Stephanie: Do you think being from Long Island has influenced your music?
Jesse: uhh yes, there are like 5 or 6 really big bands that are coming from LI right now and then there's a lot of other ones that are kinda staying underground right now, and I think that they all kinda have like a sound that ties them together. And I think that came from about 5 or 6 years ago like all the kids in the bands and all the bands were still together, and we were playing back then as well and like it was under different circumstances b/c none of us were touring. It was just all those bands were on long island, so when you went to see a show it was to see LI bands.
S: Do you miss that?
J: yea I do, but not really.. I mean it was great back then.. like as a kid. And I've kind of grown up and out of that. But yea it's where all of us grew up, all of us in this band, and that's what we were listening to back then, and it definitely affected the way our music sounds now.
S: what about "The Rookie Lot" how do u feel you've changed since then?
J: umm, just because we've grown up and learned how to write songs, and started listening to more and better music probably.. so just the songwriting process has developed and as musicians, we've gotten better, that's all.. I mean I still listen to that stuff, and I still like it better than a lot of the stuff I'm hearing and playing now. There's some nostalgia for it but at the same time, I think it's a lot more mature now too.
S: I'm sure a lot of people have asked you what "brand new" means, but I heard that it has something to do with Brandon Reilly, and now it's like a play on words like "Brandon knew"?
J: yea, I think we just joked around with that in the beginning a little but, and then a few people started thinking that we named it after Brandon. Brandon has been friends with us for a long time, and he was in "the rookie lot", and when we first started Brand New he kinda helped and wrote songs with us.. I think he was the one who came up with the name originally. He just always wanted to name a band "brand new", and after he went to the movielife, and we were looking for a band name, and we just didn't want to be bothered with it, and we always liked that, so we just kinda took that.
S: Whets your best tour memory? Or your favorite person to tour with?
J: We've basically just had an infinite number of good times on tour now. There just really haven't been any tours, with like the exception of maybe one that we just weren't 100% happy with, and we weren't really good friends with the people we were touring with. So I'd say it's a really big tossup. Like whenever we tour with a band from LI it always seems to be the best.
S: Do u think touring is glamorized.. like a lot of people are like "ohh I want to be in a rock band so I can tour" and then other people are just like "ohh its way too glamorized it sucks blah blah blah"?
J: yea I guess it's probably different for every person. I mean I personally, I have a big love hate relationship with it, b/c as soon as I leave home, like the first day I'm homesick, and its everyday I tour it's like another day closer to coming home. So like I'm always thinking that, but at the same time it's a lot of fun. People live for it, and that's all they want to do, it's like they get home, and they can't wait to leave again. But for me, its like I'll leave and I can't wait to get home again. But at the same time, I don't mind going out and doing this b/c it's really what I've wanted to do for a long time. But yea some of it is glamorized like you can make what you want out of it, you can go out every night and party, and live it up as a rock star and drink and go nuts and trash hotel rooms, stuff like that or you can basically do whatever you want. I try to kinda relax as much as I can and try not to get too crazy .
S: plus wouldn't you get sick. Like let's say that you go out and get really sick.. wouldn't that affect your performance?
J: yea , I'm a lot more .. I get sicker easier than anyone you have ever met.. like the last three tours I've been in the hospital at least for a night so it's like some people are just able to deal with it and can go all out every night.. for me.. I play, and then after I play I am done for the day.. I mean that's tour.. I try to put all my energy into my performance on stage. And then every time else I just try to kick back.
S: What do you think sets you apart from other bands in your genre? b/c there are so many bands .. well not that you sound the same as other bands.. but there are a lot of bands that sound the same.. what do u think sets you apart, from just the whole genre?
J: yea I mean not too much really.. I'd like to say that our songwriting hopefully.. like we try to put a lot a lot into songwriting.. we're really meticulous, ya know as far as stuff like that goes. And I think we draw from a lot of good influences, and we listen to a lot of good music. So I think that and maybe our live show.. like I'd like to that we are one of the most energetic bands out there. And I kind of think we are and if we're not then we're trying to be.. and we try to put as much as we can into every single show. We beat the crap out of ourselves.
S: yea I can see that.. last night was crazy.. I thought Vinny was gonna kill me when he jumped off that thing..
J: we were saying that like the last song of our set and the last song of taking back Sunday's set really had nothing to do with the song, it didn't seem like the music was going on for like half of the ordeal.. it was just a lot of breaking stuff
S: no that was fun
J: I guess that's part of rock n roll too
S: oh speaking of taking back Sunday, I don't even want to bring it up , b/c I heard you just don't want to talk about it..
