This podcast is being brought to you by WXAV 88.3 FM and WXAV.com. WXAV, bringing the best podcasts to you. Hello. Hello, Jeff.
My name's Luke. I'm from WXAV. Hi, Luke. Hi, nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you, too. Yeah, I just want to say... Oh, she's trying to... We're watching a lady's...
Oh, her Porsche died. Sorry, we're watching a tow truck, tow a lady's Porsche, and we thought that she'd left it here for a while, but it turns out it's just broken. That's what's happening in my life. I'm sorry I interrupted you.
Thanks for talking to me today. Yeah, no, no, of course, of course, of course. I really appreciate it that you let me call in and do this interview with you. It's a big deal for me because I'm a big fan.
Thanks, Luke. Now that I've been able to fanboy and completely embarrass myself, would you like to do the interview? Yeah, thanks for completely embarrassing yourself. I appreciate it.
Now it's my turn. Yeah. It's okay. But yeah, so first off, I know you have a tour coming up that kicks off in like three days in Chicago.
It kicks off tomorrow in Chicago. Tomorrow, that's right. Ah, there we go. And I don't believe that these will be the first shows you are playing live since the pandemic and everything, but I believe this is your first full tour in three years, if I'm correct?
This is our first full tour in three years. And yeah, we played a show in California just because we're out there rehearsing. Anyway, we're like, let's play a show. But this definitely feels like it's like the f***.
I don't know. It feels like it's the big boy. Yeah. Yeah.
Definitely. I know you're going on tour with Slaughter Beach Dog. Yeah. Yeah.
I would assume that they're like pretty good friends of yours. Because I know you've toured with Modern Baseball in the past, so I'm sure you're good friends with like Jake and Ian and them. Yeah. Yeah.
It's cool. They're good buddies. I'm really, really psyched that they are doing this tour with us. Oceanator too.
But like both of them for sure. But yeah, MoMo became real good friends of ours after that tour. So it's cool to be able to hit the road with them again. Yeah.
Absolutely. Absolutely. But in addition to that, you have a new album out that's like a year old, but you know, new for the tour. Yeah.
And you're able to promote it now. Yeah. And I wanted to ask about your recording process for it. Okay.
Because what it seems like to me is what I find fascinating is at least how you recorded Worry. What it looks like to me is that you did it live in studio with the full band. Is that true? Yeah.
We do them all like that to an extent. Like there's over a dozen stuff that happened afterwards. But we, that was kind of a Jack Shirley. The guy recorded them.
That was his thing. When we did We Cool, we were playing on multi-tracking because that's at least how we, usually, how I usually done records. And he was like, well, why don't you just set up in here to know what it sounds? And we did.
And we played it. It sounded great. We're like, oh, that takes so much less time. Let's do that forever.
So we've like, yeah, we just did that. But yeah, we've done that for all the records that we've made with this band. We've just practiced like crazy for four days and then set up our amps in a room and just did it again and recorded it. Absolutely.
That's so cool. Yeah. And it's a unique way to record albums, especially for like modern rock albums. Because everybody, you know, double tracks and triple tracks and all that.
And it really, it really retains kind of like the energy of a live show, which is, I guess, gives you the extra edge, especially as kind of like a punk band, you know? Cool. Thanks. Yeah.
I mean, we still like, it's weird because it is like a hybrid. Like there is like a lot of that on top of it. Like there are layers there, but I do like that The Bones is always the chaos of all of us trying to be like, okay, don't f*** this one up. You know?
Yeah, exactly. I also found it very interesting because I guess from my understanding, the beginning of Old Crap was recorded on a TASPAM 338. Yeah. 388.
388. Excuse me. No, no worries. Was it from the first recording of the demo of the song and you just decided to keep it in?
Or was it a stylistic choice to do that after the fact? I guess it was a stylistic choice. Like calling it a stylistic choice is, it was more just like, I don't know, when you're in a studio, you go, oh, what's happening? Let's use that thing for something.
And so Jack had that like eight track tape machine. And we're like, oh yeah, that would be perfect for this part because when it kicks in, it's supposed to like open up. So it'll sound a little bit smaller because it's on this side. Right.
Yeah, I get you. That's so cool. That's so cool to me. Thanks.
Yeah, that thing is neat. But I also understand that songs like Old Crap and many others on the new albums and ones past deal with a lot of personal frustrations and anger towards yourself. And you tend to write songs like this, especially when you're given the opportunity to reflect on it. So like, for example, I found that many of the songs from the Bomb Music Industry album Vacation were written while you were on vacation.
