Revolver has teamed with Glassjaw for an exclusive limited edition of their new 20+ Anniversaries Vinyl Collection. Order yours now!
It's no secret that Higher Power vocalist Jimmy Wizard is a diehard Glassjaw fan. The British hardcore crew's love of the Long Island, New York, group's unique soulful, chaotic and impassioned post-hardcore is obvious on both Higher Power's 2017 album, Soul Structure, and especially 2020's 27 Miles Underwater.
As we noted in a recent list, Higher Power would not exist — or at least sound the way they do — without Glassjaw, so in celebration of the band's 20+ anniversary tours and the limited-edition vinyl reissues we've teamed up with them to release, we spoke with Wizard about how much Glassjaw mean to him.
HOW DID YOU FIRST DISCOVER GLASSJAW?
JIMMY WIZARD I'm pretty sure it was on a Atticus …Dragging the Lake compilation. It had "Radio Cambodia" on it. But there was the "Cosmopolitan Blood Loss" video on music channels around the very same time.
DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME YOU HEARD EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SILENCE AND ALSO WORSHIP AND TRIBUTE?
I have a strange memory of listening to Glassjaw on my first iPod in the car outside of a big Tesco's whilst waiting for my mum. It was Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Silence because I distinctly remember thinking the lyrics were kind of crazy. The only ones I could decipher at the time being [line of "Pretty Lush" misheard]: "You can lead a horse to water ..." and I remember thinking, "What the hell is this guy singing about horses for?" But I loved the music.
WHAT DO THESE ALBUMS MEAN TO YOU?
It's hard to say if either album has any significant meaning to me or tie me to any time in my life emotionally. I just really found them at a time when I wanted to listen to hardcore, but also was searching for something more melodic and emotional beyond anger. I guess they opened me up to a whole new view of how hardcore can be played and melody can be incorporated.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TRACK FROM EACH ALBUM AND WHY?
"Ry Ry's Song" from Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Silence [because] it's kind of jazzy and I love that vocal flow when they kick in — so much swagger. "Radio Cambodia" from Worship and Tribute because it just stood out to me so much on that Atticus comp and I love the energy of it.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SILENCE AND WORSHIP AND TRIBUTE AFTER ALL THESE YEARS?
I think the older I get the more I just appreciate how unique Glassjaw were, especially Daryl's character. I love how good the bass lines are, you can tell they really grew up playing all different sorts of music. As someone from England who grew up on pretty much angry white people music, it's so cool to me and an education I wish I had. There is so much groove and passion in it. You just don't find that growing up in a small village in England.
GLASSJAW WERE KNOWN FOR THEIR INTENSE LIVE SHOWS. IF YOU GOT TO SEE THEM, WHEN WAS IT AND WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT IT?
I have only seen Glassjaw once at a festival. It wasn't energetic — it was pretty chill, but it was still sick. That said, I have spent many hours watching old videos from YouTube and I wish I could of seen them in their most volatile prime.
HOW, IF AT ALL, DID GLASSJAW INFLUENCE YOUR OWN CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT OR THE WAY YOU THOUGHT ABOUT WRITING MUSIC/LYRICS?
I mean, it's probably not hard to hear how Daryl has influenced my vocal delivery [laughs]. But like I said before the main thing is that rhythm section groove.
ARE THESE ALBUMS SOMETHING YOU REGULARLY GO BACK AND LISTEN TO? OR DOES IT REPRESENT A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME IN YOUR HISTORY?
I would say I listen to them semi-regularly every few months. When it comes to music I'm pretty set in my ways and any gateway bands I grew up listening to are my most played still.