J: yea please
S: no I won't.. but I did interview taking back Sunday awhile ago, and I asked john about it, and of course he answered .. so I was just going to see if you had anything else .. like a response.
J: yea me and john have been basically giving the same answer.. it was just like it was a situation that me and him both wrote a song about and it's just from two different perspectives.. that was it , everyone kinda took it, and blew it up into this gigantic thing.
S: yea I know that's why I wasn't even going to ask. But..
J: but the thing we most regretted was that, and the way people reacted to it,
S: people are too nosey
J: yea ,well they just wanted to torture it and like beat it to death.. it was just another thing that we wrote a song about.. ya know that one of the million things, and it seemed that people just wanted to take that thing and grab it, and pick it up apart.. and it was kind of annoying but there's drama to it and that what music's about I guess.
S: ok this is retarded.. but why Jude Law and why not another English actor.. but I love Jude Law.. so I dunno
J: yea he's the best
S: yea he is.. somebody wanted me to ask you that.. and I'm like "no Jude Law is the best"
J: yea that's the only reason
S: yea definitely.. we don't need to go anymore into that one
J: nope
S: you don't have to answer this one either.. but there are so many rumors about labels, and labels talking to you.. what do u see for the future.. in the sense of labels, but also in the sense of the band, and where do u want to take it?
J: umm, yea probably a lot of rumors you heard were true.. I mean except if you heard that we signed with anyone.. b/c we never did that.. we have been on triple crown for the last two years, and that's the only contractual deal we have right now. That's the only thing we have.
S: are you looking to switch labels?
J: well we only have one more record on triple crown so after that, the natural order of things would be to move upward.. I think it would be detrimental to us if we took a sideways step.. or a step backwards so we're def gonna be looking for a label who's gonna be able to put more money into us as far as promotion.. give us more money to make a better record… and hopefully give us a little more money so that we are able to live now..
S: do u guys stay in hotels?
J: yea I mean, tour in the last year has gotten better .. b/c we are making more money and we are able to live a little more comfortably on the road, and we have a better van, and a larger trailer and we get to stay in hotels every night.. but at the same time, we come home and we have no money .. our pockets are empty and your living for 2 and a half weeks, or however long you're home for on your mom and dad's refrigerator and that's kinda not the point. The point of the whole thing is to make a living so we are looking at a lot of labels, and there are a lot a lot of labels.. both major and indie who are interesting in us but we're taking it slow, and we're going to make the right choice as far as the band goes. And def as far as the fans go.. we don't want to alienate anyone.. and we just want to make sure the band follows the natural progression that its been on, we don't want to make a giant leap and cut in ya know. Pull our feet out from under us, b/c I feel a lot of bands do that.
S: speaking of not having enough money to promote.. it seems that you guys have been getting a lot of attention with little or no promotion. Is that just from touring and people hearing about you from word of mouth?
J: yea a lot of stuff like that we have just been really lucky, and I'm kind of glad it happened that way just b/c I know that the things that are happening aren't happening b/c someone
S: tells you to like this? Its like people want to like it.
J: exactly, no one has paid anyone to put us on MTV.. we got there, and they showed us, and we were excited about it, and all that stuff ya know.. kids are coming out to our shows, that really want to see us b/c they heard us before.. and they genuinely want to hear us.. not b/c they saw an ad somewhere, and it said we sound like saves the day or something like that.. so that's cool, but at the same time we're also looking for a little more help in that area, b/c I feel if we did have a little more promotion, more posters, or more ads in magazines, or maybe kids giving out samplers of our songs, or anything like that, you'd be surprised at how much a lot of those little things can help out a band.. you get so much more exposure, and hopefully with the next record we're gonna try to do that a little more.. but again the things that are happening now are great.
S: oh yea its definitely a good thing
J: its totally exciting.
S: look at the next question it says "Garrett cut your hair" but he did
J: cut mine?
S: no
J: oh cut his ..oh yea, I think the thing that cut his back was that Vin cut his hair, and after that we knew that Garrett wouldn't last. We were begging him, it was just getting out of control, when it would get wet, and it was down past his shoulders.
S: oh yea it was getting LONG
J: yea, he was alienating girls.. they just didn't want to come and talk to him.. they were frightened..
S: I was telling my friend that, that was one of my questions and she yelled at me.. she's like "no I like long hair, don't tell him to cut it"
J: I want him to chop it all off
S: what are you gonna do?
How do u feel about being swooned after, or looked up , and/or blatantly wanted by girls.. young girls at that? And have you gotten the whole groupie response.. like crying phone numbers, presents?
