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Hawthorne Heights – If Only You Were Lonely

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Hawthorne Heights

Artist: Hawthorne Heights
Album: If Only You Were Lonely
Label: Victory
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: February 28, 2006

Overall: 9.3
Music: 9.4
Lyrics: 9.4
Production: 9.2

Hawthorne Heights burst onto the music scene two years ago with their release of “The Silence in Black and White”. With a similar sound to such bands as Taking Back Sunday, Senses Fail, and My Chemical Romance the guys cashed in on the screamcore scene that was forming. With the huge success of their single, “Ohio is For Lovers” not to mention all the nonstop touring with everyone from Spitalfield to Fall Out Boy and appearances on Warped Tour everyone now knows the melodic band from Ohio. This sophomore album is the product of all the hardwork and aspiration the guys put into playing music they are passionate about.

The new album opens with the track, “This is Who We Are”. It opens with a pounding guitar solo before giving way to the soft vocals of JT Woodruff. I have always enjoyed Hawthorne Heights because of the balance between the higher pitched soft vocals of JT and the background screams and this track highlights that superb balance. The next track, “We Are So Last Year” is by far my favorite. The verse is upbeat and the chorus has the most unforgettable lyrics on the album. Woodruff sings, “I just wanted you to know/ I think about you every night/ when I fall asleep/ you were in my dreams/ just like in a movie/ the one you want to see/ with the happy ending.” I also loved the softer sung chorus in the bridge of this one because it drives the lyrical aspects of the song home. The next track, “Language Lessons (5 words or less)” demonstrates Hawthorne Height’s ability to layer its music. With the dual guitar work you can hear the delicate stability between the two. They also work with the background vocals having JT sing the main as well as softer background instead of using the screams. They also have that typical HH sound in the real soft slower bridges. The track “Saying Sorry” was selected as the first single and the video can already be seen on various webpages (AOL music). In the video the guys are wearing white and playing in the clouds as a version of heaven. It’s a pretty trippy rocking video and an excellent pick as the first single. Once again the way the guys turn it from hardrock to soft vocals and the vocal delivery in the chorus makes this song a standout. Woodruff sings, “Saying goodbye/ this time/ the same old story/ seeing you cry/ makes me feel like saying sorry”. They also have the background screams accent the perfect lines to drive home the message. In “Breathing Sequence” the song opens with that all too familiar dark intro before giving way to the dual guitar action and Woodruff’s soothing vocals accenting the verses. The vocal deliver changes so much from the soft first verse to the driving chorus to the fast paced delivery seen in the second verse it constantly kept me on the edge. There is also a very sinister undertone to the whole song that keeps it interesting. Another musical highlight of this record is the song, “Light Sleeper” which opens with that slow moving guitar riff and Woodruff’s comforting vocals before cranking it up and rocking it out. The chorus grabbed my attention and hooked itself in with a great melody and a sensational beat. The song then closes the same way it started very gentle and relaxing. The album closes with the song, “Decembers” which features, believe it or not, a piano and some acoustic guitars. This closing song demonstrates once again how far HH have come since “Silence in Black and White”. Woodruff sings, “You don’t have to speak because/ I can hear your heartbeat/ fluttering like a butterfly/ searching for a drink”. Unquestionably a song like this didn’t appear on the last album and it shows how the guys have made that attempt to grow musically and lyrically.

As I compare “If Only You Were Lonely” to “Silence in Black and White” the immediate thought that comes to mind is that they’ve definitely stuck to their hard rocking roots. In my opinion, however, this album is above and beyond the last album. I found “Silence in Black and White” a little too rough on the ear drums at times. It seemed as if they were just using the throaty screams to add that dimension to their music. On “IOYWL” the screams were only used to accent the message and bring in that added dimension of emotion and angst. Midway through the last album it also seemed like all the songs sort of started to blend into each other while on this album each song stands alone. Hawthorne Heights have definitely progressed musically and lyrically and this album is going to be one of the hardest rocking emotionally driven albums of the year.

Track Listing
1. This is Who We Are
2. We Are So Last Year
3. Language Lessons (5 words or less)
4. Pens and Needles
5. Saying Sorry
6. Dead in the Water
7. I Am on Your Side
8. Breathing in Sequence
9. Light Sleeper
10. Cross Me Off Your List
11. Where Can I Stab Myself in the Ears
12. Decembers

Standout Tracks
“Light Sleeper”, “We Are So Last Year”, “Saying Sorry”

Spill Canvas Interview July 25th, 2005

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The Spill Canvas
At this year’s Warped Tour I also had the pleasure of talking to the Spill Canvas. I’d like to thank all the guys in the band for taking time out of their day, and Kate Cafaro for setting everything up. We did the interview before their Chicago show and we did the interview in a cafeteria backstage where my recording equipment had a rough time picking up everything with all the background noise. I did my best to get down exactly who said what, but going off voices it was extremely difficult.

Joe: Well letï¿Â½s start this out right away with this morning, what happened there?

Nick: They jimmied the lock on the passenger side, and the door was open. We were like, ï¿Â½whoahï¿Â½. We had a stand constructed for like our tv and Playstation and all that stuff and it was knocked over and our stuff was gone.

