Warp Tour Interviews

[sum41-freak]

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Continuing on with summer events, the Vans Warped Tour is still going strong, having recently seeing through a heavy downpour of rain in Texas. Last time Automatic Loveletter was featured, and this time we bring to you a group you might find yourselves more familiar with; the band known as Sum 41 made up of frontman Deryck Whibley, bassist Cone McCaslin, drummer Stevo Jocz, and guitarist Tom Thacker.

These old-timers (just kidding, guys) have seen their share of crowds all over the world, but were more than delighted to come back on the Warped Tour, 2010 officially marking their second time to be involved the whole way through. With four well-known records already under these Canadian belts, they are in the early stages of promoting a new record expected to drop later this year.

I was lucky enough to catch up with two members of the band, Cone McCaslin and Stevo Jocz, to see what they had to say about their interesting experiences, summer plans, as well as hopes of confirming thoughts about the upcoming album.

Ani Mikaelian: This is your 7th or 8th Warped Tour, isn't it? Somewhere around there.
Cone McCaslin: Yeah, something like that.
Stevo Jocz: It's just our second time doing Warped the entire way through.

AM: When was the last time you participated the entire time?
McCaslin: 2001!
AM: Oh, wow. How does it feel to be back for you guys?
McCaslin: Oh, well, ask us in about seven weeks. (Laughs) Right now it feels pretty good, we feel so clean. It makes us feel optimistic.
Jocz: The sun is shining, it's not too hot, and I haven't had yet to crawl into the most disgusting port-o-potty in St. Louis or something like that, you know.
McCaslin: Not yet.
Jocz: Not yet. Everything's good. You see, I'm still within a 20-mile radius of my house so it still feels like I'm at home. Wait till I get somewhere else more challenging, but that's why God invented food. (Laughs)

AM: What are your favorite bits about Warped?
McCaslin: For me, playing. It's a shame you only get to play half an hour because the rest of the time it kind of gets boring sometimes. And you end up drinking and getting drunk the whole time.
AM: Wandering around, huh?
McCaslin: Wandering around aimlessly. So basically, yeah, the playing part is the most fun.

AM: Who are you most excited to see this summer?
McCaslin: We have friends in the Alkaline Trio, Reel Big Fish, and BigFace. Then Pennywise when they join later on in the summer, we're really good friends with them so they'll be our buddies on the tour.

AM: Lociation-wise, which city are you most looking forward to performing in within the next couple of months?
Jocz: The fans are always sick, and you don't ever actually play in a city really-- you're always sort of in a field somewhere, but New York is kind of cool because you can go into New York City. You can get a good time over there.
McCaslin: You could say our hometown Toronto because it's great playing there, but it's also very hectic in Toronto. We have a ton of family and friends there and they want to come, so you're seeing people here and there, there's people calling you all day, but it's definitely fun to play in your hometown.

AM: Can you walk me through a day on this festival through Sum 41's eyes?
Jocz: You wake up and the first thing you have to do is take a shit, and there's nowhere to do such a thing.
McCaslin: You have to find the cleanest port-o-potty you can.
Jocz: It's really gross, you know. You have to do that. You have to try and hold on to your humanity and dignity. If you get up early enough, it's fine and they're all fresh, but if you get up later, you're fucked. Everybody's already been to it. So there's that, that's the first thing. It's the first major dilemma of the day. (Laughs) Then you go and have your food. You wait around to find out what time you go on, and then depending on that, your day is dictated and planned out.
McCaslin: That's the kicker.
Jocz: It tells you when you should start drinking or when you should stop. Then after that, there is nothing to do. There are bands to see.
McCaslin: But after you've seen a band, it gets old day after day.
Jocz: You know, I've actually asked to do press just to have something, anything. I'll do whatever there is. It's only thirty minutes.
McCaslin: We've never liked interviews so much on the Warped Tour.
Jocz: Yeah, and they usually don't go so well. Of course, you're pretty good. (Laughs)
McCaslin: She's great.


AM: How about the food intake? What does the diet consist of during tour?
McCaslin: I was actually trying to figure out whether I'm going to gain weight or lose weight.
Jocz: I think I might lose weight.
McCaslin: Yeah, because you don't eat as often. If you miss lunch or dinner, you miss it.
AM: Basically then you're screwed.
Jocz: Yeah, I usually don't eat breakfast at catering. I have my lunch and dinner, and then there's a barbecue. Then again, I'm going vegan on my diet.
McCaslin: The only other problem is, you eat a lot of chips. I don't eat chips at home, but already today I walked on the bus, grabbed three bags of chips, ripped them open, and dove right in.
AM: Really, what kind?
McCaslin: Salt and vinegar. Kettle…kettle chips. And that's why I'm feeling thirsty and dehydrated.

