One can never be sure about those other guys in hugely famous bands. Certainly you couldnt really trust Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett. I mean he came onto Foo Fighters after they were already famous. But then Shiflett turned around and put out his passion project, Jackson United, which he did both vocal and guitar duties. Their latest album is Western Ballads and its perfect for both Foo fans and non-Foo fans.
Check out the official site for Jackson United
Daniel Robert Epstein: Hey Chris, whats going on?
Chris Shiflett: We just finished up some rehearsal and were going to go grab some dinner in a little bit.
DRE: Who are you with?
CS: With the Foos. Just rehearsing.
DRE: Whereabouts?
CS: Im actually at the studio that we built.
DRE: By the way, did you ever play baseball for Rancho Santiago College?
CS: No, why is there a Chris Shiflett on that team?
DRE: Yeah, from like the 90s.
CS: Yeah, thats weird. Where is Rancho Santiago?
DRE: Its in Southern California, thats why I thought it might have been you.
CS: That definitely wasnt me. I am a high school dropout. Also Ive loathed sports my whole life. Which is funny because now Im trying to make up for lost time and be the biggest jock that I can be.
DRE: The biggest jock in music?
CS: Yeah exactly.
DRE: So you still tired from your 24 hours of Foo you did in New York?
CS: Naw, Im all recovered now, but we were cooked, man. That was tough.
DRE: I watched when some of the SuicideGirls were on but I didnt see too much of you. But Dave [Grohl] looked like he was about ready to pass out.
CS: Yeah, I was trying to pass out somewhere during that time, but then every time I tried to go hide somewhere, they would find me and force me back out into the studio.
DRE: It looks like you were playing ping pong and air hockey.
CS: I dont know. The whole things a blur. We stayed up for nearly 24 hours prior to starting our 24 hours, so in effect; it was close to 48 hours of not sleeping. It was like full on Navy SEAL training.
DRE: Did you get to meet any SuicideGirls in the 24 hours of Foo?
CS: I kind of met them when I was getting tattooed but not much.
DRE: I read that when you made the Jackson United album with a little portable digital thing you were taking with you on tour with Foo Fighters. Is that true?
CS: Well, what I did was I started making the Jackson record when I was on a break but I didnt have it finished. Then we started getting busy with the Foo Fighters again. So when I was touring with Foo Fighters Id be finishing up song ideas. Nothing that actually wound up on the record, but just to sit in my hotel room with a microphone and write lyrics and lay down song ideas and tinker with stuff.
DRE: Did you have contact with the other guys in the band?
CS: Not really. I had Scott and Pete come in for the drums and bass, so they finished their tracks in about two and a half days. So it took me about a year and a half to finish the rest of it because Id lay down a bunch of guitar stuff and then I left and then I came home and laid down some more stuff. Then I was gone for a year and a half. When I came home I went over to my friend, Chads house and wed record one song with the vocals and then Id be gone for two months and then Id come home and record two songs. So it was just little by little. Thats why I put out an EP first was because I had those songs finished and I just wanted to get it the fuck out. I dont ever want to drag it out like that again. That just took to damn long.
DRE: How did doing it that way change the record?
CS: I think it was a weird way to make a record, but it was cool because I got to sit with things for a long time and if I wanted to change things I could. A lot of times when you first record something you think its great and then you sit with it for a while and maybe you dont like it as much so you go in and tinker with it. At the same time you can wind up tinkering too much so sometimes its just good to lay it down and get it done.
DRE: Are these songs more personal?
CS: In Foo Fighters Dave writes all the songs and I view myself in a support role. With Jackson its the first time I ever sang in a band. Im used to just like laying down my guitar tracks and then not having to worry about the rest of it, so it was a lot more work.
DRE: Did you like the actual songwriting process?
CS: We toured a lot so I had a lot of time sitting around by myself in hotel rooms just to fuck with ideas. I was just kind of figuring it out as I went along.
DRE: How was it releasing the album yourself?
CS: It was a hell of a lot of work. I found licensing deals for it in every different territory slowly over the course of a year or so. First I figured out who was going to put it out in Australia then and then I figured out how to get it out in Japan. Its just weird to me that it took the longest to get it out here in the US but ultimately, I wound up putting it out through a company that basically distributed it.
