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Wonder Boys
It's 11 a.m. at Siete Pecados, a pub/disco tucked away at the basement of the Western Philippines. Scott Moffatt is unhappy about the dim lighting. "It's too dark!" he gripes. Dressed in a red gingham shirt and faded denim jeans, the 17 year-old's sullenness disappears the minute he's plonked in front of a camera. And believe me, when this young rocker switches on that enigmatic smile, it's enough to make your heart sizzle and burn! Oh, and how about the way he runs his hand through that sexy blond shag? Phwoar! Or the intense manner in which he flips through a copy of LIME, breaking his concentration only to inquire about a certain Taiwanese rock band?
Seated patiently in a separate corner of the club are Scott's 16-year-old triplet brothers. Clint, the eldest of the trio, is dressed in an all black ensemble; a rib-hugging rock tee clings to his rakish frame. This, plus the goatee he is sprouting, adds a deceivingly menacing air about him. He tries (unsuccessfully) to sneak a peek at my notebook, no doubt wondering what personality-revealing questions I intend to throw him and his bros. Also in all-black get-up is Dave, who appears cooly nonchalant. Helping himself to another copy of LIME, he's soon scrutinizing every page with the attentiveness of a dork preparing for a test. The second youngest Moffatt, Bob, is obviously a morning person. Togged in a white 'No Fear' tee, he's especially cheerful, and stops to share a joke with the record reps after the photo sesh. Soon as he seats himself beside me, it's a signal to the rest that he's ready for the interview - and they'd better be too!
You guys started out as a country act but achieved success as a pop group. Now, with the release of Submodalities, you've crossed over to rock. Have you found that definitive Moffatt sound yet?
Bob: We wrote most of the songs on this new record, taking some influences from bands like Radiohead, U2, and incorporating them into the sound we wanted. So I think we've taken a step closer to finding the Moffatts sound.
Scott: We're very proud of the album and this is not another personality of ours. This is our personality right now!
You've got a rough and er.. dangerous image to go with your rock sound! Are you really mean and tough fellas, though?
Bob: There are people who think we're a little more ageressive now, and I think it's a misconception that the album has given them. Musically, we have definitely become meaner and more aggressive. We think our new image's really cool, but that's just an image! Deep down, we're just regular, nice guys.
Clint: [seriously] We're still teenagers, so we tend to change more within a space of three years. I hope people will accept the changes in our band 'cos every band needs to change and grow. Look at Madonna - she changes her image all the time!
With the music industry currently dominated by pop artists like the Backstreet Boys and N sync, do you feel that rock gets overshadowed at times?
Scott: [quickly] Definitely!
Bob: Its a bit of a shame! There are so many great rock bands out there and people don't notice them 'cos they're so caught up with pop now!
Scott: [heatedly] I think it's disgusting that boybands have gotten so massive! Rock bands like ourselves, Coldplay, Travis and Matchbox Twenty, are overlooked just because we're not part of the fad. We're the ones who make music with depth, music with more meaning than just an ordinary love song. And people will get sick of the boyband fad. I mean, I don't see Backstreet Boys really taking a stand for anybody. They're just writing songs to make money! If you ask me, I'll say pop's on it's way to a fast death!
Clint: [ponders] There should be a market for people who enjoy pop music. But I think it's now oversaturated with the huge investment in boybands. That's why it's all going down!
Scott: [adds] Plus, there's a lack of good songs.
Cripes. Sounds like you lot are totally against boybands...
Bob: When people look at our band, they look at us differently - as compared to a boyband. When they see the Moffatts, they tend to see four brothers making music together.
Scott: When they look at a boyband, they see an individual and they say, "I like Justin..." Most of the time when they see us they go, "The Moffatts are great!" Let's take N sync for example. Justin could actually be bigger than the group, 'cos he does more commercials than N sync. It's pretty lame.
Bob: We do experience alot of that 'I love Scott' and 'I love Clint'...
Scott: [shouts] I lurrrvee Scott!
Bob: [ignores him] It happens due to the age demeographic of the crowd we appeal to, but as far as the general public is concerned, they see us more as a band than anything else!