J: That sucks, totally unexpected

N: Yeah we didnï¿Â½t expect it at all

Dan: Yeah it was a nice way to wake up. It was kind of weird because we had like three laptops down there and we were thinking maybe they were so tired that they didnï¿Â½t touch them.

N: They were not very good thieves.

J: They just wanted the Ipod and Playstation?

D: Well they went more for the tv. They didnï¿Â½t even go to the front seats. We had the computers and stuff in the front and the tv was right there. They just opened the door and went for that.

N: And our Ipods were right there

Scott: And they stole our change

J: Ha ha ha

N: Yeah like who steals change?

J: Well I heard Rufio got their stuff stolen too, does that happen a lot on the road?

N: When I was touring solo, like I was touring with a band and all my stuff was in their van and trailer and we came out of a venue and the van and trailer was gone and I lost everything. So Iï¿Â½m like totally used to it by now< . J: Damn. So letï¿Â½s talk music. ï¿Â½Sunsets and Car Crashesï¿Â½ right?

N: Yeah

J: That was just your project?

N: Yeah that was just mainly me because I just didn’t have any musicians that really were inï¿Â½ I mean I live in South Dakota soï¿Â½

J: Ha ha ha, that’ll happen

N: Yeah, so there’s not a vast choice of musicians to pick from, but it was as good as I could do and it’s what I wanted to do the whole time. I mean it turned out great and I had a lot of fun so.

J: I reviewed that album for our website actually

N: Really?

J: For some reason, I have no idea, it has the most hits out of any other album.

N: Really?

J: Yeah, I believe I said it was, well how would you describe yourself?

N: How would I describe it?

J: I think I said it was like John Mayer meets Dashboardï¿Â½

N: Yeah that’s so hard. I mean I can’t put into words music that I would write. Especially on that record. I mean especially to compare we sound like thisï¿Â½I mean I’m honored to be perceived like that. They are both amazing musicians so.

J: I noticed a common theme for the first album was angst, or a lot of heartbreak on that album.

N: Oh yeah

J: So is there any reasoning behind that? Or was it just a rough time in your life?

N: You know it was just kind of a point where I was going through stuff in my life that was going on at the time. Itï¿Â½s just your average, you know, garbage that everyone goes through.

J: The new album, ï¿Â½One Fell Swoopï¿Â½ right?

D: Yeah yeah

J: Whenï¿Â½s that come out?

D: August 9th

J: So how is this album different than the last one?

S: Itï¿Â½s a lot more fast paced.

N: Up-tempo

D: Yeah thereï¿Â½s still those songs on it that resemble the first album. But it has more of that full band feel to it.

N: Yeah

D: Itï¿Â½s really fast paced and kinda rocks out

J: So the first album was just Nick, so how did you guys come

D: Yeah he had different musicians record, like he had someone do drums, and someone else play bass. But that was pretty much his thing.

J: So how did you guys form as a band for this current album?

S: All living together in Sioux Falls I guess.

D: Yeah the three of them went to high school together and these two (Joe and Scott) were also in a different band together.

Joe: Yeah Sorry I’m here now, sorry I was late.

J: Oh thatï¿Â½s alright donï¿Â½t even worry bout it.

Joe: ha ha alright

D: And just through like the local scene

J: The local South Dakota scene?

D: Yeah

Joe: ha ha ha

D: If you could call it that I guess. But just talking and sharing a common interest in music and stuff we came together.

J: So what are your expectations for this new album coming out in August? Like maybe not from reviews and critics but what do you expect from your listeners?

S: I donï¿Â½t know I think just a more mature album.

Joe: A wider audience

D: yeah, maybe branch out to people who wouldnï¿Â½t necessarily go for just the acoustic stuff.

J: And how is being on the Warped Tour helping that? Is it helping at all do you think youï¿Â½re reaching more people?

D: Well you reach more people, but Warped Tour is definitely more rock-based. I mean there are a lot of different styles now, but itï¿Â½s definitely a rock- based crowd and thatï¿Â½s the type of crowd that maybe didnï¿Â½t listen to any of ï¿Â½Sunsets and Car Crashesï¿Â½ that might now get into it.

Joe: Thatï¿Â½s the plan anyways

J: So when you play your songs on Warped Tour do you play your old stuff?

N: We play a couple full band versions of the old stuff. Like where theyï¿Â½d be acoustic on the old cd, now theyï¿Â½re more rockinï¿Â½ and more fun. Itï¿Â½s a little more accessible too. I mean there are people that even if they like acoustic stuff, more majority of people can just get into rocking out.

Joe: Yeah if there was some guy just playing by himself with an acoustic guitar

J: Yeah that doesnï¿Â½t really sell that much on Warped Tour not too many people wanna see that.

Joe: Yeah that would go horribly just a guy and a guitar by himself.

J: So other than the break in this morning how is the Warped Tour experience as a band? Is this your first Warped Tour?

N: Well we played a day last year.

D: Itï¿Â½s been pretty good, weï¿Â½ve gotten a pretty good response. Especially from kids that actually know about us, they come up to the merch-table they exceed our expectations by like 500 times. I mean weï¿Â½re not getting all rich

J: ha ha ha

D: Like last year there was probably like $30 sold total that day. So anythingï¿Â½s better than that.