DRE: That must have been a hell of a lot of work.
CS: It did make me feel appreciated to see each territory as its own project with its whole own separate plan and sets of problems with hurdles you got to jump. There was a lot of times over the course of figuring it out that it got very frustrating but then ultimately to see it through feels pretty good.
DRE: I read that Jackson United used to be called Jackson.
CS: Yeah but then we changed it. We couldnt copyright Jackson because theres so many other Jackson related band names and entertainers.
DRE: What kind of sound were you trying to create with Jackson United?
CS: I really wanted to keep it just like a mishmash of different sounds. It was fun to record like that. But then playing those songs live is you have to figure out what youre comfortable doing and what youre not so comfortable doing. Most of the songs that are kind of mellow on the album; weve changed them live to be a little harder and more aggressive because thats just what were the most comfortable doing.
DRE: Is it nice to be able to boss people around?
CS: [laughs] Yeah, its a big ego stroke. The funny thing is since nobody knows who the hell we are the guys in my band dont listen to me anyway.
DRE: Did you and your brother always play music together?
CS: We grew up together and he showed me stuff along the way but there was a couple times we were in bands together. But my brother and Pete arent playing with me any more; its a whole different group of guys now. Weve got this guy Kerry on drums, my buddy Doug on guitar and Omen Starr replaced my brother.
DRE: Are you already planning the next Jackson album?
CS: I think well probably record sometime next year assuming that everyone doesnt grow tired of each other; it will be the same guys.
DRE: Who did the videos for the Jackson United?
CS: The Fell into video with the boxing was done by this guy Matt Weston.
DRE: How is it coming up with concepts for the videos?
CS: At the time I was boxing a lot and so he came to my gym and shot some boxing footage.
DRE: What kind of boxing were you doing?
CS: Just good old fashioned boxing. None of that kickboxing bullshit.
DRE: I wouldnt say that to anyone that can do it.
CS: Me neither.
DRE: So you really are a jock!
CS: Yeah, thats true. Now Ive been too busy the last eight or nine months Ive just been working too much and being a daddy.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
Check out the official site for Jackson United
Daniel Robert Epstein: Hey Chris, whats going on?
Chris Shiflett: We just finished up some rehearsal and were going to go grab some dinner in a little bit.
DRE: Who are you with?
CS: With the Foos. Just rehearsing.
DRE: Whereabouts?
CS: Im actually at the studio that we built.
DRE: By the way, did you ever play baseball for Rancho Santiago College?
CS: No, why is there a Chris Shiflett on that team?
DRE: Yeah, from like the 90s.
CS: Yeah, thats weird. Where is Rancho Santiago?
DRE: Its in Southern California, thats why I thought it might have been you.
CS: That definitely wasnt me. I am a high school dropout. Also Ive loathed sports my whole life. Which is funny because now Im trying to make up for lost time and be the biggest jock that I can be.
DRE: The biggest jock in music?
CS: Yeah exactly.
DRE: So you still tired from your 24 hours of Foo you did in New York?
CS: Naw, Im all recovered now, but we were cooked, man. That was tough.
DRE: I watched when some of the SuicideGirls were on but I didnt see too much of you. But Dave [Grohl] looked like he was about ready to pass out.
CS: Yeah, I was trying to pass out somewhere during that time, but then every time I tried to go hide somewhere, they would find me and force me back out into the studio.
DRE: It looks like you were playing ping pong and air hockey.
CS: I dont know. The whole things a blur. We stayed up for nearly 24 hours prior to starting our 24 hours, so in effect; it was close to 48 hours of not sleeping. It was like full on Navy SEAL training.
DRE: Did you get to meet any SuicideGirls in the 24 hours of Foo?
CS: I kind of met them when I was getting tattooed but not much.
DRE: I read that when you made the Jackson United album with a little portable digital thing you were taking with you on tour with Foo Fighters. Is that true?
CS: Well, what I did was I started making the Jackson record when I was on a break but I didnt have it finished. Then we started getting busy with the Foo Fighters again. So when I was touring with Foo Fighters Id be finishing up song ideas. Nothing that actually wound up on the record, but just to sit in my hotel room with a microphone and write lyrics and lay down song ideas and tinker with stuff.
