PAPA ROACH has released a new version of its classic song “Last Resort”. “Last Resort (Reloaded)” is collaboration with genre-bending pop/rock musician and TikTok star Jeris Johnson, whose videos have earned him over 950,000 followers on the social media platform.
Celebrating the 20th anniversary of “Last Resort”, PAPA ROACH and Johnson unite to breathe new life into an iconic track, which was named the most played video on “TRL” in 2000. “Last Resort (Reloaded)” boasts an infectious bounce, potent guitars, and punchy vocals in true Jeris and Jacoby Shaddix fashion. With an effortless raw, nostalgic punk-rock vibe, listeners are sure to be transported to their own personal concert.
The rework arrives with a visual that reimagines the original PAPA ROACH music video and encapsulates the whirlwind of a mosh pit. Out tomorrow, January 28, Jeris and Jacoby bring their palpable energy and dynamic sonics as they prove an undeniable ability to unite a crowd, whether that’s through the collective screens of “quarantine” or the hopeful imagining of the days we’ll be able to jump around in a crowd once again. The poignant visual gives a bit of relief to those feeling overwhelmed, allowing viewers to sing at the top of their lungs and jump off the restlessness and anger they may be feeling. The lyrics tackle hard-hitting topics, as Jeris continues Jacoby‘s verse from 2000 and adds his own thoughts, feelings, and struggles as he navigates life.
Johnson has garnered a devout cult following on TikTok for his genre-transforming reworks of popular songs. As he picked up traction on the platform following the success of “damn!”, which reached #19 on the Shazam charts and was included on Spotify‘s U.S. Viral chart, Jeris covered “Last Resort” and caught the eyes and ears of the critically acclaimed group themselves. Proving the power of TikTok, Jacoby and Jeris became fast friends, forging a brotherhood that sees Jacoby knighting Jeris in his quest to break into uncharted territory and create a whole new sonic wave.
Shaddix commented: “It was amazing to hear that Jeris connected with the track the same way people all over the world have. That conversation of ‘Last Resort’ and its impact on all types of people hasn’t stopped for 20 years, and we were stoked to ‘Reload’ it for a new generation to keep that conversation going”
Jeris added: “‘Last Resort (Reloaded)’ is a song surrounded by magic. The original ‘Last Resort’ is one of the most impactful and loved songs from an entire generation of music (and my childhood). There is an energy to that song that has just made it a living breathing art form at this point. After I remixed it and threw it up on TikTok, the last thing I expected was that I’d end up in the studio with PAPA ROACH a couple weeks later. The reaction and reception was so overwhelming that me (a random kid on TikTok) got the attention of a legacy band and the invitation to team up and remake ‘Last Resort’ for an entirely new generation. I don’t give a fuck what anyone says, that’s magic.”
Last year, Shaddix revealed that he and his bandmates had recorded three new versions of “Last Resort” featuring several guest vocalists.
“There’s somebody from the modern rock era that’s fucking speaking to the people for the people right now,” he told Rock Sound TV. “He’s a badass. And there’s somebody from the hip-hop scene. There’s three people in total. There’s somebody from the hip-hop scene that’s old school, and there’s somebody from the current hip-hop that’s going on right now.
“It’s gonna be fun to play with and a cool way to celebrate the track,” he added. “It’s got the right edges to it, it’s got the right people, man, so it feels authentic.
“‘Last Resort’ is one of those kind of timeless-type tracks, and we wanted to get people that we felt would stand that test of time.”
In November, Jeris shared a behind-the-scenes video in the studio with Shaddix. In the background, a clip of the new “Last Resort” version could be heard. Another video, featuring more footage from the sessions, was posted on Johnson‘s Instagram last week.
PAPA ROACH recently entered a studio in Southern California to begin recording the follow-up to 2019’s “Who Do You Trust?” album for a tentative mid-2021 release.
Last September, Shaddix told Shroom of the WEBN radio station about the band’s new music: “This stuff is fire. It feels so good to be back in and creating music with the guys. Especially ’cause we’re not on the road, it’s a good thing for us to do is to get together and live our purpose. Creating is, I believe, my life’s purpose — writing songs and connecting with people through music.
“The stuff is, some of it’s really aggressive and abrasive and angry, and some of it is very self-reflective as well in the sense of, like, I’m really digging deep into some stuff,” he revealed.
Last July, Shaddix told Rock Sound TV that PAPA ROACH‘s next album will be released through band’s own record company. “We are in partnership with Warner/ADA, and so it’s like an artist services group,” he explained. “And we’re gonna do that for an album and see how it works out. We’ve been super focused in the creative marketing behind what we do and the imaging and the videos and the messaging and everything, we were, like, let’s take it in our hands and see where we can go with it and try it for an album.”
“Who Do You Trust?” was released in January 2019. The disc was produced by Nick “RAS” Furlong and Colin Cunningham except for the song “Top Of The World”, which is helmed by Jason Evigan.
Last month, PAPA ROACH released a five-song EP, “20/20”, featuring “new takes on old jams,” including “Last Resort” and “Scars”.