J: Anything better than 30 and youï¿Â½re heading in the right direction?

D: Yeah

J: So have you guys become friends with any of the other bands? Like what bands do you most relate to?

S: Like some of the bands that are on the Smartpunk stage I say we relate to most because weï¿Â½re with each other a lot. Weï¿Â½ve only been on a for a week or so though soï¿Â½ Just the guys on the Smarpunk stage, meeting those guys.

N: Yeah itï¿Â½s hard because the big bands, like the really big bands they might not really have time to come check you out or anything. You donï¿Â½t want to be that guy thatï¿Â½s like, ï¿Â½Hey man. Come check us out!ï¿Â½ like totally just bugging them. You just kinda go with it and whoever you meet you meet.

J: So do you guys have any plans to tour this fall?

N: Yeah

J: Going on the road with anybody or headlining?

N: We have a label tour.

J: One eleven

N: Yeah, yeah itï¿Â½s with a band called This Day and Age, theyï¿Â½re really good friends of ours and another band Mashlin.

J: Mashlin?

D: Yeah theyï¿Â½re based out of Florida

N: Itï¿Â½s us three and weï¿Â½re just going on a whole US tour and itï¿Â½ll just be a whole lotta fun.

J: Well alright thanks so much for taking time out of your day.

N: No thank you

J: 6:50 Smartpunk stage right?

Joe: Yup

J: See ya guys there

Motion City Soundtrack Interview July 23rd, 2005

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Motion City Soundtrack

At this year’s Warped Tour Chicago I had the pleasure of sitting down with Matt the bassist of Motion City Soundtrack. I’d like to thank Vizion Jones for setting this up. I’d also, of course, like to thank Matt who was as nice and accomodating as physically possible and for taking time out of his busy day.

Joe: When did you guys start as Motion City and how did you guys all come together as a band?

Matt: I didnï¿Â½t actually join until 2002 but Josh and Justin have been playing together since about late ï¿Â½97, ï¿Â½98. They used to play in different bands in the Minneapolis- St. Paul area and eventually Josh recruited him because he liked his voice so they started playing together and they had a different bass player and drummer. They toured with a kind of revolving door of members for awhile then 2002 rolled around and they lost their drummer and they asked Tony and he finally said, ï¿Â½yesï¿Â½. Then six months after that I joined, well Tony and Jesse joined together, sorry ha ha ha. Itï¿Â½s a little confusing because I wasnï¿Â½t really there.

J: So youï¿Â½re the latecomer into the band?

M: Yeah Iï¿Â½m the last one to join.

J: How did you come to fit into this whole thing?

M: Tony and I were in an old band together in Virginia, after he moved from Michigan itï¿Â½s so confusing. We went on tour and met Motion City Soundtrack in Milton, Pennsylvania and played a show together where we became friends. We stayed in touch for a couple years and they remembered playing with him (Tony) and really liked him so they talked him into joining and then six months later I joined too.

J: Cool, so do they treat you like the baby of the group since youï¿Â½re the last one in or is it prettyï¿Â½

M: Nah not really itï¿Â½s pretty equal for everyone.

J: So were you around for ï¿Â½I Am the Movieï¿Â½?

M: Yeah

J: Did you play on that one?

M: The thing is they recorded it probably two months before I joined so there was another bass player on there. Then we got signed to Epitaph and Epitaph put that recording out but we went back in and I rerecorded all the bass and added some parts to for legal reasons, you know to get me on the record. So that is me on there now.

J: The new record ï¿Â½Commit This To Memoryï¿Â½ which I think is just unbelievable. Itï¿Â½s one of my favorite cds of the year by far. You and Fall Out Boy are like one-two back and forth

M: Thank you

J: How do you feel that cd compares to the old one? I mean itï¿Â½s the same sound but itï¿Â½s so different as well.

M: Well first we wanted to go in and just make a huge sounding record. We just wanted to, you know, when you crank it itï¿Â½s just huge. First of all ï¿Â½I Am the Movieï¿Â½ was probably four years worth of songs saved up over a long time that they finally put out on a record. This record was a yearï¿Â½s worth of songs. Half of which were probably written three to four weeks before they were recorded when we went to LA to rehearse. This one, I feel itï¿Â½s like ï¿Â½I Am the Movieï¿Â½ with a few added things we didnï¿Â½t do before. For instance instead of having singing constantly, constant vocals, we decided to stretch it out and have more instrumental parts and layering on some pianos and pretty you know..

J: Yeah arena-ish

M: Yeah, yeah and we added a lot of backup vocals thatï¿Â½s kind of my guilty pleasure. I just love harmonies and choruses to make them sound bigger.

J: Is that you on the backups then?

M: Yeah

J: ha ha nice

M: ha ha yeah thatï¿Â½s what it was to me the differences between the two. We just kind of went in and paid more attention to detail.

J: So itï¿Â½s produced by Mark Hoppus. How was it working with him?

M: It was awesome no complaints whatsoever. Heï¿Â½s just a super cool guy. Very funnyï¿Â½

J: Obviouslyï¿Â½

M: Yeah heï¿Â½s just like heï¿Â½s portrayed. But heï¿Â½s also very laid back which you donï¿Â½t see much on tv. Heï¿Â½s always making jokes but heï¿Â½s also very chill.

