Tuesday (an interview)
a look into the mind of one of the greatest day-of-the-week songwriters of our generation
We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Jake Luppen, the singer of Hippo Campus, and ask him a few questions about the song “Tuesday”, “Landmark” and the band in general. He was reluctant to speak directly, so we reached out to his manager. Thankfully, with his team, we were able to set up an interview with the understanding we had strict guidelines and time limits. We met him near the band’s studio in Minneapolis, and he requested we do the interview outdoors. Unshaved, he emerged from the industrial-looking building and gave no hint as to what he was working on inside. It was unclear if he had been sleeping there, or if he even works in the building. He gestured toward one of the tables near a loading dock. We were instructed to keep the interview to less than 20 minutes and to please avoid asking questions about his personal life. Against an imposing, inflexible backdrop, we begin our interview.
Zach Sutton (Demos iii): You okay if I record this conversation?
Jake Luppen (Hippo Campus): Yeah, but I have to approve it first.
ZS: Yeah, that’s totally fine. I really appreciate you—
JL: Well, you gotta send it to my manager.
ZS: Yeah, no, I got the—
JL: He’ll review it. Uh, he’ll have one of his interns review it and then send it to me.
ZS: Sure. Yeah, no, he— we’ve been in touch. He’s the one who scheduled this interview. So yeah, he’ll get approval on all this. And yeah, just thanks again for doing this. Um, the readers on Substack are super excited about this.
JL: What’s Substack?
ZS: It’s like the magazine that we’re doing this interview for.
JL: Oh, great. Is it like Rolling Stone?
ZS: Um, no, not really. It’s more of like an online thing, I guess. Uh, it’s like a—
JL: Like Rolling Stone online?
ZS: Yes
JL Okay, cool.
ZS: Um, so yeah, no, we’re just doing sort of like a long-form interview about Landmark, and we’re going through each song, and we got to Tuesday, and the guys at the magazine thought, what if we could like just talk to Jake about— because we know you wrote that song.
JL: Tuesday by Hippo Campus?
ZS: Yep. And we were thinking, what if we could get an interview with him and just like see if he’d be willing, and then maybe we’d get some more insight on it. So I just have a couple questions for you, and maybe you could just, yeah, help us understand a little bit about the song.
JL: Yeah
ZS: Okay, so you ready to get going?
JL: Yeah.
ZS: All right, my first question: Hey, how are you doing?
JL: Yeah… Good. Good. Yeah.
ZS: Just a little bit about the record itself. What about Landmark stands out in your memory?
JL: I wanted to call it something different. I didn’t like the name. If I could go back, I would change it.
ZS: What did you want to call it?
JL: Something different
ZS: That was what you would call it? Something different?
JL: Maybe. Something different than Landmark, maybe. I got outvoted.
ZS: Interesting. Yeah. Was it a tense conversation?
JL: No. Next question
ZS: Do you remember writing the song “Tuesday” by Hippo Campus?
JL: Yes.
ZS: Tell me a little bit about it.
JL: Um, let’s see here. It’s the first voice memo in my phone.
ZS: Oh wow, so you had just gotten an iPhone at the time?
JL: Yes, November 16th, 2014.
ZS: Wow.
JL: It is titled “Sometime They Call It a Tuesday.” period.
ZS: Um, what kind of headspace were you in when you wrote the song?
JL: I don’t remember.
ZS: Um, did you write it on a Tuesday?
JL (Asking into his phone): Was November 16th, 2014 a Tuesday? Oh, sorry, something’s wrong, please try again.
JL: Sorry.
JL (into his phone again): Was November 16th, 2014 a Tuesday? I’m having a bit of trouble here, please try again.
ZS: Well, we can do our own research after the interview, don’t worry about it. Um, what kind of—
JL (looking at his phone): I’m scrolling up here, hold on. I’ve gone all the way up. This could be a few minutes.
ZS: Okay.
JL (into his phone again): What day of the week was November 16th, 2014? It was a Sunday.
ZS: Okay, it was a Sunday. So what prompted you to write this song about a Tuesday on a Sunday, and what kind of emotional stuff were you going through at the time?
JL: We had already wrote a song about Saturday that had been performing well, so logically, you know, we wanted to repeat that level of success. Figured that, you know, there might be another day of the week. Sunday, it’s a little bit too close to Saturday. Monday is a day that nobody likes, including Garfield. And Tuesday just seemed like, you know, the next logical day that we could write a song about.
ZS: Sure. Yeah
JL: Wednesday was a little wordy, maybe
ZS: Too many syllables, you think?
JL: I think it might make some people uncomfortable.