Your Asian tour is pretty extensive this time round: Indonesia, Thailand, China, Korea, Malaysia, Japan...what part of the experience has been the most memorable so far?
Clint: We realize, on this trip particularly, how much our fans are willing to accept us. They're still here for us and they still appreciate our music even though it's changed. We're working very hard to get a more diverse crowd. We don't want to attract only the girls but we hope the guys will come to our shows too.
We heard you toured with Christina Aguilara some time back...
Scott: [calmly] There was supposed to be a tour with Christina but she was too good for us. She actually wanted to meet us but we heard some nasty things about her. We're a band who believes in the saying, 'leave your ego at the door'. We're in this to make music and our job's just to bring happiness to the people in this world. We're absolutely not better than anybody and we hope other artists take heed of that.
It's hard to talk about Christina without mentioning Britney... have you met the pop princess yet?
Clint: Yeah, we've met her before and she's a nice person.
Dave: [smiles at the memory] She treated us with respect, so we treat her with respect too.
Scott: [cheers up] Woo hoo! I triple like Britney. I like her new song, 'Stronger', and truthfully, she's eye candy and I have nothing against her. Whether she can sing or not, she's definitely providing something for me.
Whose album have you been tuning in to?
Scott: Radiohead, Coldplay...I do nothing but listen to music all day.
Clint: The Beatles' new record, 1.
Dave: I don't have my CD player with me cos I don't listen to music so often nowadays. The last CD I listened to was 'Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie' by Alanis Morissette!
Scott, as a big brother, do you get the most attention?
Scott: [boasts] I make people pay attention to me. [demonstrates by slumping to the floor and fiddling with his instant camera. Clint, Bob and Dave let out a collective sigh]
Bob: All of us have different qualities and they come through especially when we're on stage. The result is that everyone gets noticed. Sometimes, I look at Scott and think he's really amazing! And Clint - he was so entertaining at our last gig!
Scott: [slightly annoyed] Don't lie! You couldn't take your eyes off me.
Are you a responsible big bro, Scott?
Bob: [exasperated] He's totally out of control! He's the oldest and the youngest! When he goes out partying, he's always getting into loads of trouble!
Scott: [gleefully] Did you hear the one about me and one of the FIVE guys getting into a fight? But I'm not going to say anything now 'cos I don't wanna be accused of starting a rumor.
So who'd win a Celebrity Deathmatch between FIVE and The Moffatts?
Bob: [cackles] Of course it'll be us! We have instruments. Drumsticks can be very lethal weapons. We can also throw our guitars and keyboards at them!
Scott: [helpfully] How about guitar strings? We can even use mics!
Bob: And we took kung fu!
Scott: Anyway, I won't waste time and effort fighting with FIVE!
Who among you is the most hot-tempered?
Scott: Me!
Clint: Scott. On a regular basis, he's already highly difficult!
Dave: And nobody can cool him down.
Bob: We all have our moments when things aren't going well. It could either be Scott or Dave or myself helping Clint calm down. Sometimes, I'm the one going through a terrible time.
Scott: We were in Germany rehearsing for our tour when Bob and I were having a massive argument. I went up to his drum kit and kicked it a few times. And he came over to my stacks of guitar amps and toppled them over, and I was almost crushed!
Bob, you're looking good with that close crop! Do you miss your shoulder length hair?
Bob: I'm still trying to get used to my new haircut! That's why I have to look in the mirror more often nowadays. Im definitely more comfortable, though. But I'd hate it if a waiter or waitress comes from behind me and says, 'Excuse me miss, would you like a drink?' [guffaws from everyone] It hasn't happened yet and I think it's because of this scar on my head [bends his head]. So I'm very proud of that.
Scott: When he first shaved his head, he looked exactly like Sinead O' Conner! It was unbelievable! Then he started to grow this [points to Bob's goatee] to make himself look a lot less like her.
Are you guys quite a vain bunch?
Bob: Clint's probably the vainest.
Clint: No it's Scott!
Bob: [shocked] Scott? He probably doesn't even do his hair!
