Jack Antonoff Says His Home State of New Jersey Is 'Extremely Misunderstood': 'It's Like Europe'

"Jersey is a very made fun of place for really, no reason," the Bleachers musician told Zane Lowe in an interview on Apple Music 1

Jack Antonoff won't tolerate any slander about New Jersey.

In an interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music 1, the Bleachers musician — who is from Bergenfeild in Beach Haven — came to the defense of his home state.

"Jersey is a very made fun of place for really, no reason," Antonoff, 39, told the host, 50. "It's extremely misunderstood. It's like Europe, man, there's just everything there. Everything. It's the most beautiful place, and beautiful food and culture. And you want good Italian food? F--- New York City, you go to New Jersey. A lot of the things that I think New York is famous for, I prefer in New Jersey. Sue me, but I will die on that hill. Pizza, 100% is better in New Jersey. Bagels, 100% is better in New Jersey."

Related: Jack Antonoff Says a Bad Mushroom Trip After His Sister Died Stopped Him from Doing Drugs: 'I Completely Lost My Mind'

The "Rollercoaster" performer noted that there are a lot of people who "don't give a f---" and "never go to New York City" even though they're close by in New Jersey.

"They're totally removed from it," he said.

Antonoff then expressed what he admires about the songwriting of fellow New Jersey native Bruce Springsteen.

"This is what Bruce always did so well, it just dares you to dream," the songwriter/producer said. "He always wrote that so perfectly, just this dares you to dream about getting out, dares you to dream about something else."

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Related: Jack Antonoff on the 'Magic' of Working with Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey: 'The More We Do, The Less I Expect It'

Elsewhere in the conversation, Antonoff opened up about the "magic" of collaborating with Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey.

"Every time we do something new, I joke, 'I guess we still got it,' because there's no reason for it to keep coming the way it does," he told Lowe. "There's a lot of magic there. I feel that way with Taylor, I feel that way with Lana, I feel that with my band."

Antonoff continued: "There's people I've had these long relationships with, where I'm just like, the opposite of expecting it. It's almost like, the more we do, the less I expect it. Because I often think to myself, well, how much longer could we really keep having this spark? And I'm just grateful that it's there, and I don't know where it comes from or where it goes, but the one thing that I've noticed is that anyone who claims to know where it comes from and where it goes burns out pretty quick."

Bleachers new self-titled album is due March 8 via Dirty Hit.

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