Dominicanedge: You guys are called The Bronx; why aren’t there any Puerto Ricans in the band?

Joby: There’s not too many Puerto Ricans in Hollywood.

Dominicanedge: I hear you. How’s the tour so far with The Distillers?

Joby: Great. They’re probably one of the coolest bands I ever met. They’re really generous. They even offered us a bunk on their bus.

Dominicanedge: It seems as if you guys came out of nowhere. How did it all get started and how long have you been a band?

Joby: We’ve been together for almost a year now. We did come out of nowhere. Matt and I play in another band called The Drips. I wanted to do something different like more of a rock band that’s not straight ahead punk anymore. So Jomar our drummer was playing in a band called Death on Wednesday. I’ve known him for a long time. James and I went to college together. I’ve known him for about 9 years. He was playing in a band called Sunday’s Best. I told him, “I want to do this band. I want you guys to play.” That was it. The whole reason we recorded was because a friend of ours was putting out a record by a band called Dead Lowtide, in Australia, which was part of the guys in Murder City Devils. We really like that band. We’re like, “Put us on tour in Australia with Dead Lowtide.” Shes like, “I really can’t do that unless I know what you sound like.” So, we recorded 3 songs and Dead Lowtide broke-up. That was that. We had these 3 songs kickin' around. We built a website, gave out a couple of demos, and played at this bar we always hang out at called Three of Clubs and that was it. Then everything just went.

Dominicanedge: Why name your band after a borough in New York City when you’re form LA?

Joby: Because we’re from LA.

Dominicanedge: Simple?

Joby: The answer is in the question, man.

Dominicanedge: True. How did you get hooked up with Ferret?

Joby: Our manager knew them, and the deal we signed with Island/Def Jam; we wanted to put out our first record because by the time we had gotten signed we had more or less finished our album on our own. We like the way it sounded. We didn’t really want to re-record it. We wanted to put it out ourselves. Being a touring band you can’t really put out your own record and do record label shit. So, we hooked up with Carl. Carl was like, “I’m down to distribute your record.” And, that was it. We talked to a couple of other labels but…

Dominicanedge: So, you signed to Island first, and then went to Ferret?

Joby: Backwards man. It’s the way to do it. Backward is the new forward. (Laughs)

Dominicanedge: You have to sell out first and then scale it back. Maximize your potential, quick.

Joby: It was kinda weird getting signed. We got signed super fucking early. We had a lot of offers. I knew the band; we’re not ready to be a major label band. At the same time you really don’t get those opportunities too much. We figured out a way that we could get signed and being able to tour.

Dominicanedge: So, you don’t have the indie baggage that comes along with signing to a major?

Joby: Never been an issue. I think its awesome being on a major. It kicks ass. I’m proud of it.

Dominicanedge: How’s Island treating you?

Joby: Fucking awesome! They’re the coolest people. The reason we decided to go with them being they’ve let bands develop in the past like with Thrice and Thursday and shit like that. So, that was really important to us.

Dominicanedge: How do you feel about the climate in music these days, which such a huge focus being put on what a band looks like and not the music?

Joby: I guess that’s what its come to. When I grew up my favorite bands, I had no idea what they looked like. Then you go see them and you’re like, “That’s probably the grossest, fattest, ugliest guys I’ve ever seen in my entire life.” I don’t think that shit matters. We’re a pretty not good looking band. Too me, I don’t give a shit how you look.

Dominicanedge: Give yourself some more credit.

Joby: I’m very attractive, ladies. (Laughs) I don’t think it’s a bands fault. I go see new bands and they’re fucking dressed up, with some expensive ass jeans and some black shirt that has some cool band name on it. Dude, all the clothes I have I either get for free or I go to Salvation Army. Got hooked up with Pumas.

Dominicanedge: Nice. Those are the suede ones too. Being in a band called The Bronx you have to rock the suede joints.

Joby: Exactly, they’re base man, you know what I’m sayin'? (Laughs) A pack of Newports and your Puma sweats.

Dominicanedge: I love the fact the band has a stripped down sound. I sound’s like you’re listening to the band playing live.