Scott: No! I do my hair! But I do it so it doesn't look like I do it! In fact, I spend tons of time on my hair. And I have to look in every mirror I walk by. [shrugs] I'm more self-conscious.
Who's the chattiest Moffatt?
Scott: I talk a lot. In fact, I talk the most!
Bob: I wish Scott would talk less! Every day, every hour, he'd be going [mimics Scott] 'Bob, I've got this new Radiohead song I love. Can you listen to it?...' 'Guys, can I play you this Coldplay CD?' You'll get this the whole day! Clint, on the other hand, is so quiet it's almost refreshing!
Scott: Hey, what can I say? I lurve people!
Clint, is it true that you are a perfectionist?
Dave: Definitely!
Scott: When it comes to keeping his room clean, that is.
Clint: [yells] That's because I'm the only one who's cleaning up!
Scott: But when it comes to making mistakes, however, I get totally furious with myself!
Bob: [sarcastically] Yeah, right! Scott is the sloppiest guitar player you've ever listened to. And he likes his sound NOT perfect. But Clint flips out when Scott does that. When it's about the sound, Clint wants us to be the tightest, grooviest band on earth!
Dave, you look like you've put on some weight...
Dave: [cooly] That's because I eat the most. I eat anything thats edible.
Scott: [jokingly] He weighs almost 10 pounds more than I do now.
Bob: That's why he's starting to look pudgy in photos. You know something? Actually Scott and Dave are identical - they've got the similar personalities and looks!
Dave: [horrified] Don't write that down!
Bob: If Scott got a brow-ring, they'd look exactly alike!
Scott: [grabs Bob's wrist] You're going down the wrong path now...
Bob: Ow!! Don't you notice that Scott's growing his hair and getting bangs just like Dave's?
Clint: [getting worried] Hey guys, dont freak out! [Scott unwillingly lets go of Bob]
Dave: He's trying to be more like me!
Scott: [annoyed] This is way beyond me.
Dave: [smiles] Hes finally hearing what he's been trying to figure out his whole life.
Bob: Don't worry, Scott! We're here to help! Hyuk Hyuk!
Which Moffatt attracts the most girls?
Scott: Probably me!
Bob: Hahaha! See, you're going to get answers like that. If you ask 'Who's the best musician in the band?' Scott will go 'Probably me!'
Scott: [grandly] My job in the Moffatts is to bring greatness.
Bob: He's off-center!!
Scott: I bring a certain vibe to the band that my brothers cannot. I bring magic!
Bob: I have to give it to him. He's the best!
Scott: [half-seriously] When we were in Shanghai, a reporter actually asked us,'Triplets, how does it feel that your elder brother is the best looking and most popular?' I was so shocked!
Bob: [turns to Scott] You know, it probably comes from the Chinese mentality that one must respect one's elders. That might have been a little respect for you!
Dave, you said you have a thing for older women...
Dave: Hahahaha! That was a joke! When I was younger, I used to have a crush on a 30-year-old woman. But I think everyone goes through that kind of phase.
Scott: [brags] The oldest gal I've ever gone out with was 21 years old and she's a real hot babe! By the way, she's Canadian too!
Are you fellas dating anyone now?
Bob: No, I'm not. If I'm seeing someone in the same business, I may be able to relate to her but...
Dave: It's way too difficult! You'll end up seeing each other less! When you go home, it might be her turn to hit the road. I don't understand how the people in this business do it.
Bob: [earnestly] That's what we're trying to say in our song 'I Don't Want You to Want Me'. It's about telling a girl I'll end up hurting her 'cos I can't be there for her all the time. As a musician, I travel for most part of the year, so it's not gonna work out. We'd like to see ourselves take a break sometime in the future, and go meet that special gal. But I don't think we're quite satisfied with what we've accomplised so far.
Which of these hot babes would you wanna go out with this Valentines' Day: Britney, Jennifer Lopez or Madonna?
All: Madonna!
Scott: She's the sexiest woman in show business.
Bob: But it must be difficult to charm a woman like Madonna. She's so straightfoward and she's seen it all!
Scott: [cleverly] How about if I took of all my clothes?
