Jon Caspi & The First Gun recently released an EP ‘Raise ‘Em High! & Other Delights’ via Fake Chapter Records, which includes the new version of ‘Raise ‘Em High!,’ featuring Jesse Malin on vocals, and Dez Cadena on guitar.

The EP also includes a track that Caspi wrote about being by his father’s bedside at the moment his father died. Although for many, being with a loved one at the moment of their death is often described as a warm and beautiful moment, Caspi did not experience it that way and instead found it traumatic. In order to reclaim the moment and beat the trauma, he penned ‘Last Ride Home’. It’s a powerful heartland rock track that deeply resonates. It’s not a sad song but rather one about capturing a snapshot in time. It’s Jon owning the moment rather than the moment owning him. The track also features a recording of Jon’s father playing harmonica at the end.

“We wanted to do something different”

A while ago you released your brand new 5-song EP ‘Raise ‘Em High! & Other Delights’ via Fake Chapter Records, what was the creative process behind it?

Jon Caspi: We’ve spent the last 10 years immersed pretty deeply in the punk and hardcore scenes and wanted to do something different. While we always included singer-songwriter rock on our albums, this release is a big step in that direction, which is where I was before the First Gun started in about 2010. This release has more roots rock, throwback rock, and even a straight-up Americana track.

‘Raise ‘Em High!’ was originally released almost a decade ago on the band’s 2013 album ‘Sucker,’ would you like to discuss the ‘Sucker’ album and what’s the story behind ‘Raise ‘Em High!’?

At the time I wrote ‘Raise ‘Em High!’ I was neck-deep in going to my son’s travel baseball games. The idea of an underdog team beating the perpetual favorites came from watching them win a game they weren’t supposed to. I wanted it to sound like a hooligan barroom beer-drinking song. As soon as we started playing it live we saw that it went over really well and folks loved to raise their drinks up and sing along with us. It’s been a favorite ever since and keeps growing. The song ‘Sucker,’ also off the ‘Sucker’ album, also became a fan favorite. We have fun with that one. It’s a song about believing stories that aren’t true. We get the audience to play along with that one too, using props, and coming up with different falsehoods for most shows.

<a href="https://joncaspithefirstgun.bandcamp.com/album/raise-em-high-other-delights">Raise ‘Em High! & Other Delights by Jon Caspi & The First Gun</a>

You also released ‘The Studio 650 Sessions’ earlier this year, discuss it…

‘The Studio 650 Sessions’ captures a moment in time. We decided to record ourselves performing a live set in a studio. We did not originally plan on releasing it. It was recorded right before COVID hit and that’s pretty much how the band sounded in early 2020. We went back and listened to the recordings about a year later and thought they sounded good enough to release…warts and all… especially since our sound is changing. Dez Cadena (Black Flag, Misfits) was a steady member of the band then and we wanted something out there that really profiled his live contributions, including a few covers that we did regularly at shows.

Would you like to talk about your 2015 album, ‘Hanging Around?’

‘Hanging Around’ is probably our most cohesive album. It was the first one that included our guitarist Pete Jager. He really helped fill out our sound and take it to the next level with his guitar and backing vocals. Hanging Around also became our last full-length of all originals and I thought would be the last we released on CD. But, in an interesting turn, Fake Chapter released ‘The Studio 650 Sessions’ on CD.

How did The First Gun originally get formed and were there any lineup changes?

I was recording, performing and releasing tracks as a solo artist, performing mostly singer-songwriter material. I was looking to get a little more edgy and start revisiting the punk style I had been doing with Boss Gremlin. So, my drummer and bassist and I decided to mark that transition with a name change and started calling the band Jon Caspi & The First Gun. We started as a trio, just me on guitar, Doug Lane on bass, and Jimmie Mizell on drums. Bob Bailey-Lemansky and Dez Cadena joined in 2017, at the same time. They became members after we all performed at a memorial concert for a shared friend, the amazing bassist, Lou DeMartino. Having both in the band elevated our sound. Bob is a tremendous keyboardist and Dez is such a creative guitar player. We went from a trio to a sextet…slowly working our way up to E Street Band! We now mostly function as a 5-piece because Dez had to move to California to help care for his mom and has started another band out there called Dondo.

Are any of the members involved in any other bands, or do you have any active side-projects going on at this point?

As I mentioned, Dez plays with his band Dondo but also performs with Flag, which includes most of the past members of Black Flag, when they are touring. Pete, Doug and I have a side-project called DLFC which is recording and doing sporadic shows. It’s a lot of fun. I get to play kit and I enjoy playing their songs. They are both amazing songwriters. Bob Bailey-Lemansky records his own material and is also an incredible songwriter and plays like every instrument. We all have something else outside The First Gun, but The First Gun is our priority, at least at the moment.

It’s been more than a decade since your debut album was released. What runs through your mind when hearing ‘Strange Situation’ these days?

I love going back and listening to earlier recordings. Sometimes it’s like listening to someone else. I think that’s a really solid and eclectic album. It was our first step bak into the punk world and so was a transition album with both singer-songwriter and punk tunes. We still perform some of the tunes off that album such as ‘Strange Situation’ and ‘Fading Into Gray’. We also have plans to re-record a track or two from that album using a very different approach. Perhaps Americana?

