Jawbreaker’s Blake Schwarzenbach on Emo-Meets-Zeppelin Magic of “Accident Prone” | Shred with Shifty

On this week’s Shred With Shifty, Chris Shiflett is joined by one of his all-time favorite players: Blake Schwarzenbach, the 6-string architect behind California punk band Jawbreaker’s simple, noisy, orchestral rippers. But before things really get rolling, Shifty gets his heart broken as Schwarzenbach squashes rumors that Jawbreaker might have a new record in the works: “There’s no truth to it,” he says.
Shifty and Schwarzenbach talk about the band’s trajectory up to and after Dear You, their major-label breakout record which ditched their indie punk-rock production style for a slicker sound. But some of the band’s fans didn’t approve of the perceived sell-out-a concern Schwarzenbach thinks isn’t so present nowadays. “Selling out is not a concern I think for younger people in a way that it was in our time,” he says. “Selling out seems to be this weird virtue.” Schwarzenbach remembers recording at the same studio as fellow Bay Area punks Rancid and realizing Jawbreaker would be left in the dust: “It was clear to me who was gonna win,” he grins.
Schwarzenbach admits he’s not a virtuoso lead player, but over the years, the augmented, melodic chording of Jimmy Page blended with the elemental intensity of ’80s D.C. hardcore to create his unique style, which uses octaves and drone notes to build melody and discord at the same time. He recalls the original recording rig on “Accident Prone,” including a Sovtek Big Muff, a white Les Paul, and a hot-rodded Marshall JMP. Then, playing a Gretsch Tennessee Rose Chet Atkins 1963 reissue, he guides Shifty through the tense riffing on the track. When Shiflett suggests there’s an element of complexity to the part, Schwarzenbach corrects him: “Chris, I’m afraid what you’re going to find out in your podcast here is that what you think is finesse is just sloth.”
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Producer: Jason Shadrick
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Special thanks to Chris Peterson, Greg Nacron, and the entire Volume.com crew.

[@jimbo8deuce]

Jets To Brazil were one of the greatest bands of all time. "Perfecting Loneliness" is a masterpiece.

[@artromo4980]

Man, first Rivers and now Blake, these guys made me want to play music. Thanks for getting these awesome musicians on your show for our enjoyment.

[@papa_pt]

tbf I'm sure Chris loves getting to talk to his colleagues

[@ChrisPuckett]

To me Blake’s songwriting and guitar playing really fully shined on Perfecting Loneliness

[@alk3rocks13]

@Artefracturei agree it’s his best work.

[@justinchico]

Agreed. Perfecting Loneliness was underwhelming on first listen. Hell, on the first 10 listens.

[@bigwavedave8492]

My favorite band for all these years this interview blew me away. Thanks so much for getting the punk guys on here

[@clifisboring]

Jawbreaker fucking rips, love everything they’ve done & I really hope we’ll get more Jawbreaker music someday

[@jonsykes3501]

Blake Schwarzenbach is my Bob Dylan. His music grew with me throughout a lot of phases of my maturity. Love the interview! Thank you!

[@patwest8304]

I can't believe I've never picked up a guitar in my life but I am ADDICTED to "Shred with Shifty!" No matter who the guest is, I just can't get enough! Thanks for another amazing show, Chris!

[@jarrod7025]

I love hearing Blake talk about the details and get into the real heart of the matter for how Jawbreaker built their records. I could listen to any of the guys in JB talk non-stop about their career.

[@patrickkoenigsfeld1253]

Man, I am so happy you, the interviewer, love Blake and jawbreaker so much! Those records were so vital to so many years of my life. The songs made me recognize the smells of places and seasons. Hearing them reminds me of people long gone. They gave me hope for the future and helped me get through some really rough times. My hat is off to you both! You have my heart. Appreciate everything here! Thank you!

[@VonnFolse]

Great interview Chris! Big fan of your music and of course, Blake and Jawbreaker are legends! My band Number Four opened up for NUFAN and Ten Foot Pole in New Orleans and you, me and several others went out bar hopping. Awesome night! I miss the 90s. 😩

[@JinxRemoving]

My favourite band ever, and one of the most underrated guitar players as well as one of the best living songwriters around. Amazing episode, thanks to everyone involved!

[@NoCoverCharge]

Amazing guy and great player ! More punk stuff please

[@ismailroyer3157]

I loved No Use for a Name. A huge part of my late teenage years. Jawbreaker of course meant so much to me. Great episode, thank you.

[@ediththeband]

Jets to Brazil was such an amazing time for Blake too. By the time I was in my 20's Jawbreaker and Jets were almost equally important to me. I still cite Jawbreaker as my favorite band. Thanks Chris!

[@mini_moose_x]

This is so great! It's so difficult to find other people who even know who Jawbreaker and Jets To Brazil is. Blake's my hero for sure! 🤘🏻🎸💙

[@alexmbrenner]

I saw Jawbreaker break up in 1995 and again reunited last year. Blake is amazing not to mention all the Jets To Brazil/Forgetters work

[@thetaksyndicate6234]

What back together?

[@scheissami]

Would love more content like this (punk, hc/post-hc) on PG (and guitar media in general). Love hearing about the writing process and inspirations, as well as finding solace in using sloppy playing as a creative muse!

[@aaronfinney1740]

Chris knows he snagged a monumental guest. Good stuff

[@binxboi7156]

It’s neat to finally hear Blake address how important Chris is to writing Jawbreaker songs

[@dallassurfersclub8872]

Love it! That dissonance is so brilliant. Nice interview dude.

