PAPA ROACH's JACOBY SHADDIX On 'Last Resort': It's 'A Cult Classic And A Best-Seller Wrapped Into One'

In a recent interview with Nik Nocturnal, PAPA ROACH frontman Jacoby Shaddix spoke about how the band's classic 2000 song "Last Resort" has sparked so many memes over the years. "It's everywhere, dude," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "It's even in my house, with my kids. It's funny, dude. It's one of those things that, honestly, I'm absolutely grateful for because we have a cult classic and a best-seller wrapped into one. And in meme culture, people take the piss out of it, and I love it, 'cause it means that you've made it into the fabric of pop culture and we're part of the landscape of what people are talking about still. And what else can you ask for? It's such a great thing. And every time we perform that song, it ignites the audience. You could be at a bar mitzvah and drop that song and somebody there would be, like, 'That's my fucking jam.' Or I could be at TSA fucking airport security, and fucking [someone will ask me], 'Are you the 'Cut My Life…''? And I'm, like, 'I am the 'Cut My Life Into Pizza' guy. That's right, dude. Let's go.' I'll be that guy."

"Last Resort" originally appeared on PAPA ROACH's breakthrough album "Infest", which celebrated its 20th anniversary two years ago. The LP peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart and has been certified triple platinum by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) for sales in excess of three million copies in the U.S. alone. It also featured the fan favorites "Broken Home", "Blood Brothers" and "Between Angels & Insects".

In June 2020, Shaddix told "Offstage With DWP" that he still feels the same way about "Last Resort" as he did when PAPA ROACH first released it. "I feel that that song is a lifeline to a lot of people, and has been," he said. "I've met thousands of kids over the years that have told us, 'Yo, that song saved my life. That song was there for me in my darkest hour.' If I could look back on my career just for that one moment, just that piece, it's, like, 'Wow!' To be able to make a song that impacts people in a positive way, that it has, it's, like, mission accomplished. It wasn't really my intention. It was just, like, 'We're just writing music. We've gotta get this off our chest.' But to look back on it now and see the effect that it's had, the positive effect… And also, man, it's one of those songs that cuts deep and it's at the heart of the matter… Yeah, people have been through some really dark stuff, and 'Last Resort' has brought some people through some feelings of suicide and whatnot. But then on the other hand, it's also become this crazy party anthem. I just saw this dude [on video at] a Walmart the other day and just start singing 'Last Resort' in the middle of everybody pandemic shopping, with a broom. So it's just one of those songs, it's survived the test of time, and I'm just fortunate that it's been such a positive piece of art out there floating around to be a lifeline for people struggling."

Shaddix previously called "Last Resort", which has passed 160 million views on YouTube, PAPA ROACH's "classic." He added: That thing, it's given us such a relevance, even in pop culture. People are making memes — 'Cut my life into pizza.' I love that. 'Cause now I don't take it all too seriously, because it's embedded itself into pop culture, but then also the reality is that it's spoken to a lot of people's hearts that have been in that darkness, and going, 'Hey, man, there's some hope. You can come out of this. You don't have to stay in there.'"

PAPA ROACH's latest album, "Ego Trip", was released on April 8 via New Noize Records in partnership with ADA Worldwide (WMG's independent label and artist services arm).