J Prozac - Take Me Away

 

  J Prozac (https://www.facebook.com/jprozac) is back today with a new single. The frontman with long running punk outfit The Prozacs is certainly no stranger to this blog, no surprise when he effortlessly keeps turning out catchy earworms. The full band line up is J Prozac (Vocals, Rhythm Guitars, Tambourines & egg shakers), Greg Russian (Bass), Mark Pena (Drums) & Angelo Quaglia (Guest lead guitars).

  If you get in quick, you can grab this single on yellow 7" vinyl (200 pressed on Lighthouse Records (Germany) with 100 made available in the USA). It's also available digitally :  https://jprozac.bandcamp.com/album/take-me-away

  The flip side of the single is a cover of a song originally released by The Bates back in 1996 on the album Kicks 'n' Chicks and there was a video for it a few months ago. It's great so check it out :   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18Be5BeWYkM

  The other song is equally impressive, it hits the sweet spot between pop punk and power pop and it features J wishing he could go to a place far away from here. It's called Take Me Away 

J Prozac - Obsession

  

  You can always rely on J Prozac (https://www.facebook.com/jprozac) to conjure up a good tune, whether it's with his band The Prozacs, his side projects (such as Stiletto Bomb, Doubtfire etc) or his solo work. Where many songwriters write about the world around them and give their thoughts on the hot topics of the day, Jay seems to find more than fertile ground looking inwards and discussing his feelings. I'm guessing he finds the whole process pretty cathartic (and no doubt at times painful). 

  He's just opened up again with a new 12 track album titled Obsession. Sometimes you don't have a solution to life's problems, especially when the problem could be yourself. Thoughts whirl around, I guess jotting some of them down and making an album is as good a way as any of coping. 

  The line up on this release is J Prozac (Lead & Backing Vocals/Rhythm & Lead Guitars), Rob Pajer (Drums), Vic Rosario (Lead & Rhythm Guitars) & Greg Russian (Bass). The album's out now on cd, vinyl and digital via Rum Bar Records :  https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/obsession

  This is the title track, it features backing vocals from his wife Andy Nihilate who was vocalist for Stiletto Bomb, and it's called Obsession... 

J Prozac - I Don't Think She Cares

    

  Just Some Punk Songs' favourite J Prozac (https://www.facebook.com/jprozac) is back today with a song from his new album Behind The Mask (Singles & Rare Cuts!). It's an album that collects together "22 songs of various covers and singles that have been scattered across the digital world, limited CDs and vinyl compilations, hidden tracks and previously unreleased studio impromptu fun ranging from 2016 - 2021 with a couple going back as far as 2004!"

  Kicking things off with a stellar version of Mandy (which was originally recorded as a 1999 single by The Manges) Jay selects a very fine collection of catchy pop punk tunes. There's further covers of songs by the likes of The Lillingtons, Tom Petty, Kung Fu Monkeys, The Queers, Ramones, The Misfits and many more. Jay's original compositions are just as good as the covers (for example check out track number 4, surely one of the greatest songs ever written!). 

  It's a labour of love from a man who's been around the scene for many a year and who never disappoints. You can get the album here :  https://jprozac.bandcamp.com/album/behind-the-mask-singles-rare-cuts

  This is the Lillingtons cover (it was on the band's 1996 album, Shit Out Of Luck). It's called I Don't Think She Cares... 

She's staring at me she's giving me the creeps.
She's staring at me now I can't fall asleep.
And gee I'm hopin' she doesn't try to kill me again.
She says I make her mad and I won't quit.
She keeps on saying that she don't have to take my shit
and now she's getting all wound up again.
Last time this happened she met me at the door.
Standing in her bathrobe with a loaded 44.
Now she's trying to push me down the stairs.
That's why I don't think she cares

  

J Prozac - For The World

    

  Prozacs (https://www.facebook.com/TheProzacs) frontman J Prozac (https://www.facebook.com/jprozac) is back today with a song from his new album Won't Let Go.  It's a solo album but it features a number of guests helping out including backup vocals from his wife Andy (who you may remember from Stiletto Bomb (https://stilettobomb.bandcamp.com/) and from his kids Kody & Tyler). Keeping to the family affair spirit, Jay dedicates the album to his late father Richard who sadly passed away last year. 