Would you mind talking about your background? Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Montclair, NJ. Went to Montclair high school, just like Joe Walsh (Eagles, James Gang). Being from north NJ has definitely made me who I am musically. I was exposed to early 80’s new wave and punk early and of course it was hard to escape the massive influence of Springsteen’s anthem rock. Then, of course, we had rock radio which made me fall in love with The Who, The Animals, and of course, The Beatles. My first foray into music was to record all-synthesizer music in the stylings of Depeche Mode and early Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. I’ve been all over the map musically. One of the biggest influences in my life was that the Dirt Club (the closest thing we had to CBGB’s) was close and I was able to get in at the age of 16. I would go there very often to see bands and quickly fell in love with live local and loud music, and being in what most people describe as “holes.” Still my favorite place to hang is a good live music hole.

What were some of the records, fanzines and gig tickets we would find in your teenage room?

Ha! I had well over 500 records in my room. My room was a mess but my record collection was exceptionally well organized and well cared for. Those were my babies! Sadly, I lost most of them a few years back when my basement was flooded from Hurricane Irene. My records were a real mix of new wave, punk and classic rock. Yaz, Devo, New Order to Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, and The Clash, to The Doors, Hendrix, John Lennon and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. I always had music on. My favorite fanzine was called the Splatter Effect, a NJ publication which was put out by a great guy named Spiro. I read every page of every issue.

“The Asbury Park music scene is truly a rare thing”

How would you describe the local scene? Do you think it had any impact on who you became as a musician?

The Asbury Park music scene is truly a rare thing. There is a core group of bands, musicians, artists, and music lovers that keep it vibrant. There are many venues in a city this size as well. There are few main actors that really work to keep it going and I have so much respect for them.

Was Bouncing Off Bob your very first group? How did you meet members of the band? What were some of the important influences that shaped your sound?

Yes, it was. It started off as just Bob and I as an all-synthesizer band, doing our rock brand of new wave. We performed at the Dirt Club and other similar venues for a year or two, and even recorded with Scott Simon from Our Daughter’s Wedding (“Lawnchairs are Everywhere!”). We decided in our second year to add a drummer and bassist. I stole the bassist, Mr. Lou, and drummer Glen Fittin, from another band I was in at the time and Bouncing Off Bob started. We were influenced by a wide-range of sources including Buddy Holly, Vince Clark, The Animals, The Who, The Ramones, Echo & The Bunnymen, and of course, The Beatles. We all loved The Hoodoo Gurus. The ties that bind!

What led you to record your debut album, ‘Cha Cha Cha at the Coral Reef?’

Funny story actually. We were performing at Kenny’s Castaways on Bleeker Street in NYC. A couple fans in the audience approached us and asked us why we didn’t have an album out. We said because we had no money. In those days you couldn’t just pay a few bucks and have it up on Apple Music or Spotify. Well, the guys worked on Wall Street and asked us how much money we needed. I think we said $15,000. I think they gave us $20,000. The rest is history. You never know who is going to be in an audience and how they may change your life.

Tell us about the songs on it?

‘Bedside Manners’ was our “hit.” It made it into the CMJ Top 100 radio charts. At the time, we were higher than Bon Jovi. He did better overall though.

Did you play a lot of gigs?

Yes, we played constantly. We rehearsed 4 to 5 nights a week and then did shows on the weekends. We also did a few tours. Fun days, and nights!

What occupied your life after this band?

I went to graduate school, became a professor, and started a few other bands. I’ve never not been playing and making music.

What can you say about Boss Gremlin?

Funny you should ask. We’re just in the process of getting the Boss Gremlin material up on streaming services. A great punk band with super nice guys. We had a small-time radio “hit” with a song called ‘Down In It’. We were produced by Nick Sansano, who is a friend, who also produced Sonic Youth, Public Enemy and School of Fish.

You also have a fantastic joint project with your son, it must be a dream come true for every father to play music with his son?

Thanks! That’s really nice of you to say. Yes, it is so very much a dream come true. I love our little side-project called Father, Son & The Holy Goat. My son Ezra is way more talented than I and records and releases his own material. He’s been busy playing college baseball so we haven’t done much lately, but we will soon. Winter break is coming!

Let’s end this interview with some of your favourite albums. Have you found something new lately you would like to recommend to our readers?

Oh man. I’m all over the place. I really like the latest release from the very fun and funny punk group Fetal Rage. Every song is about fetuses, pregnancy or getting pregnant. Then there’s The Chats and The Bobby Lees. I listen a lot to my son’s music, Ezra Caspi. He’s unbelievably talented (and I am and am not biased), and a friend of his who is having some success, Allouette Batteau. I am digging black midi and Sonofdov and Ogbert the Nerd, but also digging deep into some old favorites like the Violent Femmes, Willie Nile, Jeffery Gaines, Jellyfish and Piebald. And, of course I highly recommend Jesse Malin (who is featured on our latest release)!

Klemen Breznikar

Jon Caspi & The First Gun Official Website / Facebook / Instagram / Bandcamp / YouTube
Fake Chapter Records Official Website / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube