US rockers letlive. are set to return to Australia next month with headline shows scheduled for Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.
Ahead of their triumphant return down under, vocalist Jason Butler and Jeff Sahyoun sat down with Tone Deaf to share their favourite letlive. tracks from each of their four albums and EP.
Exhaustion, Salt Water, and Everything in Between (2003)
Jason: “Showcase Heart”. It was also my AIM screen name, and back then, that meant a lot. It was almost our way of elucidating facets of our personality that we couldn’t quite reveal to people in person. The digital veil was thinner back then, and I feel like we used it to our advantage. I was a rather sensitive teenager and, like most young men in America, I pretended not to be so that song was my way of attempting to give that part of me some recognition.
Jeff: “Showcase Heart”. This was the very first letlive. song I ever heard – before I was even in the band! But we were connected and playing local shows together, and when this track came on, it just floored me back in the day. It stuck with me not only because of the energy, but also because “Showcase Heart” was Jason’s old screen name back then. Growing up, it became my favourite song off the record, and it still brings me back to those early days when everything felt brand new. It’s tracks like this that keep us grounded and reflect on the reason why we, as artists, fell into these journeys from the start.
Speak Like You Talk (2005)
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Jason: “City Of Champions”. It’s about Inglewood.
Jeff: “City of Champions” reminds me of when we were still trying to figure out who we were as a band and as people. There’s a grit to it that makes me think of our city, our roots, and the grind that came with it. It’s not just a song I enjoy – it feels like a snapshot of where we all came from and the pride we carried with us, even when times were tough.
Fake History (2010)
Jason: The whole album. That album changed the way I looked at not only art as a career, but also the world as a work of art. It really catalysed my belief that this medium was effective enough to change things around me and quite possibly beyond me.
Jeff: “Muther” holds one of the most personal stories for us as a band. It’s not just a song – it’s tied to moments and memories that run deep in our hearts. Every time I hear it or play it, it feels like revisiting a chapter of our history that was both painful and beautiful, a reminder of why we always poured so much of ourselves into this.
The Blackest Beautiful (2013)
Jason: “27 Club”. I feel like this song really embodied the essence of soul punx. From the content of the song – a holistically challenging view on the status quo and relative morality; how it shapes our beliefs and perception of self, to the sonic representation of punk and blues. That’s my shit.
Jeff: “27 Club”. This one’s extra special to me because it’s got one of my favourite riffs I’ve ever written. There’s something about the way it moves – it feels alive, dangerous, and defiant, which is exactly what that era of the band was all about. Every time I hear it back.
If I’m The Devil (2016)
Jason: “I’ve Learned To Love Myself”. This song felt like I had finally found a way to describe the emotional aspects of all the issues I attempted to touch on throughout my career. From sensuality and self-abandon to socio politics. This song was a considerable attempt at thematic culmination. Also, the string arrangement was so sick.
Jeff: “Good Morning, America’. I’ve always loved the pulse of this song and the way it translates in a live setting – it just takes over the space, subjectively speaking. Watching people move to this chorus and seeing how much they enjoy it has always been one of my favourite things to date. What makes it even more special is that it still feels timeless and relevant with everything going on in today’s world. It will forever be one of my favourites to date. I think there is something here undoubtedly relatable.
For more details on letlive.’s upcoming tour, click here.
