THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM Interview by James Hepplewhite
If GASLIGHT ANTHEM frontman Brian Fallon wants a career in politics, he certainly has the necessary skills to avoid answering questions through vague obfuscations, and alternatively, to play the game of straight-talk express. As Pastepunk's James Hepplewhite caught up with him via email several weeks ago, Fallon minced most of James' questions into one-line answers, many of which smacked of self-amusement. Normally, this would send my Editor Fun Time Hat into a ball of flames, but Fallon's curt sincerity draws an exception. As THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM sit on the perch of potentially becoming the next "huge punk rock band in the world," maybe his modesty and reluctance to talk endlessly about his himself and his band is the best response of all. Yea. That's the ticket. - Jordan
Pastepunk: When did you first learn to dance, and which has since become your favorite?
Brian: I was born dancing, I like to cha cha cha.
Pastepunk: What's your favorite old jazz record to listen to, and what's the jazz record you say is your favorite around women?
Brian: I don't like Jazz, Miles Davis is soul in my book, I don't like the connotations that go with jazz. It's too restricting.
Pastepunk: Who is the first Maria?
Brian: I don't know... I imagine maybe a son or daughter of Adam and Eve.
Pastepunk: Could you speak (well, type) a little bit about your hobby of amp repair?
Brian: I love the old Fenders, I actually just blew mine up tonight, so right now that's not going too well. But I really love amplifiers, I love them too much, I'd rather work on or play an amp than do anything else sometimes. It's a bit of a consuming obsession, the quest for the perfect tone.
Pastepunk: What makes Chicago one of the only places you'd leave New Jersey for?
Brian: The Cubs, The Bears, and it's the greatest city. I wouldn't leave New Jersey for it though, that's a bit of a stretch.
Pastepunk: In what parts of The '59 Sound do Otis Redding and Sam Cooke reside?
Brian: The heart of the matter.
Pastepunk: Could you go a little more in-depth with the story behind the song, "The '59 Sound"?
Brian: I'm not really the kind to go into detail about what songs mean or don't mean, I say whatever it is I'm trying to communicate inside the song, and when it's gone from the stereo to the listener, it's not mine anymore, it's theirs. I think music can't really be discussed accurately. Take "My Back Pages" from Bob Dylan, I can't explain it to anybody, but I know what he's saying there, if you know what I mean.
Pastepunk: You say the Senor and the Queen EP is soul music, but the title track sounds like a good old fashioned rager. Care to explain?
Brian: I wonder what they called soul music before Time Life Collections..
Pastepunk: Is Broken Bones Matilda an actual person?
Brian: I'm not going to divulge any secrets here; she was a horse with a wooden leg and a pack a day habit.
Pastepunk: What's the most memorable basement show you have played?
Brian: The Loft, a few months ago, best house show ever.
Pastepunk: What inspired the line "We're much too young of men to carry such heavy heads"?
Brian: Being much too young to carry such heavy heads.
Pastepunk: Does the New Jersey scene ever die, or does it just go into hibernation every so often?
Brian: I'm not too sure, I think there's some pretty good bands here. We're All Broken are great.
Pastepunk: Because I have to ask: The Supremes or the Temptations, and, of course, why?
Brian: The Supremes because of Diana Ross.
Pastepunk: What is so lovable about Virginia's heart?
Brian: Well it compliments me every morning while I brush my teeth, and sometimes takes me out for coffee, though I do get a few stares being out with an organ.
Pastepunk: Birds chirping in my ear tell me you like Rancid. Where did you first hear them and what would it take to get the Gaslight Anthem to cover "Black Derby Jacket?"
Brian: I like Rancid. I don't think we do too many covers.
Pastepunk: Where did the image of falling asleep on the beach at the end of "Blue Jeans and White T-Shirts" come from?
Brian: You know what's coming right? Falling asleep on the beach.
Pastepunk: Finally, can you talk a little bit about Coca-Cola, how Alex became known as the enforcer on the road and about nicknames that Benny seems to give people?
Brian: Coca Cola is the best drink in the world, I don't care if they own everything. I don't know why Alex is called "the Enforcer" and why Benny gives everyone a nickname. He just likes to do that. I think he gets royalties on them.
Pastepunk: Lying of course, one last question: Is it hard for the younger punk kids to appreciate jazz, blues and soul music, and if so, why?
Brian: Punks are smarter and much more tasteful than people give them credit for.
Pastepunk: Okay, really, I swear, one last question. How do you feel about the ubiquity of The '59 Sound on the internet three months or so before its release date?
Brian: You know, at least people want it, that's all you can ask for at the end of the day. I don't have any money now, I didn't before, so I'm not missing anything. But I do have people driving down the highway with a record I was a part of on their stereo, and that's so much more than I could ever want. Can I get a witness?
If GASLIGHT ANTHEM frontman Brian Fallon wants a career in politics, he certainly has the necessary skills to avoid answering questions through vague obfuscations, and alternatively, to play the game of straight-talk express. As Pastepunk's James Hepplewhite caught up with him via email several weeks ago, Fallon minced most of James' questions into one-line answers, many of which smacked of self-amusement. Normally, this would send my Editor Fun Time Hat into a ball of flames, but Fallon's curt sincerity draws an exception. As THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM sit on the perch of potentially becoming the next "huge punk rock band in the world," maybe his modesty and reluctance to talk endlessly about his himself and his band is the best response of all. Yea. That's the ticket. - Jordan