Any unforgettable Valentines' Day experience to share?
Dave: [thinks hard] Erm...we don't usually get saucy presents...
Bob: [suddenly] Hey, I know! We got a gigantic chocolate heart from a group of fans when we were performing in Belgium! The entire thing was made of solid milk chocolate! It was amazing!!
What kind of girl makes your heart go Bang Bang Boom?
Clint: Nice, humorous, fun.
Dave:Smart, relaxed, outgoing.
Scott: Just any girl I'm attracted to... [lustily] like Angelina Jolie, Britney Spears, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Moss...
Which part of a girls' body other that her eyes and legs turns you on?
Scott, Dave and Bob: [loudly] Shapely bums!
Scott: [declares] Size doesn't matter.
Clint: [whispering] How 'bout nice boobs?
Have you ever been caught making out by your fans?
Clint: [decisively] No! If I'm bringing out a girl for a date, it has to be somewhere quiet and intimate. It's definitely not going to be publicized!
Bob: If it's a serious relationship, then I think there's nothing to be ashamed of. If I have a girlfriend, I'd definitely let the fans know. We don't want to hide anything from the people who made us!
Ever been caught in a saucy lip-lock by your folks?
Dave: No, I haven't.
Bob: It happened at her house, actually. We were supposed to watch a movie on telly with 2 other friends, but we decided to play spin the bottle instead. You know what? Her parents came back earlier than expected! So we had to put the movie on and pretend we were watching it. [laughs] But the bottle was still on the floor - we'd forgottn to put it back in the fridge! So they must've known we weren't quite watching the movie.
Have you all snogged the same girl?
All: NO
Dave: I never snog brother's girlfriends!
Bob: You know, I still need to get used to the word 'snog'. We heard it for the first time in the UK but none of us knew what it really meant then. Now that I do, I really like it!
Finally, which Moffatts tracking is great for making out?
Scott: Probably 'Who Do You Love'
Bob: For me, it's 'Always in My Heart'. I'd like the song to be written by one of us so that I can relate to it. Plus, it's a good ballad! Or even 'Spy', the last track on our album. Until it gets to the heavy part, the whole song's actually quite soft and romantic.
Scott: Which makes it great for making out then... [composes himself] is this a perv magazine or what?
Moffatts Surprisingly Syrup-Free on Submodalities
Vancouver, BC
February 8-15, 2001
As acts from '50s rockabilly pinup Ricky Nelson right on down to Aussie grungers Silverchair have learned, growing up isn't always easy when you begin your career as a teen idol. The problem goes something like this: hit the charts around the time you hit puberty and you're inevitably branded a novelty act. Shaking such a tag can involve taking drastic measures. In the above-and-beyond category, you've got the likes of Michael Jackson, who, on a half dozen different levels, no longer resembles a creature of this earth. The formerly squeaky clean Britney Spears has spent the last six months shocking Middle America - and fuelling the fantasies of dirty old men - with ensembles that look like they were purchased at www.poledancers.com. Ricky Martin did a smart thing by disappearing long enough to make North America forgive him for Menudo, and Hanson won a surprising amount of critical acclaim by ditching bouncy 'MMMbop' pop for '70s AOR rock on last year's This Time Around.
The title of the Moffatts' most recent album, Submodalities, is a warning that the Victoria four piece has decided to alter the way it does business. According to the band's bio, submodalities, as defined in a book called Using Your Brain for a Change, means 'anything to do with a visual change in image'. That helps explain why the album's cover finds the four formerly fresh scrubbed teens sporting facial hair and just-rolled-out-of-bed-with-a-hangover coiffures. The Moffatt-land changes don't stop there. With assistance from veteran producer Bob Rock, the band has made a genuine, and largely successful, effort to skew its sound to a more mature audience. No one's going to mention Submodalities in the same breath as Metallica's breakthrough self-titled 1991 outing, but tracks such as 'Walking Behind' and 'I Don't Want You to Want Me' pack a considerable amount of radio friendly power into their three-and-a-half minutes.
'We're not going for world domination or anything - we're just trying to make our own dent and leave a legacy in our own way,' guitarist-singer Scott Moffatt says, on the line from Calgary.
