A Dirty Dozen with JOKER’S HAND – August 2022

According to a recent press release: “Southern California’s Jokers Hand have just dropped the single “Danny Phantom” (ft. Jakob Nowell). The track, already lodged at #2 on west coast radio giant KROQ’s ‘Locals Only,’ is the band’s first single on their new label Wiretap Records. “Danny Phantom” follows the release earlier this year of their self-released, 8-song debut album, All-American Rage. Hailing from Torrance, CA, the duo has been steadily amassing fans since their early singles took off on KROQ (many of which spent weeks at #1 on the station’s weekly program Locals Only). A late-Summer appearance at Redondo Beach’s Beachlife Festival further cemented them as a band to keep tabs on, with their incendiary performance all but demanding attendees take notice.” We get the duo to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

Our latest release, “Danny Phantom feat. Jakob Nowell” came together in a matter of days after our first show in Austin. We had flown out to play a showcase for KLBJ 93.7FM with a number of other artists, including The Aquadolls, Sitting On Stacy, and the man himself: Jakob Nowell. Both of us were huge fans of Danny Phantom on Nickelodeon growing up and both of us have experienced, on numerous occasions, something I’m sure everyone reading this can relate to: being ghosted by someone. We worked on a demo before presenting it to Jakob. By that point, we had played multiple shows together and seen what a true talent and showman he is. In a couple of the shows we had seen, he would end a song and sit down quietly, letting the audience go completely silent before playing a snippet of the Danny Phantom theme song and whispering into the mic in a sultry voice “He’s a phantom.” So, long story short, we figured if he didn’t like the song at least he’d get a kick out of the reference. The next week Jakob rolled in through the studio and cut his verse. He’s such a kind human and a fun hang. He was happy to star in the music video as well, where he wore a couple of items that really highlight his personality: a Dragon Ball Z plushie that hung from his leather jacket and a hat reading Foxy Grandpa. When Jakob cut his verse, he put his own spin on the original melody and completely made it his own. Some nuggets throughout the song you may not catch on your first listen include our harmonies behind Jakob’s voice throughout the second half of his verse, the little synth riff that comes after “throw a tantrum” in the second and third choruses, and the numerous little guitar parts throughout the entirety of the song, particularly leading up to the choruses.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

Kevin: Music was always around me growing up. I didn’t come from a family of musicians, but my folks always played music as a means of enjoyment and escape. I’d hear songs from The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Simon and Garfunkel, The Beach Boys and so many more from that era all the time. My dad drove a station wagon where he kept a few tapes that I would listen to constantly as he drove me around. Music had always been there, but it didn’t pique my interest until I saw Green Day’s “Bullet In A Bible” on DVD. I had been so sheltered as a child that I had somehow gone the first nine or so years of my life without knowing the band Green Day, or any other somewhat modern band at the time. I had heard about the band from some kids at school and decided to check them out. While my parents were horrified by the language the band used, I was enthralled and was immediately sucked into the fantasy of wanting to become a rockstar. I would go on to learn the guitar and form a few bands, but it would take me a while to really embrace the idea of dedicating my life to music. But when I eventually found the right support system to truly give it a go, I never looked back.

Matt: It started when my sister began taking piano lessons; me, being the little brother, I naturally wanted to do it too. It didn’t take long for me to quit piano, since I started so young and hated practicing, but along the way, I picked up violin, viola, and eventually the guitar. I always had a love for music, and I remember the day my elementary school had a bunch of professional band and orchestra musicians visit us to demonstrate their instruments, teach us what their roles were in the ensemble, and most importantly, display their virtuosity and blow our little heads off. The violinist blew me away and I wanted to be like them, so I chose violin. Spending years growing up in orchestras, I learned to appreciate being part of an ensemble and listening to the other instruments, as well as finding those moments to step out and shine individually. From that music assembly on, I knew I wanted to be a musician.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

Kevin: Green Day made me want to pick up a guitar and play. Their writing and sound has influenced me heavily. Other huge influences for me include The Beatles, Beastie Boys, Pixies, Gorillaz and Linkin Park.

