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Jesse Malin constantly amazes me because of how prolific he has been in two unrelated fields. He is a well-known respected solo artist with two albums released in 2015 alone, New York Before The War and Outsiders. He is also a bar-owner with multiple establishments to speak of, including the Bowery Electric, Niagara, Cabin Down Below and the recently-opened Berlin.
As great as he’s been doing as a musician and a businessman, Jesse has also done work in film (e.g. Bringing Out The Dead, Burning Down The House) and radio (the New York Nights program on Sirius XM with John Varvatos) over the years. He has also made time for side projects with Green Day and Ryan Adams. Yet prior to his solo career, Jesse first tasted fame as the frontman of D Generation – who did two major label albums, including one with The Cars’ Ric Ocasek – and even before that he was part of Heart Attack.
In support of those two new releases comes an Irving Plaza show on September 19th. Jesse – who originally hails from Queens – will be sharing the stage with Chuck Ragan and Meghann Wright for a proper triple-billing. He kindly indulged me for some Q&A on behalf of Downtown for questions about all facets of his life.
I first became aware of you from your work with D Generation, yet that wasn’t even your first band of note. Seeing how different your music has been over the past 15 years or so as a solo artist, do you look back on your punk days fondly? Or does it feel like that was a different person when you hear that music?
Jesse Malin: I feel like it’s the same person. I still see that person quite often at these shows. It’s been a long wacky progression, with duct tape, nine-volt batteries, black leather boots and a lot of energy.
Speaking of D Generation, the band had a song in the movie Airheads, and the hit song by the band in that movie had a song called “Degeneration” in it. Was that a coincidence?
J: They used our version of the Reagan Youth song as the reference for the fake band in that movie. At the time, we were young and pissed off about it. We felt gypped, but now I think it’s kind of funny and everyone in that movie went on to do lots of great things. We barely got paid.
I had no idea at that time that you owned Coney Island High. Then when you going to the Cabin the first time for an after-show hang, I hadn’t realized that you were part of that establishment as well. How did you first get involved in that world?
J: We always liked to find places to DJ and hang out and hear good music. In the hardcore days, we needed places to put on our own shows because a lot of clubs wouldn’t have us. I learned how to throw a party, put on a show, do a benefit, etc. from the generosity of Giorgio Gomelsky and his crazy, wonderful loft on West 24th Street. Coney Island High, I did with a couple friends and my D Generation publishing money. Niagara was a similar thing, just more during my solo days with other friends and some kind of Frank Sinatra fantasy.
Does the business sense that you have as a club owner ever help you in your artistry? Or do you try to keep those skills separate from one another?
J: I guess the bottom line is people having a good time and music being the center of it all. I didn’t know how to run a club in the Coney days — I went on tour and everybody did what they wanted. Now that New York City is a tougher place to exist in financially, I had to realize that these places have to be run with some sense of order. Anarchy and tequila equal closed down establishments.
As a club owner who is also a prominent artist, I must ask: What do you do for fun when you’re not working? I mean, for most people, their unwinding from the work day is going to a bar for drinks or going to a gig.
J: I love to go to gigs still, I love going to old movies, going to Central Park, Coney Island, going for a run — all those things. Hanging out with old friends talking shit.
2015 has brought two new Jesse Malin albums. What has inspired your current wave of creativity?
J: It was a lot of build-up over five years — a lot of frustration, disgust and optimism. The current state of the world seems so ridiculous, it helped me with some concepts. My passion for music was recharged after a trip I took to New Orleans.
Do you intend on staying this prolific in the future?
J: I never want to go five years between records again. I love making albums and I love the thrill of getting to play them in front of people. Sometimes you get writer’s block, but you need to feed yourself with inspirational things and challenge yourself to get more output.
How much of your new albums should people be expecting to hear at your September 19th show at Irving Plaza?
J: We’ll be playing a couple old ones, a bunch of new ones from Outsiders and some from New York Before The War, the record that’s currently out. We’ve been playing some of the songs from Outsiders in Europe these past weeks, and it’s fun to see how they live in front of people under hot lights and on dirty microphones.
Is there something you wish more people knew about you?
J: It’s nice to have some kind of distance and mystery, but I also enjoy it when people know the songs, especially the lyrics. A lot of these songs are about some great characters and funny, interesting situations. I always like it when people dig a little deeper and check out the lyric sheets.
What is your favorite album of 2015 so far?
J: Hollis Brown’s Three Shots.
Finally, Jesse, any last words for the kids?
J: Listen to your heart, follow your dreams, stick with your friends, work hard at what you live, and have a good fucking time doing it.
-by Darren Paltrowitz