We are Jimmy Eat World. AMA!

I got my first handjob in grade 10 while bonding with a girl over how much we loved the song "The Middle".

Edit: Holy shit this blew up! I left this message before having to go to work and I am just reading everything right now. Jimmy Eat World just high-fived grade 10 me!

High five!

Are you listening?

Woooooaaahhhh!

Oh, man. I have waited for this. Your music has been woven into my entire life. I don’t even know where to start.

I remember when I was about 4 or so, my father burned my brother and I a CD with all of our favorite hits on it. Smash Mouth was my favorite band at the time, but my little brother loved you guys. There was a smattering of rock and other stuff on the CD, but the only song I distinctly remember being on there was The Middle, and I loved it. That was the first time I heard you guys. I had a babysitter around that time too, I thing her name was Lizzy or something, blond curly hair. Anyway, she was from Arizona and said that her brother was Jim’s best friend when they were growing up, (don’t remember his name, sorry!). I told her to call you guys so I could meet you.

Throughout the rest of middle school, my best friend would burn be CDs, and your hits would make it onto each of them, so by the time high school rolled around, I had a good collected of your songs.

Chase This Light is my favorite album of all time. I remember the first time I heard Let It Happen, I could have sworn you guys were in my head. Typical dorky teenager problems that I felt no one understood, except somehow you were able to capture what I was feeling in a song. The rest of the album was killer too, and I always find myself going back to it, there’s a song for whatever mood I’m in.

But the real reason I love your band, is Hear You Me. This song holds a special place in my heart, really the only song I have in my heart. In high school my uncle tragically passed. I remember the day I heard about it, and when I got home that night, I just sat in my car with Hear You Me on repeat. “With a heart so big, god wouldn’t let him live” found its way to be the motto of my grief, a nice way to look at his passing. A few months later, my grandfather and best friend’s father both passed, and the first song, the only song I could bear to listen to was Hear You Me. I can’t listen to it today without tearing up and remembering them and their hearts too big, but it is and always will be my favorite song of all time.

So I don’t have a question for you guys, but wanted to say how much you’ve affected my life. You’re albums are instant buys for me. Seeing you live is on my bucket list (I’m from Denver but won’t be there for your show, tour the Midwest!). Your songs are a part of my everyday life. They have inspired a boy to become an optimist, related to a lonely teenager and consoled a grieving man, all with a few songs. You have saved a life, changed a life, and inspired me.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart to the top, for your music.

Tom: We'll be hitting up the Midwest soon. Tell me where you'd most likely go to a show and I'll make sure that we have Hear You Me on the set list! We love it when our fans really connect with our songs, so thank you! And thanks for being a great fan.

Would you rather eat 1 world sized Jimmy or 100 Jimmy sized worlds?

Zach: World-sized Jimmy Jim: If we pass on this is it gonna become a meme? Zach: A hundred Jimmy-sized worlds.

So this is ridiculous and you probably won't even read it, but i just wanted to take a chance to say that y'all have been my favorite band for many many years. Clarity is my all time favorite album, i remember buying it on the way home after buying my first car, and it scarcely has left my cd player since. Thanks for the years of great music, guys. I hope i get a chance to see y'all live one day.

Tom:

Thank you so much, that's so nice of you.

1) When you decided to re-release Bleed American as a self-titled album, were there any other titles you considered using?

2) Tom Delonge is a huge Jimmy Eat World fan and you guys actually performed at his wedding reception. Do you guys listen to blink-182 or Angels & Airwaves at all?

1) Not really, self-titled seemed like the right thing to do 2) Yeah, we love the Blink guys!

1) Who writes most of the music in the band?

2) If you guys could be any dinosaur what type of dinosaur would you be?

I love you guys! Thank you for making great music, and please never stop!

Tom:

1.) Jim writes the majority. Some songs happen during practice as well. He writes the basic song and we write our own parts around the song.

2.) [Tom takes out his iPhone to look up the smallest dinosaur] The Microraptor.

You guys obviously have received lots of attention for particular songs (Bleed American, The Middle, Work, Sweetness, etc..) but are there any songs that you WISH got more attention commercially than they do currently?

EDIT: Big fan for 10+ Years, love the production on the latter work!

Not really. We have no control over how songs are received so we don't really worry about it. We're all proud of those songs and all of our songs regardless.

We love you here in Saint Louis. We feel like you don't love us.

Why don't you love us?

Jim: It's not you, it's us.

Is it weird to think that "The Middle" is instinctively known by all young white males?

Jim: You must stand at the back of the room at our shows.

Hi band, I have some questions about Goodbye Sky Harbor.

When the song was first written, was the 13-minute coda part of the writing process, or did that evolve during recording? I guess the better way to phrase would be, did you intend for there to be an extended coda when the song was written, and was the intention to make it 13 minutes, or did that just kind of happen?

Overdubs - whose idea was it to do the vocal parts of the coda? When the instruments fade out, we're left with those little vocal snippets. where did that come from?

Jim: The ending was never really solid. We knew we wanted to end up differently than it began. We went into the studio and used up an entire reel of tape and it just sort of happened.

With the overdubs Mark Trombino (Producer/Engineer) and I laid down that part of the song last minute in the mixing process

Just have to say that my 2-yr-old, 4-yr-old, and me rock out frequently to "Beautiful Day" from Yo Gabba Gabba. Sharing rock and roll with my little girls is amazing. Thanks for doing that show.

Awesome. A producer of the show went to the same high school as Jim and Zach and sent us the pilot. We love the show.

Why did Zach leave DW drums and move to SJC? As a drummer I'm curious. Amazing drumming btw!

Zach: I wanted to work with a smaller custom company that could build exactly what I wanted. Thanks for kind words!

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Saturday Night Live.

Rather forget: Playing in front of zero people in Utah.

can't wait to see you guys play here at the depot in salt lake city.

Tom: Yeah, we're really excited to go back to Salt Lake. We've always had great good times and great crowds there.

• Jim, you've got a bit of a fascination with the number 23 (23, 12.23.95). What's the deal with that?

• Immediately after the finish of which album did you feel best about how it turned out? Which album do you feel best about now?

• Tom, did you ever wish you'd had more control over lyrics/vocals? And will you be doing vocals on any tracks on Damage?

• Zach, when can I destroy you in Madden?

• Rick, how did you end up meeting the band?

• Are you guys looking forward to finally playing a show on Vancouver Island? I lived there for six years and you guys decide to finally play a show one month after I move away...

Also just wanted to say that flying down to LA to watch the Clarity X10 show was one of the best decisions I've ever made. You guys rock.

• #23 is just a coincidence.
• felt great about all of them, they each represent our best for that time and place.
• Tom: No and no. Just backups on Damage.
• Good luck!
• Rick met tom in junior high! old buddies.
• Yes, can't wait to rock Vancouver Island! Sorry about the bad timing.

Rick: I went to jr high and high school with Tom / played in bands with Tom. Met Jim and Zach just going to shows in town.

I tried to think of a question the last day, but I have nothing. I just wanted to thank you for being the soundtrack to my life the last 14 years(I still have a T-shirt from highschool too). Every album brings me back to different points in my life, I love them all. And I can't wait to see you guys play for the 5th time, in Salt Lake City. You guys are my favorite band ever.

We're so glad you've stuck with us. :) Hope you like our new stuff!

If you guys could form a supergroup using anybody, who would you choose?

Also, thanks for doing the AMA, and Damage is absolutely fantastic.

SteppenwolfMotherLoveBoneThugsNHarmony

How do you feel about sharing music and using torrents?

Thanks for great music!

Rick: It's a great way to share things you like with your friends, just as long as you back it up with supporting the artist when you like what you hear.

