Not too many bands seem willing to go off the playbook in live performance, whether it be a spontaneous cover or jamming out a section of a song with improvisation. You guys are among the few who do. Is there a philosophy behind that?
Yeah, I just want to challenge the guys in the band and challenge myself. I want us to come across the same way that I would be blown away by as a music fan. ‘Cause I see so many bands play and I’m like, ‘Come on…Really?’ So many of the biggest rock bands are playing to a CD, which is basically like, Milli Vanilli in a lot of ways. So you hear all these sounds onstage, and you’re like, ‘Where the hell are these synths coming from? Where’s that vocal coming from?’ And you realize noone’s doing that.
So we want to give our fans as much honesty as possible, and expand on certain parts. Let the groove go further and deeper. You have an opportunity to introduce something new, something you can only get at a live show. So what’s the point of going to a show if you’re only hearing the CD? We’re trying to open up and be more vulnerable in that way. What you see is what you get, and we’re going to tap a little bit into our roots. A lot of us in the band came up in the hardcore punk scene where it was all about the performance, all about feeling connected.
There’s a mantra element to several of the new songs, repeated phrases that stick in your head. Is there a philosophy to that?
It’s always natural and instinctual. I grew up loving nursery rhymes, and styled melodies. That’s why Nirvana was so impactful to me, because Cobain found a way to repeat himself in an artistic, beautiful worthwhile manner. And I’m not saying I’m on that same level or anything near that. I want to be clear about that because Nirvana changed my life as it changed the world. Repetition can be beautiful if you’re saying the right thing.
You guys are a great fit for Bonnaroo, which is hands-down the best festival in America. But the sense of freedom, of leading with heart is palpable throughout the experience.
I’ve never been to the festival, and I wasn’t aware of how amazing the experience is going to be just as a fan of music. My silly little name is on the same poster as Robert Plant. That means a lot to me. We’re still trying to find a way to catch up to the European festival scene, and I think the States are really close and it’s getting better and better. I’m happy to be a part of it – any time you play festivals you get a bit of those competitive juices flowing, where I like some of these bands, but I want to steal the show.
“Headrest For My Soul” – this will beat the shit out of the radio. Please release it as a single. “Jailbreak” and “KOOKS” are great radio songs, but the heart keeps coming back to “Headrest”.
That makes me emotional, I really appreciate it. Everybody gravitates towards different songs on the record, there’s so much on there. So anytime someone says “Headrest” or some of the other deeper cuts on the record, it means a lot.
AWOLNATION TOUR DATES:
June 9 – Birmingham, AL – Iron City
June 10 – New Orleans, LA – House of Blues
June 12 – N. Myrtle Beach, SC – House of Blues
June 13 – Atlanta, GA – The Tabernacle
June 14 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
June 16 – Richmond, VA – The National
June 18 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore Silver Spring
June 19 – Dover, DE – Firefly Music Festival
June 22 – Toronto, ON – Phoenix Concert Theatre
June 23 – Montreal, QUE – Metropolis
June 25 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
June 27 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza
June 28 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom
June 30 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
July 1 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogart’s
July 2 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Detroit
July 5 – Winnipeg, MB – The Garrick Centre
July 7 – Edmonton, AB – Union Hall
July 8 – Calgary, AB – Flames Central
July 19 – Indianapolis, IN – Egyptian Room
July 21 – Minneapolis, MN – Cabooze Outdoor Plaza
July 23 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues
July 25 – Kansas City, KS – KRBZ’s Annual Radio Show Beach
July 26 – Omaha, NE – Sokol Auditorium
July 28 – Fort Collins, CO – Aggie Theatre
July 30 – Reno, NV – Knitting Factory
Aug. 1 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
Sept. 19 – San Diego, CA – Kaaboo Music Festival
Photo: Johnny Firecloud