ZS: Interesting. What is the song Tuesday about?
JL: I think it’s about a day of the week.
ZS: Interesting. Um
JL: Sometimes. Make sure you put that part in. It’s actually in the lyrics.
ZS: Who do you only call when you’re drunk?
JL: Well, I had just gotten an iPhone at the time, so, um, I don’t know if I was calling anybody really.
ZS: Well, you see here in the song it says, um, sorry, let me just pull up the lyrics.
JL: I don’t think I drank at this time.
ZS: Oh, oh love, um, I only call you when I’m high.
JL: Drunk. Drunk.
ZS: Sorry.
JL: Interesting, Um, you know, it’s probably a metaphor.
ZS: What is it a metaphor for?
JL: Probably a symbol. It’s probably a metaphor for a symbol.
ZS: Amazing. That’s beautiful. I didn’t know that. Who wrote the line, “In terms of our relationship”?
JL: Man, there’s a chap. I can’t remember his name. Great chap, great hair. Man. What was his name?
ZS: My sources tell me he played—
JL: I think it was Whistler. Nathan. Nope, Nathan. Nope, it was definitely Nathan. Nope, it wasn’t Nathan. It was— DeCarlo? Is it DeCarlo?
ZS: See, because here in my notes I have it that the bass player of the band wrote that line.
JL: What’s his— the bass player now or the bass player back then?
ZS: I think it’s the same guy.
JL: Is it?
ZS: Yeah, Zach was— is his name.
JL: Is that you?
ZS: Oh yeah, yeah, I wrote that line.
JL: You wrote that line?
ZS: I wrote it.
JL: It’s a great line.
ZS: Thank you. What was the last best day of your life?
JL: Um, let’s see here. Probably November 16th, 2014. A Sunday.
ZS: Oh, what happened on that day?
JL: I wrote, uh, “Sometime they call it a Tuesday,” period.
ZS: That’s amazing. Do you remember what you did or what you ate? Anyone special?
JL: No. I got it. I just had gotten an iPhone, probably, so I was probably in a good mood.
ZS: Yeah.
JL: iPhone.
ZS: Yeah, iPhone. What was the worst day of your life?
JL: Probably November 17th, 2014, because, you know, you just wake up knowing that you can’t follow something as compelling as “Sometime I Call It a Tuesday.” It was all downhill on the voice memos from there.
ZS: Yeah.
JL: Yeah, really.
ZS: So, sort of like, um— Uh, imposter syndrome kind of thing?
JL: Yeah, it’s like once you’ve reached the pinnacle of songs about days of the week, you know, what do you— do you write one about Thursday or Friday, you know?
ZS: Do you think you will write another song about a day of the week?
JL: I think I could.
ZS: Yeah, which day would it be?
JL: Just gotta find the right one, that’s the problem. You know, could be Thursday. I don’t think anyone’s done that one yet.
ZS: I don’t think I know any songs about Thursday. Um, how did you guys get the name for the band?
JL: Which band?
ZS: Hippo Campus.
JL: Um, the name of the album?
ZS: The band.
JL: The band. Um, was that you too?
ZS: Nope, no, I— well, I don’t think so. I mean, I’m just here in my notes.
JL: I don’t— I’m just making sure there aren’t any more trick questions. I told the man— I told my manager specifically no trick questions, and you pulled a trick question on me earlier.
ZS: There’s no trick questions. I apologize that you feel that way.
JL: I’m Frankly—
ZS: It’s okay.
JL: I’m up here
ZS: Do you want to take a break?
JL: Um… no.
ZS: Okay.
ZS: How did you guys get the name for the band?
JL: Which band?
ZS: Hippo Campus
JL: Oh, um, it’s part of the brain. It’s also a seahorse, I believe.
ZS: Are you guys inspired by seahorses?
JL: Um, maybe, probably more land horses. I’ve never ridden one, though. I would. If I could.
ZS: Um, do your parents know you’re gay?
JL: Um, do your parents know that you’re gay?
ZS: I’m asking the questions here.
JL: I’m also asking the questions that, um
ZS: If we could just stick to you being interviewed
JL: Um, which band?
ZS: So that was the last question. Right now I’m asking, do your parents know you’re gay?
JL: Maybe.
ZS: If you could go back in time and change something about this song, would you, and what would it be?
JL: You know, I would probably, you know, if I went back to November 16th, 2014 I’d probably tell myself to hold off on writing this one. You know now that we’re in such perils as an organization, as an institution. You know the belts are tightening. It would be nice to have a song like this… to jolt our career back a bit. For Hippo Campus
ZS: So you would say don’t write the song until let’s say, today?