J: What advice did he have for you on this album? Like how was his expertise used on the record?

M: He has a really good pretty sharp ear for timing and pitch and things like that which is great. Thatï¿Â½s the kind of stuff when youï¿Â½re playing your parts you donï¿Â½t want to be like focused in on those tiny little things that are going to effect your playing and your experience. So Iï¿Â½ll play a part and be like, ï¿Â½Hey thatï¿Â½s pretty goodï¿Â½ and heï¿Â½d be like, ï¿Â½Oh, itï¿Â½s too neat. Oh itï¿Â½s not locked in enough so try it againï¿Â½. Also with the vocal thing with the stretching it out and letting the music breathe part that was pretty much his contribution. He was like, ï¿Â½Why donï¿Â½t you guys not sing there, play that 8 bars longer and then bring your vocals inï¿Â½. We were like, ï¿Â½Okay!ï¿Â½. It was just something we had never thought of. He was a big, big help; it was all his idea.

J: I was wondering how he went from singing to producing just like that and how that transition was for you guys.

M: Well we were his first project.

J: Oh really?

M: We just got talking about it when we were doing a tour with them in Europe and he was just in our room chatting and he talked about producing. We were like, ï¿Â½well have you ever produced?ï¿Â½ and he goes, ï¿Â½Noï¿Â½. ï¿Â½Would you like to?ï¿Â½, ï¿Â½Yeahï¿Â½. ï¿Â½Well why havenï¿Â½t you?ï¿Â½, ï¿Â½Well I donï¿Â½t know, Iï¿Â½m not very talentedï¿Â½ and we were like ï¿Â½ha ha ha haï¿Â½ Then he leaves the room to go play and we all look at each other and weï¿Â½re like, ï¿Â½Hey we have to record in a few monthsï¿Â½. So the next day Josh talked to him and he goes, ï¿Â½Hell yeah, Iï¿Â½ll totally do it.ï¿Â½

J: Thatï¿Â½s so cool

M: Yeah he is very cool.

J: So since weï¿Â½re at Warped Tour and then youï¿Â½re co-headlining with Fall Out Boy later right? And the Starting Line?

M: Yeah, weï¿Â½re actually not co-headlining but weï¿Â½re main support.

J: But you have been headlining some shows lately?

M: Yeah we just did a week or so.

J: How is it different from headlining to support? Like whatï¿Â½s the difference for you?

M: Well itï¿Â½s hard to tell. Weï¿Â½re in a very weird transitional period right now. Where the new record came out and itï¿Â½s doing pretty well weï¿Â½re noticing people coming up and singing the songs. But on a tour like the Fall Out Boy tour those guys are number one on TRL soï¿Â½

J: Ha ha ha yeahï¿Â½

M: Thatï¿Â½s going to be like youï¿Â½re playing for 5,000 people so itï¿Â½s going to be a little different but hopefully thatï¿Â½ll be where we can win some people over again. Thatï¿Â½s where you just have to come out and bring it. But when we do our own shows weï¿Â½re doing small to medium clubs and weï¿Â½re selling them out now so weï¿Â½re just kind of building as we go.

J: So I got an email yesterday that said, ï¿Â½Come hang out with Motion City and talk to them because all they do is spending hours and hours in the bus playing Playstation 2ï¿Â½

M: ha ha ha

J: True not true? Ha ha What do you guys do?

M: Was that the press mailing list?

J: Yeah, they saw my name on the press list and they said all you guys do during Warped Tour is sit on the bus and play Playstation 2

M: Thatï¿Â½s not true at all ha ha. Although I did just get a PSP soï¿Â½

J: Okay

M: So at night, when everythingï¿Â½s over I will play in my bunk.

J: ha ha ha

M: Thatï¿Â½s it! Ha ha ha Itï¿Â½s not bad

J: Okay so take me through a day of Warped then

M: Okay so I wake up, hopefully not at 1:30 like I did yesterday.

J: ha ha

M: Then we usuallyï¿Â½ Sometimes weï¿Â½ll play really early. You donï¿Â½t know when youï¿Â½re going to be playing until that morning which is crazy. So wake up, eat lunch, usually a signing in the afternoon, then press like now, dinner, show. Thatï¿Â½s usually a routine day, then after that weï¿Â½ll hang out with everybody in the parking lot until bus call. Weï¿Â½re pretty good about not being on the bus actually. Itï¿Â½s funnyï¿Â½

J: Yeah I donï¿Â½t know where this email came fromï¿Â½.

M: I know who wrote it, Iï¿Â½ll get ï¿Â½em.

J: ha ha ha.

M: Ha ha ha, yeah someone whoï¿Â½s not on Warped Tour.

J: So they really have no idea, theyï¿Â½re just making you sound bored.

M: Yeah theyï¿Â½re making us sound like chumps.

J: So how do you pick your set? With so many great songs like, ï¿Â½My Favorite Accidentï¿Â½, just old classics and then the new ones. How do you pick which five songs or so youï¿Â½re going to play for Warped?

M: Weï¿Â½re actually doing eight songs and weï¿Â½re just running through them. Now weï¿Â½re doing about half an half right now. Weï¿Â½re doing 4 old 4 new. But I think come fall weï¿Â½re going to alternate going maybe a few more new and a few less old. Ha ha you do the math.