Moffatt and his triplet siblings, Bob, Clint, and Dave, have been making records for the better part of a decade. North America got to know them as a Nashville kiddie outfit specializing in a brand of country that would have made Hank Williams Sr. kill himself if a heart attack hadn't done the job first. The reinvention of the Moffatts - who play the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Friday (February 9) - started with 1998's poppy Chapter 1: A New Beginning. The album moved two million units world wide, cementing the group's status as a much adored - primarily by pubescent girls - Canuck version of Hanson. Moffatt says Submodalities represents an attempt to break from the past, but admits that's not always easy to do.
'I guess there are people who may have a negative viewpoint of the band because of our country days or because of Chapter 1,' he offers candidly. 'What's important is that, when we go to countries where they haven't heard that stuff, people get a different impression. They understand the band the way that we want them to. As far as Canada goes, and most parts of Europe and Asia, it's a process of trying to reeducate people on what we're all about.'
Rock, who's perhaps best known for his work with Metallica, helped with the makeover on Submodalities, cowriting three songs with the siblings and handling production duties. The decision to work with the former Vancouverite was a smart one; the 12 tracks on the CD sound like they were made to be played in 60,000 seat stadiums. The weird thing about the album, especially given Rock's proclivity towards working with heavier American units like Metallica and Motley Crue, is that it sounds so British. 'Just Another Phase' starts out with muted sitar and then gives way to an Oasis size, sing along chorus, 'Walking Behind' is a blur of Fab Four harmonizing, and 'Antifreeze & Aeroplanes' contains an absolute wonderwall of shimmering guitars.
'U.K. music has really personally influenced me,' Moffatt says. 'I'm really into groups like Supergrass, Radiohead, and Coldplay. They're making very experimental music which also happens to be pop music. We've been to England and Scotland, and by being over there we've seen a lot and heard a lot. Also, our label is EMI, which is home to some of the best Britpop bands. We get given records for free, we listen to them, and then we get inspired by them.'
Perhaps the best indicator that the Moffatts have achieved their goal of growing up is that there's virtually no syrup on Submodalities. For an indication of where the group might be going in the future, consider that one of Moffatt's only complaints about the album is that it might be too radio friendly for his liking; the next time out he's going to push for a production job that's considerably more raw and gritty.
'There is a lot of ear candy on the record - when we were working on demos, the songs were, I don't know, more alternative,' Moffatt says. 'But we're not at the point where we've learned enough to be able to produce our own albums. That'll come, though. Having spent two months with Bob Rock, we learned enough that we're that much closer to being able to do the next record.'
'It's strange that we have to justify ourselves - sort of shove what we're doing down people's throats, in a way,' he continues. 'But we find it a challenge to convince people that we're changing, and more importantly to get them to believe in the change. Every time we go on stage and play our new music, we have the opportunity to convince people that we're the real deal - that we are a rock band and that we have substance.'
Moffatt Morsels
What's your worst quality?
Scott: [smirks] I don't have any bad qualities! I'm perfect!
Dave: [ashamed] I talk too much.
Clint: Yeah me too!
Bob: [sadly] I'm too serious.
What's the craziest thing you've ever done?
All: Driving on a highway in the US at 200 miles per hour! Woohoo!
What makes you laugh?
Scott: [deadpans] Nothing.
Dave: [cleverly] A funny joke, of course!
To really impress me, a girl should...
Scott: [saucily] Take her clothes off! Hyuk hyuk!!
Dave: Be herself.
Clint: Just act normally. I don't like pretentious girls.
Bob: Be pretty. Looks are very important to me. Hey! That's the first thing anybody would notice!
Who's the most spiritual Moffatt?
Scott: [proudly] Me!
Dave: Hah! Definitely not Scott! The triplets are much more spiritual! Actually, we're all Catholics and we go to church regularly!
Which Moffatt eats like a horse?
Scott: Dave and me!
Dave: [brags] Yup, I eat the most!
Which Moffatt hates to get into the bath?
All: [outraged] None of us!
What's your most useless talent?