  

  The songs aren't a million miles away from what you'd expect from a Prozacs release. They're songs that are personal to Jay, but that was often the case anyway. The song titles (Won't Let Go, Regret, Beat Of Our Hearts, Here With Me etc...) give you an idea of what to expect thematically. Relationships are an important part of Jay's song writing modus operandi. We also get family friendly themed tracks such as People I Know & single Building Blocks and there's an impressive cover of a song by one of Jay's favourite bands, Dirt Bike Annie. More covers (of songs by The Queers, Tom Petty, Ramones & Manges) pop up on a bonus section at the end of the album (though surely the highlight of this section must be the Just Some Punk Songs show theme song!). 

  It's a great album chock full of catchy as hell pop punk tunes and it's available on cd from Rum Bar Records https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/wont-let-go

  I already featured Regret as long ago as 2020, a couple of the tracks were released as videos and I'll play the Dirt Bike Annie cover on this week's show so today I'll draw your attention to a loving tribute to the relationship between himself and his wife. It's called For The World... 

J Prozac - Toothless Wonder

 

  J Prozac (https://www.facebook.com/jprozac) is no stranger to Just Some Punk Songs, he even wrote and performed the Just Some Punk Songs theme tune! (https://jprozac.bandcamp.com/track/just-some-punk-songs). He returns today with a song from a very cool split 7" single which has been produced in collaboration with fellow JSPS regulars Jeffrey Thunders And The Scabs.  

  It's a release that both acts bring their A game to. It's a 4 track ep titled Cheers To The End. A couple of songs by each band of snappy punk rock lovingly pressed on brightly coloured vinyl (307 copies : 42 Blue Splatter, 58 Black, 97 Red, 82 Yellow & 28 Transitional Variants). You can get them from Die Hipster! & Ratgirl Records, more details and digital downloads here :  https://jprozac.bandcamp.com/album/cheers-to-the-end

  Jeff & The Scabs contribute a couple of killer straight up punk n roll jams in his traditional Dead Boys/Heartbreakers/New York Dolls style. Whilst talking about them I'll point you in the direction of another new song they've just released (which I'll play on next week's show) :  https://jeffreythundersandthescabs.bandcamp.com/track/there-must-be-something-better

  As for Jay, he's joined this time around by former Prozacs drummer Glenn Robinson (aka Pavid Vermin : https://pavidvermin.bandcamp.com/). Together they serve up a very catchy pair of tunes. The track you'll find below was originally written by Jay for his buddies Color Killer (check it out here :   https://colorkiller.bandcamp.com/track/toothless-wonder) but he loved it so much he's re recorded it. This is Toothless Wonder... 

J Prozac featuring Andy Nihilate - Regret

  

  One very welcome newcomer to the punk rock scene in 2020 is Laptop Punk Records. Named (I'm assuming) after a song (https://outloudrecords.bandcamp.com/track/laptop-punk) by The Gungans which featured on their Meesa Meesa Meesa! album, it's a label created by Gungans vocalist and Just Some Punk Songs favourite Grim Deeds (https://grimdeeds.bandcamp.com/). If you thought Grim Deeds was prolific in releasing his own music, you ain't seen nothing yet! The first Laptop Punk Records release was a song by Rocky Rochelle called Don't Sweat The Smallpox. It came out on the 18th October. In the 2 months since then there's been about 24 other releases including music by the likes of Vista Blue, The Anti-Bodies, Pavid Vermin, Brad Marino, The Биты, Marina Surfinbird and many more.  

  Plus there's the only song released this year by J Prozac, vocalist with Westfield, Massachusetts pop punk legends The Prozacs. It's a song which sees Jay ably backed by a couple of his Prozacs bandmates, drummer Jimmy Craig and bassist Kyle Carnage. There's also the welcome return on vocals of his wife and former Stiletto Bomb front woman Andy Nihilate. 

https://laptoppunkrecords.bandcamp.com/track/j-prozac-featuring-andy-nihilate-regret

  It's Jay at his bittersweet best. He's wanting to turn back the clock and do things differently but of course that's not how life works. It's about struggling not to live in the past but finding it hard to move on and let sleeping dogs lie. Jay knows he needs to let go but it's not easy. It's called Regret... 