And I know that you said that it was during that time, there was like a time where you could be like introspective and you were in like a good headspace to kind of like self-reflect. Would you say that the recent pandemic and like quarantine and isolation that has come from it fueled a lot of your new songs like that? No, I would say it doesn't like the, well, I don't know yet. You know, like I think the 2020 Dump Songs, for sure, it was good to like be in a and just like, you know, like be a part of the awful moment to try and, you know, do something, make something from it or try and like, especially like the back half of that.
Okay, I said no, maybe a little too early, but like not really no drip songs in that way because it was pre-pandemic. 2020 Dump, like, especially the back half of it was very like, I need to feel better. I need to like try and acknowledge some things that are just like, that aren't just like this, just like, just like boiling over anger. But as far as new songs go, like I have like a few, like I feel like the thing that you're talking about with Vacation might have been a similar thing where there's just like a lot of ideas and song ideas and like half figured out shit rattling around in my head.
And I really had a, and I think when I, when like I went on that trip, it kind of unlocked a bunch of songs on Vacation where it's just like, I don't know, sometimes I feel like if I'm like, oh, the guitar should do this and like three minutes of a song finally makes sense. But until I figure that out, like nothing works, you know, I don't really think I've had a moment like that in a while. Cause like, you know, it is time away to reflect in a sense, like in a literal sense, but also like, it's also a time where there's just so much like dread that we're all consuming. That's really unavoidable.
It's kind of hard to just like be like, okay, let me get in a good mind space today, at least for me. Yeah, I don't know. No dream though. I think not being on tour did do that for that record.
So I don't know. I fucking, I answered that question in an asinine order. I'm sorry. Yeah.
Like, like not being on tour for no dream. Like I definitely like songs like St. Lion, uh, and like, uh, and old crap and like Ohio Terms, like all of them, like they were like there. I just never really had a second to like, I don't know, like put it all out and be like, okay, what, what makes sense?
Where's like the song here? Is there a song here? Like, do you know how it ends? Do you know what happens after like the second chorus?
Does more happen? Do you want it to do that? You know what I mean? Right.
Exactly. Yeah. So I don't know. There's always different ways you can take and change and arrange songs and where they come from and where they'll go.
Yeah, there is. I like, I don't know. I'm not like, I don't tinker really that much. It's just like, they're usually just like kind of blooming in my head.
It's a matter of like when the first time I like demo it out or whatever, like, is it a song, you know, or is it just like, ah, oh, well, buddy, that's a great, that's a great verse, but what else you got? Like, I don't know, you know? Yeah, I get you. While writing songs, uh, do you think about how they will fit into the context of an album?
Oh, for sure. Like, I'll think about what it needs, I think, more so than anything. Like, it usually starts out with a couple of demos and then I'll start, I'll start writing songs and demoing them out. And then like, once it feels like there's a momentum to the sequence of the record or like, uh, I could kind of, I could kind of see like, uh, oh, like, I don't know, this one needs to step it up a little bit.
Like, like, like, like, it isn't like a dragon or like there's too much fast stuff happening and sometimes I'll be like, oh, what about that song that like had no home before? Like, maybe it fit here, you know? Um, but it does, but it isn't like, and I'm like, oh, genius. It's just like, I don't know if that worked.
It's like, oh, this is too long. I'm like, ah, and then you put it down. You're like, okay, phew, it's done, you know? Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Didn't you say somewhere that I think I could be getting the song wrong, but I think it was State Line was the one that you wrote after you realized one side of the album was going to be like. No, that was, that was Leave it in the Sun. Leave it in the Sun. Yeah.
But, but yes, that side, that side B of the record was going to be way longer than side A. Yeah. And then I wrote that song and, uh, that's one of my favorite ones and that was kind of like my ear, just be like, come on, you can do it. I was like, okay.
Uh, and I don't really like it. Um, but side A is still long, it's still shorter than side B. Uh, I think so by a lot. And then also that song goes into the next song.
It starts out side B. So I fucked up because I made like a transition over the sides. I blew it. Ah, well, I don't think so.
It sounds good. Okay. Thanks. All right.
And I'm back. Yeah, there we go. Save it. I also understand that No Dream might have a little bit of a different significance to you because you were writing that either during or around the same time as a location change.
