Jimmie Mizell and Glen "Jonesey" Jones
New Jersey punk/americana rock outfit Jon Caspi & The First Gun recently shared the music video for their fan favorite song, “Raise ‘Em High!”, featuring Jesse Malin on vocals, and Dez Cadena (known from Black Flag and The Misfits) on guitar. The new version of the single was released late last year alongside a special-made beer of the same name by New Jersey’s Alternate Ending Beer Co, which the mayor of Aberdeen, NJ signed a proclamation making it the official beer of Aberdeen Day.
“Raise ‘Em High!” was originally inspired by watching an underdog baseball team beating the best team in the league, so when the band decided to do a video the best inspiration was a similarly-themed movie, The Bad News Bears. The cast includes all the band members as well as Dez Cadena with a few nods to his role in Black Flag's famous video for their song “TV Party”, an MTV favorite in the 80's. Another star of the video is legendary WFMU DJ, Glen "Jonesey" Jones (Sundays from 12:00pm-3:00pm), who a couple of years ago chose “Raise ‘Em High!" as his official 2:00pm “toast song” which is at the center of a large Facebook group where folks post selfies of themselves toasting each other to the song.
Jon Caspi & The First Gun are also celebrating a 7" vinyl release of “Raise 'Em High!” being put out by Fake Chapter Records on May 13th at Randy Now's Man Cave in Hightstown, NJ. The release is a double-A side with Jon Caspi & The First Gun's version of Black Flag's “Nervous Breakdown” with Cadena on lead vocals. For collectors, this will be especially exciting as there is no previously recorded version of the track with Cadena on lead vocals. Cadena was the lead singer for Black Flag for a brief time. The show will also include a performance by a reformed The Vibrators V2, a legendary UK punk band. See show and ticket info HERE.
"Making the video was one of the best days of my life, which I mentioned to my family and they were like 'What about us?!' They were not thrilled," Caspi said with a smile. "When I saw Dez's performance I was blown away. He's really funny. The whole video is a comedy but there are laugh-out-loud moments and Dez has many of them. Jonesey is also a natural and should be a major movie star. The whole cast brought it." Pete Jager, the band's guitarist, adds, "I can't believe how great this came out. The quality is so professional. It's shot incredibly well. I can't wait for everyone to see it."
If there could be a genre of “Heartland Punk” then Jon Caspi & the First Gun would be the line leader of such a crew. Borne of rock and roll, bar rock anthems, and a sincere nod to both Joe Strummer and Woody Guthrie, Jon Caspi is experienced enough to keep a crowd’s attention while touching on the themes of friendship and honor; all while toasting friends of past and present. There is nothing missing from Jon Caspi & the First Gun, nor is there anything extraneous that could get in the way of the band’s message of love, and the meaning of a solid handshake. Often found at The Brighton Bar in Long Branch, The Saint, or The Asbury Yacht Club in Asbury Park, you get your dollars’ worth of melody and straight-ahead rock and roll. The band consists of very talented musicians, Jon Caspi - vocals, guitar, Doug Lane – bass, Jimmie Mizell – drums, Pete Jager – guitar, Bob Bailey-Lemansky – piano/organ, and Dez Cadena – guitars, yes Dez Cadena whose name you should know from Black Flag as well as The Misfits. Yet, there is no ego here, just a little slice of punk history in their cover song choices, and the feeling at the end of the show that everything is going to be okay. You won’t meet a nicer group of people, nor should you expect less of any band who holds themselves to their own high standards. So, when you need a place to bring a date to show off your own top-shelf musical taste, don’t miss Jon Caspi & the First Gun. - Doug Dresher, Asbury Park Vibes
Following the new version of “Raise ‘Em High!” the band released a new 5-song EP titled Raise 'Em High! & Other Delights, via Fake Chapter Records, which also includes a powerful heartland rock track that Caspi wrote about being by his father’s bedside at the moment his father died, “Last Ride Home.”