J Prozac & Marky Kobane - Behind The Mask

 

  Friday the 13th is a day that many people associate with bad luck but I've been eagerly awaiting it's arrival this time around so that I can bring you not only a fantastic collaboration between two of Just Some Punk Songs' favourite old school pop punkers but also point you in the direction of a killer new compilation album.

  As some of you may know, after 15 years The Prozacs are calling it a day. Sad though that is, J Prozac will still be active in his other band, Stiletto Bomb have a new record in the pipeline, and he'll be thinking of recording more solo stuff. First up though is the contribution he and Marky Kobane have made to a brand new Outloud! Records compilation called A Benefit For The Victims. To celebrate the only Friday 13th we'll be getting in 2017 they've got a bunch of great bands together (Silver Foxes, The Moans, The Robinsons, The Riptides etc etc etc....) and produced what amounts to a love letter to pop punk and horror fans.

  You can find the album here : https://outloudrecords.bandcamp.com/album/a-benefit-for-the-victims-2 but also make sure to check out Outlouds! other releases as there's many a gem on there.

  Even hockey mask wearing serial killers sometimes feel alone (especially when all their friends have a habit of dying grizzly deaths!). This is Behind The Mask....

An Interview With J Prozac

A massive thank you today to J Prozac (aka Jay Gauvin) for taking the time in what is currently a busy schedule for him to answer my questions. I don't do many interviews but the few i have attempted have all been blessed by the people answering the questions all being very good subjects. Jay certainly falls into that category.....


Q) i discovered punk in the late 70's at school when a mate started showing me the NME, Melody Maker and Sounds music papers. before that i was listening to mostly chart stuff but my tastes changed pretty much over night (helped by the John Peel radio show). did you have a similar moment of discovery? which bands introduced you to punk?


A) Well, I heard hints of classic punk stuff that was on the radio or MTV in the mid/late 80's and early 90's...stuff like the occasional Ramones/Clash/Social Distortion song, but it didn't really register with me beyond everything else I listened to...which was lot's of hair metal, heavy metal, Beach Boys and Bangles, some rap and hip hop and modern rock at the time. I picked up a Social Distortion album in the early 90's...but i didn't get the punk thing yet...and music had not yet become more than just music. The early 90's Alternative/Punk is where I started getting a feeling...with Soul Asylum's "Grave Dancers union being a stand out...and hearing bands like The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Nirvana and so forth. I started watching lot's of BMX/Skate videos around 93'/94' and this was my first real exposure to all this music that was not on the radio...and I searched feverishly for all these bands in a new world of music. At the same time, Greenday, The Offspring, Bad Religion, Weezer, Rancid all the "NEW" bands blowing up the radio/MTV and the crossover began. I picked up "NOFX: White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean" from hearing a song in a BMX video...and that was the album...the point that It all changed. I totally discovered this music on my own...by myself....but it lead me into a lifetime of adventure, love and friendships. In later years I found I had a couple friends in high school that listened to punk, but i didn't get the exposure then. It's a total blur at this point! So much happened in such a short amount of time. Within the next year or so I discovered Screeching Weasel/MTX/The Queers and the Lookout Records family of bands....and I found my home base, and also an even deeper connection and love for punk rock...and leading me back to those classic bands i heard in the 80's but didn't get at the time.

Q) I read that you sold merchandise for the queers whilst they toured with awesome bands like the lillingtons. also as far as I'm aware your first band was Grand Prixx. can you talk a little about those early days and say how you got to hang out with cool bands and was this why you decided you could get on stage yourself and front your own band.


