Audio By Carbonatix
of the South Florida Scene is a weekly column devoted to the
artists thriving within Broward and Palm Beach counties featuring
interviews with the folks making it happen. This week, Lake Worth’s Love Handles.
Love Handles might be one of the most confounding bands in Florida, and someday we might find out if Cop City/Chill Pillars (another band featuring the same conspirators) gives more straightforward interviews. Musicwise, guitarist C.J. Jankow and drummer/keyboardist Jordan Pettingill’s output fits loosely under blanket descriptors like
garage rock, punk, and psychedelia. But as the interview that follows shows, there’s a marvelous, youthful energy attached (and some very amusing white lies). A bit of a treasure hunt for local music enthusiasts is below, featuring many local acts and locales with the names often changed to lampoon the innocent.
This behavior should be on full display as the Love Handles take on “house band”
responsibilities tonight at Lake Worth German eatery/entertainment
venue Little Munich or “Medium Municamonsion,” depending on who’s asking. Dubbed “Summer of Fuck” and hosted by local
funnyman and Silver Jews fanatic Josh Simkowitz, tonight’s event assembles
local comedy (check out more details here) that should fit with the wry Love Handles aesthetic.
New Times: Hey, who’s in this band, and how long has it been going on?
C.J. Jankow: Yo, we are Jordan and C.J., and we are from around here. We met while studying film abroad
back in ’95 and started the band since. So I guess that is 15 years. Damn, time flies. We didn’t
play a show until last October or so, though. Had to “find our sound.”
Love Handles means what, exactly?
The name doesn’t
really mean anything. We had to change it after getting a cease-and-desist order. I guess
there was another band already called Love? Who knew? I mean, I wanted to change it to
just “Luv,” but Jordan always wanted to be in a band called Handles, so we compromised. I
guess we were kinda dating then. It didn’t work out.
Do you identify with garage rock music?
It’s funny you mention garage
because neither of us have one. Jordan has a shed, though. I guess I’d rather be called a
garage than a shed. We’ve recorded some stuff with a few different friends. This dude
named Robert Peezy in Miami is the shit. Mad genius and just a generally nice dude, mon. Locally, our friend “big man” from this band called Uncle Jesse and the Tan Dans along with A. Perry Como from the band Guys Named Harvey have been helping us record recently. We
just chill by the pool and eat badass Jamaican food mostly, but we got 18 songs kinda
finished, which leaves 32 more ’cause we are trying to do a 50-song quad album.
What’s your take on South Florida’s music scene?
Being a Florida
band is pretty cool most of the time, except that it’s really hot this time of year. We are
sweaty guys. There are a few really supercruel, badass rock ‘n’ roll groups that we’ve had
a chance to meet and play with around here. All super-, super-, super-chill and cruel and
bitchin’. We really do like that good ol’ rock ‘n’ roll. But who doesn’t, you know? We just
are kinda waiting around for Girl Scout Cookie season again. Because we love those peanut
butter ones.
Best show you’ve played recently?
The best show we played ever was definitely last Friday at this place called Medium Municamonsion in Lake Worth [editor’s note: this was back in June]. It’s some sort of Scandanavian place or something,
but it was the last show we played, and they just keep getting betta and betta and betta. All
da boyz and gurlz were dere looking fly, and they got big glasses of beer and all sorts of
liquor and you don’t have to pay to get in. Pretty sweet!
What are your plans for the future?
I’ve been sending emails to this
guy named Neil Young about hopping on some of his tour dates, but I haven’t heard
anything back yet! Whatta jerk! Who doesn’t respond to an email? Anyways, that would
probably be our dream tour. Not sure if you’ve ever heard him, but he’s the shit. He’s
written a couple of cool songs.
Any other thoughts you’d like to share right now?
Jordan just told me yesterday he’s not sure if he loves me anymore,
and he enlisted in special forces. [note: Jordan told a fib.] I guess he goes to boot camp next week? Whatev. So I
guess tonight might just be our best show ever. I’m sure when Jordan comes back from the
war, our songs are gonna get dark and stuff. But until then, I’m just gonna hang out with my
buddies Bowtie Rasta and Boobie. It’s summer, so we’ll have fun!
Summer of Fuck features Adrian Mesa Wendi Starling, Dan DeCotiis, and Trevor Sparks. And Love Handles. 9 p.m. Wednesday, July 21, at Little Munich, 602 Lake Ave., Lake Worth. Click here.
