think it is tough spending that much time with any one person, especially if you're collaborating with them in a creative sense. I think we know each other well enough now to not take any of the little fights we have personally. That's an advantage. It's also a lot easier now because we've reached a level where we get to bring someone else along on tour with us.

You worked on some thing recently with Insane Clown Posse and Jack White. What was that like?
It was fun. Those guys were really funny. We did a lot of laughing.

Did they convert you to their Juggalo cult?
Nah, but there are a good amount of Juggalos in Nashville. They've definitely got their own thing going for them and I respect that.

If you haven't been spending all your spare time listening to ICP, what have you and your brother been listening to recently?
I can't speak for him, but me, mostly outlaw country stuff. Some Hall & Oates.

Every time American bands come over, you give us sweet-talk about how us "Europeans" are so much better at having fun than your countrymen.
The difference between the two audiences is actually light and day. Germany, for example, is pretty bizarre. Last time we went out, we'd be the only band playing that night, and there'd be no openers so they would expect a two-hour show and, like, 15 people each night would just seem so unhappy with us afterwards. There is also the language barrier, which is tough. You can’t be like, "Yo guys, let's hangout and party after."

Other than trying to broker parties with packs of unhappy Germans, what can we expect JEFF the Brotherhood to get up to next?
Well we are going on tour with The Kills early next year in the States, which I'm excited for. And I guess you can just expect more of the same, just bigger and better. Yeah, hopefully we will be on some big, huge support tour. A stadium world tour would be awesome.

If I had a stadium, I'd let you play it any time. Have a good tour, Jake.

Here are those tour dates:

NOVEMBER 2011

Friday 11th – Leeds, England @ Brudenell Social Club  
Saturday 12th – Manchester, England @ The Castle Hotel  
Sunday 13th – Bristol, England @ Start The Bus  
Monday 14th – London, England @ The Lexington (Stolen Recordings CD Launch Party)
Tuesday 15th – Utrecht, Holland @ DB's  
Wednesday 16th – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Loppen  
Thursday 17th – Stockholm, SWednesdayen @ Strand Club  
Friday 18th – Gothenburg, SWednesdayen @ Jazzhuset  
Saturday 19th – Hamburg, Germany @ Molotow Bar  
Sunday 20th – Berlin, Germany @ White Trash   
Monday 21th – Liege, Belgium @ L'escalier  
Tuesday 22th – Paris, France @ EspaceB  
Wednesday 23th – Toulouse, France @ LeSaint Des Seins  
Thursday 24th – Barcelona, Spain @ Primavera Festival  
Friday 25th – Madrid, Spain @ Primavera Festival