J: Since youï¿Â½re going through so fast do you feel like youï¿Â½re still connecting with the audience with that breakneck Warped speed. I know you guys like to sit and talk with the audience a little bit but with Warped when youï¿Â½re banging them out you donï¿Â½t really get to do that.

M: Yeah youï¿Â½re right. Itï¿Â½s usually through the songs that I feel like weï¿Â½re still connected to the audience. Like going into ï¿Â½Capital Hï¿Â½ and people start bouncing itï¿Â½s the greatest thing in the world, itï¿Â½s so much fun so we just try to mix it up and have fun with them.

J: Alright well Iï¿Â½ll let you get back to your day, just thank you very much for taking the time

M: No thank you.

Fall Out Boy Interview July 23rd, 2005

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Fall Out Boy

I recently caught up with Pete and Patrick of Fall Out Boy at this year’s Warped Tour Chicago. This interview was set up as sort of a round robin interview where about 7 reporters from various organizations got to go around and ask a question. We were sitting in a small room press room on leather couches and I’d like to thank Vizion Jones who set everything up. I’d also like to thank Christina from Island Records and of course Pete and Patrick for taking time out of their busy day. The various publications will be represented with OP and the questions that I asked will be DFO. Thanks!

Other Publication: Hey guys my question for you is, you’ve guys have blown up huge especially with the last month with MTV. I was in Florida on vacation and I heard you guys on the radio and was like, “awesome”. How has met this your expectations so far, I mean how have you guys dealt with this?

Pete: I mean, Fall Out Boy never really had any expectations, Like we were never really about any expectations so like where ever we ended up was just always better than you thought because we never planned on going anywhere. It’s not weird for us with all the attention or whatever because we’re in a bus in the middle of Omaha when it’s all going on so we really don’t have a chance to see ourselves on tv or anything so it doesn’t really weird us out or anything.

OP: Anything to add?

Patrick: No I guess that’s pretty concise.

Driven Far Off: With your new cd how do you react to your fans that have been with you since “Evening Out With Your Girlfriend” and “Take This To Your Grave” like with all your new younger fans. Do you see like a battle going on between old and new?

Pete: You mean our one fan from “Evening Out With Your Girlfriend” ha ha ha?

DFO: Yeah that one fan ha ha

Pete: Yeah the one kid that bought that record ha ha ha. Alright alright, I think it’s cool because our fans have always been ambassadors for Fall Out Boy and we’ve always made it one of our goals is to be really cool with our fans. Just to always be really honest with what is going on, like if something goes wrong or if we can’t do something and we have to cancel we try to be really honest and try to make it up if we can. I think that how you treat people kind of spread to how you want your new fans to be treated. Our fans understand that nobody’s born cool so everybody’s got a skeleton in their closet. So like whatever band they were listening to something really bad that got you into music. So I think our fans have been really cool about it.

Patrick: Umm yeah, good answer ha ha ha

OP: There has been some confusion on to where you got the concept to this video. So could you explain the Sugar We’re Going Down video?

Patrick: Well it’s one of those things that’s supposed to be confusing. I think that’s why we picked it. We usually do our own videos and we choose the ideas ourselves but this time around we wanted to just let somebody else have a crack at it. So you say, “Fall Out Boy is accepting treatments” and of course you get like 40 of them that are like hot punk orientated people at a pool party.

OP: ha ha ha ha

Patrick: So that was the one were we got antler boy and we were like oh alright let’s try it. It’s kind of supposed to be confusing and you’re supposed to be not sure on where you’re supposed to laugh. That’s the beauty of it; it is confusing. We really don’tԚ  know what it means ha ha ha.

OP: ha ha ha

OP: You were talking about skeletons in your closet just bad things you were listening to, so what were you guys rocking out that got you into music?

Pete: I got into Michael Jackson

OP: I was so going to say Billie Jean too!

Pete: Ha ha, Michael pre-sleeping with children. Then I got really into Axel Rose and Guns and Roses then somebody gave me a Minor Threat tape and I got into punk rock.

OP: How bout you?

Patrick: I don’t know I’d say the worst thing I was ever into was ska but.

OP: ha ha ha

Patrick: Oh but whatever else I was 12 so it was cool.

OP: If you weren’t musicians what would you see yourself doing?

Patrick: Dying. I don’t know that’s the only thing I’m good at.

Pete: I don’t know I’d probably be something really not that interesting like work at a bookstore or something really dumb with my life.

OP: What has been the highlight of your tour so far? Do you like coming to Chicago or was Omaha ok?

Pete: I actually like Omaha a lot. On our last tour it was a highlight of our last tour. We played at the Ranch Bowl.

OP: The Ranch Bowl? I actually worked there nice.

Pete: Yeah they got this billboard outside of it and we got our friend Dirty to climb up and spray paint all over the billboard. He spray-painted like our tour managers name

Patrick: ha ha, yeah spelled wrong.

Pete: Yeah and all these really bad drawings and stuff. Then we got this phone call a second later from our booking agent and he was like, yeah you guys just bought a billboard for $4,000 in Omaha. So I guess that was the highlight of that tour. It’s definitely amazing coming to Chicago though because you can recharge and it feels like home.

