PAPA ROACH: The Story Of 'Last Resort' Told By VICE (Video)

"Last Resort" by PAPA ROACH was a surprise hit given the song's raw and vivid portrayal of mental health and suicide. And although lead singer Jacoby Shaddix wrote "Last Resort" about his friend's struggle, the track took on new personal relevance for Jacoby years later when he was battling his own demons. In the 27-minute video below, VICE learns the full, little-known story behind "Last Resort" and its journey from darkness into light.

"Last Resort" originally appeared on PAPA ROACH's breakthrough album "Infest", which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year. The LP peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart and has been certified triple platinum by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) for sales in excess of three million copies in the U.S. alone. It also featured the fan favorites "Broken Home", "Blood Brothers" and "Between Angels & Insects".

Last June, Shaddix told "Offstage With DWP" that he still feels the same way about "Last Resort" as he did when PAPA ROACH first released it. "I feel that that song is a lifeline to a lot of people, and has been," he said. "I've met thousands of kids over the years that have told us, 'Yo, that song saved my life. That song was there for me in my darkest hour.' If I could look back on my career just for that one moment, just that piece, it's, like, 'Wow!' To be able to make a song that impacts people in a positive way, that it has, it's, like, mission accomplished. It wasn't really my intention. It was just, like, 'We're just writing music. We've gotta get this off our chest.' But to look back on it now and see the effect that it's had, the positive effect… And also, man, it's one of those songs that cuts deep and it's at the heart of the matter… Yeah, people have been through some really dark stuff, and 'Last Resort' has brought some people through some feelings of suicide and whatnot. But then on the other hand, it's also become this crazy party anthem. I just saw this dude [on video at] a Walmart the other day and just start singing 'Last Resort' in the middle of everybody pandemic shopping, with a broom. So it's just one of those songs, it's survived the test of time, and I'm just fortunate that it's been such a positive piece of art out there floating around to be a lifeline for people struggling."

PAPA ROACH's latest album, "Who Do You Trust?" , arrived in January 2019. A follow-up LP is tentatively due later this year.

Last month, PAPA ROACH released a five-song EP, "20/20", featuring "new takes on old jams," including "Last Resort" and "Scars".

As previously reported, PAPA ROACH will release its second collection of hit singles, titled "Greatest Hits Vol. 2 - The Better Noise Years", on March 19, 2021. The effort includes 12 of the band's top 10 hits released between 2010 to 2019 as well as three previoulsy unreleased remixes and two unreleased acoustic recordings recorded live at the YouTube Studios in New York City. "Greatest Hits Vol. 2 - The Better Noise Years" also features a guest appearance by Danny Warsnop (vocalist of ASKING ALEXANDRIA) on the track "Broken As Me". The original version of the song was recorded for PAPA ROACH's 2015 album "F.E.A.R."

PAPA ROACH has remained relevant since its debut in 2000. Now 20 years in, the band currently has over eight million monthly listeners on Spotify with total streaming numbers into the billions.

PAPA ROACH has released 21 Top 5 singles over the course of its distinguished career — 12 of which are included in the new greatest-hits collection from the past 10 years. "Help", the band's 2017 release, has just been certified gold by the RIAA, selling over 500,000 copies in the United States alone.