The Future Is Bright For Jimmy Eat World

By Broadside Asst. Style Editor Nicole Ocran
Photo courtesy of Jason Odell

It’s been about seven years since the hit song, “The Middle,” landed Jimmy Eat World at the top of the Billboard charts and MTV’s Total Request Live. The band hails from Mesa, Ariz. and has been a staple in the emocore music scene since 1994. Recently, the band kicked off their U.S. tour on April 1, co-headlining with Paramore. On April 26, the tour will hit Bender Arena in Washington, D.C.

Jimmy Eat World is comprised of frontman, Jim Adkins, guitarist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch and percussionist Zach Lind. Although the band has toured all over the country and all over the world, it is clear that this tour will be full of fun and high energy.

“We were just in San Jose last night [April 8],” Burch said. “I don’t know if it’s because it’s fresh in my memory, but it was just big energy in the room, everyone was having a great time. So, San Jose, probably, has been the most fun so far, but it’s still really early on in the tour, and I think it’s going to be a lot of fun this whole tour.”

After the release of last year’s Chase This Light, the band recently released Tempe Sessions on iTunes, a video album that offers interviews with the band and live, in-studio performances of songs off of Chase This Light.

“That was kind of to give people a glimpse into our studio that we put together there, to see behind where we put together the record,” Burch said. “We thought it would be fun ... instead of just having a live version, why not film it and kind of put together a little something for the fans?”

Coming up next is the deluxe edition of Bleed American on April 29, which will feature b-sides, unreleased demo tracks, as well as a new recording of “Your House 2007” and other rarities. The album was previously renamed Jimmy Eat World following 9/11.

When asked about re-releasing the album as Bleed American after the title-change, Burch explained, “It’s funny because even after we decided to drop the title Bleed American and make it a self-titled, we still refer to it as Bleed American. It’s just kind of an old habit … we thought, we still refer to it as Bleed American so why don’t we get the title back?”

With a discography of approximately five full-lengths, Burch contends that Chase This Light is just as good an introduction as any into the band’s sound.

“I think Chase This Light is a great introduction to Jimmy Eat World, and I would describe it as just fun rock music,” Burch said. “I think a lot of people can identify with a lot of the songs too and that stems from the way Jim writes ... he kind of writes in a way that leaves it open to interpretation. I think it’s really cool the way he does that.”

He further explained, “I think we’ve grown as musicians, and we’ve definitely learned a lot since then. I think you can hear that in the stuff we do. I think we definitely still sound like Jimmy Eat World, but I think y’know, there’s been a little bit of a progression.”

Progression is something the band takes pride in, among other things. Burch believes that upcoming artists should be “proud of the work that you do because that’s ultimately the only thing you really have control over. In 10 years after you record something, a million things could have happened, but when it comes down to it, that’s the only thing you have to really show for that time. Be proud of the music that you make and make it for yourself.”

Jimmy Eat World’s official web site can be found at Jimmyeatworld.com with tour updates, band blogs and their online store.