Because I understand that you've moved from New York to California. And if I'm not mistaken, one of the things that you wanted to do was have as many like friends get featured on it as possible. That's not the first time you've done it, but I don't know. Am I tweaking here where it's like?
Well, yeah, it wasn't really too much different. Although I guess it was. I like, um, on No Dream in particular, like Worry for whatever reason, uh, was basically made by our band. There is not, there was like, we had a gang vocal session of like a hundred people.
And then we had a different group vocal session, I think, to kind of like not be such a big washy group vocal, um, which were, which were friends. Um, but I, but I don't think there were too many like guest musicians or whatever on Worry, if I'm remembering correctly. Uh, and then post there, like Chris and Laura were on it and we did a group vocal again, but like also that record was made and released so quickly that we didn't have too much time to like get buddies on it. And yeah, this one like does have some more buddies on it.
Um, but it wasn't like, uh, it wasn't like, all right, I'm moving. I got to get all my friends together. We got to do this. Like it was recorded after, like after I'd been in LA for like probably a month and a half already.
Um, so that, that wasn't like, I don't know. We like, I think we're always trying to get friends on it. Scott Dream was the one where we're like, all right, let's get everyone on this, you know? Yeah, I noticed that.
And I think we still didn't get everyone on it. We're always trying though. Oh, right. Yeah, I get you.
But yeah, Scott Dream had like some incredible features on it. Like I just found this out recently that George from Death Heaven was on it because you guys record with, uh, Jack, who you mentioned earlier. Yeah, I was shocked that he was going to be on it. I was just, that was like a, hey Jack, uh, maybe like ask George, see if he'll do it.
And he checked it back like, oh, that sounds weird and funny. I'm in, you know? Or like, that sounds crazy. I'm in.
Right, yeah, yeah. The feature I thought was, the one that was most notable to me at least was, uh, having Jer from like We Are The Union and Scott Toon Network and all of the other projects that they do. And they did all of the horns for that, correct? All the brass.
So I played all the saxes and they played all the trombone and trumpet. Yeah, yeah, I get you. Yeah, that one was really cool. How did you get in contact with them?
Did you guys just like meet online or just like, we both play Scott music? I think, yeah, I think we started talking to each other online because we both play Scott music. Um, I also like, they posted some video of themselves, uh, doing like a composition thing. And I was like, oh, uh, cause I didn't, I didn't know like what their like musical level was really at.
Um, but I was like, oh shit, cool. And then, um, I'd ask them to play on, I don't remember what first, but they play horns on some Craig of the Creek stuff sometimes. Um, and they also played on two of the 2020 Dump songs, uh, Collapse and ACAB. That's right.
And, um, and I was just like, oh shit. Yeah. They sent stuff over super fast. It sounds super professional.
Um, and Jared was just a real delight to work with. Uh, they're really, really, really good at playing those instruments. It's, it's kind of astounding. Cause they played on, uh, on the last two, maybe the last, maybe just the last recently band record and the one we're working on right now.
And, uh, they were over, uh, my, my studio recording some of them for the one that we're doing now. And, uh, it's just like, holy shit. It's just like banging these things out. Like first, second take, um, it's cool.
I'm, I'm so good they're part of the Scott dream thing. Okay. Yeah. Yeah.
Definitely. I think that that's like, I don't know. It's an incredible collaboration. It just kind of shows that like, there really is a lot of like great interesting things happening in Scott right now.
Um, yeah. Yeah. I don't know. I, I'm only like kind of like a recent fan of Scott, but I'm like really into it now.
I, um, I interviewed, uh, I interviewed Dickie Barrett from the Boston's and I told him that like they got me in the Scott, but it was, it was rainbow off of worry. That's what got me in the Scott. No way. All right.
Hell yeah. That's it. It worked. Scott.
Uh, that's sick. Yeah. Don't tell him I said that. It's okay.
They got me in the Scott. So, you know, it's all a full circle. Oh yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. It's generational. So, but I also understand that you're a big reader.
You're a big fan of graphic novels too. Yeah. I guess so. Yeah.
Um, but I feel like, I mean, I, I'm not like on the level that I pick a lot of people around, but I like them. I like them as much as the punk guy likes them. Yeah. Yeah.
I get you. Is there anything that you're reading now that you would recommend? As far as like that stuff goes, um, no, I am currently, I'm trying to take down one piece and I got like 200 or 300 chapters in and I forgot where I stopped. Cause I'm like getting them through my library e-reader app.