Scott: [miffed] None of my talents are useless!
Dave: I can loop my leg around my neck.
Bob: Cracking my talents. Does that count as talent?
Your weirdest habit?
Dave: Er...biting my nails?
Bob: I'm a very organized person. Is that weird?
What color looks bad on you?
Scott: [boastfully] I look good in everything!
Dave: I avoid green or olive like the plague!
Bob: Brown looks awful on me.
Clint: I'm easy, I look okay with most colors.
When was your last date?
Scott: [mysteriously] Just last night, at this KL pub called Bravo.
Dave: [excitedly] Yeah, we chatted up some girls!
The last time I cried was...
Scott: This morning!
Clint: [dramatically] Many moons ago.
What's the most overworn item in your wardrobe?
Scott: Er...my underwear? 'Cos I have to wear them everyday!
Dave: This black sleeveless vest I'm wearing right now. And these shoes.
Bob: Nothing, I change my wardrobe very often.
Clint: I have a white V-neck shirt I wear all the time
The biggest trouble I've gotten into is...
Scott: [jokingly] I went to a bar, picked up some chicks, got drunk and became real rowdy!
Dave: I almost burnt down someone's house by accident when I was seven!
Bob: [cringes] Once, I cut my finger really deep. The wound just burst open!
Do you reckon Britney Spears is too sexy?
Scott: There's no such thing as 'too sexy'.
Dave: [shrugs] If that's the way she wants it, its okay with me.
Bob: She's alright, she's not too sexy.
Is Christina Aguilera too skinny?
Clint: Well, she'd definitely look much better if she puts on some weight!
Scott: [huffily] She's skinny and bitchy!
Dave: Yeah! We did a tour with her and she wouldn't even say 'hi' to us! Hrmmmph!
The Moffatts' new album SUBMODALITIES is in stores. Meg Magazine
"WE'VE BEEN HERE FOUR TIMES AND EVERY TIME IT'S JUST AS EXCITING," shares drummer Bob, on the Moffatts' return to Manila. They've grown with each visit, and on Meg's third opportunity to chat with Scott, Clint, Bob and Dave, the bros get serious on what their music means to them, and the changes they're making as they leave the "boy band" scene behind.
Who woke up first this morning?
Scott: I did! I usually wake up the earliest and go to bed the earliest. I just don't like to sleep.
Who wakes the last?
Scott: Dave!
Dave: No! I woke up first!
Scott and Clint: Dave wakes up last!
Bob: If we have a schedule that says "Be in the lobby at exactly 10 AM," Dave will come down at 10:05.
What time do you get down?
Bob: Always five minutes before. I'm always on time. [Dave rolls his eyes]
Could you tell us a bit about the collaboration with Bob Rock - between the sounds you have in your head, and the sound he wants to get out of you?
Clint: Bob Rock really wanted to focus on letting us be what we are. We came in there and he told us, "Be who you are and don't try to please anybody. If you think you've got a great record, that's all that matters."
Scott: We didn't go into this recording session worrying about alienating people - that would hold us back. So we just recorded songs that we believed in. They may sound a bit angry at times or a little depressing, but that's exactly how we want to portray them, whether it's sellable or not.
Does it come from your own personal experiences or do you just like to write fictionally?
Scott: Most of it is personal, emotions we felt at certain moments. It's not a total 100% life story, but there are a lot of elements about us in this album. The next album will be even more personal.
Do you think rock is kind of dangerous ground? If you go too heavy like Limp Bizkit
Scott: We're not going to get that heavy.
It's all pop dancing groups OR heavy duty stuff these days. Is "regular" rock in limbo?
Scott: No, not at all. I think regular is, I guess, timeless.
Precisely. It's timeless, but it's kinda having a hard time at the moment.
Scott: I think rock music always hovers. It goes through its peaks, then comes back to its main position. Now pop dominates, but it's going through a slow death - because of over-saturation.
Dave: I don't think rock music is in limbo. If anything, our music is in limbo. We're playing the type of music that does not have a "format." Pop radio stations go, "You guys are a little too hard for our format" while rock stations go, "we'd love to play ya, but your songs are a little too pop."