J: yeaaa.. well when it first happened, it was like "this is totally weird" and then you realize that there was not.. I dunno.. those girls were probably gonna do that with any band, it has nothing to do with me or my band.. ya know I'm nothing special so you just kinda take it in stride.. but at the same time those people are our fans, and they're buying records the same as everyone else is, and they're buying our t-shirts, and they're paying money to see us play.. so I'm going to offer them the same amount of respect as I offer anyone else.. like I'm genuinely thankful for them, but at the same time they could cool off a little bit.
S: I always wanted to ask someone that.
J : The coolest thing is when someone comes up and they're a musician, or they're in a band and they say they've looked up to you as a songwriter or as anything, that really means a lot.. when someone comes up and says that a certain song on the album or lyrics like really affected them in a certain way or anything like that. That's great. That's what really makes being in a band.. its gratifying..
S: I had to ask this question, as lame it is, I don't care.. High school? Were you not the studs you are now or were you like pretty popular?
J: studs we are now? Haha
S: well based on that last question, ya know, I think I have a right to say that.
J: I went to a Christian elementary jr high school, and high school.. me and john from taking back Sunday and our friend Tim who most people know as Oklahoma Tim
S: oh yea
J: I've been best friends with them since 4th grade and I dunno we kinda reminisce a lot about what high school was about. We were definitely three kids that were not.. we weren't in with the "in" kids so to say.. our school was really small so everyone knew everyone else's business, and we hated it, and we hated basically all the people there, and I think that when we were there, we thought that we were the kids that were unpopular and we weren't cool, and we were the dorks, or we were the nerds. And now when I look back at it I think that we were just the jerks, and that's why no one talked to us, so yea, my perception of it has kind of changed. We were just kinda mean and nasty to everyone so that's why we didn't get along with anyone. Everyone that was there was just kinda hypocritical, and annoying so…
S: yea a lot of people get into that.. like I went through that in high school. You just don't want to deal with anybody
J: so I don't necessarily blame all those people.. I basically blame myself more than anyone.. but at the same time that's how that turned out. I dunno, high school is a strange place.
S: no, it really is… I wouldn't want to go back.. never
J: no, I wouldn't want to go back at all, it's kind of like this whole other world that isn't part of the real world.. like all the teachers gets like this.. ya know I can't even talk about it, I'm gonna sound stupid.
S: ok ok, Who would you like to tour with that you haven't yet?
J: Foo Fighters. Annnd.. I dunno.. I'd like to tour with saves the day , b/c I think that they would be a band I would like to watch every night. We would really like to tour with the Foo Fighters, like they have been a band that we have always wanted to tour with. I dunno.. I don't care, as long as people are cool and we get along with them. We're talking about touring with Avril Levine (or however you spell her stupid name), b/c I think she'd be fun.
S: oh w were just talking about her on the way over here..i have a hate for her and he likes her ( my friend Anthony).. and we were debating.
Anthony: her songs are catchy
J: we've been listening to her whole record like a lot lately
S: I really can't get into it
A: its decent
J: yea, its really decent, we like it a lot, and enjoy it.
S: actually when I was walking over here, I was giving people flyers for "this island earth" and one kid took it and go "look its avril levine" b/c some chick was wearing like a tank top and tie.. and the kid was like "where where".. and I'm like "no dude.. just kidding"
J: I've seen that look more and more lately, like the wife beater with the tie and the sock sleeve thing.. so yea yea, she's a trendsetter.
S: which I guess I can respect her for.. I GUESS.. ya know whatever.. just any last words and then I'm done
J: nothing much just.. the bands on this tour .. taking back Sunday, and rufio.. have been crazy .. none of the promoters at any of the clubs have expected the turnout.. we've sold out every club, and a huge thanks to all the kids that have been coming out.. its just been a huge surprise and awesome so.. I hope everyone keeps listening and keeps coming out.. and that's all
S: oh actually I do have one more thing
J: shoot
S: I emailed you awhile ago .. b/c I run that yahoo group
J: oh yea
S: yea its getting really lame, I dunno if you've read it, people are like fighting and..
J: yea TOTALLY
S: yea I can't take it anymore
J: isn't that crazy
S: I don't even want to do it anymore, but I promised them a contest.. like months ago.. so I just need you to sign something sometime tonight so I can send it to them
J: not a problem, not a problem at all
Yea we'll come up with something like a t-shirt.. is that cool?
S: yea, thank you.. and thank you for doing this interview too .. I know that you're busy
J: thank you.. like when people started interviewing us.. its like "you want to interview us?" that was so weird, and I'd get all nervous.. and now I'm getting used to it, but I still can't believe people want to know us.. so thank you..