Respect Authority

“Relief” is not a word I’d typically associate with washed-up alterna-rockers Papa Roach having a “latest album.” Rather, I would use words like “unnecessary,” or “seriously, unnecessary.” Add to that the fact that the band’s most recent work was inspired by the economy and we have ourselves a real recipe for disaster. Disaster with drums and post-adolescent male screaming. And here I thought they’d already used up their last resort. (Get it? Papa Roach joke!)

“Going home and seeing foreclosure signs popping up all over my neighborhood where I was living … and seeing people get laid off and then people living off of credit cards and going into debt—that hopelessness and that desperation fueled the lyrics,” said PR lead singer Jacoby Shaddix in an interview.

In fact, one need not pore over insipid Papa Roach lyrics to discover the band’s empathy for the country’s plight. PR, which just wrapped up a tour with Buckcherry and Avenge Sevenfold—a time machine of some sort must have been involved; I find it hard to believe anyone would pay to see this tour in the year 2009—offered cheaper ticket prices to appease concert-goers. For a mere $40, fans were able to witness this trifecta of outdated music, a deal that apparently “packed houses,” according to Shaddix.

The band, whose Metamorphosis came out this year (did you know Papa Roach has produced six albums? SIX!), is now touring with Nickelback, which means some serious hair rivalry. PR hopes to reduce its ticket prices even further in the future.

“We know money ain’t falling from the sky at all,” said Shaddix. “We want to provide something for people to get down and have fun, because that’s what people need to do, especially in hard times.”

Worry not, Papa Roach. The time will come, far sooner than you may think, when fans pay a mere $3 to watch you perform, with a T-shirt and unlimited Bud Light thrown in for good measure.