Melodic metalcore act, Just Like Gentlemen have released a new single and video for "Whorecrux" off their new album "Asylum". Both have been gaining attention for the band, so much so, that they don't plan on stopping, doing what they love, by creating this style of music. Frontman vocalist Caige Hall gives the rundown on the band, single, video, and album plus so much more that's in-store!
1. What type of band are you?
Caige: We are a metal band.
2. Tell us the brief history of your band.
Caige: Technically the band started in early 2011. I was playing bass at the time. We put out a 7 song EP and two singles, but I don't think it's fair to say that that JLG was the same band as we are now. JLG didn't really start until I moved to vocals and Henry joined on bass in fall of 2012. We put out two singles in 2013 and recorded our newest album, "Asylum", in 2014. It came out in April, and that brings us to now (laughs).
3. Just Like Gentlemen is your namesake, but do you think that saying still stands the whole gentlemen stance?
Caige: If anything, Just Like Gentlemen is a more fitting name now than it was in the past. We take pride in the way we carry ourselves and the band, and especially when it comes to our fans. In the past, we had some members who didn't represent the band the way we wanted the band to be represented, which is ultimately why they aren't in the band anymore.
4. How would you be Just Like Gentlemen?
Caige: I believe that to be a gentlemen, you have to be honest with others and true to yourself. You have to be respectful and understanding of everyone. Treat people as people. Fuck racism, sexism, homophobia, and all of that. There is no place in the world for bigotry.
5. Who are your musical and non-musical influences?
Caige: Personally, Landon Tewers and Brendon Urie are my main musical influences. They're both extremely talented and can write a variety of styles of music. Not to mention, The Plot In You and Panic! At The Disco are my two favorite bands. As a band, it's very hard to pinpoint influences because we each have so many that impact our writing in so many ways. But Chelsea Grin is one that we all agree on, especially after recording with Pablo Viveros and Stephen Rutis. They're awesome dudes with killer music. Non-musically is a bit harder; everything we do somehow related back to music. But I know family is a big influence for all of us. For me personally, my grandparents and my siblings have helped me and inspired me more than I can possibly explain.
6. Who writes the songs, what are they about?
Caige: Most of the songs start as guitar tracks. All five of us tweak the instrumentals, so it's definitely a group effort. I write the lyrics. I write about things that are real in my life, and with this album, we wanted a common theme. The title track is about the general idea of dealing with depression, and the other six songs tie into that somehow. For example, "I, The Jury" was a song I wrote for my sister about keeping a positive mindset and "Conscience" is about my initial reaction to leaving the naivety of childhood behind and seeing the world for what it really is.
7. Why did you go with wanting "Whorecrux" as a single and video choice?Caige: "Whorecrux" stood out to us the most. It's heavy, but it has a catchy chorus and a melodic bridge. It's the most well-rounded song on the album, so we felt like it was a good song to have as a single. As far as the video goes, we wanted to film something with a good storyline and felt like "Whorecrux" was the best choice for that. It's about family issues I've had, which made for an epic storyline like we wanted.
8. How would you say that "Asylum" and "Mannequin" differ, compare, and have evolved from one another?
Caige: "Mannequin" was the EP we wrote with our previous lineup. We aren't the same band that we were when that album was written. Honestly, I'd say that it was a different band with the same name (laughs). "Mannequin" was not Just Like Gentlemen. We're grateful for everything that came from that point in the band, but we're working to separate ourselves from those songs entirely. "Asylum" represents what this band is, what it stands for, and the family that we've become.
9. What's your take on “Asylum” as a whole?
Caige: I think I speak for all of us when I say that it's the greatest thing we've done. We literally put our blood, sweat, and tears into this album, and I am so incredibly proud of everything that we have accomplished. The album means everything to us. The craziest part is that, despite how much this album means to us and despite all the positive feedback from our amazing friends, family, and fans, we're more than ready to keeping moving forward and work on the next album.
10. What's your favorite song on the album right now?
Caige: That's a tough one, but I'd have to say "Surely Mistaken". "Whorecrux" is my overall favorite and has been since the beginning, but "Surely Mistaken" is faster and more challenging to play live, so working on getting used to playing that song has been my focus.
11. Is it important for you to paint visual pictures with the songs?
Caige: For me, it's the single most important thing about a song. On this album, we wanted to have a common theme for all the songs without writing the same song over and over. Once I looked at my writing and figured out what that theme was, I pushed as hard as I could to make these songs accurately portray the exact feelings I had when I first wrote them. I had friends critique them and I'd analyze the shit out of them until I could read the lyrics and feel all of those emotions again. Some things may seem over the top, yes, but that's the way I felt at that time.
12. What would be the cinematic equivalent of “Asylum”?
Caige: That's a tough one too! I'd have to say I Am Legend. They're both about living in a cruel world and feeling all alone, not knowing what comes next or what to do about it. They're both ultimately about survival.
13. What is your opinion on sites posting your guys material and other bands material?
Caige: We love it! The more we get our name out there, the better. Plus, we've met some awesome people through promoting the band, so really it's a win-win.
14. How do you guys feel about the classifications in music? Like those subgenres and how some get a negative rep. What's your take on that?
Caige: We hate sub genres (laughs). We are a metal band. People will say we are metalcore or whatever, but we don't like that. Music doesn't have genres. People created genres to easily identify and categorize music, not for labeling and separating it. Listen to whatever you want, write whatever you want. Art is art.
15. What is your opinion on the current state of music?
Caige: A lot of musical styles are blending together and I think that that's pretty awesome. Things will be changing soon, and I don't know who is going to change them, but I feel like music in 10 years will be totally unrecognizable.
16. What can the fans expect to see from you in the future?Caige: Definitely some more variety to our music, more music, more tours, and some epic music videos.
17. Anything else you'd like to add or would like to say?
Caige: Thank you for talking to us! These questions were really fun to answer. And to all of our fans, we'll be touring the East coast this summer, so come out to a show and pick up our new album!
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