Uh, and then I tried to get back in and I can't figure it out. So I'm paused there with one piece. Um, I don't know. I would say if anybody wants to take down something massive and weird, uh, and really, really great, the Buddha series by Tezuka is really, really, really, really great.
It's really great. I, uh, I was already just a fan of his anyway. And I was a little like, I don't know if I'm like a book about this subject matter. Uh, and I, I loved it.
It's awesome. It's great. Oh yeah, absolutely. Are there any like novels and stuff that you recommend or any like nonfiction that you're particularly into?
Reversizer was really good. Um, I really liked, I also just read The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John, which I thought was really good. Um, I, uh, yeah, I don't know.
Oh, there was a book. I haven't seen a lot of people talking about. I've written the author, but, uh, the book Lost Empress, uh, I read it at the beginning of the year and it's all over the place, but it was a fun and good and weird book that I liked a lot. Uh, those are some things I've read this year that I really liked.
I'm currently reading Welcome to the Monkey House by Vonnegut, which I've never read. I'm realizing. Uh, and it's good. It's great.
Little short stories. Okay. Interesting. Yeah.
The short stories ones, uh, are pretty popular and I don't know, I get recommended those a lot, so we'll definitely have to check that one out. Would you say that reading kind of puts you in a headspace for writing songs? I don't know. I don't really know what puts me in that headspace.
It kind of just like, it just comes and goes. Uh, it could happen. It could happen anytime. It could happen to anyone at any time.
I don't know. Uh, I don't, I don't know. I don't, I don't really know if it does. Uh, and I'm not sure if maybe I just don't pay attention to that stuff because I feel like, uh, if I was like, oh, doing this gets me in songwriting headspace, then I would think that I could only do it at that period of time.
You know what I mean? Right. I could only do it if I'm reading or something. Uh, I don't know.
I'm just kind of always thinking about music. So sometimes, sometimes that transpires into a song and I'm like, oh, neat. Let me, let me try and get this one down. You know?
Yeah, absolutely. I get that. I've got another one for you. Okay.
I've got another one for you. If there was a Jeff Rosenstock promotional meal at McDonald's, what would be in it? Oh, uh, I don't know. A coupon for a different restaurant.
Um, I don't know. That's, that's okay. So we're, we're caving to having it be at McDonald's. I don't know.
It would be vegan. It would just be like, Hey, we made a vegan burger and it tastes good. I did. It'd be a vegan Big Mac, vegan fries, a vegan shake.
Um, and one of those little fry guy toys. Why not? Throw a little toy. I'm sorry.
It's boring, but you know. Get on it, McDonald's. Yeah. What kind of vegan shake?
It would be a vegan peanut butter pretzel horchata. Okay, so it's going to be a vegan chocolate peanut butter pretzel horchata milkshake. Okay, okay. No one's happy about it, but Dan will drink it.
Well, I know that I don't have a whole lot of time left, so I won't keep you much longer. I only have one question left to ask you, and it's since we're WXAV, a college radio station based in Chicago. What does college radio mean to you? How has it impacted the way you see music, life, anything?
I'll tell you the way it's impacted me most is getting to talk to people who are doing college radio stations. I had a little college radio show when I went to school. It was fine. But getting to go and meet and, I don't know, see rooms with records and stuff are really fun.
I don't know, college radio is great. It's the only format that actually seems to play music that is not a clear channel playlist. So I'm very appreciative of it, and I'm thankful that, I don't know, I'm thankful for anybody who listens to my band ever, including college radio. People like you.
What do you call somebody who is a disc jockey? College radio people? Is that what it's called? Yeah, yeah, like a DJ.
Yeah, I don't know, a show host maybe. I was a music director. Oh. So that's the fancy schmancy one.
That's exciting. Yeah, yeah, so. Cool. Yeah, I really appreciate you calling in, and I really appreciate you doing this interview with me.
This was, like, a big deal for me, so I thank you very much. Thanks. I appreciate you talking to me, and I hope you have a nice time. Have a nice time.
Yeah, yeah, for sure. Hell yeah. Hell yeah. Awesome.
Thank you so much. I'll see you around. All right, take care. Bye.
Bye. Thank you very much for listening to this WXAV 88.3 FM podcast. Be sure to visit our website, WXAV.com, for more information on your escape from ordinary radio.