Interview

Pictures

Lawrence, KS was the place to be on April 6th last week because it was playing host to two major concerts; the first being the Tooth & Nail Tour featuring Emery and Anberlin and the second being the Take Action Tour featuring We Are the Fury, Amber Pacific, Chiodos, Matchbook Romance, and The Early November. I was fortunate enough to attend the Take Action Tour and was able to conduct an interview with the Early November. The Early November were able to shed some light on their history and this upcoming triple CD, which has many TEN fans tearing out their hair, strand by strand, in anticipation for this mammoth recording.

EP: So just to start, can I get a quick outline of how The Early November began?

Ace: Well what happened was; a long time ago, I made this song, acoustically with Sergio, who at the time was in another band. He was friends with that guy (points to Jeff who seems to be quite focused on his lap top) and I was friends with Joe for a long time. So we formed and united as one.

EP: Quick enough. So who were your guys’ early influences?

Joe: Jimmy Eat World.

Ace: Built to Spill, The Get up Kids, Pearl Jam…

Joe: Third Eye Blind, The Goo Goo Doll (laughs); we all have our own influences really.

EP: So what was it like going up the ranks of the Drive-Thru Records roster and being one of the most popular bands on the label?

Ace: (jokingly) Well it was cool going up the ranks but now we’re going down the ranks. That’s not as fun as going up the ranks. But it was a good ride while it lasted. Now we just have our seat belts on and are just going down.

EP: It’s that new triple disc that did it.

Ace: (laughs) Yeah, so we’re just waiting for that to come out.

Joe: But then we’re going to skyrocket up the ranks again.

Ace: It’s going to happen.

EP: Were there any differences or similarities between the recordings of both For All of This and The Room is Too Cold?

Ace: Pretty much all the same, pretty stressful.

Joe: Well I wasn’t there when For All of This was being done, but The Room’s Too Cold was really performance-based. We really didn’t want to alter anything with computers. I don’t know; was that how For All of This was done?

Ace: It was our first time, so it was just whatever.

EP: What was it like recording “Positively 4th Street” for the Bob Dylan cover album that your label put out?

Ace: It was the easiest recording I ever had to do in my life. I’ve never recorded anything so easy.

EP: It was definitely one of the better covers on there that stayed true to its original roots.

Ace: Yeah we recorded it live, and then one, two, three that was it.

EP: Being at the level you are at now; do you feel any pressure on your artistic freedom?

Ace: Nope.

EP: I’d say Drive-Thru has been pretty good about that.

Ace: Yeah they have been pretty open with things.

EP: Okay, so do you think it does the opposite? Do you think you’re painting with a bigger palette now?

Joe: On the new record definitely.

Ace: Yeah we had a lot of freedom there and it’s basically us doing what we want.

EP: So about the new disc, or discs, what can you tell me about it?

Ace: Well, it has three discs. The third disc, well, what it is, is that they all basically revolve around one disc. One disc is this big, long story. It’s a musical type thing with dialogue and stuff like that. The other two discs represent the moods and feelings that are going on during that one long disc. One of them is more aggressive, more rock you know? It represents the more aggressive side and the other is more laid back and mellow but it all revolves around this same story.

EP: So is the mellower one going to kind of sound like I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody’s Business?

Ace: You could say that.

EP: What are your favorite songs to play live?

Ace: Umm, “Just Enough”; I’d definitely have to say “Fluxy”. No, I’m only kidding.

Joe: I like playing “Decoration”.

Ace: Yeah I like playing that. I really like playing “Mountain Range”.

EP: So any thoughts on the Warped Tour this year? You are playing this year right?

Ace: Yes.

EP: Are you all in any way excited? How many times have you done it?

Ace: This will be our third.

Joe: This will be our second and one quarter cause the first one we did for two weeks and then flipped our van. It was pretty gnarly. We got a lot of points for it.

Ace: Every once in awhile you should do that.

EP: I’ll take it under consideration. So are there any other tours on the horizon for you guys?

Ace: We’re doing the Drive-Thru Tour in the fall; (jokingly) we’re doing The Rolling Stones next tour. Yeah, I wish I could.

Joe: All we are doing right now is this tour, Warped Tour, then the Drive-Thru Tour. After that, I think we’ll be out 3 or 4 million (records) sold.

Ace: And by the end of the Drive-Thru tour, it’ll be around December.

EP: So what are you going to do with that down time? Are you going to write more stuff or spend time with friends and family?

Ace: We’ll probably just go out on another tour. We’ll probably celebrate the holidays and all and then go out again.

Joe: …bring in 2007!

EP: So if your music could be the soundtrack to any film, what would it be and why?

Ace: Definitely a John Cusack film.

Joe: I was going to say Sister Act 2.

Ace: Either that or Gladiator.

Joe: (laughs) Gladiator! I can just picture it. Crowe versus the other dude and then its just: (imitates the start of “I Want to Hear You Sad”). No but I think a John Cusack film is right on the money.

EP: Any one of them in particular? Like his earlier stuff?

Joe: Yeah cause now he is all, “I’m a real actor now and I am going to go out and do Runaway Jury”.

Ace: I’d say probably High Fidelity or Say Anything.

EP: Yeah so I guess speaking of John Cusack, wasn’t “The Best Happiness Money Can Buy” used in the trailer for Must Love Dogs?

Ace: Yes it was.

Joe: Yeah Ace made a boat-load of money from that too.

EP: So is there anything you want to say to all of the Emotionalpunk.com readers out there?

Ace: Well, Emotionalpunk.com readers…

Joe: I think Emotionalpunk.com has been very supportive of us.

Ace: They really have. I remember doing an interview back in Jersey…

Joe: Yeah I remember doing an interview back in Jersey with a girl from the site.

Ace: I remember doing it with a dude back in Jersey.

Joe: Ew, ew!

Ace: Not like that of course. I did an interview back in Jersey with a dude, Andrew, from your site when we played the Socratic CD release show, before they were on Drive-Thru.

Joe: I remember that. That was my first, no, second show with the band.

Jeff: That was a really good show.

Ace: You’re a really good show.

Joe: Yeah I played Ace’s telecaster.

Ace: He did.

When the interview was finished, I walked from The Early November’s air- conditioned trailer with a bottle of water they were nice enough to offer me and made my way towards the venue.
To make a long show review short (since you’ll read Kevin’s sure-to-be excellent review soon), the concert was amazing and The Early November, to no surprise, put on a high energy show that had the crowd hypnotized.
When the show was through and I was out back talking with the band members, I was able to speak with Jeff Kummer from TEN a little bit more about the new album. Since I did not have my recorder with me at the time, I can sum up pretty much what was said. Jeff told me about the title being called The Mother, the Mechanic, and the Path and that how in the beginning, those three names would be just for each individual disc and that there was going to be another name for the album in its entirety. He explained how pumped he is to see how fans will react to the new album. He asked if I would like to hear some of the tracks from it and I told him that I would love to. I was supposed to meet up with him later but was unable to locate him and our paths did not cross again. So the mystery around the triple-disc still lingers but I guess July is not that far away.