Patrick: Yeah you’re away for so long that you kind of don’t believe that it’s there anymore and it’s like this mystic place. Then you come home and it’s like “Weird it looks like I remember that’s crazy”

OP: So have you guys ever been in a knife fight?

Pete: No I don’t think I have

Patrick: Well not recently. Actually my brother and his friend were playing with little swiss army knives having a little fight. One of them knocked me over, on accident, because I was the little brother and everything. I got a bloody nose and they paid me like 20 bucks not to tell Mom.

OP: ha ha ha. Besides Warped Tour if you could make your own tour who would you put on it?

Pete: Like maybe, Starting Line

Patrick: Motion City Soundtrack!

Pete: and Boys Night Out

Patrick: and Panic at the Disco!

Pete: and that tour will be coming through Chicago this fall

DFO: With the shorter Warped Tour set how do you pick what songs you’re going to play and when with the mix of old and new? How do you pick your only half an hour Warped Tour Set?

Pete: I think you want to play the songs where you can just flow right through. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing a lot of new songs or old songs it’s just the ones that mean the most to you at the time. Probably I guess I don’t know

Patrick: Yeah we kind of call it as we see it. We like to change it up a little bit each show.

OP: Since you guys just switched over to a new major label were their any downsides or anything different with that?

Pete: Yeah definitely. When you move onto bigger mediums there is always changing. There are more cooks in the kitchen and more people trying to dictate where you are supposed to go. The cool thing is that Island has always let us have creative control. They have let us go in our own weird direction and they have only just helped to amplify that. At the same time I think bands outgrow labels faster so if we were still on Fueled By Ramen I don’t know if we would be doing some of the stuff we wanted to do now.

OP: Where did the name Fall Out Boy come from?

Pete: This is the last time this question will ever be asked ha ha ha. This is officially the last time. This is it you have ha ha ha.

Patrick: Alright alright, there is really no interesting story. We literally played two or three shows without a name and at one of them we were on stage and asked does anybody have a name for us? And like one of like four people there goes, yeah be fall out boy, I’m just some drunk guy. Ha ha ha

OP: Ha ha ha ha

Patrick: And it was like the only one, so it was what we were named afterwards. It was kind of an accident but we still got it.

OP: What is something you take on tour with you to remind you of home?

Patrick: Pete! (hugging Pete) ha ha ha. Kidding!

Pete: (shaking his head and looking at Patrick) ha ha ha ha, That’s so weird I don’t even know how to follow that answer ha ha ha. I don’t know I’m obsessed with the internet so I just take my sidekick everywhere. We just bring like comfort things. Like I think that’s what everybody in our band does we bring things that remind us of home. Like with me, my mom has all kinds of crappy little kids food around everywhere so that’s like all I have. Like Gushers, and juice boxes’ ha ha ha

OP: ha ha ha

Patrick: My girlfriend made me a blanket but someone else on the bus stole’ it (glances at Pete)

Pete: Who did it?

Patrick: (mutters a name under his breath)

Pete: Oh really?

Patrick: (Looking at us) Don’t worry bout it. Ha ha ha

OP: Where would you like to see yourself in the next five years?

Pete: I don’t know I think it’s weird to think that far in advance. I mean I can’t even think about my own life that far in advance so I can’t think about how different everything is. I don’t know I guess we’ll be celebrating the anniversary of this question maybe ha ha ha.

OP: In the perfect world would you like to still be in music? Touring?

Pete: I don’t know, I don’t even have any clue on what I’m doing right now

Patrick: I’ll still be doing music whether or not someone is listening to it or not so I don’t know what are you going to be doing five years from now ha ha ha?

OP: Probably putting my kids through junior high

Pete: Wait you have kids !? ha ha ha Seriously?!

OP: yeah a four year old and a two year old.

Pete: wow ha ha ha

OP: I guess this tour is the superhero tour, so what’s your favorite comic book?

Patrick: uhh..

OP: Do you read comic books?

Patrick: What do you think? (Looking at Pete)

Pete: I don’t know you can go.

Patrick: Alright, I think our drummer should be here for this question because he’s a comic book fanatic but, me being a casual I used to read them when I was a little kid, I’d say Wolverine is still the coolest thing in the world. He’s just awesome.

Pete: I don’t know, I’m like casually flamboyant so I wasn’t into superheroes that much. So I think maybe the Archie comics because I couldn’t decide between the blonde and brunette. Ha ha ha

OP: Ha ha ha

Patrick: Jughead.

Pete: yeah

OP: Pretend you are home from tour and are MTV cribs what do we find in your fridge?

Pete: I don’t know I live with my mom so she’d have all kinds of stuff.

OP: Like the little kid junk food?

Pete: Yeah like little kid junk food. Like Lunchables, and juice boxes and crap like that. And Popsicles, I eat Popsicles like they’re going out of style.

Patrick: Whenever I’m home I eat at like just five or six local restaurants so I never ever have anything. Whatever’s in my fridge, or my mom’s fridge, is whatever she eats which I hate anyways. Just like health food and stuff I won’t eat. Ha ha ha, like oh cottage cheese that looks great.

DFO: So I saw you guys on Conan. How was that whole Conan O’Brien experience for you?

