Twenty five years after Bleed American first arrived, Jim Adkins is finding new meaning in the record that changed Jimmy Eat World’s career.
Ahead of Jimmy Eat World’s biggest ever Australian headline tour this December, which will also mark the final performances anywhere in the world celebrating the album’s 25th anniversary, Adkins says revisiting songs he once thought could only exist in the studio has become one of the most rewarding parts of the experience.
We caught up with the frontman and reflected on the lasting impact of ‘The Middle’, resisting the pull of nostalgia, why the band has never chased trends, and the surreal moment he discovered Prince had covered one of their biggest songs.
Looking back at Bleed American, Adkins says some songs have taken on an entirely new life on stage:
“I think something that pops out to me is like playing songs like Cautioners or My Sundown. Now, when we made that album, those are songs that we felt like forget trying to play these live. Here’s the core idea of the song. Let’s make it as, as cool as we possibly can, any way that we have to, and you know, it’s like I think our ability to perform has gotten to the place where I feel like we can do those types of songs without compromising anything now, and it’s just wild to hear it and feel it happening around me, as opposed to being like this creation, you know, from the studio.”
Jimmy Eat World ‘Cautioners”
If he could give his younger self one piece of advice after everything the band has experienced, it would be simple:
“I don’t know, I guess, like knowing what I know now, I probably would have just told my younger self to savor those moments more instead of like being in such a hurry to get to the next thing.”
That perspective also extends to ‘The Middle’, a song that has continued to find new audiences for more than two decades:
“It’s crazy. I mean, like, I feel that way about some music, so I can understand that, but it’s just insane to think that we are, that something for other people sometimes, we hoped that people would like it when we made it, but, expecting people to build a connection with it, it was never an expectation of ours.
“And to think there’s been 25 years of people discovering it, listening to it, and deciding that they see something in it that they can connect with, and then taking that along with them in their lives and building memories with it, and it’s just.. it’s crazy, music, is the craziest thing.”
Jimmy Eat World ‘The Middle’ video
More than a nostalgia act
Despite becoming one of alternative rock’s defining albums, Jimmy Eat World has never wanted to become a band driven purely by nostalgia. When we asked about chasing trends or the pressures of social media, Adkins says protecting the creative process has always come first:
“I think that’s something that every musician is going to have to decide for themselves, like how much of quote unquote the game makes sense for what you want to do.
“…There’s just so much noise out there, and under the disguise as marketing or self-promotion, and how much of that makes sense to you is like a tool that you can definitely abuse and definitely get lost in and take to an unhealthy place.
“You got to protect the place that music is coming from and you have to protect your vision for what you want to say and what you want to make.
“…We’re never going to chase that in the place of making music or doing something fun and rewarding for ourselves.”
Surreal moments
Even after influencing countless artists across generations, Adkins admits it’s still surreal hearing other musicians perform Jimmy Eat World songs, the moment that stands above the rest, however, belongs to Prince.
“Probably the most insane thing I’ve ever heard is Prince… he launched into a cover of the middle… Prince wanting to cover one of our songs, even as a throwaway like party moment, like that’s insane.”
Away from the music, one of Jimmy Eat World’s greatest strengths has been the relationships within the band itself, Adkins and drummer Zach Lind have known each other since preschool, a friendship that has helped shape the band’s longevity.
“I think, in the context of us, pretty much since we were like 12 or 14, we’ve known each other as, like, musician people.
“…Once you realize that, you guys are arguing for the same thing, you know what I mean, which is usually like, how does this music thing that we’re working on be the best it can be? Then it’s a whole lot easier to realize that it’s not about ego, there’s nothing to really get mad about.”
Australia bound this December
Jimmy Eat World return to Australia this December for their biggest ever Australian headline tour, marking their first Australian headline run since 2017 and the final performances anywhere in the world celebrating the 25th anniversary of Bleed American.
Australia also remains one of Adkins’ favourite places to visit:
“I just love it, you know. Everyone is, everyone’s just cool, you know. And, like, as a country, the volume of fear is at a much lower level, you know.
“It’s a special place for me to come… there’s a good quality of life you can have… it seems like everybody’s just not chasing bullshit as much as they are in America.”
For Adkins, celebrating Bleed American isn’t about reliving the past. It’s about finally appreciating it:
“I probably would have just told my younger self to savor those moments more instead of like being in such a hurry to get to the next thing.”
Twenty five years on, the album continues to connect with new listeners while Jimmy Eat World continues to look ahead.
Jimmy Eat World ’25 Years Of Bleed American’ tour with special guests Ruby Fields and A. Swayze & The Ghosts dates:
- Thursday, December 10th – Sydney, Hordern Pavilion
- Friday, December 11th – Melbourne, Margaret Court Arena
- Saturday, December 12th – Adelaide, Hindley Street Music Hall
- Tuesday, December 15th – Brisbane, Riverstage
General public tickets are live at 11am local time – Thursday, July 16th via teglive.com.au.
PayPal customers will have access to a presale from 10am local time on Tuesday, July 14th until 10am local time on Thursday, July 16th, unless sold out earlier.
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