INTERVIEW: LAGWAGON IN CONVERSATION WITH JOEY CAPE
Interview by Cecilia Pattison-Levi
California punk legends Lagwagon will be in Australia in January and February for their own headline tour. They will be celebrating the 31st anniversary of the album ‘Hoss’. They will also be playing at the Froth & Fury Festival in Perth and Adelaide. This tour is all about reliving the raw energy and spirit of the 1990s punk scene that Lagwagon helped define with their albums and punch through songs and attitude.
“It makes you feel old right,” said Joey Cape. “When we get to Australia, ‘Hoss’ will be 31 years old. And we are really looking forward to coming to Australia to play it, even if I don’t do well in the heat”.
I explained that The Triffid and Miami Marketta both have excellent air conditioning.
“Great. It’s important for us as our shows are high energy,” stated Joey Cape. “Well, fans can look forward to hearing ‘Hoss’ performed live, in full, from front to back. I hate it when bands don’t play their record straight. I went and saw this band I loved, UFO, and I really wanted to hear ‘Strangers In The Night’ in full, in order, and they didn’t do it. It made me so mad. It was bizarre!”.
Lagwagon’s album ‘Hoss’ was such a defining album for the resurgence of punk music in the 1990s.
“It was a wild time,” Joey Cape related. “It was great times, but there was darkness as well. My songwriting comes from a place of deep melancholy. It’s how I see the world and those songs connect me to time and space. I know the album is not new for fans but it’s a powerful experience to be with other fans and the band to play that album together – and have that unique experience – the record meant a lot to all of us – in different ways. I mean ‘Hoss’ is only around 30 minutes long so its half a set. It’s short and sweet. It’s also great to play because the excitement builds and then it’s over. It’s funny in a way to see the fans reactions to it”.
“Hoss was our third record,” explained Joey Cape. “It was a turning point for our band. The first two records we made: I can barely listen to the first one. We made this live record in three days. I was a young songwriter with this vision and over confidence. I have learned over time that other people really help bring music together, that’s why our other six albums and ‘Hoss’ are so much better. But we were young enough, we kind of still thought we had some ideas. But ‘Hoss’, it’s the record where, at least for me as a songwriter, I thought, there aren’t really any rules. I am just going to write different kinds of songs that are important for me and I hope they would be important for others listening to them”.
Lagwagon are still recording and writing songs. Joey Cape explained the reasoning behind the band’s most recent release, a cover of Motörhead’s ‘Rock N Roll’ for the ‘Killed By Deaf’ compilation album of punk bands covering the legendary band’s classic songs.
“It’s a long answer,” Joey Cape pronounced. “We were in the recording studio. The producer was closely related to Motörhead. I was the last guy there in the studio doing the vocal tracks. The band had split. Then, I was told I had one more vocal track to do. It was a Motörhead song. I gave this list of my favourite Motörhead songs like – Bomber, Overkill, and everyone knows Lagwagon plays ‘Ace of Spades’ as a cover. But the producer came out with this song ‘Rock N Roll’ and I didn’t know it. I didn’t own that album when I was young. I had to go and learn it and then we recorded it. It came out okay, I think. Are we going to play it live? Probably not!”.
“I am still writing songs every day. I have about 60 sitting here waiting unpublished,” said Joey Cape. “Even now I am looking over at my guitar. I don’t know what to do with them. What usually happens is the guys in the band will come over and go through them. They will say what’s shit and what’s okay. But I am constantly writing. Lagwagon will think about new plans in the new year. I don’t try and over plan anymore”.
Lagwagon are now focused on rest.
“It’s downtime before we gear up for the tour,” stated Joey Cape. “We are really looking forward to the tour of Australia. We hope everyone comes out to see us to help celebrate ‘Hoss’. The heat’s going to be a thing, I only do shorts now, if everyone else does. When we were young that Cali surfer or snowboarder vibe was a thing. I don’t want to feel dumb in them”.
I ensured Joey Cape that it’s an Australian summer – we are all over that Cali ‘short’ vibe – and we will all be dumb together.
Joey Cape wanted to reassure fans, and those curious about Lagwagon, that the band is known for their high-energy, no-frills live shows.
“We promise to bring the Lagwagon experience and music that gets you moving”.
I know for long-time fans of Lagwagon that hearing ‘Hoss’ in full will be a fantastic experience.
Lagwagon will bring their ‘30th Anniversary Of Hoss’ 2026 Tour to Australia:
Saturday, January 24th – Froth & Fury Festival - Perth HPC, Perth WA
Tuesday, January 27th – Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle NSW
Wednesday, January 28th – Metro Theatre, Sydney NSW
Friday, January 30th – Wollongong UniBar, Wollongong NSW
Saturday, January 31st – Froth & Fury Festival - Adelaide Showgrounds, Adelaide SA
Sunday, February 1st – Barwon Heads Hotel, Barwon Heads VIC
Wednesday, February 4th – Croxton Bandroom, Melbourne VIC
Thursday, February 5th – The Triffid, Brisbane QLD
Friday, February 6th – Miami Marketta, Gold Coast QLD
Tickets are on sale now via SBM Presents.