Pete: He’s hilarious. Conan is amazing and I think he’s just really really funny. We watched him do the run-through and he was just really on. I think that playing those shows is really bizarre though. You play for cameras and it’s kind of stupid and it’s not really where our band thrives at all. We thrive in front of a live audience so you get Fall Out Boy but it’s like Fall Out Boy turned up to level 5 only. Before we go on our publicist freaks out and is like, Okay you can’t break anything. You guys got to actually play the songs right. Ha ha ha

Patrick: Ha ha, like shoot we haven’t done that in years ha ha ha

Pete: I had this pair of jeans and they were about to go and they were way to thin to wear underwear on anything so she was like, Your junk is going to come out on TV!! Your junk is going to come out on TV!! ha ha ha.

Patrick: I know she was running around screaming, He can’t wear that! Patrick he can’t wear that! I don’t know, can he?!

Pete: I don’t know it was kind of ridiculous but whatever.

OP: Since you guys have been in the top 5 on TRL the last couple weeks do you ever feel misplaced between artists like Mariah Carey or Hillary Duff or anything?

Pete: ha ha ha. I think it’s funny, just hilarious.

Patrick: It’s a fucking joke on the rest of the world. For anyone who has to say Kelly Clarkson and then Fall Out Boy ha ha ha.

Pete: ha ha ha But it’s cool now because My Chemical Romance and I heard that Relient K might be and then I think Hawthorne Heights will be next week maybe and it’s cool because it’s a bunch of people that we’re friends with. With music I’d rather hear that then a lot of the stuff that’s on there so it’s cool. And I hate Kelly Clarkson! Write that down!

OP: ha ha, hate’s Kelly Clarkson it’s down

Patrick: I don’t, sorry Kelly ha ha ha

OP: ha ha ha. Okay kind of a lame question but where did you guys meet up?

Patrick: Well the rest of the guys knew each other for a long time from the hardcore scene. I was just one of those peripheral guys that went to see those bands. They were talking about doing a band, and I don’t know we met at a bookstore. Nothing exciting I guess.

Pete: When I met him it was one of my most insane meetings of anybody. He was wearing an Argyle sweater and shorts and black socks ha ha ha

OP: ha ha ha

Pete: And I was like I better make this guy my bestfriend because he’s insane ha ha ha

Patrick: No it was weird for me to because I had watched a lot of these bands that Pete and Andy had been in and I had known about them for awhile. I think it was one of those things that I think that somehow every band that you had been in (talking to Pete) anytime I ever saw them you weren’t playing with them. So I had only heard legend of Pete. And you walked into my house and I was like, Man he’s short. Ha ha ha
Pete: ha ha ha

OP: What advice do you have for aspiring musicians?

Pete: Quit and go back to school ha ha ha

OP: Ha ha ha

Pete: It will ruin your life. I don’t know, it’s cool if you are excited about doing it, it’s a long hard road where a lot of people will try to take advantage of you.

Patrick: Don’t do drugs, you’ll sound bad.

OP: I know you don’t get much leisure time but what do you like to do in your leisure time?

Pete: Here’s the thing that’s the biggest myth about being in a band it’s that you don’t have leisure time. Today for example it’s insane and crazy and we don’t have a lot of days off because we have to fly and stuff. But outside Warped Tour because Warped Tour is the exception, it’s always hurry up and wait. You get to your venue and they are like, ‘blah blah blah’ and then you just sit there all day. That’s why I think people in bands do really crazy shit all the time..

OP: They’re just bored?

Patrick: Yeah we’re just bored. I mean it can get really boring. You can just sit in a room for awhile.

Pete: We watch a lot of Dvds, I just got the new Harry Potter.

Patrick: Is that the one with Gary Oldman?

Pete: Umm no, it’s book actually ha ha ha. (giving Patrick a hug)

Patrick: We watch a lot of Dvds? then you bring up Harry Potter I don’t know

Pete: You don’t like to read.

Patrick: I’m not reading that that’s your book.

Pete: ha ha ha,

Patrick: But do you have the one with Gary Oldman?

Pete: No but that thing is excellent.

Patrick: Alright you’re buying it and playing it for us.

Pete: We like Gary Oldman a lot.

Patrick: Best actor around

Pete: Yeah

Patrick: On Earth.

OP: Coke or Pepsi?

Patrick: Coke

Pete: Cocaine ha ha ha

OP: Ha ha

Pete: no Pepsi

Patrick: Alright cool way to end the interview there man.

Pete: ha ha sorry.