JL: What’s today? Monday August 10, 2026?
ZS: Do you think it would have the same cultural impact being released 12 years later?
JL: What? Do you think if “Imagine” came out this year it would have the same kind of impact?
ZS: You mean “Imagine” by John Lennon?
JL: Yeah
ZS: I think— uh, yeah. I think it would.
JL: Do you think “Livin’ on a Prayer”, Bon Jovi, if that came out today that that would be the top pop radio? I think it would.
ZS: Yeah, no, it’s a good point.
JL: It’s a good statement on America right now. “Tommy used to work on the docks. He’s down on his luck, union’s been on strike” um “It’s so tough”
ZS: Okay
JL: “We gotta hold on to what we got. Doesn’t make a difference if we make it or not. We got each other and that’s a lot for love.”
ZS: Yup. I’m familiar with the song, so I’m just wondering—
JL: “We’ll give it a shot” “Ah Ah, Ah Ah, on Tuesday”
ZS: Oh, okay, so now you’re singing “Tuesdsay”
JL: Yeah, same
ZS: So you think Tuesday is as meaningful or as impactful as “Livin’ on a prayer” by Bon Jovi?
JL: Yeah
ZS: You do?
JL: Probably
ZS: So the streaming numbers sort of beg to differ on that one.
JL: How many streams does “Livin’ on a Prayer” have?
ZS: I don’t have that infor—
JL (to his phone): How many streams does “Livin’ on a Prayer” have? By Bon Jovi on Spotify?… Allow.
(Phone starts playing “It’s My Life” by Bon Jovi)
JL: Oh it started played “It’s My Life”.
ZS: Oh Siri’s obviously having a tough day.
JL: It’s a good one too. Not as universal as “Livin’ on a Prayer”. You think since 2014 they would have improved the technology a little.
ZS: Right. If you were a Poptart, what flavor would you be?
JL (very long pause): Brown Sugar.
ZS: Do you tip 20% even when the server kind of has an attitude?
JL: I go above.
ZS: What do you usually tip?
JL: 30. I like to best those at the table. So that the server looks at that receipt and says, “Out of everyone at this table, this guys is the best person.”
ZS: That’s very generous of you. You’re a very giving person.
JL: Yeah.
ZS: Coin was obviously the better band when considering modern indie. What does it mean for Hippo Campus now that they have disbanded?
JL: I think there’s a hole in bands named after currency. And, you know, that, we could fill that. It doesn’t even have to be English. We could call the band Peso.
ZS: You would change Hippo Campus to Peso?
JL: Yeah, or Yen. I like that, it’s clean. Yen. Is It Yens? Is that multiple yen?
ZS: No, yeah, I think you were right. I think its yen
JL (into his phone): What is multiple yen?
Siri: Okay, I found this on the web for “what is multiple yen” check it out.
JL: “Japanese yen denominations you need to know and how to use”
ZS: I’ve got that down we can probably just say yen
JL: I think its Yens
ZS: Um, a couple more questions. In what ways do you feel like you are misunderstood?
JL (long pause): I would ask, you know, in what ways do I feel understand?
ZS: you feel, sort of, entirely misunderstood so that no almost one understands you?
JL: I feel understood that there’s no understating for how to under… understand… my understanding of myself.
ZS: Mhmm. If you could sort of key someone in, how to understand you, what would say to them?
JL: Start by misunderstanding and work your way back. To be a poet you have to misunderstand… um, everything.
ZS: Wow, that’s insightful.
JL: You aint got a leg to stand on.
ZS: Me personally? Or?
JL: Capital M Me. write that down.
ZS: My final question. Is there anything else you want to say to our readers?
JL: Where are your readers? What platform is it?
ZS: Its on Substack.
JL: That is a website?
ZS: Yup. So it’s like an online publication.
JL: Unplug a little bit and go outside. Take a little walk. You know maybe get into physical mediums. Like community papers, or, neighborhood watch organizations.
ZS: Amazing. Well thank you so much for sitting down with us. And yeah of course I’m gonna send this to your manager.
JL: Yeah I have to sign off on everything
ZS: Okay
JL: The intern signs off on it, manager signs off on it, and then I sign off on it.
ZS: Yeah, so you get final say.
JL: So I’m assuming this is gonna be cut significantly down.
ZS: Yup, no, it’s gonna be chopped down. Pretty sparse.
JL: Probably just the Poptart question.
ZS: Okay. Uh well we appreciate it. And yeah, we hope to do this again sometime.
JL: …
ZS: Alright, thanks
JL: Goodnight.
more photos, listen to the full 17:36 recorded interview & listen to the Tuesday demo below.