Do you sit down and try to write songs or wait for inspiration to come? Do you usually write lyrics or music first?

Jim: Usually the label just faxes us sheet music, and we learn it.

Posting for a friend who can't get to the Internet:

Hi, enormous fan here and so glad you're doing an AMA, you're my favourite band by a longshot! First off saw you at Reading Festival 2011, amazing experience and I'd kill to see you again. However I can't afford to go to Download Festival this year so I'm wondering if you've any other UK dates planned/in the pipeline? Thanks for doing an AMA, this is awesome! P.S. Cannot wait for the new album!

We will definitely be doing extensive touring of the UK in the near future!! Thanks!

you guys seem to be skirting the line between having a huge following and being really underrated. Is that a difficult position to be in?

We're just pumped to be playing music for a living. We have no complaints.

Thanks for doing the AMA

Always curious about this, what has been your craziest/creepiest fan story? Thanks

Zach:

Creepiest fan story? There were two girls – we won’t name them – but two girls that were following us on tour. When we were touring with __ . One of these girls – her dad – was trying to find out where she was, and some local sheriff guy in Little Rock was trying to find out where this girl was and take her home.

Hey guys, just wanted to ask a couple of questions I forgot to ask when I met you guys when I went to a few of the home state shows in AZ. Thanks for the AMA!

1.) What's everyone's favorite song to play live? My favorite to listen to is between Bleed American and Hear You Me.

2.) I have this running bet with a friend of mine and he says Sweetness is about cocaine... Is this true or false?

3.) Why does Tom disappear immediately after every show? I've never gotten to meet him so I imagine he has to go fight crime or something.

1.) Zach: Appreciation

Rick: Get It Faster

Jim: Please Say No

Tom: Bleed American

2.) False

3.) Tom: For the AZ shows I drove separately from the band and had to leave quickly afterwards because it was a long drive home. I usually hang out on normal tour dates though. Just kidding, I was fighting crime.

Do you guys approve of my username? P.S. hope to see you guys come across Canada again soon!

Tom: A++++ username!

What is one song of yours you haven't played/rarely play live that you'd like to start playing?

Are you thinking of covering any songs in the future? Either to release or just play at gigs.

"Gotta Be Somebody’s Blues"

We’ve never played it but we’d like to at one point start playing it.

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Mark is an incredibly talented guy. We've learned so much from him over the course of making many records together.

Will you ever get to repress Futures on Vinyl? It goes for a ridiculous price if you can find it. My college budget wont allow me to spend a couple hundred dollars on it.

We are looking into doing this. We'll keep you posted on jimmyeatworld.com

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? I am dying to know.

Zach: Vanilla heath bar crunch... Ben & Jerrys Tom: Vanilla with butterfinger... TONS OF BUTTERFINGERS!!

1. When you did the Clarity tour in 2009, did you guys enjoy going through those songs again 10 years later?

2. And What does the record Clarity represent to you guys now?

3. Will you tour on it for it's 15th anniversary?

1. It was really fun to go back and learn all the tunes. It was also fun to play live in a setting where there were actual people in the audience!

2. It represents that period in our band's history, we're really proud of that album.

3. We will not tour on it's 15th anniversary, sorry.

1) If you all of you were trapped on a deserted island, who would resort to cannibalism first? And who would be the first to be cannibalised?

2) what did you guys think of the band Kut U Up?

1) We'd wait it out and see who went first, then eat him 2) They were out of their minds awesome train-wreck

Hey Arizona guy here! I was so sad I missed you guys in Casa Grande because I had class... I would love you guys to come to Tucson some time! :)

I just wanted to say that I love how your style has "evolved" so much since Static Prevails and each album is something new. The song Invented is one of my favorites of all time and the 2nd song I've ever learned on the guitar!