Joby: You actually are.

Dominicanedge: Why did you go down the route of recording the record live?

Joby: Nobody does it. You want to make a new, fresh sounding record why not make the record sound like a band? When music first started recordings sounded like the band and that’s what turned people on to music. Nowadays, you have these studio jocks making these records that are inhuman. There’s no way a band is going to sound like that. Not even close. Not to take away from what those guys do because they’re very talented at making these ungodly records. I just don’t like that. We’re kinda those kind of people; what you see is what you get. There’s not a lot of fluff in our band. My favorite records sound like shit. Those records have an originality to them that doesn’t make them sound like the same fucking thing. Nowadays, you can’t even tell if a song is good because it has so much shit piled on to the recording. A good song is a good song but now shit is getting so retarded. It’s fucking ridiculous. Either you can play or you can’t. Whatever we play live and the way we play the song; that’s what’s going on in the album.

Dominicanedge: If you can name 5 record that describe your life from when you first got into music till now, what would they be?

Joby: Guns & Roses Appetite for Destruction, anything by Suicidal Tendencies. I really like Lights, Camera, Revolution. Are they not the best band ever? The two guys that are in my other band; they play in Suicidal. They’re the new bass player and drummer. So we always get to go see Suicidal.

Dominicanedge: When I first saw Suicidal in New York City, in ’86, it was like a gang war. It was mayhem

Joby: Suicidal was my first punk show. I had been to AC/DC and shit like that but seeing Suicidal I was petrified. It was the most powerful thing I had ever seen. It was crazy man.

Dominicanedge: So, we have 2 records. What else?

Joby: Black Flag, they were big. Turbonegro, I really like Ass Cobra. That was the first record that was like the wall of rock. I would probably say Ride The Lightning.

Dominicanedge: Were you ever into any New York bands, hardcore or punk?

Joby: I got passed up by that. I grew up in Colorado. The only heavy music that I had access to were those Skate Rock comps that came out of Thrasher magazine. It was all Grateful Dead, fucking hippie shit and a lot southern stuff. I still love the quality of musicianship in those bands but obviously I was more drawn to the ferocity of heavier music.

Dominicanedge: What was the first show you ever went to and what was the first show that blew you away?

Joby: AC/DC was the first show I ever went and that blew away because I couldn’t hear for three days. I had 3rd row seats. The first show that blew me away was Suicidal.

Dominicanedge: Did you get any dirt from Gilby about G&R?

Joby: Hell Yeah; I was killin' him dude. (Laughs) Axl used to wear these Converse. They were really high and they had the big, white, puffy tongue and it said 'Axl' on them. Well, Axl was trying to get the whole band to wear those and they were like, “Fuck you, dude. I’m not wearing those dumb ass sneakers.” But, Gilby actually pulled his out. His said 'Gilby' on 'em. Coverse made them especially for them. Axl is the baddest motherfucker that ever walked the face of the planet. There’s no one he wouldn’t stand up to. He’s crazy. He would fight anybody, anytime, anywhere; didn’t care, and he never lost a fight. And, he wrote all the music for Guns & Roses, except for a few solos that Slash did. Axl did fucking everything.

Dominicanedge: Doesn’t give you much hope for that Velvet Revolver record. How bad is that name?

Joby: Yeah man, that’s a real fucking winner. But you know what dude, those rock guys are still in that mindset. We were recording with Gilby and he’s like, “I have the best name for a band. I can’t believe anybody’s thought of it.” I’m like, “What is it man?” He’s like, “Killowat.” I’m like…(makes a face like “What?”)

Dominicanedge: What’s on the horizon for the Bronx?

Joby: We just got signed in the U.K. and Australia. The Distillers just invited us to go with them to the U.K. So, we’re doing that. Then we’re going on tour with Poison The Well. We’re doing the CMJ showcase with The Explosion guys; new record next year sometime. I just started writing it.

Dominicanedge: Are you the main writer in the band?

Joby: I write the music; Matt our singer writes the lyrics. As a band we arrange.

Dominicanedge: Sounds cool. Thanks.

THE BRONX official site