DRE: Did you have contact with the other guys in the band?
CS: Not really. I had Scott and Pete come in for the drums and bass, so they finished their tracks in about two and a half days. So it took me about a year and a half to finish the rest of it because Id lay down a bunch of guitar stuff and then I left and then I came home and laid down some more stuff. Then I was gone for a year and a half. When I came home I went over to my friend, Chads house and wed record one song with the vocals and then Id be gone for two months and then Id come home and record two songs. So it was just little by little. Thats why I put out an EP first was because I had those songs finished and I just wanted to get it the fuck out. I dont ever want to drag it out like that again. That just took to damn long.
DRE: How did doing it that way change the record?
CS: I think it was a weird way to make a record, but it was cool because I got to sit with things for a long time and if I wanted to change things I could. A lot of times when you first record something you think its great and then you sit with it for a while and maybe you dont like it as much so you go in and tinker with it. At the same time you can wind up tinkering too much so sometimes its just good to lay it down and get it done.
DRE: Are these songs more personal?
CS: In Foo Fighters Dave writes all the songs and I view myself in a support role. With Jackson its the first time I ever sang in a band. Im used to just like laying down my guitar tracks and then not having to worry about the rest of it, so it was a lot more work.
DRE: Did you like the actual songwriting process?
CS: We toured a lot so I had a lot of time sitting around by myself in hotel rooms just to fuck with ideas. I was just kind of figuring it out as I went along.
DRE: How was it releasing the album yourself?
CS: It was a hell of a lot of work. I found licensing deals for it in every different territory slowly over the course of a year or so. First I figured out who was going to put it out in Australia then and then I figured out how to get it out in Japan. Its just weird to me that it took the longest to get it out here in the US but ultimately, I wound up putting it out through a company that basically distributed it.
DRE: That must have been a hell of a lot of work.
CS: It did make me feel appreciated to see each territory as its own project with its whole own separate plan and sets of problems with hurdles you got to jump. There was a lot of times over the course of figuring it out that it got very frustrating but then ultimately to see it through feels pretty good.
DRE: I read that Jackson United used to be called Jackson.
CS: Yeah but then we changed it. We couldnt copyright Jackson because theres so many other Jackson related band names and entertainers.
DRE: What kind of sound were you trying to create with Jackson United?
CS: I really wanted to keep it just like a mishmash of different sounds. It was fun to record like that. But then playing those songs live is you have to figure out what youre comfortable doing and what youre not so comfortable doing. Most of the songs that are kind of mellow on the album; weve changed them live to be a little harder and more aggressive because thats just what were the most comfortable doing.
DRE: Is it nice to be able to boss people around?
CS: [laughs] Yeah, its a big ego stroke. The funny thing is since nobody knows who the hell we are the guys in my band dont listen to me anyway.
DRE: Did you and your brother always play music together?
CS: We grew up together and he showed me stuff along the way but there was a couple times we were in bands together. But my brother and Pete arent playing with me any more; its a whole different group of guys now. Weve got this guy Kerry on drums, my buddy Doug on guitar and Omen Starr replaced my brother.
DRE: Are you already planning the next Jackson album?
CS: I think well probably record sometime next year assuming that everyone doesnt grow tired of each other; it will be the same guys.
DRE: Who did the videos for the Jackson United?
CS: The Fell into video with the boxing was done by this guy Matt Weston.
DRE: How is it coming up with concepts for the videos?
CS: At the time I was boxing a lot and so he came to my gym and shot some boxing footage.
DRE: What kind of boxing were you doing?
CS: Just good old fashioned boxing. None of that kickboxing bullshit.
DRE: I wouldnt say that to anyone that can do it.
CS: Me neither.
DRE: So you really are a jock!
CS: Yeah, thats true. Now Ive been too busy the last eight or nine months Ive just been working too much and being a daddy.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
VIEW 9 of 9 COMMENTS
Sknow said:
And here I was hoping that DRE would address their whole Alive & Well support.
I did a wordsearch first thing for that.
If you want someone from the Foos to address it, it'd have to be Nate - he was the guy behind it and he's spoken at length about how/why.