I'm still waiting to get but hands on Damage but here's my question: Will you ever make a song similar to "Goodbye Sky Harbor" again? It's very unique not only in it's length obviously but in it's musical style more than anything and where the inspiration comes from too.

Thanks for everything you've done, your music has really helped me :)

We're not sure we'll ever do a song like that again. We'll have to wait and see.

Which one of you guys runs the twitter account?

Little has changed in the composition of the band. Mind talking about what each member brings to the table and why it works for you guys?

Your eighth studio album is coming out in a few days. Each album has a new sound to it. What was the inspiration to Damages sound wise?

And lastly you guys are big supporters of Arizona. You always tweet whenever an Arizona sports team is in the playoffs and such. Mind suggesting any Arizona-based bands that we should look out for?

"Your eighth studio album is coming out in a few days. Each album has a new sound to it. What was the inspiration to Damages sound wise?"

Jim: Chicks, man.

Zach: Well the first question would be, we just wanted it to be a more natural sounding album, more performance driven. And then Arizona bands...

Jim: Black Carl, Vinyl Station, Roar, Snakes Snakes Snakes, Elipses, How Much Time Do You Have, Sweet Bleeders

Zach: I run most of the twitter account stuff.

Hey Jimmy Eat World, first off you guys are awesome.

Secondly what's your opinion on other artists that use auto tune or cheat fans by lip syncing in performances?

Also please come to Ireland!!!

Jim: It's not our position to judge other people's auto-tuned art. Rick: Is autotune art?

Why did you decide to release the 'Damage' album on Youtube and Soundcloud almost 2 weeks before actual release?

Because we are so generous!

First off, big fan! You guys are awesome.

Question- if you could tour with one other band that you haven't toured with, who would it be and why?

Zach: Metallica Rick: Foo Fighters would be awesome.

Hi Jimmy Eat World! Great to have you here!

As someone from wet and dreary old Britain, I've been fascinated by Arizona ever since I got into your music, and it's my dream to go visit someday. It looks like the most beautiful place in the world.

Has living in Arizona influenced your music in a big way? Has the landscape or the people inspired you in any way?

Zach/Rick: Yeah definitely we're inspired by everything around us. Living in the desert has definitely played it's part.

Hey guys. Mesa, AZ native here. Thanks for doing this AMA. Always stoked to hear you guys representing Mesa at the end of your shows. You guys are definitely the hometown heroes... Even if you are a buncha stinkin' Toros... GO JACKRABBITS!

Rick: Torros, Jackrabbits? It's all about the Warriors

What's the craziest thing you've seen on tour?

Jim: Jimmy Page, maybe? Rick: Sunrise over Scotland. That was pretty cool.

Were you at all nervous with naming your group "Jimmy Eat World"? I'm a fan- but the name definitely doesn't match the depth of your work haha

Zach: we literally spent 5 minutes discussing our band name. got asked to play a party in high school and didn't have a name so we decided on jimmy eat world without much thought.

Loving the new album, dudes! Classic JEW! Can't wait to pick it up next week on vinyl!

Will you be doing an anniversary tour/shows for Futures like you did for Clarity and Bleed American?

Rick: Anniversary show for Futures is something we definitely want to get together.

Are you excited for coming to Mexico?

Rick: Very Zach: Yeah, we've been wanting to go to Mexico for a long time. Super excited to play down there.

Pancakes or waffles??

Zach: Waffles Jim: Yes Waffles Rick: PANCAKES Tom: Neither

The Sweetness is one of my all time favorite songs. It was also one of the first songs I learned on guitar. Thank you for that. Love you guys. Hope to see you at ACL.

Thanks!! Can't wait to play ACL!

Hey Jim!! I am a HUMUNGOUS fan of your guitar tone, I believe you use a Vox AC30 and an Ibanez TS-9, right? Is that still the case? Whats your go-to EQ for your amp? Also, any new gear you've been using that you're excited about? You're the reason I started playing guitar actually, so I also just want to say thank you!

