On his new video for “I Am the Aquabats,” he said, “It’s the almost true story of a band of low budget superheroes asking the popular kids at school to help them win at making some new TV episodes for kids. Seriously though, we wanted to make some new episodes of the show and talked to some of our pals (Jack Black, Weird Al, Felicia Day etc.) about helping get the word out. A bunch of buddies responded and we all chipped in to make some little mini-episodes to help promote the campaign.”
Regarding their campaign, he said, “It’s a Kickstarter campaign. It involves making more new things such as music, new TV episodes, and hopefully, more touring and more Aquabats. They can check out the campaign here.”
Their plans for the future include a new album. “Plus, the soundtrack to the TV show Season One. It’s been ready to release for years we just haven’t had all the rights tied up until now. We’d like to make more episodes as soon as possible too,” he said.
On his transition between Nick Jr. and The Aquabats, he said, “So initially, we had been pitching The Aquabats! Super Show! all over for many years. We got older as a band and as people, started having kids of our own, and then suddenly found ourselves switching gears into making a show for a lot younger kids, like the kids we had at home. We developed an idea for a few years, then took a crazy leap of faith and put our own money into a little show called Yo Gabba Gabba! One thing lead to another and we ended up on Nick Jr.”
Each day, he is motivated by family, survival, and fun. “I want to be able to provide for my family and give them opportunities that I may or may not have had. This entertainment business is a fickle thing and sometimes I’m working harder to land a job than to actually do the job. It’s a hustle for sure,” he said.
He continued, “I think having fun is important to me. Whether it’s creating a new show idea, directing an episode, writing songs with the band or even just going to play soccer with my kids; things have to pay off in the fun department or I can quickly lose my mind. I love my kids and my wife and we have a lot of fun. So, even if I’m working all the time or I’m unemployed, we have to have family fun time. It’s the reason to live.”
Digital transformation of the entertainment business
On the impact of technology on the entertainment business, Jacobs said, “From when we started developing and pitching shows to now, there has been almost a flat out revolution in the way things work now. Entertainment is totally different and so is the music business.”
He continued, “The upside is that if you’re willing to put in the time and have the energy and talent, you don’t have to wait for some network executive or A&R person at a record label to green light your stuff. You can just go and do it. Technology has not only made it so much easier to make but there’s also places to deliver your product and capitalize on it.”
Regarding his use of technology in his daily routine as an entertainer, he said, “I use iPhones, laptops, keyboards, drum machines, and Pro Tools daily. For me, particularly, I drive a lot and having easy access to music is mad important. I’ve been an Apple music guy and listening to new stuff and making playlists has been easier than ever. I know Spotify is good too but I went for Apple music. It’s crazy how lucky these kids are these days. Everything is at their fingertips.”
He added, “It has been a little weird to be able to access so much, in a way I find myself always falling back into older musical favorites. There’s a lot of new stuff. I guess I’m turning into a real geezer after all.”
His advice for aspiring musicians is as follows: “Try not to let the passion of what you love to do give way to the pressures of paying for it. Don’t forget that the things you’re really passionate about are what really keeps you alive, not your accounting job. Don’t get me wrong, you have to pay the bills, but don’t forget that what makes you happy is not money.”
For his fans, he concluded, “I just want to thank all of our fans whether they’ve got involved in the campaign or not. Thank you for giving us a reason to keep doing something we love .”