Race The Sun – The Rest of Our Lives is Tonight

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Race The Sun

Artist: Race The Sun
Album: The Rest of Our Lives is Tonight
Purchase: Smart Punk
Label: Fidelity
Release Date: September 21, 2004

Overall: 8.8
Lyrics: 8.5
Music: 9.0
Production 8.5

Race the Sun is a new band hailing from Virginia (yes Virginia) that promises to rock us to our roots. Being compared to everyone from Fall Out Boy to Jimmy Eat World, Race The Sun has blended all types of music and added their own spin. Their debut album, “The Rest of Our Lives is Tonight” offers an emotion driven, hook filled, infectious mix. The album kicks off with the track, “Solo Tonight”. In the opening track Race The Sun gives a taste of what is to come. This song definitely reminded me of a Fall Out Boy track (which never is a bad thing). The funky bridge comprised of interesting guitar licks lead way into the chorus, which kept my head bopping. Apparently this song will soon be accompanied by a video (good choice). In the track, “Paper Weights and Coffee Stains” lead singer Jason Henderson opens with the perfect line for any poor punk kid, “My wallet is only getting lighter. I’ll keep it folded for now it’s a paper weight”. The verses seem to perfectly compliment the chorus. In the verses there is a definite singsong pattern that greatly contrasts the shouting/pop-punk style of the chorus. Once again the bridge in this song kept my toe’s tapping, especially when Henderson sings the opening line again this time with only a palm-muted guitar in the background. In “Dreams v. Me”, Race the Sun offers a bit different style. Light background screaming helps harmonize Henderson’s voice in this slightly harder track. If you’re looking for hardcore this is definitely not the song for you, think more Fall Out Boy backgrounds rather than Senses Fail. However, the screams did add substance to an already good song. This song also has a weird, almost out of place, bridge that slowed the song dramatically down. That is, of course, until youï¿Â½re hit again with the pounding vocals and heavy guitar. “Weak Would Be Me Flinching” offers a great transition. “Dreams v. Me” blends into the opening of this track and the end almost effortlessly blends into the next song as well. This song is a simple rock song with plenty of repetition that causes it to firmly implant itself in your head. The next track, “To Icarus With All Sincerity” offers enough hooks and melodies to keep me humming along throughout. The screaming in the track also offers a pretty cool vocal balance that made this track stand out. Another part of this song I enjoyed was the title. A play on Greek methodology’s Icarus who was known for flying too close to the sun, Race the Sun’s creative title made me laugh as I read through the track listings. Race the Sun closes their debut album with “460 to Nowhere” which offers the same great intensity and emotion that kicked off the CD. Race the Sun is by far one of the best new bands Iï¿Â½ve heard this year. They are really worth checking out, especially if you are into the new pop-punk scene. Tremendous harmonies, excellent pop style vocals, powerful guitar hooks, and an overall great debut album. Pick up a copy soon, you wonï¿Â½t regret it.

Track Listing
1. Solo Tonight
2. The Vanity Score
3. Paper Weights and Coffee Stains
4. As Wings Develop
5. Dreams v. Me
6. Weak Would Be Me Flinching
7. My Heart The Compass (Points West)
8. Can’t Wait
9. To Icarus With All Sincerity
10. I Hear the Book was Better
11. 460 to Nowhere

Stand out tracks:
“Paper Weights and Coffee Stains”, “Weak Would Be Me Flinching”, “Dreams v. Me”

Say Anything – Say Anything is a Real Boy

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Say Anything

Artist: Say Anything
Album: Say Anything is a Real Boy
Label: Doghouse
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: August 3, 2004

Overall: 8.1
Music: 9.0
Lyrics: 7.0
Production: 8.3

Say Anything’s new album, “Say Anything is a Real Boy”, kicks off with a vocal introduction, “The record begins with a song of rebellion” then jumps directly into hard emo punk rock with gripping lyrics. After taking the listener by storm in “Belt” the band progresses to an entirely different sound in “Woe”. It reminded me of a mixture between Phantom Planet and Blink 182, with that sort of 70s musical feeling that was made popular by bands like the Strokes. Say Anything uses the musical tone but keeps the pop-punk melody in the vocals. In “The Writhing South” they change direction once again, with slow guitar for the opening verse and immediately pick up the pace in a rocking chorus that will get stuck in your head. In the track “Yellow Cat(Slash. Red Cat)” singer Max Bemis sings of his everday existance, “these are my friends, this is how they have been for always. These are my days, this how they stay”. His slow mellencholy vocals for this song help drive home the overall story in his lyrics. Say Anything’s next track entitled, “The Futile” is a very catchy song. I admit I heard this song a few weeks ago before the cd was released and loved it. With lines such as, “I’m eating rat poison for dinner pull the chord from the phone, I am dining alone” I couldn’t help singing along with them. They change stylistically again midway through the album turning out the fast paced hard rock track, “An Orgy of Critics”. They follow this song with a comical song for the heartbroken, “Every man has a Molly”. The band changes direction again with their acoustic ballad, “I Want to Know Your Plans”, showing their range in musical abilities. The album finishes with the track, “Admit It” where they call out people who they deem frauds. In a talking/singing matter they state who they are and what they stand for and they don’t care what anyone thinks. Overall this album takes you on a musical rollercoaster from start to finish. Say Anything does not hold anything back and through the diversity of the music and vocals, “Say Anything Is A Real Boy” has something for every listener. I highly suggest you pick up this CD, and if your out on the West Coast they’re touring with Rufio which should be a show worth checking out.

Track Listing
1. Belt
2. Woe
3. The Writhing South
4. Alive with the Glory of Love
5. Yellow Cat(Slash. Red Cat)
6. The Futile
7. Spidersong
8. An Orgy of Critics
9. Every Man has a Molly
10. Slowly Through the Vector
11. Chia Like I Shall Grow
12. I Want to Know Your Plans
13. Admit It!

Stand out Tracks:
“Woe”, “The Futile”, and “Every Man has a Molly”