Less Than Jake - Summer Circus

From sweaty club shows to uproarious festival dates, LESS THAN JAKE’S deeds are best measured in the smiles they’ve generated for life-long fans and new listeners alike.

Uncharted, the ska-punkers’ brand new 7 song EP released by longtime label Pure Noise Records, should help keep those smiles tattooed on the faces of their fans. The new material is stacked with loud guitars, booming bass, thunderous drums, those distinct vocal harmonies, and the one-two punch of the trombone and sax.

These seven tracks see the band conquering new musical territory, while holding true to the classic LESS THAN JAKE sound.

Indeed, LESS THAN JAKE —guitarist/vocalist  Chris DeMakes, bassist/vocalist Roger Lima, trombonist Buddy Schaub, saxophonist Peter “JR” Wasilewski and drummer Matt Yonker — may have been at this for over three decades, but with the energy and spirit of this new EP, you would never know it. 

The recording sessions were helmed by Jason Livermore and legendary drummer/producer Bill Stevenson (Black Flag, Descendents, ALL).  Stevenson and crew harnessed LESS THAN JAKE’s urgency and helped capture their frenetic live energy on this eclectic collection of new material.

So, what’s next for Less Than Jake? One thing is for certain - their consistency.

While the tendency now is for legacy acts to announce farewell and reunion tours, LESS THAN JAKE have never even taken a summer off. 33 years performing and the band is more visible than ever. If you’re looking for a rocking good time, look no further: LESS THAN JAKE doesn’t just bring the party, they are the party!

For over four decades, Fishbone has been an unstoppable force in music, well-known genre disrupters fusing punk, ska, funk, and soul into an explosive sound that is as socially conscious as it is musically innovative. Emerging from the Los Angeles punk scene, the band quickly carved out a reputation for their high-energy performances and fearless engagement with political and social issues.

On June 27, 2025, Fishbone released their highly anticipated ninth studio album, Stockholm Syndrome, marking their first full-length LP in over 20 years. The album, a raw and powerful statement on modern life, picks up where the band left off in 1995—packed with infectious melodies, pure chaos, and politically charged anthems alongside reflections on life, relationships, and redemption. The first single, "Racist Piece of Shit" (aka "RxPxOxS"), dropped in November 2024, delivering a searing critique of global racism with Fishbone’s signature intensity. Their next single, "Last Call In America” co-written by original members Christopher Dowd and Walter “Dirty Walt” Kibby is a groove-driven commentary on the nation’s current economic and social struggles. “This song is a warning call to humanity to recognize the inflection point that is tearing the soul of this country and world apart,” shares Christopher Dowd.

Despite lineup shifts over the years, Fishbone's spirit remains unwavering. 2024 saw significant changes as founding members Norwood Fisher and Walter Kibby stepped away, leaving the band in the capable hands of frontman Angelo Moore (vocals, saxophones) and longtime collaborator Christopher Dowd (keyboards, trombone, vocals). The current lineup also features James Jones (bass), Hassan Hurd (drums), John “JS” Williams II (trumpet, vocals), and the return of former Fishbone guitarist Tracey Spacey T Singleton. This evolution signals not just continuation, but a reinvigoration of Fishbone’s legacy.

Fishbone has always thrived on resilience, adaptability, and reinvention. The band has weathered decades of industry shifts, internal struggles, and lineup changes, yet their mission remains the same: to push boundaries, challenge injustice, and music and art in a way that only Fishbone can. Their journey has been documented in Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone (released in 2010), capturing their highs and lows, from pioneering the fusion of styles to facing industry struggles and personal setbacks.

The road to Stockholm Syndrome has been long, but Fishbone is surging forward with a renewed sense of purpose. Having recently shared stages with Madness, Tool, and Primus, as well as headlining successful winter tours in both the USA and Europe, and summer headline shows in the USA as well as Less Than Jake’s Summer Circus Tour Long Beach and D.C. stops of Vans Warped Tour 2025.

Fishbone’s legacy isn’t just about their past—it’s about their future. With Stockholm Syndrome, they reclaim their place as musical revolutionaries and genre disrupters, proving that their message and music are as vital as ever. The band is moving forward, ready to reconnect with old fans and inspire a new generation, all while continuing to live their truth and write their story with dignity and defiance.

-Stockholm Syndrome Critics Quotes-

“It’s impossible to understate the importance and influence of the Los Angeles-born band, Fishbone. The list of groups the untraditional collective has inspired is long and includes names like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and No Doubt. Their brand of ska-punk-rock-jam has defined explanation and been foundational for many. Started in 1979, Fishbone continues to rock stages today.” – VICE

"The ska-funk-metal mavericks return, still partying, but even more pissed off...Fishbone is still getting down while the world hovers on the brink. If Moore, Dowd, and Co. are a little madder and broader in their approach now, it’s only because they believe their music can still make a difference, and they’ll do what it takes to be heard." -- Spin Magazine

“The band sounds refreshed and reinvigorated as they kick out 12 red-hot tracks that will have you dancing, moshing, and thinking. Their lyrics are some of their sharpest and most reflective to date as they tackle the rise of fascism and racism in America, dive into the predatory nature of the record industry, discuss interpersonal conflict and emotional turmoil, and remind us that love is the most important thing of all.”

– Punk News

“Stockholm Syndrome is a triumph—an album that doesn’t just live up to Fishbone’s legacy, but expands it. It’s biting, brilliant, and bursting with life. For longtime fans, it’s the return you’ve been waiting for. For new listeners, it’s a hell of an introduction.”