[@AudioInstruments]

Jawbreaker's rad times a million since forever.

[@bimscutney1242]

Jawbreaker! Awesome band. Way overlooked.

[@trunks828]

Thank you! You get rivers first than Blake damn some of my own personal influences! This made me happy because you never see Blake on social media the way you interviewed him. This guy is funny!

[@TangerineMagazeen]

This is THE episode I wanted finally thank you!!!!

[@TLCarrra]

Chris, this show is awesome! This is a great interview. Do you think Pat would come on your show with some of his HAGSTROM guitars?

[@dougiedestructor1951]

That line in Bad Scene, Everyone's Fault makes a lot more sense now, a Led Zeppelin fan AND he started off as a drummer! Thanks for much for this, and a little sad the Melbourne show is already sold out!

[@lanceforney5321]

Out of the hundreds of bands I have seen, the professional skateboarders, BMXers, snowboarders, etc. I have met, I was never star struck... Until I saw Blake with the Forgetters. I knew i was seeing genius. I was listening to Jawbreaker and Jets when they were current bands but never saw them live. They were all over skate and bmx videos when I grew up. I love Jawbreaker but Jets to Brazil just has something that no other band could replicate.

[@nhavasy]

I remember blasting accident prone at damaging volumes on a Walkman (I’d dubbed it from the cd bc we couldn’t afford a disc man) on long drives home from away game freshman basketball, and thinking this sounds like I feel. Defining song for me, and could never quite figure out the riffs/chords perfectly.

[@johnkontos]

That was awesome. 🤟

[@JamesMc2]

Woe that reminds me of the intro to that FF’s song “Something from nothing” (one of their coolest tunes, imo).

[@danieltravis5082]

Shifty and Blake holy crap I can't imagine telling 15 year old me in the year 2000 "Yeah chris shifflet from NUFAN is gonna have like a tv show where he plays guitar and interviews really cool creative guitarists like Blake from Jawbreaker"

[@lambert13]

I have no musical ability at all but I love this video. Hearing them talk about all of the mechanics of playing this song was so interesting to me.

[@judasbrain6599]

Love jawbreaker with everything good inside of me, but Jets To Brazil is by far his best work. Bury me with my copy of ORD 🧡

[@francisbarbotin]

This is so awesome

[@EricSmith-fp4gq]

Unfun album still one of my all time favorites!!!! Blake highly influenced my song writing.

[@rosskcmo]

i dont have the words for how awesome this is. Dear You was a game changer for me

[@volatilestudios1134]

The Foothill!!!! 1994, I remember it well. Cherry Ave, Signal Hill. Man I miss that place.

[@PaulManningg]

Chris, you are perfect for this. Thank you

[@GASmotorsports]

This is the coolest guitar show happening right now.

[@datmember]

Blake's wish for Merle Haggard makes me want to hear your other guests wish list for other episodes. Those would be a great questions for this series. No longer with us wish they were still here for an episode, and they are still alive you should get them on a future episode.

[@rich5244]

Chris - keep asking the "what's your guitar store go-to" question! I'll bet many of us out here indeed do have one of those. Great interview. p.s. lmao on the pick slide discussion.

[@johnw8102]

Love Jawbreaker. One of the most underappreciated bands, no doubt.

[@blonkeddleharvey2308]

I would love to know the correct chords for Jet Black, too.

[@roberthigbie6364]

Verse: C#m7 - Asus2 Bridge: F#m - G#m - B - C#m - F#m - G#m - Adim Chorus: C#m - B - A (x2) / E - B - C#m - A (x2) Coda: B - C#m - A - E - F#m - A - C#m - B (x2) A lot of it can be played with power cords on the lower four strings, letting the top two ring open- enjoy!

[@RolandSpecialSauce]

That Gold Top! 🔥🔥🔥

[@damanmancub]

What a video!

[@Revitandgo]

Love this. But don’t let John Reis slip by your radar.

[@johnsaldivar2619]

P.S. the other Ian McKaye JCM head is featured on the cover of Red Medicine! At least the back plate is and it reads FVGAZI

[@gearshiftcolony5348]

Chris Dodge interview soon?

[@indytrucks2003]

Joey Cape solo stuff is awesome. Seen hima couple times on hos own.

[@myroomstudios]

I order a freeze right away 😂 I did played quiet right in all these years

[@Corndrizzle]

Good video. There are two kind of people those if us who can't live without jawbreaker. And losers

[@nicholaswilson598]

@ShredWithShifty, Chris would you be able to see if you can get Kim thayil on the show sometime?

[@SOBRANTE409]

Waiting for a JTB reunion...someday*

[@lanceforney5321]

Same. That band has no limits. I love Jawbreaker but I don't know where they could go musically compared to Jets.

[@bryanfrombuffalo7685]

Lived in the bay area....Ioved the scenery from the hills..at the time I was a Democrat and I thought they were nuts...

[@Mrcrazyforlego]

Nice shirt Chris. Gamblers!

[@CamF72790]

So of the Foo Fighters, everyone wants to meet Dave right? Everybody loves Dave of course! But what about THIS guy huh? I'd love to meet Chris

[@MrBobbyramone]

Eddy!

[@SkySplitterInk]

This is fuckin beautiful

[@thomasadams8727]

39:37

[@DeanCameron]

Where are Burning Airlines?!

[@snapfinger1]

I’m hearing Nigel Pulsford overtones.

[@johnchicken1812]

I’m going to find where you live Chris. Tell your son eamon he better watch out.