Pierre Presents: Papa Roach, An Intimate Conversation

Most beginnings in this world come from humble origins. This is true in the case of Papa Roach, whose members met on the high school football field in their hometown of Vacaville, California. That modest starting point for them would blossom into rock and roll stardom. The most prominent example would be their genre-bending record Infest and their major smash hit "Last Resort". In 2025, that record celebrates its 25th anniversary, and while the band is taking time to mark the milestone, they're continuing to create excellent music to share.

No celebration is complete without a visit to WMMR in Philadelphia, and Jacoby Shaddix, Jerry Horton, and Tobin Esperance did just that on September 8th, 2025. They brought some guitars, and Pierre Robert brought a dozen or so lucky listeners who won the opportunity to see and hear the band in an intimate setting. That setting was the WMMR Performance Studio in another remarkable edition of Pierre Presents.

Papa Roach is no stranger to WMMR (you can check out front man Jacoby Shaddix's last chat with Pierre Robert here). Whenever you have old friends back in your home, you certainly want to catch up with what they're up to. At the time of recording, they were about to hit the road with Rise Against for the "Rise Of The Roach" tour. They also have two new singles, "Even If It Kills Me" and "Braindead," with a new album on the way.

When asked about their musical arc over the past quarter century, Jacoby was very thankful for the journey. "Life is an evolution," he tells Pierre. Without skipping a beat, Jacoby showcases his great wit and humor by saying, "I also look at all the hairstyles I had and I laugh...some of it has been good, some of it has been bad, and some of it has been UGLY".

The members of Papa Roach also talked with Pierre about the importance of positivity and gratitude, how the songwriting process is like "making a hot dog", and how founding their own record label has vastly improved the band. These stories and many more can be seen and heard below. Special thanks to New Noize Records, A&T Chevy and A&T Subaru in Sellersville, Neumann University, and Breakdown Media. We also cannot thank Jacoby, Jerry and Tobin of Papa Roach enough for taking the time here at WMMR. Enjoy and ¡Viva La Cucaracha!