[sum41-freak]

AM: Have you guys decided on a title yet for the new record?
Jocz: Not yet.
McCaslin: Almost.
AM: "Screaming Bloody Murder" has been thrown around as a rumor.
McCaslin: That's a good title though, that's a good one.
AM: Is there an official date to release you're working toward, or is that still in thought?
McCaslin: We haven't decided on that yet. It's still being mixed and mastered.

AM: So it will be after Warped Tour?
McCaslin: Oh yeah, it will be released after Warped Tour. We do have a free download coming up in the next week or two.
Jocz: Yeah, and then the single will probably come out while we're on Warped Tour.
McCaslin: There is a Warped Tour Compilation out right now, and there's a song called "Scum Fuck" on it.
Jocz: That's what it's called? (Laughs) 'Cause usually we just give it names like "Scum Fuck."
McCaslin: We kept that one.
Jocz: It's usually temporary.
McCaslin: Yeah, that one stuck.
Jocz: Okay! "Scum Fuck." (Laughs)

AM: The new record has been described to be "hard" and "aggressive." What inspired these types of songs?
McCaslin: I don't know to be honest. I guess, we always just try to do something different with every album. The last album was more along the lines of the pop-punk genre, and with this one we just felt like not repeating things. This one is kind of like nothing we've done; it's dark and intense and there are a lot of parts that are very light. There is a song that's all piano. There is a whole bunch of different stuff.
Jocz: Then there are songs that are heavy.
AM: Definitely a little bit of everything from what I can tell.
McCaslin: Yeah, exactly.

AM: Along the lines of lyrics, Deryck has shown different styles of writing. "Dear Father" was more straightforward and to the point whereas "Walking Disaster" was more on the cryptic side. What could you say his writing style is like on the upcoming record?
McCaslin: That's a tough one because I haven't actually heard all of the songs mixed yet.
Jocz: I've heard up to the demo stage where lyric-wise it's gibberish.
McCaslin: Lyrics are always the last thing that he does. We never really hear anything till it's done.
Jocz: It's all very incoherent right now.
McCaslin: It's basically his life…lately in the past year and a half. (Laughs)

AM: There is a song title that has been thrown around going by "Jessica Kill." Is that confirmed?
McCaslin: Yeah, that will be a title.
AM: Where did that name come from?
Jocz: That's a friend of ours who has that name.
AM: Really? That is cool.
McCaslin: Jessica Kill, yeah.

AM: Having toured all over the world, what are some places Sum 41 has yet to tour in that you would definitely be looking forward to?
Jocz: I'd like to explore Europe and Asia more. Go to China and Thailand. We've been to Singapore and Japan, but that's really it. I'd like to explore South America as well.
AM: Out of the places you've already visited, what makes it at the top?
Jocz: Japan.
McCaslin: Japan is great!
Jocz: It's just awesome. The people are awesome.
McCaslin: Yeah, the people are friendly and the fans are awesome. I really like going to England a lot as well.
AM: So Japan and England would turn you into a tourist?
Jocz: Yeah, I do go and walk around. In Japan, more people speak English now so it makes things more familiar. Before it wasn't like that. It's like walking ten years into the future. We've had so much fun there. In Europe, I love walking around and hanging out. We just like to look around and explore, you know.

AM: How do you feel about the growth in accessibility of music on the internet? Would you say it's a help or a hindrance for a band?
Jocz: Well, the internet has changed everything and it helps some bands. I mean, it's a help and a hindrance all at the same time. Bands now, if they have a unique voice, they can put a sample up. Take OK GO for example; they have learned to market themselves in a really cool way. It wasn't possible ten or fifteen years ago. At the same time, no one buys anything nowadays. That's going to destroy it, but it’s going to change into something else. The only thing that sucks now is that for a while, with touring, no one is buying the records so the Vans Warped Tour is taking a shit. I see it's based on the economy.

AM: Have there been any crazy experiences meeting with fans recently?
McCaslin: Not recently because we haven't been touring excessively for a while. We've done little tours here and there, but today's the first day of…the start of everything.
AM: How about in general? A really memorable one.
McCaslin: If you're talking about Japan, people get kind of crazy over there. I mean, they'll wait in the lobby all day. They'll be at the airports and the translations. They'll bring gifts. They'll take photos of you at the airport and by the time you get to your hotel, they've already had them developed and want you to sign them.