A) Yes, The GrandPrixx was my first band. We formed in January of 1998 after I met a kid at a local show I had seen several times at shows at this little all ages venue. He always wore Screeching Weasel shirts and bands of the sort. We finally talked and within a week started a band together. At this point I didn't know any bands yet, other than a couple local hardcore bands of my friends. We quickly became the band to play all the local punk shows and with touring bands on labels like BYO/Hopeless/Lookout abs so forth...and travelling often to Boston and Porstmouth, NH. My BMX connections and new found punk rock family began growing immensely and fast! Within the first few months of being in the band, I became friends with and played shows with many bands I had spent past years listening to and being inspired by like The Useless Fucks, The Queers, Nobodys, The Howards, The Vapids, Jon Cougar Concentration Camp and so on. These were the connections that eventually leado to me being asked by Joe Queers in 2000 to join The Queers on the 2nd leg of their US tour with The Lillingtons and Explosion...and later with The Queers/Teen Idols/Pinhead Circus. Besides being in a van for weeks with one of my all time favorite bands, I also made some really cool friends and met so many rad bands and people. Christ, on those tours I got to meet/hang/have lunch with people like Metal Mike of Angry Samoans, Dusty Watson of Agent Orange/Dickinson Dale, Ben Weasel, Joey Ramone and so on. Had lots of fun and kept friendships with Teen Idols, The Queers and many of the players who played in the band, Kody Lillington and many other bands and people I met on those tours.
And yes. ..I saw The Lillingtons like 30 nights in a row!
Also slept over the house of the owner of Hopeless Records, got to hang at the Lookout Records store/offices, see Screeching Weasel for the first time, saw many friends around the country and also ran into fans of my band as well at at many of the shows.

Q) From GrandPrixx to The Prozacs..... How did that come about?

A) The GrandPrixx had a really good run for a couple years, and at the time it was quite consuming and fun. The band was mainly Eli (guitarist ) and I. We started the band together, but we were growing apart within the 3 years or so we were active. Everyone in the band had different desires and we were fragmenting in different music/life directions, I started a side project just for fun and something new to stay active. This was in September 2001 that I pulled together the first incarnation of The Prozacs. The GrandPrixx were active off and on at this point due to members moving away for college and whatnot. We released our only full length album on Forks In Hand Records (Big D & The Kids Table's label) and played our last show in January 2002. We had a pretty bitter break up that spring when Eli returned from college and I expressed my desire to pursue The Prozacs as The GrandPrixx just wasn't fun anymore and seemed to have lost its heart. This was the big transition point..and after making demos of 16 songs with (at this point) the 3rd incarnation of The Prozacs, we entered the studio that fall of 2002 to make "Thanks For Nothing".

Q) Is it difficult combining a full time job, band duties and family life?

A) Yeah it sucks! I have no clue how I'm still doing it to be honest. If I could only get rid of the job....

Q) What's the best part of being in a band? Putting records out or playing live?

A) If I have to answer honestly, as much as I love getting on stage...it's writing, recording and releasing music that is the big "high" for me.

Q) Did you intend splitting up for good a couple of years ago or was it always the intention for the prozacs to return?

A) Do you want the short answer...or the long one? Ha!

Yes, I thought that I was gonna be ending The Prozacs for good in 2014. It felt like I had 2 versions of The Prozacs, whIch I basically did...but it felt broken and incomplete from when it was my only musical outlet all those years. One version revolved around my drummer Jimmy....with the direction we were heading spilling into the foundation of Stiletto Bomb.

The other version was with my other drummer, Matty Prozac...who had been with me more or less since 2005, on 2 out 3 of the full lengths and for the bulk of our touring years.

While the Jimmy version of the band was having a hard time making time to play and write in 2011/2012 due to just life in general and not being able to line up or time, I started working on a studio solo album. In the summer of 2012, Matty (who was only filling in occasionally for shows with The Prozacs) and I started writing me material together as "J Prozac & The Other Guys". It only lasted 3 practices, then at the end of 2012, Matty rejoined The Prozacs, along with a new line up, and we carried over the tunes.

At this point I had an albums worth of songs sitting with Jimmy, and writing new songs with Matty and the new Prozacs line up, and a few songs bouncing between them both. This Prozacs line up only lasted a few months and broke up mid 2013.

I spent the spring/summer working demos with Bil McRackin, then went to Vancouver that summer to record the Doubtfire album

I got back with Jimmy in early 2014 with an all star local line up, including my wife on vocals, to preform for my solo album release. We finished wiring a few tunes that Jimmy and I were writing for the Prozacs shoving we were slowly working on for the solo release show. This line up breathed me life and dynamics into the tunes that really have them some steps away from The Prozacs...and this eventually became Stiletto Bomb.