Jim: i use my ja-90 into an ac30. i use a tc electronics g-force rack effects unit (so not punk, i know). a diagram of the most complicated version of what i play is on the rig database at www.guitargeek.com .

What are your favorite songs to play live? Like personal favorites? Looking forward to seeing you live one day!

Cheers from Finland!

Tom: We hope to come there soon. I have to get me some lingonberries!

What's your favorite Arizona sports team?

Rick & Zach: Scottsdale Community College Fighting Artichokes Tom: Suns

Love the feel of "You Were Good" as a closer to the new album. What's the instrument line-up for that one? Also, how do you capture that distinctive sound? I read Zach say that there was nothing digital used with the recording process of the album, but did you do something extra special to make that one sound so natural?

Rick: We used this crazy weird programmable noise maker our producer Al Johannes's had. As far as instruments: Acoustic, vocal, organ, e-bow guitar part. Jim recorded acoustic and vocal tracks at the same time.

Hey I'm Andy I've been a huge fan and addicted to jimmy eat world for the better Part 4 years literally non stop listening. Have you guys ever considered doing tour videos like back like a world of adventure cause those were hilarious.

Tom: Yeah we're glad that you like the world of adventure - we definitely plan on taking as many photos and videos as we can while we're on the road.

Jim, I fancy getting a new guitar and I want something light but I want something that is still able to get a high gain sound, like Tom DeLonge's signature (but that doesn't seem overly versatile).

Your custom teles seem pretty versatile...is your guitar also light, or are we talking the same weight as a strat?

It's probably lighter than a strat. It has an "f" hole chamber which makes it lighter.

Your sound quality at the Fuji Rock Festival in 2011 was unbelievable! What went into producing that show?

Blood, sweat, and tears.

1) What is the meaning behind the song "Hear You Me", is it based off someone you actually know?

2) Same question, but for the song "Polaris",

also, will you PLEASE play that song today during Jimmy Kimmel??????? :D

Thank you so much JEW, with much respect!!! See you today @ the performance for Jimmy Kimmel!! :)

Tom: We probably won't be able to play Polaris but we'll try to do some other songs that you'll hopefully like.

What's your favourite venue to play at while on tour outside of Arizona?

Jim: Brixton Academy in London, 930 Club in DC, Terminal 5 in New York. Tom: Filmore in San Francisco Jim: Yeah, Filmore in San Francisco is great.

9:30 in DC, Fillmore in SF, Riviera in Chicago, Brixton in London, Wiltern in LA.

What made you guys decide to have Alain Johannes produce your record this time around?

Jim: His devilishly handsome smile and cuddly deltoid insertion points.

How would you describe the process of making a song ? Do you start by finding a melody to sing, and then, try to find guitar chords and riffs to go along with ? Or do you start with the guitar, and then find the vocals ? Or maybe is it something more natural and simultaneous, by training together ? As a beginner in music composition, I find it quite hard to combine all the music and the instruments together, but I probably need more experience... Well, I hope I made myself understood, it might be a bit confused. Anyway, thank you for having read the whole thing !

Songs start in different ways. Sometimes starts with drums, sometimes a guitar riff. It just depends.

Hey guys; you are my favourite band that I haven't yet seen live, although I will be rectifying this issue next weekend at Download Festival. A 40-minute set isn't enough for me though, I want to see a full-length headline show... will you be returning to the UK for a full tour later in the year?

More tour dates in the UK soon.

Hi thanks for doing the AMA.

How did you end up working with Mark Trombino on Static Prevails and the subsequent releases?

What drove the change from the first punk album to the more emo influenced Static Prevails?

Zach: We were all big fans of Mark's work on the second Drive Like Jehu album as well as his work with Boys Life and Boilermaker.

I think we just got interested in different styles.

Where are you?

Los Angeles, getting ready to play Jimmy Kimmel Live! Think it airs next Tuesday June 11