AM: What's a really amazing gift you've received from a fan?
Jocz: They're always bizarre. I got these shorts, skintight shorts with a horse head on the front. It's supposed to look like you're riding a horse.
McCaslin: That's pretty good. I've gotten sake cups. I use them all the time.
Jocz: You know, all sorts of weird things pop up every once and a while.

AM: If the story of Sum 41 was made into a movie, who would you want cast as your character?
McCaslin: (Whistles) I don't know.
Jocz: Robert De Niro. I just think that dude's really cool. Realistically though, probably Rob Schneider. The guy who plays Carlton on The Fresh Prince would have been Dave, but he left.
McCaslin: Who would I be?
Jocz: You'd be Napoleon Dynamite.
McCaslin: (Laughs) Jon Heder?
Jocz: Yeah, Jon Heder.
McCaslin: There you go.
Jocz: Mickey Dolenz from The Monkees would get a face-lift and be Deryck. (Laughs)

[Heather]

^^Awesome, thanks for posting...do you have the link to the interview so we can cite it?

[sum41-freak]

http://www.spinliveweekly.com/show-biz-news

[TomiT14]

Wow, that was the best interview I've heard in a while!
Thanks for posting!

[Hentaiman]

Yeah, great interview. They still don't want to confirm SBM as the title haha. And Steve didn't even knew Scumfuck was a final title on the album haha.

[Volted]

umm, did anyone see this one?

http://dyingscene.com/news/dying-scene- ... th-sum-41/

[Jeremy Kill]

umm, did anyone see this one?

http://dyingscene.com/news/dying-scene- ... th-sum-41/

Hm, 12-minute section? I'm not familiar with music jargon, so is that just another word for "song"? It makes me feel like it will just be a sample track of all the songs now.

[TomiT14]

umm, did anyone see this one?

http://dyingscene.com/news/dying-scene- ... th-sum-41/

Hm, 12-minute section? I'm not familiar with music jargon, so is that just another word for "song"? It makes me feel like it will just be a sample track of all the songs now.

Got the same feeling, but in other interviews they've clearly said "song", so I'm counting on that.

[Emil]

I think it would be more fun if it was S&M Murder. That would be kinky.

[Jesse254]

awesome interviews, a lot of information,thanks.This is because i love it here :)

[Queso Man]

umm, did anyone see this one?

http://dyingscene.com/news/dying-scene- ... th-sum-41/

Hm, 12-minute section? I'm not familiar with music jargon, so is that just another word for "song"? It makes me feel like it will just be a sample track of all the songs now.

Got the same feeling, but in other interviews they've clearly said "song", so I'm counting on that.

I'm starting to get skeptical... they said "section" more than once in that interview, and they said once it's out that will be about a quarter of the album that's been heard...

[Simon]

I think they just said section because songs are usually not that long.

[spider-man]

so....the album is 56 minutes long?

[fergal41]

Steve did describe it as "not just any song - a twelve minute epic song" at one point too though

I hope they release it soon so we can hear it anyway!

[Jeremy Kill]

Everyone use the power of The Secret to make it certain that it's going to be a song and an epic one at that! With sweet riffs, a solo, some beautiful (non-annoying) piano melodies and no "fakes" or "blames".

I think it would be cool if Cone and Stevo (probably not Stevo) sang in the song, but that's probably asking too much.

[Mr-David-Blues]

Its good to see Cone taking control of some interviews iinstead of just D & Stevo

[FuckT41182]

Everyone use the power of The Secret to make it certain that it's going to be a song and an epic one at that! With sweet riffs, a solo, some beautiful (non-annoying) piano melodies and no "fakes" or "blames".

I think it would be cool if Cone and Stevo (probably not Stevo) sang in the song, but that's probably asking too much.

no it's not ...I still wish to hear P4P new song :P

[Emil]

Everyone use the power of The Secret to make it certain that it's going to be a song and an epic one at that! With sweet riffs, a solo, some beautiful (non-annoying) piano melodies and no "fakes" or "blames".

I think it would be cool if Cone and Stevo (probably not Stevo) sang in the song, but that's probably asking too much.

no it's not ...I still wish to hear P4P new song :P

Never gonna happen cause it was Dave and Steve that wrote those songs.

[FuckT41182]

Everyone use the power of The Secret to make it certain that it's going to be a song and an epic one at that! With sweet riffs, a solo, some beautiful (non-annoying) piano melodies and no "fakes" or "blames".

I think it would be cool if Cone and Stevo (probably not Stevo) sang in the song, but that's probably asking too much.

no it's not ...I still wish to hear P4P new song :P

Never gonna happen cause it was Dave and Steve that wrote those songs.

I know ...but they could at least play two songs by P4P at the end of the show ...Pain for Pleasure and Reign in Pain