Matt: My musical upbringing was all over the place. I started in the classical music world, where I learned songs that were oftentimes centuries old and very unpopular in modern day. I got into hip hop in middle school, listening to artists like Anderson .Paak and Dumbfoundead. I really dove into rock in my late teens, digging my teeth into bands like Foo Fighters, Linkin Park, and Red Hot Chili Peppers to name a few.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

Our dream collaboration would be with the band Holy Wars. They’re a dark, heavy alternative rock band that we would love to work with. I envision making something with a chorus that soars and verses that sound ominous, ugly, and pissed off.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour?  What do you like to do to unwind?

Kevin: My favorite activities include writing, reading, watching shows, and playing video games. I have developed a bad habit of watching shows or movies and playing games at the same time. Reading is a nice getaway from all of the screen time in my life, and I can’t read while listening/watching something so I find it to be a nice balancer.

Matt: I love spending time with friends, watching shows, gaming, eating good food and cooking. I really value the time that I get to spend with my family and friends when I’m not playing shows or working. And sharing a meal with people you love is one of the most fulfilling things in life.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

Kevin: We’d describe it as a mix of alternative rock with punk and hip-hop. Our first EP and album were a little harder to pin down than our upcoming work, but now we feel we’ve really found a sound that we can call our own. Matt and I play a ton of acoustic gigs in our hometowns, some of which go on for four hours or longer. For us, this means two things: 1. We’re getting A LOT of good practice in during those shows. 2. We need to play some covers at these shows. We once had an older fan who had just arrived to hear us play a cover song say, “This is so great, I love yacht rock!” Needless to say, we were a bit stunned, but we just laughed and were happy she was having a good time. We were sure she’d soon discover we were not, in fact, in the genre of yacht rock.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Out of the two of us, Matt is definitely the superior cook. Neither of us are big drinkers, but we’ll knock a few back if we’re hanging out with friends. And Kevin is for sure the one who would bust out a guitar for a singalong.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

The last time we were starstruck was when we saw Holy Wars at their show in LA. We had discovered Holy Wars on accident on Apple Music’s recommended page and immediately fell in love with their sound and writing style.  We got to take some photos with them at their show in LA and both of us were very starstruck.

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

The best part of being a musician is, frankly, we get to do what we love. Music has always been an emotional and creative outlet for us. Playing instruments together just makes sense for us, we’re just thankful people are digging the tunes we make along the way. I can’t imagine a life in which neither of us are musicians.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

We always love being asked about our voices and how we came to become singers. For Kevin, it was out of necessity. Growing up, he was in a number of different bands. One of the bands needed a singer and no one else was willing to step up to the plate, so Kevin, with no vocal training and the anxiety of a stowaway aboard a rocket ship, decided to sing. Matt, on the other hand, never sang before meeting Kevin. The two of us bonded over skateboarding and guitar, and one day Kevin began urging Matt to try singing. With the help of good ol’ peer pressure, we were able to figure out pretty quickly that Matt could, indeed, sing and that our voices together created something magical.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

The first thing that comes to mind is our very first album. No, not All-American Rage, which we put out in December of ‘21. When we were both still in school, we had released an album under Joker’s Hand that we had recorded and produced in a bedroom. Some OG fans may remember that album, but we took it down once we got a producer and manager involved and we learned that we essentially had no idea what we were doing when we recorded it. So far, none of the songs have been re-recorded, but we may return to them in the future.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

Kevin: I would LOVE to go back in time and be a fly on the wall during the recording of Green Day’s Dookie. Just to see the process and what all went into the decision making during the recording would be the treat of a lifetime.

Matt: I’d have to go with Foo Fighters’ Wasting Light. That’s my favorite Foo’s record, with just great song after great song, top to bottom, and it all came together at Dave Grohl’s house in his garage, recorded on tape like the old days. It’d have been amazing to be a part of that, hanging with the band and their families and watching them create this awesome piece of rock history in a garage.

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Category: Interviews