Is it because of your age?
Scott: Yeah, it's the age. In Europe, rock radio plays us. In the US and in the UK, it's very difficult but it's slowly getting there. They're really respecting what we've done with this new record.
Did you get a new director for your videos?
Dave: Yeah, we have a new director. He directed "Bang Bang Boom," and "Just Another Phase," which is our third single. He's a great director.
Scott: He's Scottish but he lives in Hamburg, Germany. He's a really weird guy.
What made you pick him?
Scott: I don't know. The script [for the video] was great. We wrote the script, but he changed it to fit what he saw. When we met him, there was the connection. We hung out with him, and just go along Well I'm very much a pig. [All laugh] And he's very much a pig also, so I thought, "Man, this guy is cool." [All laugh]
Clint: It's very seldom that you find a director who doesn't want to "BE" the video. We've had bad experiences, but with him we said, "Listen, we want to write the script for our videos." And he said, "I love the fact that the band is coming to me with the script and just having the opportunity to work with their ideas." So he's really a great guy, really open-minded about the band.
So, about your new look. Are those piercings real?
Dave: Yeah Uh, it hurt a bit when I got it done, but it's fine now.
Did anybody get mad?
Dave: No, I think basically everyone thought it was cool. I've only gotten compliments Well, except for one person and she's very, uhm, normal. [All laugh]
Bob: Well, I actually got a piercing but I lost it here today, so I have to go out tonight and get a piercing.
Scott: I'm going to get a tattoo down my arm. I'm thinking of a music note.
How do you break it to your parents?
Scott: "Dad, I'm getting a tattoo." [All laugh]
What were your expectations? People would love it? Hate it?
Bob: At first people were shocked. You look at the album cover and we look very serious and sort of aggressive? It's not like that's who we are. I mean, we're really nice guys - we smile and do that kind of "stuff," but for the critics, we never really had a huge critical success.
Scott: But the industry had always respected us.
Bob: The industry does, but the critics didn't take us as a serious band. They compare us to boy bands. We wanted to be noticed as a rock band. So we had to do this. I think people and critics are definitely looking at us as more of a rock band than a boy band now.
Scott: It's totally frustrating. I personally think that we are one of the best bands in the world, you know? If people aren't going to give us respect, then we have to shove it down people's throat. One day people are going to go, "Wow! They believed in themselves and that's what they got."
In the meantime, a lot of fans do go crazy.
Bob: A fan called me up last night and said, "We walked by your room and it was open." We think someone broke in there. It happens a lot.
Do these things disturb you?
Dave: It does. We like our privacy sometime - everyone needs that. But I see where they're coming from. If there's a band that you really like a lot, then you want to do as much as you can to get close to them.
Is there any band you would do that to?
Dave: No. because I see what it does to them. I'll just go to the show.
Scott: But I don't think any of us are fanatical fans. I mean, when I met Garth Brooks, talked to him a bit, then it was like, I didn't even meet him. I was so blown away. And if I were to meet Thorn Yorke from Radiohead it might be the same thing. Or Kurt Cobain if he were alive, or John Lennon, Jim Morrison - with these people I'd probably freak out.
What song on the album means the most to each one of you, and why?
Bob: I would have to say "Walking Behind." To me, a lot of our better songs were written when we were not required to write. They're not necessarily the most commercial songs, but they're good. But "Walking Behind" was one of those songs we HAD to write. It was the last couple of days of our recording session and we needed a song, and we came up with it.
Scott: Mine is "Just Another Phase." That song was written about a year ago and that's exactly how I felt when I wrote the song, so there's a personal connection there.
Clint: Probably "Walking Behind" as well.
Dave: "Antifreeze And Aeroplanes." It's a really good song that has a great message to it.
Scott: There's a story behind the song. We were at after-show party in Prague, and there was this one person we were talking to. At about 3 AM, as we walked out the door, there was that guy laying on the floor. He had overdosed on cocaine. So we decided to write the song. It says "Antifreeze and aeroplanes
Dave: it's killing you and it's killing me."