In the meantime, Matty and I were auditioning players and writing...but unsure if it was going to continue as The Prozacs or not. It was decided to move ahead The Sonic Diffusers, but we spent the next few months performing as J Prozac....until August 2014 when we called it quits.

In early 2015, Matty joined Stiletto Bomb, replacing Jimmy. At this point I was ready to sink everything into Stiletto Bomb musically...and Matty and I started carrying over songs we were writing for the Sonic Diffuser project, but quickly realized it wasn't the right fit aso Stiletto Bomb was growing more into its own.

In the fall of 2015, Matty and I started jamming again with the intent of making a studio album to move on from the material we were holding. After a couple of practices, and spending the last couple years trying way to hard to distinguish what's Prozacs and not. ..I decided to stop fighting it. So I guess we never really left. ...but we are back anyway!

Q) how is it having your wife singing with Stiletto Bomb (i know from some of her comments that she has the occasional doubts about getting up on stage but whilst i've not been fortunate to see you guys live, for me she fits in great with the recorded side of things)

A) Having a band with Andy is pretty awesome! It definitely presents many challenges, with things like getting the kids watched the practices and shows though. We are not super active, due to the scheduling conflicts and family commitments between members, but we try to make the time we have count. Andy has a great voice and I love her singing, and singing with her. Definitely cool being on stage together.

Q) Out of all your releases, which is your favourite?

A) This is a bit of a tough question...but it's a toss between my solo album "Here Is My Heart" and The Prozacs "Questions, Answers & Things Never Found". Probably has much to do with the fact both albums come from very personal places, and they both kind of stretched me in new directions in song writing.


Q) The Prozacs have just released details about a new ep but this is just the beginning of what promises to be a productive year for you. Would you like to reveal your plans for 2016...

A) Yes, the new Prozacs EP comes out on February 29th! It's being released with Outloud! Records on CD. The EP is a little taste of things to come, derived from a session of demo material for solo, Sonic Diffuser and Prozacs B-sides.

We have a new full length album written and are gearing up for the studio. It's gonna be called "Exist" and is looking to be about 12 brand new songs. Artwork is ready to go as well, illustrated by Ole O'Brian.

Stiletto Bomb is also busy writing for our debut full length....hopefully later this year. We will see what happens!

Doubtfire - Punk Rock Heart

  J Prozac is one of the nicest guys in punk. He's also one of the busiest. Not only is he responsible for a string of top notch releases with his band The Prozacs, he's also put out a solo album and a short while ago he was back with his new band, Stiletto Bomb.
https://theprozacs.bandcamp.com/
https://jprozac.bandcamp.com/album/here-is-my-heart
https://stilettobomb.bandcamp.com/releases

  As he's also juggling family life and working 12 hour shifts in his regular job, it's amazing that he's got any spare time to persue his love of music but I suppose if you give up non essential things like eating and sleeping you can just about fit everything in.

  Guess what? He's at it again. New band, new album, same high quality pop punk tuneage. The new band are called Doubtfire and this time around he's partnered by Bil McRackin, who's also enjoyed a long career with his band The McRackins. A prolific outfit with around 70 releases to their name, you can check out their latest here : https://dongiovannirecords.bandcamp.com/album/nuclear-sant-claust-the-mcrackins-split-7).

  Despite J living in Massachusetts and Bil in Vancouver, they managed to hook up long enough to record an album that's full of extremely catchy gems that are perfect for those hot summer days when you want something upbeat pounding out whilst driving round in the car. The way they've collaborated on the record is that the songs where J wrote the music are sung by Bil and the ones where Bil wrote the music are sung by J.
  Featuring one of Ole O'Brian's distinctive cover designs, the album has been 2 years in the making but is due to land on Jerk off / Ratgirl Records on the 22nd September but you can preorder or preview a few tracks here : http://doubtfire1.bandcamp.com/album/doubtfire

  The song I'm posting chronicles how a young Bil saw The Ramones in Rock 'n' Roll High School and how things were never quite the same again. 1-2-3-4.....this is Punk Rock Heart :

J Prozac - Hey Hey Ole!

