Jason Mewes shot to fame in childhood buddy Kevin Smith’s 1994 movie Clerks as one half of Jay And Silent Bob – aka the stoner Laurel And Hardy. It’s a role he’s reprised in several more of Smith’s movies, as well as appearing in a string of TV shows. We asked him to talk us through the 10 albums that changed his life? Cue Ozzy, Slayer, King Diamond and… Bjork.
The first album I bought was…
King Diamond – Abigail (1987)
“My older brother used to buy all the tapes, and I learned what kind of metal I liked through him. So he used to loan me his tapes, but the first one I actually bought was Abigail by King Diamond. That album is my flying music! For some reason it eases me when I’m on a plane.”
The album I break the speed limit to is…
Sublime – Sublime (1996)
“I dunno about speeding, but I feel like my car music is dancehall and reggae! But for now let’s say Sublime – I know it’s not heavy metal, but I can picture myself breaking the speed limit to it. I know that doesn’t sound crazy but that’s what I listen to in the car!”
The album that should not be is…
The White Stripes – Elephant (2003)
“I always feel like there’s at least one good song on every album. When burning CDs came in, that was amazing to me, because I don’t really like every song on an album! I like the White Stripes’ song Seven Nation Army, but when I got the album I didn’t like any other song on it. But you can’t hate on that, or any artist who puts out a whole album.”
The album I wish I’d made is…
Ozzy Osbourne – The Blizzard Of Ozz (1980)
“I think you can go to the smallest island in the middle of nowhere, where people are washing their clothes in a river, and they’ll still know who Michael Jackson is – and I feel like Ozzy’s pretty close to that, too. So, I would say I wish I made Blizzard Of Ozz because I think Black Sabbath and Ozzy are amazing, but I also think that Ozzy is known all over the place.”
A kid asks me what metal is, I tell them …
Slayer – Reign In Blood (1986)
“I would say Slayer, because they’re heavy but they’re not too heavy. I can listen to Death or Deicide, but there are a lot of people you’d play that to who would think, ‘Who is this guy? I can’t stand that screaming, I don’t like this!’ Slayer is still the harder side of metal, but you can still hear the words and enjoy it.”
The album I wish I’d made is…
The Beatles – Help! (1965)
“If I have friends and family there, they have to be able to tolerate it. So let’s say The Beatles. I think most people can get into a Beatles song… Ticket To Ride! A ticket to ride to the pearly gates, ha ha ha!”
No one will believe I own a copy of…
Björk – Post (1995)
“I’m trying to think what I have here… I have so much crap, ha ha ha! Stuff like Boys II Men, Oasis, The Cranberries… but let’s say Björk. It was when we were doing Mall Rats, there was this girl called Carmen who was really into them, and I really dug it.”
The soundtrack to my life is…
The Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
“I would say The Beatles, if it’s going through my life. There were times I was on drugs on and off, and I remember their song Strawberry Fields Forever was really trippy. With all the songs they had, you could probably put a montage of my life to that, ha ha ha!”
The best soundtrack album is…
Various – Eight Mile
“The soundtrack was so good that I actually wanted to go out and buy the CD. 8 Mile! It wasn’t just Eminem on there, but I definitely like Eminem.”
Originally published in Metal Hammer #231
