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Have any of you played in other bands? During our time apart, I recorded and toured with Island Def-jam's Loser (w/ John 5 of Manson, Zombie), South Of earth (w/ Geno Lenardo of Filter), I Am The Wolf & Dead Girls Don't Lie. Toby played in Zayra & Overscene. Corey played in Down-Lo & Whisky River Flats.

How is it that you started playing music? As a teenager, I played drums in rock, punk rock & then thrash/metal bands. My ex-girlfriend took me to a concert in Kansas City for my birthday, the singer's revolutionary live performance blew my fucking mind. I immediately moved to Dallas and formed JIBE.

What are your names? / Who plays what?

Joe Grah - vocals

Toby Bittenbender - guitar

Corey tatro - bass

Todd Harwell -drums

Have you had other previous members?

Sean Robinson (original bass player) left in 1998

Ben Jeffries (original drummer) left earlier this year.

Did you make music even when you were young? Music was always a part of my escape, growing up, I relied heavily on my father's 7", 12" & LP's for comfort and release. Old Motown, Beatles, KISS, Zeppelin, Manhattan Transfer, anything that had a beat and a melody.

Where are you from? I'm originally from Philadelphia, but moved around constantly with my hippie-Esq father, living in New Jersey, California, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Florida, & Pennsylvania. The band is located, and originated, in Dallas, TX, I currently reside in Los Angeles.

What year did the band form? Toby, Sean (og bass) originally formed in late 1993, Ben joined us in February of 1994, we began touring a few months later.

What's your style of genre? Everything from Bob Marley to Slipknot. We don't really adhere to any certain style or genre, we tend to gravitate towards an artist who arrive within their moment. That beautiful hum that sets one alight, when the music speaks through the artist and connects with us all.

What inspires you? Everything I think, feel, experience, and share. Life is constantly unfolding, I just let go, get out of the way, become the moment, and let it all happen.

How often and where do you rehearse? The band rehearses weekly, I fly in once or twice a month and join them.

How have you developed since you started with the music? We've become better song writers, live performers, and human beings. We listen to each other and no longer take each other for granted.

Do you have other interests of work outside the band? Music is our life, our interests lie in the lifting of the shroud, the revelation of truth, the discovery of self, fulfillment of the soul, ultimate interconnectedness, oneness, with the fabric of the Universe.

Are you looking for a booking agency, and what are your thoughts around that? With plans to tour the world in 2018, our management is currently working to secure a new agent.

Are you looking for a label, and what are your thoughts around that? I once had a very strong opinion on major labels, but I've since had a self effacing revelation on the topic. We're currently happy working with Kobalt Music / SixtyFourOnTheFloorRecords, but you never know what the future may hold for the band. 

What made you decide to make this music? Life, the things I see happening around me, the need for something better than what's been handed down, the desire to be on the right side of myself and history. An inner voice that can't be silenced….

What are your songs about? The interconnected truth that lies within us all, the unrelenting path we're all on, the desire to evolve and grow as a creature of cohabitation on this beautiful spinning rock we're all on. The need for more what were currently being sold…

Who does the composing and writes the lyrics? Toby generally comes up with the music and I write the lyrics. We also collaborate, jam, and materialize ideas out of thin air collectively.

Do you start with the music or the lyrics? Toby usually sends me a riff, or arranged riffs, I then write and arrange to that.

Do you compose in a certain environment? I work in my home studio here in LA, we also composed in Orb Studios, Austin, As well as in rehearsals in Dallas.

Have you done any covers live?

Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin

Tomorrow Never Knows by the Beatles

Mountain Song by Janes Addiction

Fascination Street by the Cure

Rain When I Die by Alice In Chains

What language do you sing in? English

What are the least and most people to attend one of your gigs?

When we first started we played to a sleeping sound man in Albuquerque.

20k+ Starplex Amphitheater in Dallas.

What ages are most of your concert attendants? 5 yrs - 65 yrs, our crowd is uniquely diverse in age, race, and religion.

Do you always play the same songs live, or do you vary? We never play the same set twice, we're always changing it up, every day is different and can actually be approached in that manner. Regurgitation is mundane and boring.

Do you have a regular place you play live often? Gas Monkey Live in dallas has been really good to us.

What was your first gig like? Unbeknownst to us, it was a battle of the bands, and we won.

What was your latest gig? Last Saturday night we played The Curtain Club in 'Deep Ellum' Dallas, TX. We hadn't been there since way before Yesterday's Gone blew up on the radio. It was a return to our notorious roots.

Have you had to cancel a gig? Only one gig, San Antonio, the night before, in Killeen, I was on mushrooms and fell 30 feet and broke my wrist, we only cancelled one show and continued the tour the next night. The band also had to do a live radio performance in Corpus Christi without me, I was in jail a mere forty-five minutes away for possession of Marijuana.

Where have you played live this year? Dallas, Denton, & Fort Worth

Where do you plan to gig the coming year? Worldwide!

When did you start to sell merchandise, and what do you have for sale? We've had merchandise since day one. We have CD's, albums, digital, b-sides, concerts,  shirts, stickers, posters.

Where can people buy your merchandise?

https://shop.bandwear.com/collections/jibe-shop

What do you think about people downloading music instead of buying records now a days? It definitely hurts the artist's bank account, however, one of the most flattering things that could ever happen to me would be someone coming up to me "give me all of your music or I'll kill you".

How do you think the music industry have changed because of this? Less money available for the working artist. More music easily available for the listener. Evolution is all about change, good or bad.

What do you think of my work? Looks great man, we really appreciate all of your efforts.

How do you think and know that this interview will help you in the music business? Connecting with your friends and associated will strengthen our gold of interconnectedness.

Do you have any role models or idols? Anyone who remembers where they came from, dreams of greater things, struggles and strives for a greater good, reflects the truth as they experience it. It's not an easy path, but it's dry for us, when we're ready for it.

Why do you think that they exist? When we see someone arriving within their path, we're reminded of the power of possibility.

Is it easier to find inspiration from older bands, or bands that are more active today? There's truth in everything we experience, good or bad, old or new, it makes no difference, it's the energy and force of the wave as it crashes down on you.

What have been your biggest obstacles? Overcoming myself, fear, insecurity & ego. Getting out of my own way.

What advice would you give other bands or artists? Love what you have, have what you love, trust yourself, believe in yourself, reflect your truth, never give up, it's never too late.

How do you get psyched for a gig? The sheer energy that hovers in the room before we go on always elates me to the point of confident uncertainty. We never know what's going to happen when we play live and I'm always as equally surprised as everyone else.

Do you have any new material? Epic Tales Of Human Nature

What are your web sites?

http://jibeband.com/

https://www.facebook.com/JIBEband/

https://twitter.com/Jibeband

https://www.instagram.com/jibeband/

How can people reach you? Hit us up on the net or come up and say hi.

What are your plans for the future? Worldwide touring, more music, and lots of new friends.

Do you have something to add?

Thank you for taking the time to ask us these very thoughtful questions. We look forward to meeting you in person soon.

Thank you,

Joe Grah - JIBE