  Ole O'Brian is getting married to Kristin today (Fri 15/05/15). By the time I'm allowed to post this it'll be 10 pm in Germany so hopefully a great day is being had by all.

  Some of you will know Ole as the drummer with The Evil O'Brians, the "teenage horror bubblepunk" band from Braunschweig. You've probably also seen some of the many pieces of awesome artwork that he's created. If you aren't familiar with his work you can listen to some music here : http://rttb-records.bandcamp.com/album/rttb-29-14-the-evil-obrians-evilution-2003-2011 and check out some artwork and an interview here : http://moosterrecords.blogspot.de/2015/04/an-interview-with-artist-ole-obrian.html 

  As a thank you to him for the help he's given (and for being an all round top bloke), J Prozac and a few friends have recorded a surprise wedding song to commemorate Ole and Kristin's special day. The details of who did what are on the back cover of the song (below) but briefly, J wrote the song and provides vocals/guitar/percussion, Scotty Blood (Stiletto Bomb) is on bass, J Blood (Stiletto Bomb) and Karl Ourand (Engineer at  Plummer's Mines Studio) are on guitar duties whilst Evil O'Brian's frontman Hansel O'Brian also provides vocals. J says he did the best he could in the short amount of time available to him and with the limited resources at his disposal, personally I think he (and everyone else who was involved) has done a hell of a job. This is Hey Hey Ole!......


just a quick edit to let you know that the song is now available to download free here : https://rttb-records.bandcamp.com/album/j-prozac-friends-hey-hey-ole

   CONGRATULATIONS TO OLE AND KRISTIN!........


Hey hey hey have you heard? Ole O'Brian is getting married What what what what's the word? We're all so happy, very, very. .. Excited for you... Hope all your dreams come true... Here's a couple chords and best wishes from your punk rock family... From sea to shining sea... We raise or glass for you.... May this last a lifetime thru... You put your heart out for us misfits and us punks... You've lent your talents to us all... And we thank you... And wish the best in everything you do. Hey hey hey have you heard? Ole and Kristin are getting married. I I I I don't know her... I'm sure she rocks and is very, very... Excited too... Hope all your dreams come true... "Repeated " Bridge : And if there's anyone who can draw a perfect picture of your lives...Ole we know it's you. - J Prozac 2015

 

Top 10 Songs Chosen By Jay Gauvin (aka J Prozac)

  I'm rather excited today to be able to bring you the top 10 favourite songs of all time by Jay Gauvin. Following the demise of Massachusetts band The GrandPrixx ( http://thegrandprixx.bandcamp.com/album/prixxology ) , Jay formed The Prozacs in 2001. They've pretty much split up now, leaving Jay concentrating on his solo work (he featured on this blog back in February :  http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/j-prozac-boy-and-his-bike.html ) but they left a back catalogue of top notch pop punk that earned them legendary status in the eyes of many genre fans. Hopefully they'll rise from the ashes one day but you can check out their stuff here : http://theprozacs.bandcamp.com/ .  Jay's most recent solo album was called Here Is My Heart and you can check it out here : http://jprozac.bandcamp.com/ .

  As for his top 10, he says "10 songs, even 10 albums, it's nearly impossible to pick 10 favourites" but he gives it a go....

 1) Face To Face - Disconnected

 2) Screeching Weasel - Totally

 3) Dire Straits - Walk Of Life

 4) The Ramones - The KKK Took My Baby Away

 5) Mr T Experience - Ba Ba Ba

 6) The Queers - Fuck The World

 7) The Mopes - I Don't Know How To Say Goodbye

 8) Descendents - I'm The One

 9) The Riverdales - Hampton Beach

10) Less Than Jake - Johnny Quest Thinks We're Sellouts

Today's song of the day is Jay's number 1, it's by California punk veterans Face To Face.......

you don't know a thing about me
is there something you should know?
I can tell you what you want to hear
let your inhibitions just go
no, you don't know what you will give up
you don't know what you want
it may take you years to find out
you don't know what you need
it's something that may never come to you
trust is something that comes easy
when you've never been a victim
lies and promises and words are said
it's you're decision to accept them 
no, you don't know what you will give up
you don't know what you want
it may take you years to find out
you don't know what you need
it's something that may never come to you