Wow. Let's move on to some non-musical questions. What are birthdays like with you guys, because there's the three of you celebrating one birthday?
Clint: We haven't had big celebrations because we were usually working on our last coupe birthdays. We just go for a nice dinner and exchange a few gifts.
Dave: The last birthday we had, we went to Banff [famous ski resort in Canada] and played pool with friends - which was amazing because we never really had a day off on our birthday.
What do you bring with you when you're on tour?
Scott: CDs, CD player, guitar
Dave: A big book that's interesting.
Scott: I'm reading a book called The Way of the Buddha.
Dave: It's so funny because a fan actually gave me a good book. It's called The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King.
Bob: I have those Harry Potter books. This fan gave those Harry Potter books, the one all put together and it's about this thick! [demonstrates]
Can four guys pack for themselves?
Scott: Yes! We do! We do it all the time.
Dave: Nobody packs for us.
Bob: It's easy to pack when you're first going on road because you get a certain amount of clothes that fit in your bag, but once we get on the road, we get like a hundred new pieces of clothing. Then it's difficult to pack and you have to throw some stuff away.
And when you get home, how quickly do you unpack?
Dave: I don't. I have to be told to unpack, because I'll just keep on taking clothes out of my suitcase and putting them back in. [laughs]
YM
Thanks to Gen Piller for this article.
What's the best thing about being in a band with your brothers?
Clint: The natural resonence we have in our voices. Plus, we've spent our whole lives together, sso we can't just say, "Hey guys, I'm out of here."
How are your personalities different?
Clint: Scott's very creative and totally driven.
Bob: Clint is intense; he wants things to be a certain way. In a group, Dave's the most quiet, but one-on-one he's always the center of attention.
Scott: Bob's mellow. When it gets hectic, he's like, "Calm down, dudes."
So how's the ladies' man of the crew?
Clint: Dave is deffinately a smooth talker.
Scott: But none of us have girlfriends.
What do you do when you spot a cute girl in the crowd?
Scott: Well, we've heard stories of bands who who'd pick girls out of the audience and stamp their hands so after the show they could go backstage, where the band would interview them for dates. They were just using their power to score. That was like, '80s rockers, though. That's kind of rude.
Clint: We don't pick girls like, "Rowe A, seat 8!"
Scott: They go crazy at the very beginning of the show. If I see a girl I dig, I eye her a bit. After the show she might be waiting backstage, and then I'll talk to her.
How would you describe the songs on your new album?
Scott: We have a little bit of pop, ska, rock. We try to vary our music a lot so we don't get stereotyped. We just don't want to have to play the same kind of music forever.
Your music used to be country. How did you get into that?
Scott: Our dad and our mom listened to it, so we just took it up. I can remember strutting around wearing a cowboy hat saying, "Dang, I can't wait to be a big country star one day."
What made you ditch the country boots and switch to pop?
Dave: We just matured. We've always had pop influences. We listened to Michael Jackson and played songs by Aerosmith.
Did you guys ever get into grunge?
Bob: Yeah. We'd set up in a garage in our flannel shirts and crank up Pearl Jam.
Dave: About three years ago we played at the Iowa State Fair, and these little kids and grandmas came to see us line dancing and singing covers of Dwight Yoakam.
Clint: But when we started doing rock, they, like, had heart attacks.
Scott: We had thousands of people just rocking to it.
Because your a band of brothers who play instruments, do you often get compared with Hanson?
Scott: Yeah, we do. But that's not a bad things.
Clint: We heard their live album, and we were like, "Jeez, this is good." They play well in person, which is one thing that makes them a credible band.
Dave: But our music is more alternative than Hanson's- It has more distortion.Which other singers do you think are doing good stuff?
Scott: Britney Spears and *N Sync can SING.
Clint: Billie. She's number one in the UK. And Eminem.
Bob: The next thing that I'm gonna get is the first Barenaked Ladies CD. I really like their tune, "If I had $ 1,000,000." It's very Canadian-sounding.
What does that mean?
Scott: Folky-Alanis Morissette. The guy who produced both of her albums produced four tracks on ours. He's unbelievable. |