– Punk Rock Mag

“Everything fizzes with vitality, from the George Clinton augmented Last Call in America to the blissful psych-soul plea for sanity of Love is Love, and the bands infectious genre- hopping glee is as infectious as ever.” – Classic Rock Magazine (summer 2025 issue)

“Still insanely entertaining and still kicking against the pricks, Fishbone have never been more needed.” – Classic Rock Magazine (summer 2025 issue)

“a whirlwind of buoyant brass and punk energy, ska grooves, and funk euphoria.”

 – The Big Takeover

"In "Stockholm Syndrome," this new version of the Los Angeles gang manages to bring back to life that amalgamated sound that marked hearts on fire, definitively changing the scene.what we hear is a Fishbone's album in every way, which, with the very heavy backpack of its history, has the infinite merit of making them sound inspired, powerful, and brilliant as in the best times of the group." -- Mondo Sonoro

“Now, more than ever, the world needs a new Fishbone album. With Stockholm Syndrome, the iconic band return with an absolute vengeance to put on a clinic of an album. The record showcases a reenergized band with a chip on their shoulder and the swaggering confidence to prove how good they are.” – Bearded Gentleman

“This blistering return to form marks their first full-length LP in over two decades, and it’s already proving to be a potent cocktail of funk, punk, ska, soul, and righteous fury…

More than just a new album, ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ is a vital, raw, and powerful statement on modern life, picking up where the band left off with their groundbreaking work in 1995. It’s packed with infectious melodies, bursts of pure chaos, and politically charged anthems, alongside poignant reflections on life, relationships, and redemption.” -- Racketeer Radio

“It is an album that is built on both timeless issues and timely urgency. And if you are asking yourself why Fishbone is writing songs that raise the same old questions, you should really be asking yourself why they feel the need to.” – Dancing About Arcitecture

“full of funk flavors and soulful licks, skanking guitars and melodic baselines, breezy brass and precision lyrics. It has the lot. Poised, poignant, perfect for the times. Yes, bands like Fishbone have always been needed, and now perhaps they are needed more than ever.” -- The Big Takeover

“Fishbone returns with a vengeance on Stockholm Syndrome—a blistering, brass-laced record that fuses ska, funk, punk, and soul into an unrelenting musical protest. As wild and unpredictable as ever, this record finds the band sharper, louder, and more lyrically potent than they’ve been in years.” – Music Existence

“A record to cherish for all the right reasons.” – The Rock Pit

This album is Fishbone in 2025: unblinking, unrelenting, and unwilling to pull punches when it comes to the state of the world, politics, and the suffocating realities that surround us. Fishbone’s Stockholm Syndrome — Proof That You Can’t Cage a Funk-Punk Octopus.” – In Spite Magazine

“A wise man once told us that the revolution would be televised. But thanks to bands like Fishbone (not that there are too many bands like Fishbone), it will also have a great soundtrack when the inevitable does happen.” -- Dancing About Architecture

“The terms “cult following” and “legendary” often coincide. Both can be used to describe Fishbone, which has blended ska, funk, punk, soul, and metal to create one of the most unique sounds for over forty years. If you’ve ever been to a Fishbone show, it’s almost a religious experience, with Angelo Moore preaching a sermon to the crowd moshing in the pit before him.” – Dying Scene

“Structurally and lyrically, it’s a provocative, rebellious album that dares its listeners to take a critical step forward against mainstream propaganda. It would be too easy to overlook Stockholm Syndrome as an unpatriotic middle finger to authority, but frankly, it’s more than angst and bitter emotions, for it takes a strong sense of patriotism to point out your nation’s flaws, and this album stands as a musical refuge against oppression, a soulful reggae-rock album for the people. If that’s not punk rock, then I don’t know what is.”  – I’m Music Magazine

“Fishbone isn’t here for nostalgia. They’re here to reignite. Stockholm Syndrome is both battle cry and celebration—music that provokes as much as it grooves, that dances on the edge of collapse, only to burst into freedom.” – The Barn Media

“Let's just take a minute to appreciate and savor the fact that Fishbone are still around and still doing what they do best. And if the band itself isn't a treasure, they've got a new record out this week. Stockholm Syndrome is classic Fishbone with a modern sound. Yes, it's that good.” – Rock n Roll Grad School

“Throughout their new album Stockholm Syndrome, trailblazing, genre-defying ska punks Fishbone make it clear they’re ready to rage against all of the modern machines like never before, with one big orange clown in their crosshairs.”

 – The Indy Review

“Fishbone is just as full-force as ever before. Just as explorative and dynamic and youthful.” –Out of the Blue Zine

“ the band has returned with their most exhilarating album in decades as they once again ask their audience to follow them into the unpredictability of the unknown. Ultimately, Stockholm Syndrome marks latter career high from the alternative rock legends.” – Spill Magazine

"On June 27, the acclaimed punk-ska-funk band will end this drought when they release Stockholm Syndrome.’ - Rock N' Roll Globe

“Fishbone has been doing this for over four decades, but they don’t coast. They charge. Every note was feral. Every transition, whip-crack tight. The band didn’t play, they took total control. Flipping the room upside down and shaking something loose.” --NYS Music

“With horns blasting and tempo shifts flying, their set was wild, unfiltered, and brilliant. Part protest, part performance art, and entirely Fishbone."

– Sound Check Mag

“I really hope the younger generation of fans in attendance for this show understand just how special it was to get to see Fishbone perform live. They’re pioneers, legends, and one of the reasons a lot of your favorite bands got into music. While they get lumped into ska most of the time, they’re a genre unto themselves. What kind of music does Fishbone play? Fishbone.” – The Bearded Gentleman

"FISHBONE kidnaps us? We won't do anything to escape. The famous Stockholm syndrome..." -- Hard Force